What are some good electric guitar strings?

Question:I play metal and rock. Anything good for big bends harmonics and stuff like that. I have been playing awile but have only changed strings twice. So good gauges to, because i dont know wich to get. I play metal and rock.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I play metal and rock. Anything good for big bends harmonics and stuff like that. I have been playing awile but have only changed strings twice. So good gauges to, because i dont know wich to get. I play metal and rock.

I prefer D'Addario (so do a lot of top rock guitarists) and you should check your guitar manufacturer's recommendations about guages, but light or extra light is typical for playing lead (big bends, etc.).

Elixir's are my favorites!
I tried and played millions
go to a Guitar Center and pick em up

I'm like you been playing a while, but never really have experimented with changing brands.

Played quite a bit with Ernie Ball's slinky &
super slinky. 10's
I like them, they're good. You want something for big bends. They don't call them
"super slinky" for nothing.

Currently, I'm useing D'Addario XL
Tried the 9.5's but I don't like lighter than 10's
being that they wear out too soon.
Useing the 10's and thinking of trying 11's to see what all the differences are aside from wear.
Also hopeing that they won't pull the neck
clean off the body.

Actualy guitars seem to have their weak spot on the neck, at the nut. I think, because I found one hanging on the wall at guitar center that had been repaired, where the headstock broke off from the neck. Played it, worked fine. Price reduced from
$400 to $100.00. bought it for my nephew.

Then afterward can't remember where, but I saw or heard of the same break at the same spot of the guitar. I'm not really worried though, I'm sure it's rare for it to happen. Just that when it does, that seems to be the weak spot or the one where the most pulling pressure is applied.

I'm not got to try putting on and playing with any
Tug boat winch cable though, thats a bit too much !

Elixirs are awesome, feel so good playing them!!!!!

I prefer coated nickel strings - Elixirs. Nickel because nickel is a little mellower than steel, so I have a slightly more organic tone, and coated to make them last longer. Normally strings go bad as they get dirty with sweat, finger oil, etc, but coating helps keep them alive for much longer.

I've used D'Addarios and Ernie Balls and while they aren't bad strings, even taking care of them (wiping them down, etc) means I'll only get about a month of decent tone before they go dead. Taking care of Elixirs means two to three months. They cost more, but it's a no-brainer to me.

As far as gauge goes, a lot of it will depend on your tuning and your finger strength.

The more your detune (1/2 step down, whole step down, etc) the thicker the gauge you will probably want to go. I tune drop D 1/2 step down and use 11's, and they feel (to me) like 9's. They also stay in tune longer and have a better, thicker tone (I also play metal and rock). I've been thinking a lot about going up to 12's or even higher - Stevie Ray Vaughan played 14's, or so I've heard, at a 1/2 step down. Strong fingers needed. =)

If you tune standard, many players will stick with 9's, because 9's bend easier. I prefer heavier strings, because I can play my rhythm a little harder and do lots of smaller bends on my strings without them going *as far* out of tune as they would on 9's.

A friend of mine who plays Shadows Fall and chuggy stuff like that prefers the Zakk Wylde strings... the low E is frickin huge on that set. I've tried the custom lights and all that, but I keep gravitating back towards straight 11's.... I like a lot of tension in my upper strings, too.

You, my friend, might like the custom light gauge. They're big bottom strings with lighter top strings... so you get solid rhythm tones, but can still do the crazy lead bends on your top strings.

Good luck!

Saul

For exltric guitar gutiars. You know...I started off with Dean Markley "Blues Steels" not too long ago...but I've been having alot of tuning problems because of them. I kept thinking it was my Sperzel locking tuners....but it wasnt. It was those Blue Steel" strings. So, on a hunch, I tried some Daddarios XLs last week. I'm very pleased to say that I'm a new convert to Daddario XLs. They are keeping good tune so far and also have a bright tone to them too. I'm going to try the Daddario "Pro Steels" next & their Phosphor Bronze ones too in a week or 2. I'm also going to try some Gibson strings too since I have Gibson pickups on my guitar.

BUT, for acoustic guitars, I definitely say Dean Markley "Alchemy" all the way,. I'm very pleased with those because they havent broken yet.

I play rock and metal too. So I either get some Lights or Medium gauged strings. The Mediums are a little thicker, but they do last longer though. Good luck