What's a good brand of guitar string?

[Beowulf]

I play electric guitar and I've been using Dean Markley's for the past year or so and I like them, they stay in tune pretty well and are sturdy. I was wondering what you other guitarists prefer.

Also I'm hoping to pick up an acoustic in the next few months here, looking at an Alvarez because I can't afford an $800 acoustic, but I've been playing for about a year and a half now and I'm above basic entry-level at this point. Any recommendations? I'm thinking about nylon strings because I like the sound.

Any comments or anything from those who know more about the subject than me.

-Mr. I Play Guitar At Parties to Get Laid.

[De Rigueur]

I use D'Addario electric (PRS Swamp Ash Special) and acoustic (Taylor 410CE). I used to know a guy who owned music store and he recommended them, so I bought cases of them at a discount. I rarely break strings, so they have lasted me.

The rest of my rig includes a Boss GT-8 effects processor and an Ampeg VL-503 tube combo. I plan to get rid of the amp and run through a powered PA speaker, using the GT-8's amp and cab sims.

Guitar recommendations? Get whatever chicks like, I guess -- if that's your goal. Actually, a guy whose opinions I respect said that chicks like Gibson Flying V's. I've never owned a nylon string guitar, so can't really help you there.

[Unix]

Well if you want nylon strings then you need to get a classical guitar.

As for me I have and Ibanez AE and my strings of choice are these D'Addario strings. They are similiar to elixer strings, but have instead of having the entire string coated they have just the outer wrap coated.

To me the elixers feel greasy, but many guitarists love 'em. They also have a slighly longer lifespan than the D'Addario's, in my experience.

I guess the most negative thing about either set is that you can't buy single strings with the coating on it. So if you break the E A D or G strings you either have to buy a new set of strings or get a non-coated one. They're also a bit more expensive. I'd say between $12 and $15.

[bash]

Pluck Me
Pluck You

The problem you will find with nylon strings/classical guitars is lack of volume in ensembles with steel stringed guitars. They're also more time consuming to restring and simple magnetic pickups won't work if you want to amplify it.

[FunkyStickman]

I'm currently using Ernie Ball 10's on my electric, they sound fine. I'm probably going to step up to 11's before long, since I play a lot of acoustic and my fingers can take it. I have an Ovation acoustic, it was like $300 and sounds fantastic plugged in.

[DCrazy]

I personally found the Martin medium acoustic strings to be a little dead sounding. My vote goes for D'Addario.

They also make Evans drumheads, which are my favorites.

[TheCope]

Iâ??ve used GHS Boomers 11's on my tele for 14 years. i stuck with d'adario-whatever 16's on my takaminie since it came that way factory. If you switch gauges, have your guitar professionally reset (adjusted)... it will save hair pulling.

[XSabre]

I use GHS boomers for mine currently. I might try d'adarios just to see how they are.

[Testiculese]

For Metallica/Satriani, I've found that Dean Markley's Blue Steel (custom light) provides the strongest sound. Ernie ball would be my second choice.

For acoustic, I've lately preferred Elixer nanoweb. Nice tone, makes up for cheaping out a little too much on my acoustic (As for acoustic guitars, Ibanez makes some nice ones, they have models where the distance between string and fretboard is about the same as an electric..very very nice)

[AceCombat]

for my Ibanez 5 string bass...... Ernie Ball
for my Fender 4 string bass..... D'Addario

[Jagori]

For acoustic, I use John Pearse Jazz Light nickel wound, or GHS White Bronze. I love the tone of that kind of string. I have a small guitar, so the brightness really gives it a lively tone for picking. Kind of "overdrives" when I strum hard, though.

Electric, I use Ernie Ball 10-52. I like 10s on the top end, but I play rather aggressively on the low strings. I rarely break the 3 unwound strings, but I break low Es and As all the time.

[Unix]

Jeez. You must kill those strings. I think I've broken one A string, ever. I guess you eat your wheaties.

[will_kill]

Jeez. You must kill those strings. I think I've broken one A string, ever. I guess you eat your wheaties.

nylon bad...steel good
I prefer DM's my self...

[Testiculese]

Wow, Jag, I think your technique is pretty far off if you're breaking your top strings(or are you playing live where you have to showboat?)

Admittedly, I usually play for two hours a day every day (ie: pantera/metallica/white zombie), and once I cut my low E in half. Well, not half, but it split where I pick. I usually change my strings a little more often to not slice them like a Ginsu! I use medium (.60) picks (and I burn through them pretty quick).

[Jagori]

I use heavy picks (2mm) because I like the 'feedback' pressure the strings give when the pick doesn't flex. It gives a very good range of dynamic control, but when I'm playing hard (i.e. rocking out for a crowd) I'm really hammering the strings, which isn't good for their lifespan. That, combined with the fact that I pound on the low strings more often than the high ones, wears them out faster (and is the reason I change strings before every show). I usually get about 3 weeks to a month out of a set of strings before breaking one, at which point I just change the whole set.

I did break a string at a show once... I've had a lot of practice in string changing though, and I had the new string on and stretched in under a minute. I got complimented on it after the show

[HaAGen DaZS]

d'addarios for guitar and bass for me...

im usually a nickel roundwound type of guy but i had a set of Low Riders on one of my basses which are SS... very vintage tone I got. Gunna try some flatwounds in a few months..

i used to break strings a lot - my first bass had a crap bridge, then on my better instruments I reliased I needed to buy new picks...

[Zuruck]

Yuck, only one person here uses Ernie Ball Slinkys? You people are disgusting...here it goes.

Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys for electrics "10s"
Elixir EXP OR Ernie Ball Earthwounds if they don't have my first choice "12s" or lights. Remember to try different brands of strings and different materials, they will resonate and therefore, produce much different tones. the EXPs and my Taylor combine to sound like churchbells...but you don't want to spend $2300 do you?

Not too sure why people would use 11s on their electrics, way too heavy of a string. SRV was the only guy ballsy enough to pull that off. I like 10s because they have a great balance of thick tone, and not having to cut my fingers to bend two steps.

Beowulf, you have to be GOOD at guitar to get laid, otherwise the people will look at you like you suck ass. Learn how to play guitar

[TheCope]

clown attitude zuruck. people use 11's cause they work for them. you can be a gear head all day long, won't help you write a song. still no evidence.

[Will Robinson]

GHS 10's usually, played with 11's for a while (even though Stevie Ray had bigger balls than me ) when I switched back to 10's it was like butter! Tried 9's but broke them too easy because of tremelo bar.

I never liked Dean Markley's or DiAddario's on electric...don't know why.

[HaAGen DaZS]

bass slinkys are crap for me. the "heavey metal" slinkys or whatever they are called are cool for guitar..
d'addario, y0.

[Clayman]

Ernie Ball 10's, and I've been thinking of going to 11's.

I've broken my A string on my bass in the middle of a gig (I eat my Wheaties too), and kept playing for the rest of it, though fortunately as I play 6-string bass, I had more sonic options left than others might have.