What strings to people use?

[NotSoEasy]

I've always quite lazily used Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottoms and been quite pleased with them...

However, when I received my BKPs they came with a set of Rotosound 10-46..

This has opened my eyes to the fact there is a world of strings out there so I'm curious what make of strings everybody uses, what you think are the best ones and are any more suited to different styles of music??

Ta  :)

[noodleplugerine]

9-42.

Religiously.

[nfe]

13-59 on my low tuned guitars (in both C and D)

12-56 on my standard tuned guitars.

I honestly cannot fathom how people can manage to play anything on light strings, I want my strings to stay where they bloody are, not jump all over the place every time I touch them. Plus big strings sound BIG.

[CmdChicken]

I honestly cannot fathom how people can manage to play anything on light strings, I want my strings to stay where they bloody are, not jump all over the place every time I touch them. Plus big strings sound BIG.

But moving the strings around lets the blues come out :D

I switch between 9-42 and 10-46 myself, depending on how I feel.

[Johnny Mac]

13-59 on my low tuned guitars (in both C and D)

12-56 on my standard tuned guitars.

I honestly cannot fathom how people can manage to play anything on light strings, I want my strings to stay where they bloody are, not jump all over the place every time I touch them. Plus big strings sound BIG.

Cos they're easier to bend and won't give you tendonitis!

[nfe]

13-59 on my low tuned guitars (in both C and D)

12-56 on my standard tuned guitars.

I honestly cannot fathom how people can manage to play anything on light strings, I want my strings to stay where they bloody are, not jump all over the place every time I touch them. Plus big strings sound BIG.

Cos they're easier to bend and won't give you tendonitis!

Pssht. I've got man's fingers, it's fine  8)

[Johnny Mac]

I use 9-42 in standard tuning and 13's in the Schecter thats tuned down to a B.
Currently using DR brand but use any really as I can't hear the difference between brands myself.

[AndyR]

I started with Ernie Ball 9s. Then 10s.

But I really didn't get on with them, so I switched to Dean Markleys (10s)

I used them for many years and then started to break them a lot in the late 80s when I was gigging more heavily (and my strat's bridge was wearing out!). The luthier's suppliers that I lived next door to at the time (Touchstone in Reigate) talked me into switching to the main brand they stocked. I think they were branded as Schallers, they were very nice. I used buy boxes of them rather than single sets, so that I always had strings in the gigbox (and they did me a deal :D).

Then about 10 years ago I needed strings in a hurry and bought Rotosound (the very set that arrives with BKPs!). But when I switched to Gibson scale-length I found I had to move up to 11s, RotoReds(11-48). After that I found I preferred 11s on Fenders as well.

I was very happy with those until I got a new strat about a year ago. I wanted 11s to put on it, the shop were out of RotoReds, but the guy said "try these, they're loads better" and threw two sets of D'Addario XLs (11-49) in the case.

I only buy RotoReds if I can't get D'Addario now (and the extra top Es are still handy!).

For some reason, if a humbucking guitar needs stringing they get RotoReds if there are any left. The Strat and Tele only ever get D'Addarios.

[AndyR]

13-59 on my low tuned guitars (in both C and D)

12-56 on my standard tuned guitars.

I honestly cannot fathom how people can manage to play anything on light strings, I want my strings to stay where they bloody are, not jump all over the place every time I touch them. Plus big strings sound BIG.

Cos they're easier to bend and won't give you tendonitis!

Pssht. I've got man's fingers, it's fine  8)

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

I'm thinking of movin on up a gauge, but don't want a wound G...
Do your 12s come with a wound G?

[nfe]

13-59 on my low tuned guitars (in both C and D)

12-56 on my standard tuned guitars.

I honestly cannot fathom how people can manage to play anything on light strings, I want my strings to stay where they bloody are, not jump all over the place every time I touch them. Plus big strings sound BIG.

Cos they're easier to bend and won't give you tendonitis!

Pssht. I've got man's fingers, it's fine  8)

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

I'm thinking of movin on up a gauge, but don't want a wound G...
Do your 12s come with a wound G?

Yeah, but the Ernie Balls and I imagine quite a few others don't. I personally find that a plain string that thick always sounds dead, so I much prefer a wound G myself.

[Twinfan]

Ernie Ball Super Slinky 10s is my 'standard' for fixed bridge guitars.

Superstrats get 9-46 D'Addario XLs

I'm thinking of staying with PRS strings on my PRS's as they sound great.  I believe they're made by D'Addario.....

[BigK]

I always use d'addarios but I've just got some dunlop kerry king sig's to try out as they come with .52 for the drop tuned E-string as well as the .46, which saves me having to buy separate singles.

[38thBeatle]

I use Rotoreds (11 to 48) after trying a friends guitar with 11's. Being a bass player originally I had no difficulty. The same friend now uses 12's. Mt guitars are tuned to Eb for live work though so it is a bit easier.The guitars sound better with heavier guage strings.

[Will]

10's, one way or another, one form or another.
46 for my trem guitar, the 52 wouldn't fit, and the extra tension is there because of locking nut anyway
52 for other LP, but its top wrapped.

Want another LP to have 10-52 with normal tailpiece feeding. mmmm 58 lp standard

[phlip]

10-46' Ernie Ball Regular Slinkies on my Les Paul standard tune

12-56 on my 70's Antoria Tele Deluxe open tuned for slide.

Ernie balls just seem to sound better for longer to me. The Rotosounds whuch came with my BKP's lasted about 2 weeks before they sound dead a doornail.

Mind you I'm luck I've got a friend who can kill a set of strings in one session, god knows what he eats but his sweat is like battery acid on strings.