10 Best Electric Guitar Strings As Of 2024 & What To Look For When Buying

Guitar strings.

Various known and respected brands, such as Gibson and Fender, produce strings with a variety of different materials and gauges.

Some guitarists say, “strings are all the same.” But those who say that clearly haven’t tried many different kinds.

Some strings have a brighter, twangier sound. Others are more robust and last longer. Still others are coated with additional materials for longer life.

Talk to any jazz player, and they will likely tell you that they carefully select a specific brand and gauge of strings whenever they go to replace their current ones. Do you still think it doesn’t make a difference?

Here are some of the best electric guitar strings you can buy. If you're ever interested, we also list the top acoustic guitar strings here.

Best Electric Guitar Strings: Fender Original Bullets

I’ve known about Fender Super Bullets for a long time, as I’m an avid user of them. But I didn’t know about Original Bullets until I saw them in the store (and bought them) one day.

The main difference is that the Original Bullets are pure nickel, while the Super Bullets are nickel plated steel. As result, they have a bit of a different sound.

But bottom line – both Original Bullets and Super Bullets are great choices.

Fender Super Bullets

Having experimented with many different brands and types of strings (something I still do), the Fender Super Bullets continue to come out on top.

They sound great, they preserve their tone well even after a lot of playing, and most of all, they tend not to break.

Like any string, their tone will die with time and usage, but they break less than anything else I’ve used.

Fender notes that Super Bullets are best for rock and other genres where you want the guitar to “cut”, while Original Bullets are more suited to blues, jazz, and classic rock.

D’Addario XL Pure Nickel Round Wound

No best strings list would be complete without at least one or two entries from D’Addario.

The XL Pure Nickel strings are a callback to the 50s, when guitar tones were deeper, warmer and richer. This makes them ideal for classic rock, blues, jazz, and rockabilly.

Although I have found that D’Addario strings don’t last as long as Fenders, if you like classic tones, then these are worth a look.

D’Addario EXP Coated Nickel Round Wound

Whether you’re a fan of D’Addario, or you’d just like to check out their product, you’ll ultimately want to find a set of strings that are right for you from their broader range of products (XL ProSteel, NYXL, XL Nickel, EXP Nickel, XL Half Rounds, XL Pure Nickel and XL Chrome).

I wanted to talk about the EXP Coated Nickel strings because they are break-resistant and keep their intonation. Those wanting to be on the cutting edge of innovation should have a look at these.

D’Addario claims their proprietary process adds as much as four times to the lifespan of these strings.

GHS Boomers

Who uses GHS strings? Far too many artists to mention. But here are a few – Seymour Duncan (yes, the creator of Seymour Duncan pickups), Styx and Rancid, among others. Yes, they are popular with the pros.

As a manufacturer, GHS focuses almost entirely on strings and strings alone, which might be one reason to check out their popular Boomers (coated version also available).

Affordable and highly rated, it’s hard to go wrong with the Boomers by GHS.

Elixir NANOWEB

When people think coated acoustic guitar strings, they think Elixir. But did you know they produce electric strings too? Well, I will be the first to admit that I didn’t.

The Elixir NANOWEB electric guitar strings have been getting rave reviews, as they sound great and last a long time.

Now, I have tried the acoustic Elixirs, and wasn’t particularly impressed with them, but I would be curious to try out these babies.

You will pay a little more for them, but if they’re as good as people say they are, I would think it’s worth it.

DR VERITAS

Like GHS and Elixir, DR focuses primarily on the manufacturing of strings. Their users include the likes of Alexi Laiho, Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, Trey Anastasio and so on.

As with D’Addario, you might want to experiment with DR’s broader range of products (VERITAS, TITE-FIT, PURE BLUES, HI-BEAM, LEGEND and Drop-Down Tuning ELECTRIC) to find your perfect set.

I thought I would highlight the VERITAS, as per DR, they believe they’ve created “a completely new category of electric guitar strings!”

They claim that their “Quantum Nickel” gives the strings a longer life, better intonation, and stronger tone, due to their increased magnetism. Try it out for yourself!

Dunlop Heavy Core Heaviest Electric Guitar Strings

The Dunlop Heavy Cores are exactly what you'd expect them to be.

They feature a 12 – 54 gauge, are great for drop tuning and even baritone guitars.

