While some players prefer the natural feel of an uncoated string, not to mention the lower price, string coatings have evolved to feel evermore natural. No string is fully break-proof, but you should be looking for those with a high tensile strength.Ĭoated or uncoated electric guitar strings? A word on guitar string materials…Ĭoated strings such as Elixir’s promise to extend the life of your string, repelling the gunk and sweat that builds up when playing. There are other considerations, however, like tuning stability and durability. Your ears and fingers do the rest - listen to them, and they'll tell you which strings are right for your particular style and feel. This will be one of the cheapest parts of your rig – so experimenting with as many different sets as you can is a good idea. Luckily guitar strings are not expensive.
Ultimately though, it’s usually a case of trial and error and discovering what feels comfortable for you and your setup. It’s often said that thicker strings on a shorter scale guitar, like a Fender Jaguar for example, feel better than lighter gauges as they add a little more tension. You can also match string gauge to your guitar’s scale length. If you’re tuning down, as many metal players do, a heavier gauge set of strings will hold their tuning better, as the tension becomes more comparable to that of a lighter set in standard tuning. Thicker strings are harder to break and they tend to yield a little more low-end tone, but you’ll find that they’re harder to bend. Thinner strings are easier to play, as the tension is low - making them easy to bend and softer on the fingers.The downside is that they are more prone to snapping, as there is less resistance against the force you put against it. Their thickness is measured in 1/000th of an inch, and are usually referred to as 9’s, 10’s, 11’s - meaning that the thinnest string (your top E) is 0.009”, 0.010” or 0.011 etc. One of the most important things to consider when buying the best electric guitar strings for you is the gauge - the thickness - of the strings. (Image credit: Future) Electric guitar string gauges explained D’Addario promise an enhanced response in the 2-5khz range courtesy of these newly-engineered strings’ magnetic response with your pickups. They won’t go dull for ages either.Īs far as uncoated electric guitar strings go, these are impossible to beat, and the second-brightest model D’Addario makes. Going for a high-carbon steel core with their NYXL range, around which they judiciously wrap some nickel - they promise another super-tough string that won’t go breaking your heart when you go for a hero bend. Meanwhile, D’Addario’s NYXL strings prove that the NYC-based string-sheriffs are a viable contender against Ernie Ball for the top spot. The incorporated nanocoating feels natural with that Slinky tone present and correct. Spoiler alert: he couldn’t! That’s not to say they’ll never break, but Ernie Ball will guarantee 90 days without breakage - so be assured they’re tough in the extreme. In fact, Ernie Ball were so confident that they shot a video of John Petrucci trying to break them.
The Slinky feel, much-loved by players in many different genres, has been given a high-tech update with the Paradigm range, courtesy of Ernie Ball’s patented RPS (Reinforced Plain String) technology increasing the strength of its electric guitar strings by up to 37 per cent. Our number one choice for the best electric guitar strings is the Ernie Ball Paradigm series. Best electric guitar strings: MusicRadar's choice
If you’d like to get straight to the products, keep scrolling. If you’d like more expert advice on the best electric guitar strings, click the ‘buying advice’ button above. In this guide there are some great options from Elixir, Ernie Ball, D’Addario and more - that cater for all budgets and playing styles. On the other hand, it's pretty common for sub-par strings to inhibit your playing too.īetween the rest of the team, we’ve played some of the very best sets of guitar strings to help you find the right ones for you. Not only are they primarily responsible for any sound that comes from your guitar, but the serotonin-heavy introduction of fresh electric guitar strings can improve your playing - and even get you out of a creative rut. It’s no surprise that electric guitar strings are such a crucial link in your electric guitar sound chain.