String Brands....

[bentfinger]

Not much different than most others.
I use D'Addario Nickel wound 9 to 42s
and the brilliant DR "Pure Blues" for special sessions!
I changed from Super Slinky and found the above suited my Standard beautifully

 

[pillbug]

I use D’addario XL series. I love them, they are long lasting and above all, very consistent. and they’re so good new that I’ve often had people ask me “what strings are on this guitar” because they want to buy more when its due for a string change. I’d never had that question prior to using D’Addario. For what it’s worth, I had the same kind of experience which led me to start using them in the first place.
full disclosure, yes I’m a D’Addario dealer. And the above explains why.

 

[Midnight Blues]

I've used Dean Markley strings for 40 years, 10s for a majority of that time. I believe the current iteration of the originals are now called "Signature".

On my WesMo L-5, I used Thomastik Infeld 13s flats.

Dean Markley or Martin 12s on my acoustics.

 

[Gfunk_Minor]

Guess I got lucky...
I've been using Dean Markley Signature Series Custom Light since 1992.
Have I missed something better? Maybe.
Have I had any issues? No.

 

[Johnnyslim]

I had run the gamut of guitar strings and gauges. Was using DR Pure Blues for a few years till the ball ends started popping off. Took a couple guitars to Scott at Top Shelf in Buffalo. He asked if I like the DR strings. He suggested D'Addario. Now, to me, those colored ball ends just did not sit will with me and i don't have a good reason why. i agreed to let him put D'Addario's on with the intent of changing back to DR's once back home. I played the guitar an hour or two then put the DR's back on. The DR's came off quickly! I have now been playing D''Addario 09-42 for the past ten years or so. No reason to change. Old saying...if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[lespauled]

Since I found out about them, I have been using Cobalt 9s. To date, once initial stretching was done, they are the most stable strings I have ever had. ,I have never broken a string while playing.......but I did break 2 G strings while stringing my George Lynch ESP with a reverse headstock. It was due to user error. I was turning the G string, while thinking it was the D. Just to be really stupid, I did it twice to solidify my place in the world of stupidity.

 

[mdubya]

I used to use the Vintage Reissue strings too. I agree they lasted longer and did sound great. I sold Gibson at a store for years and they were readily available. Cant find them around Harrisburg Pa area anymore

I have read that Gibson is having supply chain problems between reorganization and Covid.

I am hoping that the GHS Pure Nickels work like the old Gibson Vintage Reissues. Will report back if they do!

I order strings online, but there was a shortage of all Pure Nickel strings that I looked for back in early summer 2020.

 

[jaycoyoyo]

I use D'Addario XL Nickel or Ernie Ball Slinky - just depends on what my local shop has in stock. I tried D'Addario NYXLs for a while, but my ear is not refined enough to tell the difference between those an the regular XLs, and therefore I can't justify paying twice as much for the NYXLs.

Also I never buy strings from Amazon based on seeing reviews and Youtube videos of counterfeit strings.

-Jay

 

[LeftyGtrPlr]

Either Gibson vintage reissues, the new ones are slightly different than the previous ones but still seem to be the goods.

Or for modern stuff DiAddario NYXL's. They are the best string I've ever had on a floyd rose. Bright sounding, smooth feeling, get to stable fast and stay there for a LONG time.

I use D’addario XL series. I love them, they are long lasting and above all, very consistent. and they’re so good new that I’ve often had people ask me “what strings are on this guitar” because they want to buy more when its due for a string change. I’d never had that question prior to using D’Addario. For what it’s worth, I had the same kind of experience which led me to start using them in the first place.
full disclosure, yes I’m a D’Addario dealer. And the above explains why.

I use D'Addario XL Nickel or Ernie Ball Slinky - just depends on what my local shop has in stock. I tried D'Addario NYXLs for a while, but my ear is not refined enough to tell the difference between those an the regular XLs, and therefore I can't justify paying twice as much for the NYXLs.

Also I never buy strings from Amazon based on seeing reviews and Youtube videos of counterfeit strings.

-Jay

The NYXLs are my favorite. They live up to the marketing promises.
A. They last forever and it sounds really unusual, but I feel they sound better as they "age"
B. Never break
C. They sound great

I did recently buy a 2013 Traditional and it has silk wrappings down by the ball ends. I assume that the strings are Gibson Les Paul Premium strings and they do sound good. Normally I change the strings and clean it up as soon as I buy a used guitar, but haven't yet since the strings sound so good.