With metal (and its various sub-genres) becoming an increasingly important part of the guitar music landscape, it's no surprise that some companies are starting to make strings specifically for heavier music.

Of course, if you're serious about metal, you might consider getting a seven-, eight- or nine-string guitar too. I'm not suggesting that you wouldn't also drop tune a guitar with more strings, mind you.

As you can imagine, these strings can take a beating and will keep going, which is something customers love about them.

Check out the Dunlop strings if you're a heavy metal shredder.

Optima 24 K Gold Plated Electric Guitar Strings

Hand wound in Germany, the Optima 24 K gold plated strings cost a little more than most others, and for good reason.

These feature a pure 24 K gold plating for tarnish free playing and European Steel Core wire.

This specific set is 10 gauge, but Optima offers other garages too.

You'll be hard-pressed to find gold plated strings elsewhere. Not just that but these are extremely durable and you know that's something I care about.

Optima also offers Brian May signature strings – another good reason to check them out.

Gibson Brite Wires Electric Guitar Strings, Light 10 – 46

The Gibson Brite Wires are quality, affordable nickel-plated steel strings for your electric guitar.

Gibson, if you don't already know, is one of the most renowned guitar brands out there, thanks in part to their rich history. So, they know how to make a good set of strings.

These babies don't just sound good. They're also durable.

So, the Gibson strings are worth a look.

Why You Can't Try Guitar Strings Before You Buy [& What To Do Instead]

Unfortunately, you can’t just walk into a guitar store and try different guitar strings. Even if they did let you do that, the strings might be dead by the time you got around to trying them (because they are no longer fresh in their individual paper sleeves, and because others may have tried them out).

So, there are a few ways to go about this when you have yet to decide on a favorite set:

1. Find Out What Your Guitar Came Equipped With

If you’re happy with the strings that came with the guitar, then see if you can determine what kind they were.

This might be on the manufacturer website, on a sticker or instruction manual that came with the guitar, or failing that, you could always ask the staff at the store you bought it at.

2. Ask Others What They Prefer

You may know others that play guitar, and they might have their favorite brands of strings. You can ask for recommendations, test them out for yourself and see if you like them.

3. Read Online Reviews

You’re going to get different opinions everywhere you go, but you should eventually land on a set of strings that meets your demands if you keep reading.

4. Experiment

This is how most of us found our favorite set of strings. Recognize that this may take some time, and strings may not make a big difference for you until you’ve developed a certain level of proficiency on the guitar.

In time, however, you will discover the right set.

What Should I Look For In A Set Of Electric Guitar Strings?

As for what to look for in a set of guitar strings, you can apply any of the following criteria and prioritize what’s important to you:

Tone

For many, tone is the number one consideration. What does your guitar sound like the moment you string it up?

Are you happy with it? There are other factors beyond the strings, such as playing style, the pick you've chosen, your amp and your effects that make up your tone.

But strings also make a difference and people sometimes forget that.

Some manufacturers offer strings for specific use, whether it's for country, dropped tunings, rock or otherwise. So, it may be worth choosing strings based on the specific genre you play.

Durability

If you couldn’t tell already, this is a big one for me. I do want my strings to sound good, but they also must stand up to a lot of abuse. Otherwise, I will find another product.

This may not be an important factor to you, and that's fine. Many people love Ernie Ball Slinky strings but I find they break too often. If you don't mind switching out more often, you may favor tone over durability.

Playability

If the strings make your instrument less playable, or harder to play, you’re probably not going to be happy with them.

And, don’t kid yourself – strings do factor into playability.

There are some instances in which it makes sense to put heavier strings on your guitar (such as for dropped tuning).

But if this is what you're planning to do, don't forget to get your tech to do a quick set up on your guitar.

Again, you could choose tone in favor of playability and you wouldn't be wrong in your choice. It's just a matter of knowing what sacrifice you're making.

Intonation

This refers to how “in tune” your strings sound across the entire fretboard. In addition to your strings, the way your guitar is set up can also affect this, so if in doubt, get a professional tech to set it up properly.

Reliability

Let’s say, for example, that you finally find your favorite set. But then, you get another pack (same brand, same gauge, same product), string up your guitar and get a completely different result.

Oops. Reliability is an important factor when it comes to choosing the right strings, so find a brand that delivers consistent results.

Flexibility

Some players demand strings that sound in tune no matter how they tune their guitar. Others want colored strings that make their instrument look funky. Flatwound strings are also more in vogue these days (where most are round wound).

