# Recommend guitar strings **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518 "2018-08-13T14:59:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/1 "2018-08-13T14:59:06Z")
I’ve played Blue Steel for about 40 years. Now I need to switch to a lighter gauge and the .009-.042 Light set is apparently out of stock everywhere. What is anyone’s favorite brand/make? ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/2 "2018-08-13T15:27:23Z")
Am I mistaken in thinking I see the ones you want, in stock on Amazon? ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/3 "2018-08-13T15:43:33Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > Am I mistaken in thinking I see the ones you want, in stock on Amazon? There, but expensive. When I buy from Musician’s Friend I buy 10 sets and get them for $4 per or so. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/4 "2018-08-13T15:51:37Z")
> [@NoCoolUserName](#): > > There, but expensive. When I buy from Musician’s Friend I buy 10 sets and get them for $4 per or so. And besides, I’d like to hear what other strings folks use/recommend. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/5 "2018-08-13T15:53:53Z")
That’s a good idea. I don’t play guitar so I was clueless on prices. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/6 "2018-08-13T16:12:31Z")
Check out the cost of buying bulk (a dozen of one gauge string). You can have any gauge you want then. It’s likely that if you break strings it tends to be the same string(s), at least it was that way for me. So I gave up buying sets. Plus I like and need a very light set. 12 strings cost between 4 and 10 dollars depending on gauge. You might be able to get the equivalent of 12 sets for $40 or so. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/7 "2018-08-13T16:17:07Z")
I used to use Blue Steel but at some point I switched to DR. I wanted to try flatwound strings and ended up liking them better. The flatwounds are much more expensive, but they last longer, theoretically. A lot of people don’t care for the duller tone of flatwound strings but I like it. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/8 "2018-08-13T16:46:14Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I used to use Blue Steel but at some point I switched to DR. I wanted to try flatwound strings and ended up liking them better. The flatwounds are much more expensive, but they last longer, theoretically. A lot of people don’t care for the duller tone of flatwound strings but I like it. Sometimes “duller” just means stronger on the main note and lighter on the harmonics. You can call the ones with stronger harmonics “brighter and more alive”, or you can call them “jangly and irritating”. Depends on the way you like to play. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/9 "2018-08-13T16:51:32Z")
I like bright and jangly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/10 "2018-08-13T17:25:53Z")
I usually just get Slinky’s. I LOVE the sound of new strings. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/11 "2018-08-13T18:51:12Z")
I’m assuming acoustic here but your best bet is to try a few out for your guitar. I’m partial to D,Addario EXP 16 s for my Taylor and Garrison and Martin Sp Lifespans or D’Addario coated strings lights for my Seagull and Goya 12 strings. I usually get mine at [juststrings.com](http://juststrings.com) or [stringsandbeyond.com](http://stringsandbeyond.com). both offer great service and prices. Good Luck in your hunt! ---
**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/12 "2018-08-13T19:09:21Z")
Martin silk and steel are nice. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-guitar-strings/819518/13 "2018-08-13T19:26:09Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Check out the cost of buying bulk (a dozen of one gauge string). You can have any gauge you want then. It’s likely that if you break strings it tends to be the same string(s), at least it was that way for me. So I gave up buying sets. Plus I like and need a very light set. 12 strings cost between 4 and 10 dollars depending on gauge. You might be able to get the equivalent of 12 sets for $40 or so. If you know exactly what you want, and you know you’re going to stick with them, that sounds great.