Your favourite strings? Looking for GHS alternative

[Praetorian]

Hi guys

I have been using GHS Boomers for a year or so but have been a little disappointed with the coating wearing off them in only one session, and then corrosion. I'm not sure about the tone as I can't remember what my D'Adarrio's were like before them but they seem to last ok. Anyways, what do people think are the best 10-46 strings to suit my 93 Les Paul Standard and my 95 MIJ strat?
Or just what are your favs and why?

Many thanks

Leo

 

[The Other JC]

My favorites are GHS Burnished Nickel. I also like Dean Markley Blue Steel. They both sound good, feel good, and last a long time.

 

[Praetorian]

Great, thanks. I've often wondered if its worth paying more for the deluxe type strings.

 

[dodona]

Dean Markley or Gibson - nuthing else!

 

[binge]

My favourites are Elixir 10 - 46. I use these on my Ibanez RG and they last for ages, sound good and I buy them in packs of three and it works out slightly cheaper.

 

[coolhand78]

Pyramids... Tried them and was instantly converted

 

[Pumpaction]

Pyramids here also.

 

[chervokas]

Hi guys

I have been using GHS Boomers for a year or so but have been a little disappointed with the coating wearing off them in only one session, and then corrosion. I'm not sure about the tone as I can't remember what my D'Adarrio's were like before them but they seem to last ok. Anyways, what do people think are the best 10-46 strings to suit my 93 Les Paul Standard and my 95 MIJ strat?
Or just what are your favs and why?

Many thanks

Leo

There's nothnig more personal than strings I think, so asking for the "best" won't really get you anything other than a list of each individual's personal favorite. What are you looking for in your strings? Brighter sound, warmer sound, more slinkiness and bendability, less slinkiness and bendabiliy, longer life, more body, less body, etc?

Plenty of great strings out there. Personally I don't like coated strings and I like warm, low output pure nickel, round core strings pyramids in particularl, and, depending on guitar I often like low tension, flatwound Thomastik Infelds, but I know that solution is not going to be ideal for everyone and every guitar. So I think it's more productive to think about the characteristics you prefer in strings rather than generically about "the best." Someone might say that steel wound strings are the best and for me those would be absolutely the worst no matter how well maded being way brighter and hotter than anything I'd prefer.

 

[Tuberoast]

Pyramids foremost
GHS Burnished Nickel is a good second choice

 

[JeffOlson]

Strings are indeed very personal, and there are many from which to choose.

Personally, I prefer Thomastik-Infeld--by a wide margin. I use Blues Sliders in 10-48 for rock on my Brian Moore MC/1, Jazz Swing flat-wounds in 11-47 with an unwound G on my "utility" CS Tele, Jazz Swing flat-wounds with a wound G in 12-50 on my home-made hollow-body Tele that I use for finger-style, Plectrums in 13-61 (?) on my acoustic, and TI's odd classical strings on my classical.

TIs are very expensive, but they last a very long time.

My favorite of the bunch? Jazz Swing flat-wounds in 12-50, with a wound G in standard tuning. Stunning tone, real substance and mass to the strings, perfect intonation, silky smooth, and a real joy to play--especially the flat-wounds. It just feels so great to slide and press my fretting fingers on those strings and to pluck them classical-style with my picking hand.

Also, the TI plain strings are gold in color and brass tinned for a darker tone...

 

[Kummeli]

I tried the Pyramid Maximum Performance Pure Nickel strings about a year ago and I've been using them ever since in every electric guitar I have. They have great feel and are so easy to play, sound clear and are durable. I use the 12-54 set.

 

[Harmolodics]

R.coco, longer playing life than pyramids and very similar IMO but cheaper. Not as nice as TI's... But very nice.

 

[rawkguitarist]

Curt Mangan.

Forget coated strings too. Get Dr. Stringfellow sting cleaner and coat your strings when you install them and then every several days clean them with the solution again. Been doing it for years.

 

[Whiskey N Beans]

Blue steel 11-52. Or for Tomastik Flatwound.

 

[PatrickE_FenderADV]

GHS Boomers are my favorite... do you sweat a lot when you play?

 

[Yr Blues]

Whatever is cheapest. I only change strings when they break.

 

[doublee]

Personally, I prefer Thomastik-Infeld--by a wide margin. I use Blues Sliders in 10-48 for rock on my Brian Moore MC/1, Jazz Swing flat-wounds in 11-47 rfect ......

I like TI's as well but have only tried Enfeld's, how are blues sliders different?

 

[Stratobuc]

Curt Mangan - they last forever.

 

[mrpinter]

I like TI's as well but have only tried Enfeld's, how are blues sliders different?

Another Thomastik-Infeld user here - I use their 10-45 Power Brights on my Hamer T62 (Strat type guitar) and 9-43 Sliders Blues Series on a Warmoth 72 Thinline tele. The Power Brights use a hex core and alloy wrap and are brighter than the Sliders, which use a round core, a nickel (I believe) wrap and a silk inlay in the wound strings to attenuate odd order harmonics for a "smoother" sound. They are both great strings, the PB's are just brighter.

Incidentally, I don't think the brass plating on the plain strings is used to make the strings "darker sounding". I was told it was to resist corrosion longer.

 

[teleclem]

Pyramid Nickel Classics for tone. Eixirs for extended string life.