Flexibility is more of a factor if you’re a recognized artist with an endorsement deal, as you want to work with a company that’s willing to cater to your needs as they change.

But even as a general consumer, you have a host of options to choose from if you're looking for something different and that may be important to you.

How Often Should I Replace My Strings?

This mostly depends on how much you play, how lively you want your strings to sound and how often you’re performing in front of an audience.

If you’ve never broken a string before, you should know that it happens more often than you think. Wear and tear, usage, grime and dirt accumulation and even weather can have an impact on the longevity of your strings.

So, if you’ve never replaced your strings before, this is a skill you should acquire. You can bring your guitar to an instrument store and have someone replace strings for you, but ultimately you should become comfortable doing this yourself to save time and money.

Regular gigging and touring musicians may want to replace their strings after every one or two shows, or at least every week. Those who do the occasional gig and practice and jam session will likely want to change their strings every one to two months.

And, hobbyists might be able to get away with replacing their strings once per year. This isn’t ideal, as strings can snap at inopportune moments, but it shouldn’t do any harm to your instrument, and strings can last you quite a while.

These are rough guidelines more than anything else, but you can find out more about how often to change your strings here.

Your strings will lose that “new string sound” after a point, and their intonation may also be affected. Eddie Van Halen prefers using “dead” strings over newer ones, so he doesn’t replace strings until necessary, and breaks a lot of strings during performances.

If you feel the same way, then no need to swap out strings until they break. Below is a video on how to change your electric guitar strings:

What Gauge Of Strings Should I Use?

This is both a matter of preference and function. I use nine gauge strings (super lights) almost exclusively, because they are easy to bend and easier on the fingers besides.

If you’re planning on drop-tuning your guitar, then a heavier gauge (10s or 11s) will serve you well. It may not be necessary for drop D tuning, but if you often find yourself tuning all your strings down a half step or more, you should use heavier strings.

Heavier gauge strings can also affect your tone, either positively or negatively (depending on what you like). If you use heavy strings with magnetic pickups, you would get more output out of your guitar.

The playability of your instrument, however, could suffer. You’d either have to train yourself to play with heavier strings, or get a guitar tech to adjust your action for you.

Playing solos is almost always easier with light strings.

Blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan was known to use “modified” gauge 13 strings (with lighter bass strings), and sometimes even experimented with 17s! Just know that the higher the gauge, the more tension there will be on your instrument.

Although some people say Vaughan's tone was partially a result of the string gauge he used – and, there may be something to that – a heavier gauge of strings won't instantly improve your tone. It just doesn't work that way.

A huge part of Vaughan's secret was in how he attacked the strings. Even if he was just playing a single note, he'd have the tendency to mute the rest of the strings and strum all of them at once to give it more beef.

So, style is an important consideration as much as strings are.

Anyway, if your guitar is set up with nines, and you want to change to 12s, for example, then get your guitar tech to do a proper setup. Not only will this help with playability, it will also ensure that you don’t do irreparable harm to your instrument.

Generally, lighter gauge strings will make your instrument more playable and heavier gauge strings will last longer and bring out more of your guitar’s natural tone. I would suggest trying a few different gauges before you make a final call about what gauge will become your mainstay.

Is It Worth Buying Strings Used?

Absolutely not.

This isn't to say there aren't some people selling their strings on the used market. But I can tell you without hesitation that it's not worth it.

As I've already pointed out, strings are subject to wear and tear. They also break. Used strings are that much more likely to be broken in and thus lifeless.

And, don't forget – they're more likely to break at inopportune moments, too.

To be frank, used strings are a racket. Just don't bother. Strings aren't expensive to begin with, and they don't hold their value at all.

Best Electric Guitar Strings Compared, Final Review Thoughts

You may have noticed that I never mentioned Ernie Ball strings in this list. This is because I have never found them to be anything special – in terms of tone, playability or durability.

And I have tried them multiple times. You may disagree, and that’s okay, but I didn’t want to talk about a product I didn’t believe in.

Ernie Ball Music Man guitars, on the other hand, are sublime. There are other manufacturers out there, and they may be worth a look.

But like me, once you’ve found your ideal string, you’re unlikely to deviate from it. It makes things easier when you string up your guitar with the same set every time, because you’ll know exactly what to expect in terms of tone, durability and playability.