20 Best Guitar Strings For Rock (2023 Updated)

Feel what you play. Play what you feel. Thanks to our new OPTIWEB Coating, these nickel-plated steel electric guitar strings give you the performance of a natural string-that crisp tone, natural feel and playable grip you know and love-without sacrificing the signature long-lasting tone life of Elixir Strings.

Compared to our POLYWEB Coating and NANOWEB Coating, the OPTIWEB Coating offers our most natural and familiar feel. This lightweight coating allows the string to vibrate with less damping, while also having a firm grip, putting you in control of bends, vibrato and sustain.

So choose the same premium electric guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands.

ECG24-7, based on the gauges of D’Addario’s best selling gauge of flatwound strings with an additional low B 7th string (. 065), delivers a balance of smooth feel, warm/mellow tone and optimal tension.

Ideal for traditional jazz, rockabilly twang, R&B and some pop/rock styles. Designed specifically for 7-String electric guitars. D’Addario Chromes are wound with flattened stainless steel ribbon wire which is polished to an incredibly smooth surface.

Chromes deliver a distinctive damped but tone-rich sound that only flatwounds can produce. D’Addario Chromes are the world’s most popular flatwound strings.

Includes 3 individually wrapped sets. Ernie Ball Slinkys are played by legends around the world including Slash, Jimmy Page, Metallica, Eric Clapton, and more. Burly Slinkys are ideal for players who prefer a heavier set of strings for thicker tone and more tension.

Bright, balanced tone. Crafted in the USA with the freshest and finest materials.

Ernie Ball 2721 Cobalt Regular Slinky Electric Guitar Strings are a new spin on Ernie Ball’s best selling set of strings which have been played by the likes of Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Steve Vai and many more.

The Cobalt Series is clearly an improvement on its classic nickel-wound counterpart giving the player increased sustain, clarity and output. In addition, they resist sweat and moisture better and have unmatched flexibility when compared to other nickel wound strings.

Cobalt is the most magnetically active string alloy on the planet and attracts the magnets in your pickups more than any other string. “Ernie Ball Cobalt Strings sound and feel better than anything I’ve ever played! You have to check these out!” – Slash.

“Cobalt Strings feel incredibly silky under my fingers and deliver more punch, output, and clarity than normal strings!” – John Petrucci. All Ernie Ball strings are precision manufactured to the highest standards and the most exacting specs to assure consistency, optimum performance and long life.

Made in the USA. Gauges 10-13-17-26-36-46.

Not all guitar strings are created equal. Even after just a few hours of play, dirt, sweat, skin oils and other debris will build up between the string’s windings, causing corrosion in the metal. The result is a noticeable “deadening” of the string’s tonal quality, which can happen very quickly with uncoated strings.

Elixir Phosphor Bronze strings begin with anti-rust plated plain steel strings that are corrosion resistant. They provide a clean feel and bright, vibrant tone. Both the steel core and its phosphor bronze winding are then treated with Elixir’s patented Nanoweb thin polymer coating that completely envelops the entire string.

This results in a long-lasting, rich tone with more audible high-frequency harmonics. The ultra-thin Nanoweb gives you the natural feel of untreated strings without sacrificing that important protection.

This revolutionary product is a great value, as it means a dynamic and lively sound with less frequent string changes and fewer string purchases.

Now in new gauges for 2020, Ernie Ball nickel wound electric slinkys are the worlds best selling guitar strings. Used by legendary guitar players such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and countless others, these strings are responsible for some of the most recognisable riffs in popular music.

Mammoth Slinky also available.

EXL158 is optimised for modern, shorter scale electric baritone guitars. XL Nickel Wound electric guitar strings, long recognised as the industry standard, are ideal for a wide range of musical styles.

XL Nickel Wound, D’Addario’s most popular guitar strings, are precision wound with nickel plated steel onto a carefully drawn, hexagonally shaped, high carbon steel core. The result-strings with long lasting, distinctive, bright tone and excellent intonation-is ideal for the widest variety of guitars and musical styles.

Round Wound Strings Round wound strings have the feel and tone that most players are familiar with. This string construction combines the strength of the steel core with the tonal properties of the wrap wire allow.

String Winding Technology String winding equipment is designed and built by D’Addario’s engineering team, guaranteeing a production range of 500,000 to 700,000 strings per day. Digitally controlled string winding machines ensure productivity, accuracy and consistency.

Hex Core Construction Precision drawn hexagonal core was pioneered by D’Addario. This innovation allows the wrap wire to grip the core for superior dimensional stability, enchanted durability, and precise intonation.

Wire Drawing D’Addario’s in-house wire drawing machines produce musical instrument wire to our exact specifications. Control over materials, equipment, and quality allows us to deliver high performance products.

