From Elixir to D'Addario: A Comparison of Popular Guitar String Brands

From Elixir to D'Addario: A Comparison of Popular Guitar String Brands

There are dozens of guitar string brands on the market, and it can be hard to know if they offer the right strings for your guitar and playing style. And in the guitar string market, brand loyalty is only as good as how things sound. We’ve compiled an overview of 14 of the most popular guitar string brands. Use this guide to find out the highlights of each company’s selection and when you should consider buying them.

Aquila

Although best known for ukulele strings, Aquila also offers a variety of classical guitar strings. Their in-house Nylgut™, New Nylgut® and Supernylgut® materials replicate the rich sound of authentic catgut strings with the stability and durability of nylon. Aquila guitar strings are also available for baroque guitars, flamenco guitars and other variations.

Augustine

Albert Augustine Ltd. is best known for inventing nylon guitar strings in the 1940s as a low-cost alternative to gut strings. They remain a force in the classical guitar field and have also introduced phosphor bronze strings for steel-string acoustic guitars. Augustine strings come in several tensions and multiple polymers for the right sound.

Cleartone

When Phil Everly needed a longer-lasting guitar string, he decided to design it himself. The result was Cleartone guitar strings, which use patented treatments and core-to-wrap ratios. They are also denser than other strings, giving them better tuning consistency and making Cleartones one of the loudest strings available.

D’Addario

The D’Addario family has been making guitar strings since the 1600s. They are known for having a huge variety of strings with a distinct bright tone. D’Addario is responsible for many string designs now considered commonplace, including 80/20 bronze acoustic strings and nickel-plated electric strings, and they offer coated strings and other 21 ^st-century innovations.

DR Strings

Established in 1989, DR is one the few remaining major guitar string manufacturers that still winds all strings by hand. This gives them more of a natural sound and feel. DR Handmade Strings tends to focus on the bass market, where they’re known for flashy colored strings — but they still have plenty of guitar strings, including Tite-Fit™ strings for all-around players.

Elixir

A relatively new player to the guitar string game, Elixir was a pioneer of coated guitar strings. The thin polymer coating on all their strings gives them excellent corrosion resistance, tuning stability and consistent performance. Since they stand up so well to sweat, sun and humidity, Elixir strings are very popular among guitarists who play outdoors.

Ernie Ball

Simply put, Ernie Ball Slinky electric guitar strings are the most famous of their kind. These nickel-wound strings were used by almost every major rock guitarist of the 1960s and 1970s — and they’re some of the most affordable premium strings on the market. Although not as widely known, break-resistant Ernie Ball acoustic guitar strings are also respected in music circles.

Fender

Made by the same company that produces the legendary guitars, Fender electric guitar strings are known for being comfortable, having a bright sound and being inexpensive. According to Fender, most of their electric guitars ship with Super 250’s. They also make special “bullet end” strings designed for the Stratocaster and other guitars that have a tremolo block.

GHS

Short for Gould, Holcomb and Solko, GHS has been making guitar strings in the U.S. since 1964. Their flagship GHS Boomers are one of the few contemporary electric guitar strings made with round cores, giving them excellent playability and longevity while still having the bright sound you need. GHS also has a Signature series featuring collaborations with noteworthy guitarists such as David Gilmour of Pink Floyd.

John Pearse

Developed by the British guitarist and instructor of the same name, John Pearse guitar strings offer excellent performance at a low price. Their focus is on acoustic strings, but John Pearse has electric guitar strings as well for rock, folk, jazz, country and everything in between. The strings are designed for an accurate, long-lasting tone with an assortment of custom gauges.

Martin

C.F. Martin & Company was the original American guitar maker, and it’s no surprise they’re also known for guitar strings — primarily acoustic strings, but electrics as well. Both classic and modern styles are available from Martin Marquis silk-wrapped strings to Lifespan 2.0 coated strings. Martin Acoustic SP springs were designed to reduce string noise for live performances and studio recordings.

Pyramid

Hand-wound in Germany since 1850, Pyramid electric guitar strings primarily use a round core. This gives them a uniquely deep and booming tone. Pyramid strings are considered some of the highest-quality strings available, and they offer several lineups for mid-20 ^th century rock ‘n’ roll, bebop and jazz music.

Rotosound

Rotosound bass strings are some of the world’s best, and their guitar strings are top-notch as well. Founded in England in 1958, Rotosound has strings to play classic rock, grunge, alternative, metal and many other genres. These strings are known for taking a lot of abuse, and each gauge set is identified by a color (Roto Pinks, Roto Yellows, etc.)

Thomastik-Infeld

This Austrian company was the first to make steel violin strings, and Thomastik-Infeld is a prominent guitar string innovator, too. Their high-end blues, jazz and classical guitar strings are particularly well-known. But if you just want to rock, you can do that too with the renowned Thomastik-Infeld Power-Brights. Each model is known for its extra-rich tone from the progressive design.

More Guitar Strings

Strings and Beyond has guitar strings in stock from these brands and many others, including Dunlop, Hannabach, La Bella, Savarez and Black Diamond. Call us at 877-830-0722 to learn more about our huge collection of strings.