 

[Diver]

I see many great suggestions here! Due to a nasty table saw accident, I prefer to stick to lighter strings. I cut off the ends of three fingers on my fretting hand. Luckily, they were able to reattach them, but I lost most of the feeling and range of motion. I use the D'Addario XL 9's on my LP's and Strats and the EXL 150 super lites on the 12 string of my EDS1275. Upon occasion, I use Dunlop Rev. Willy's 7's on my Tele's. My seven string gets the D'Addario XL 8-string set, 9,11,24 and 42,54 and 65. The heavier gauge strings are great for the low end, while the lighter gauge on the e,b,and g are great for bends. I just hang on to the 32. NEVER , EVER GIVE UP!!!

 

[pillbug]

I see many great suggestions here! Due to a nasty table saw accident, I prefer to stick to lighter strings. I cut off the ends of three fingers on my fretting hand. Luckily, they were able to reattach them, but I lost most of the feeling and range of motion. I use the D'Addario XL 9's on my LP's and Strats and the EXL 150 super lites on the 12 string of my EDS1275. Upon occasion, I use Dunlop Rev. Willy's 7's on my Tele's. My seven string gets the D'Addario XL 8-string set, 9,11,24 and 42,54 and 65. The heavier gauge strings are great for the low end, while the lighter gauge on the e,b,and g are great for bends. I just hang on to the 32. NEVER , EVER GIVE UP!!!

If you want to PM me your address, I’ll send you three sets of XL9s for free.

 

[jeggz]

I’m liking the Pearse so far.

But going from hex to round has me thinking I need to go up a gauge.

 

[Diver]

If you want to PM me your address, I’ll send you three sets of XL9s for free.

You rock, man!

 

[decoy205]

I love Daddario NYXLs they sound fantastic and have that New feeling and tone way longer than other strings I’ve tried. They cost more though. If I don’t want to splurge I buy regular daddario s or Ernie Ball slinky’s.

 

[jwinger]

I use pyramid maximum performance on my ABR guitars and rotosound on my wraptails, as the wound strings won't intonate with the pyramid but BANG ON PERFECT with the rotosounds

 

[jeggz]

Never tried Pyramids.

 

[joba]

Years ago went through a stage of trying different brands and sizes.
I was changing more strings than Bonamassa's tech. Settled in on
pyramids pure nickel hand wound maximum performance 9-46.
Elixirs on the acoustics.

 

[jeggz]

After a lil while, I’m now meh on the Pearse.

Too floppy, kinda dead already.

 

[fleahead]

Gibson made their own strings all the way up to about 2005-2006 when they started having D'Arrario make them, prior to Corporate moving all of the factory machinery and stock (of everything from stringwinders, raw material, Gibson & Trace Elliott amps and "Tourwear" from Elgin, IL (where it had been since 1973) to Nashville, where it was all lost in the floods due to Henry's decision to leave it all in semi trailers in the loading docks. All were denied insurance coverage by the insurer.

Gibson was the 2nd oldest string make in America and came up with the phosphor bronze string, 1st to use a "hex" core wire and created the "double lock twist".

In the very beginning of Ernie Ball strings, Gibson made them (the only non-Gibson label they made with the exception of private label strings).

 

[mdubya]

Gibson made their own strings all the way up to about 2005-2006 when they started having D'Arrario make them, prior to Corporate moving all of the factory machinery and stock (of everything from stringwinders, raw material, Gibson & Trace Elliott amps and "Tourwear" from Elgin, IL (where it had been since 1973) to Nashville, where it was all lost in the floods due to Henry's decision to leave it all in semi trailers in the loading docks. All were denied insurance coverage by the insurer.

Gibson was the 2nd oldest string make in America and came up with the phosphor bronze string, 1st to use a "hex" core wire and created the "double lock twist".

In the very beginning of Ernie Ball strings, Gibson made them (the only non-Gibson label they made with the exception of private label strings).

Interesting info.

GHS was one of the creditors they owed when they filed for bankruptcy.

The D'Addario Pure Nickel Strings I use are nice, but they are not as good as the Gibson Vintage Reissues I liked (Henry era) so much.

Whatever Gibson put on my 2019 Original Collection LP Special are pretty damn good, too. They wear like iron and sound very good. Not as warm as the V RI's, but nice strings.