What Brand of strings do YOU like best ? ( include guitar type )

1poorplayer

1poorplayer

Power User
I've been an Ernie Ball regular slinky 10's user for a long time , until I recently got 4 packs that had rust on them ( inside their vacuum sealed package )

So , I decided to give ghs BOOMERS 10-46 a shot. I'm really liking them. Nice feel. Flexible.Sound good ,. ...and they seem to stay in tune. It's early , but so far so good.

If it hadn't been for the rust on the Balls ( a common problem after 20 + years of marriage as well ) , I probably wouldn't have ventured out and tried the ghs BOOMERS.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT , if you haven't tried many kinds , or thought you had your favorite brand already. ( like me )
 
Curt Mangan Pure Nickel 9-42: Handmade Strat, ESP, Fifty Two Barncaster, Fender Jazzmaster, 77 LP Custom.
 
I use Fender XL150 Nickel wound .009-.040.

I used to use something else, but they stopped making the ones I was using.

I am particular to a .015 G string, and most 9 sets use a .016.

I also tried the (also Fender) EVH 5150 stainless steel with the same gauges but prefer the warmer sound of nickel over stainless.

I play mostly late '80s Ibanez guitars Edge tremolo systems.

I don't have any complaints or issues.
 
Fender strat MIA with dimarzio area pups n super v trem n d'addario 10s.
 
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So you got an anomaly. Those EB Slinky's are the best.

Boomers are fine. I get them when they're cheap, but I beat on strings, and they break and/or wear out faster than the EB's.

IMO.
 
electronpirate said:
So you got an anomaly. Those EB Slinky's are the best.

Boomers are fine. I get them when they're cheap, but I beat on strings, and they break and/or wear out faster than the EB's.

IMO.
Click to expand...

Hmm. It's the first time I've ever gotten strings with rust on them. EVER. You're right. I'm not saying Ernie Ball strings are bad. Been using them for years too. The whole thing kinda knocked me off my horse and made me try something else. I may be trying some of the other suggestions on this thread too ! Now I'm curious.
 
I've wanted to publicly tell this story... I haven't before... But I will...

I use strings- I don't really like the ones I use they're just readily available and easy to find.

I reached out to a string company to ask a question- and their artist relations manager got back to me (huge company- won't name it but one of the biggest in strings). Answered all my questions, asked if I had any questions- and offered to send me anything and everything I wanted to try. He Fed-ex overnighted me every string I asked for. I told him which ones I liked and set me up with an endorsement deal/paperwork/all that stuff/and an artist account to order easily.

I got in touch with the guy to order through.... the rules is- I get the strings at artist pricing, plus tax and freight/shipping I think...
ANYWAY... I tell him the ones I want- and he hits me on a 10 pack...

....$10 more than musiciansfriend

The higher priced strings had a better deal/bigger savings but- really- guitar center/musiciansfriend was literally cheaper.
 
Elixir polywebs, and Ernie Balls. I got Ernie Balls and Elixirs that were defective before. They both replaced the strings free of charge. Awesome customer service.
 
I prefer EB .10's on just about everything. A couple may have .09's depending on scale length and what I've got laying around, but I'm pretty much on .10's for all the last few years.
 
D'addario 0.10 for almost of my guitars, except for the ones tuned in C#, in which case I use a little thicker Ernie Ball Beefy Slinkies. In the case of the EB's because those were available and D'addario does not have a similar set. It's not that I want to use D'addario at all cost, personally all strings feel and sound the same to me. I've used Fender, EB, Gibson, Rotosound GHS in the past as well, it's all the same to me. I just don't have those sensitive ears to hear any difference it would seem. But D'addario started offering these multiple sets in a box combos so I started to use those, and since I have a Floyd Rose equipped guitar and was told once you fine tune a Floyd Rose guitar to a particular string set and brand you should stick with it, so I have.
 
I've been using GHS Boomers since the late 70's and before that I used Vinci strings. Maybe it's just habit, or mind games, but every time I switch to try another brand, I end up back with the Boomers. Ironically, I don't think there is a great deal of quality difference among different brands (all of my replacement singles are EB, because I can get them locally) and any of them will corrode/rust given time and conditions.

An interesting related question is how often do you change strings? With the Boomers, I find a set can last for three weeks to a month before I start noticing light corrosion, or accumulation of grime. That time can be extended if I take the time to wipe everything down after a practice or gig and apply a little fretboard oil (e.g. Finger ease). Still, new set always sounds brighter, so maybe I should replace them more often.
 
SJB said:
I've been using GHS Boomers since the late 70's and before that I used Vinci strings. Maybe it's just habit, or mind games, but every time I switch to try another brand, I end up back with the Boomers. Ironically, I don't think there is a great deal of quality difference among different brands (all of my replacement singles are EB, because I can get them locally) and any of them will corrode/rust given time and conditions.

An interesting related question is how often do you change strings? With the Boomers, I find a set can last for three weeks to a month before I start noticing light corrosion, or accumulation of grime. That time can be extended if I take the time to wipe everything down after a practice or gig and apply a little fretboard oil (e.g. Finger ease). Still, new set always sounds brighter, so maybe I should replace them more often.
Click to expand...

This is my first set of Boomers , and they've been on for 3 days. I may not stick with them if they corroded or break quickly. I've been using EB for decades. Time will tell !
 
Stringdog Tone Rockets. For many years I used 10s, but recently have moved to 9s due to a left arm injury. Either way, they sound fantastic. You also get an extra high E and B string in every pack.
 
Dean Markley's Helix. I've been using Deam Markley's for over 30 years. D'Addario if I can't get DM's
 
I started off playing the lime green Ernie Ball Slinky strings, but I got tired of finding new packages with rusty strings like the OP said. I've also had several brand new high E strings snap at the ball end after doing some light stretching. So I gave up on Ernie Ball. I don't even know what they're doing now. They seem to release a new type of string at every NAMM proclaiming it's the next big thing.

I used regular D'Addario 10 - 52s for a very long time and was happy with them until the NYXL series came out. They last longer, can take more abuse, have a nice little presence bump, and you really don't even have to stretch them when throwing on a fresh pair. And I haven't opened up any packages that had rusty strings!

Now as for acoustic strings, I'd like to hear some recommendations. I tried the Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze strings and I liked those well enough (no rusty ones yet), but they seem to have a tonal shelf life of two weeks tops before they start sounding dead. I'm lazy and don't like changing my strings and I don't play my acoustic near as much as my electrics, so suggestions are welcome.
 
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