Now in new gauges for 2020, Ernie Ball nickel wound electric slinkys are the worlds best selling guitar strings. Used by legendary guitar players such as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page and countless others, these strings are responsible for some of the most recognisable riffs in popular music.

Mammoth Slinky also available.

Precision wound with nickel plated steel. Tin plated high carbon steel core. Compliments all bass guitar types and playing styles. Element shield packaging prolongs string life and keeps strings as fresh as the day they were made.

Crafted in Southern California, USA featuring the finest and freshest materials. Overview The world’s #1 electric bass strings. For over 50 years, Ernie Ball Slinky electric guitar strings have been the favorite of musicians across the globe, Ernie Ball’s signature recipe consists of specific gauges and core-to-wrap ratios for balanced rich harmonics and that signature Slinky feel.

Using the finest and freshest raw materials every string is manufactured in the dry Southern California climate using state of the art winding technology and undergoing strict quality control standards.

Nickel-wound Slinky bass strings consist of nickel-plated steel wrapped around a tin-plated, high-carbon steel core for a balanced tone that compliments all electric bass types and playing styles. Each set is packaged in an ultra-low humidity environment with Ernie Ball’s Element Shield packaging to ensure every set is as fresh as the day it was made.

Thanks to the new Optiweb Coating, these nickel-plated steel electric guitar strings give you the performance of a natural string—that crisp tone, natural feel and playable grip you know and love—without sacrificing the signature long-lasting tone life of Elixir Strings.

Compared to a Polyweb Coating and Nanoweb Coating, the Optiweb Coating offers the most natural and familiar feel. This lightweight coating allows the string to vibrate with less damping, while also having a firm grip, putting you in control of bends, vibrato and sustain.

So choose the same premium electric guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands, Elixir Strings coats the whole string.

This protects not only the outer string surface but also the gaps between the windings where common tone-deadening gunk typically builds up in other brands’ coated and uncoated guitar strings. Anti-Rust Plating on plain steel strings ensures longer tone life for the entire set.

Who wouldn’t love more quality playing time between the hassle and cost of string changes? Of course, the kind of string you play is all a matter of personal preference. Not sure what tone or feel is right for you? Try them out for yourself, and find your new favorite string from Elixir Strings.

Ernie Ball 2242 Power Slinky RPS 11 Reinforced Electric Guitar Strings Gauges 11-14-18p-28-38-48. 2 Sets of Strings Ernie Ball RPS electric guitar strings are reinforced versions of the standard Slinky.

A patented winding of bronze wire is tightly wrapped around the lock twist of the ball end. String slippage and breakage are minimized at the ball end where these most often occur. RPS strings last longer and stay in tune better than conventional plain strings.

Used on electric and acoustic guitars but, not classical guitars. All Ernie Ball strings are precision manufactured to the highest standards and most exacting specs to assure consistency, optimum performance, and long life.

Ernie Ball is the pioneer of rock and roll guitar strings. Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Steve Vai, and Slash are among the long list of Slinky players.

For the latest technology in electric guitar strings, you must try the Ernie Cobalt Guitar Strings from Strings and Beyond. Manufactured to maximize clarity and output, Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinky Guitar Strings are the most recent breakthrough in guitar string technology.

Cobalt guitar strings provide a newly extended dynamic range, great harmonic response, increased low end and brilliant highs. That is why they are giving guitarists and bassists new horizons to explore.

Cobalt strings are built with a better magnetic relationship between pickups and strings than any other alloy made in the past. The Cobalt Slinkys are soft to the touch, which makes string bending easier than ever.

The Cobalt Series is a vast improvement over its nickel-wound competitor because its strings provide better sustain and clarity in the sound. They also are sweat and moisture-resistant while being flexible and long-lasting.

D’Addario XL Nickel electric strings are the “Player’s Choice,” known for delivering a universally appealing and versatile tone, no matter your playing style. D’Addario precisely winds layers of nickel-plated steel around the core of hexagon-shaped high-carbon steel for a distinctive and bright tone.

These quality strings deliver excellent intonation that is suitable for a wide range of musical styles and electric guitar models. The environmentally-friendly and corrosion-resistant packaging ensure your strings stay fresh in storage.

D’Addario XLs are the standard against which all other strings are measured. Since 1974, XLs have been the world’s go-to electric guitar string. *Quantity buy boxes are only available for the more popular gauges.

EXL115W is our popular medium gauging with a wound 3rd string. XL Nickel Wound electric guitar strings, long recognised as the industry standard, are ideal for a wide range of musical styles. XL Nickel Wound, D’Addario’s most popular guitar strings, are precision wound with nickel plated steel onto a carefully drawn, hexagonally shaped, high carbon steel core.

