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

Been using Ernie Ball strings on my electrics for almost 20 years. Don't recall ever having any issues with rust. Luck of the draw maybe. I started on Dean Markley's since Guitar Center used to have deals on bulk packs all the time back then but I broke strings with them constantly. Many broke when gently stretching them or tuning up new. They always broke in different places too, so I know it wasn't the guitar. Switched to Slinky's and I can't remember the last time I broke a string. Tried many other brands over the years, but I keep coming back to good old Slinky's. D'Addario's would be my second pick.

Ernie Ball Slinky 11's on my Les Paul.

Ernie Ball pure nickel Slinky 10's on my Strat. The pure nickel wrap is a little warmer sounding.

GHS Bass Boomers mediums on my Squier P Bass, but I'm a noob on bass, so I just got those because a friend recommended them.

For acoustic, I use Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze mediums. I love the sound of a fresh set of regular uncoated phosphor bronze strings but that initial clarity often lasts for about a day or two at best. The Elixirs cost a lot more but stay consistent SO much longer. I don't play my acoustic a whole lot, so I'll keep the same set on for months at a time and they still sound pretty much the same.
 
Tried EB's, DM's, GHS, Fender and many others. Always end up very disappointed and go straight back the D'Addario's. They just seem to be on a completely different level in terms of tone life, especially on the wound strings where I find other brands to start losing volume almost as soon as they are played in. Doesn't happen at all with D'Addario's and they stay full sounding way beyond when I would replace them anyway. I never break strings despite very heavy rhythm and huge bends, even I leave them on long enough for the winding splits from the core!

I build my own sets because I use odd sizes (.095 to .70 in standard 7-string tuning) and it seems D'Addario's just have more options than anyone else.

I need to try out NYXL's but it's been a lot of trial and error to find the exact tension I want for each string and I'm not really ready to go through it again.

(Iba LP 7-string fixed bridge and Jackson 7-string Chris Broderick floyd)
 
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I've been using Dunlop 12-52 on my main guitar. ES-355. On my Strats Dunlop 11s. On my Taylor acoustics Elixir 12.
 
I had been an EB Slinky user most of my life.

When I bought my first Carvin, it came with Elixir Nanowebs, which changed my life. I went through a string auditioning spree last year. Ultimately I'm going to phase all my guitars on to Elixirs. Except maybe the Strats, may have to sleep on that more.

For classical, I use Augustine low tension blacks.
 
Elixir Nanoweb 9 to 46 on all my electrics.

Elixir's for my Taylor 914ce and St. Augustine (blue label) high tension for the Taylor NS-74
 
D'Addario NYXL's (10's)
Strat with a Kahler tremelo (no lock nut)
HSS (Seymor Duncan..Kinman..Kinman)
10pf hpf cap. across volume pot.
Elixers, not good for trem's...delamination of fiber wraps
Ernie Balls..break at the ball point

I change about every 25 hours of play time.
So far, the NYXL's are lasting longer, might be smacking down my frets a little more though.
 
When I was gigging and had to change the strings every other day. GHS Boomers on my Les Paul (Heavy top light bottom 9 -46) and my RG570 (9-42)

These days, I use Elixer on my acoustic and been using Cleartones on my Ibanez', GHS Boomers on my Paul, trying out Fender YJM strings on my Fender Strats and D'Addario on my travel guitar
 
Ernie Ball 9's RPS Slinky's. The ball ends are reinforced for tremolo work. They are solid for about 3 gigs then I change them.
 
I've been more or less happy with Ernie Ball Slinky and D'addario. I've been using 9.5-44 for a while and it seems a nice compromise on all my guitars. I have them on a PRS SE 245 (24.5" scale) in standard tuning and PRS SE Custom 24 (25" scale) in half step down. Going to try them on my Strat next (25.5" scale standard tuning).
 
I use D'Addario XL's 10-46 on the CE24, homebuilt Tele, and either those or 11s on my Ibanez Talman. I have an OLP 30" scale baritone that I piece together custom sets for, but it's always 13-64 (or 68 or 70). I used DR Long Necks for years and years on my Lakland 5 str bass, but recently have been trying Kaliums on it for the larger gauges and like them just as much as the DRs.
 
I've been using D'addario EXL115(11-49) on all my guitars for about 4 years now and have no desire to change. I rarely break strings and the tone and string life is very consistent pack to pack.
 
GHS Boomers during the 70's
Switched to D'Addario 10's on all my electrics
EB Earthwood Medium Light on my acoustic steel string.
Augustine on my classical guitars
 
NYXL's. Great tone and I love the feel/tension, uncoated, long life, have yet to break one. On my Gibson's: 10-46, On my Fender's: 9.5-44 except my Tele which is 10-46 (I often have to switch between A=440 and Eb tuning) . My PRS gets Elixirs (I don't play it that often and the Elixirs will still be fresh months from now) gauge 11-52 cause it's a 24.5" scale length
 
SJB said:
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...

Actually, I've had guitars that had the same strings on them for years and to which I barely applied any care. It depends on which strings break (thin strings I tend to replace individually once, if the same gauge breaks again, or a 2nd bass strings breaks I will change all of them), or if I'm going to do some major recording. Other that, if they don't break I can pretty much leave them on for years. I have a guitar at home which probably has the same strings on them since 2012.
 
D'addario 9's & 10's - I tried everything years ago and these can't be beat IMO. They don't break, don't lose tone, don't go out of tune and last a long time. Plus they're cheap when you get them in bulk. I use them on everything.
I think it's best to stay with the same strings for consistency's sake. If you use different gauges and brands, expect to fiddle with truss rod adjustments, intonation and action settings a lot. and then there's the Floyd rose trem..... eeeekkkk!!!
 
Wait a minute.... You mean to tell me you can buy just a pack of strings? Well, damn. Every time I've had a string break I've gone and bought a new guitar.

Seriously though, D'Addario EXL110-10P Nickel Wound Electric Guitar Strings, Regular Light, 10-46 for the most part although I've just started playing around with the NYXLs on one of my guitars. Used Boomers and Slinkys back in the day but had the D'addarios come on a Kirn I had made and haven't turned back. Changed all my guitars to D'addario.
 
Been using Elixir Nano 10-46 on all my electrics, but recently tried Daddario NYXL 10's and i really like them. Elixir lasts longer, but NYXL sounds a bit nicer to me.

Curious to try new Elixir Optiweb- anyone tried these?
 
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