The result-strings with long lasting, distinctive, bright tone and excellent intonation-is ideal for the widest variety of guitars and musical styles. Round Wound Strings Round wound strings have the feel and tone that most players are familiar with.

This string construction combines the strength of the steel core with the tonal properties of the wrap wire allow. String Winding Technology String winding equipment is designed and built by D’Addario’s engineering team, guaranteeing a production range of 500,000 to 700,000 strings per day.

Digitally controlled string winding machines ensure productivity, accuracy and consistency. Hex Core Construction Precision drawn hexagonal core was pioneered by D’Addario. This innovation allows the wrap wire to grip the core for superior dimensional stability, enchanted durability, and precise intonation.

Wire Drawing D’Addario’s in-house wire drawing machines produce musical instrument wire to our exact specifications. Control over materials, equipment, and quality allows us to deliver high performance products.

D’Addario EXPs are the most natural-sounding, longest-lasting coated strings available. EXP Coated Technology starts with the highest quality wrap wire materials, precision drawn and micro-coated on our advanced proprietary machinery.

Strings are then wound normally, delivering tone and feel identical to D’Addario’s world renowned XL electric strings, with a minimum of 4 times more life. You won’t believe they are coated!.

D’Addario XL Nickel electric strings are the “Player’s Choice,” known for delivering a universally appealing and versatile tone, no matter your playing style. D’Addario precisely winds layers of nickel-plated steel around the core of hexagon-shaped high-carbon steel for a distinctive and bright tone.

These quality strings deliver excellent intonation that is suitable for a wide range of musical styles and electric guitar models. The environmentally-friendly and corrosion-resistant packaging ensure your strings stay fresh in storage.

D’Addario XLs are the standard against which all other strings are measured. Since 1974, XLs have been the world’s go-to electric guitar string. *Quantity buy boxes are only available for the more popular gauges.

Martin SP 80/20 Bronze Extra Light 10-47 Acoustic Guitar Strings are named “Superior Performance” for a very good reason. They are exceptionally well engineered and can withstand hours of rigorous performance.

Thanks to the high tensile-strength core wire and tin-plate for improved corrosion resistance, each string boasts fantastic resilience no matter how enthusiastically you rock out. Completing the package is high quality wrap wire that ensures your tone remains consistent and rings out truly each and every time.

The Extra Light gauge of the 10-47s means that you don’t have to battle against the string when you play. For beginners or those who simply prefer a lighter gauge, then these are the ones for you. Don’t be fooled by the lightness of the gauge though, they can hold their own with the best of them and can take any punishment thrown their way.

Established way back in 1833, Martin have a wealth of experience when it comes to their craft. They are continually evolving to ensure that they are at the top of their game, and the SP 80/20 Bronze Extra Light 10-47 acoustic guitar strings set a fine example for others to follow.

Guitar Repair Long Island is an authorized D’Addario dealer, so buy with confidence. Plain steel string for acoustic or electric guitar. Perfect as a replacement string or for creating customized sets.

D’Addario plain steel guitar strings are acclaimed worldwide for their superb, long-lasting tone. They are equally suitable for both electric and acoustic guitar.

D’Addario XL Nickel electric strings are the “Player’s Choice,” known for delivering a universally appealing and versatile tone, no matter your playing style. D’Addario precisely winds layers of nickel-plated steel around the core of hexagon-shaped high-carbon steel for a distinctive and bright tone.

These quality strings deliver excellent intonation that is suitable for a wide range of musical styles and electric guitar models. The environmentally-friendly and corrosion-resistant packaging ensure your strings stay fresh in storage.

D’Addario XLs are the standard against which all other strings are measured. Since 1974, XLs have been the world’s go-to electric guitar string. *Quantity buy boxes are only available for the more popular gauges.

Thanks to the new OPTIWEB Coating, these nickel-plated steel electric guitar strings give you the performance of a natural string—that crisp tone, natural feel and playable grip you know and love—without sacrificing the signature long-lasting tone life of Elixir Strings.

Compared to a POLYWEB Coating and NANOWEB Coating, the OPTIWEB Coating offers the most natural and familiar feel. This lightweight coating allows the string to vibrate with less damping, while also having a firm grip, putting you in control of bends, vibrato and sustain.

So choose the same premium electric guitar strings that experienced players worldwide trust to keep their incredible tone longer than any other string available. Unlike other string brands, Elixir Strings coats the whole string.

This protects not only the outer string surface but also the gaps between the windings where common tone-deadening gunk typically builds up in other brands’ coated and uncoated guitar strings. Anti-Rust Plating on plain steel strings ensures longer tone life for the entire set.

Who wouldn’t love more quality playing time between the hassle and cost of string changes? Of course, the kind of string you play is all a matter of personal preference. Not sure what tone or feel is right for you? Try them out for yourself, and find your new favorite string from Elixir Strings.