Guitar Strings: Electric, Acoustic & Bass

Strings are the consumable that every guitarist, bass player and backline tech gets through fastest, and this section gathers the D’Addario sets that turn up most often in rehearsal rooms, school music departments and on tour. It is split into three ranges: Electric Guitar Strings, Acoustic Guitar Strings and Bass Guitar Strings.

On the electric side there are XL Nickel sets running from the EXL120 09-42 and EXL125 09-46 through the EXL110 10-46 to the EXL115 11-49 and EXL140 10-52, alongside the NYXL0942 and NYXL1046. Acoustic players get Phosphor Bronze in four gauges, from the EJ15 10-47 up to the EJ17 13-56. The bass range covers XL Nickel Long Scale sets from 45-100 to 50-105, the EXL170-5TP 45-130 for five-string basses, and the NYXL45105.

Start with the instrument rather than the gauge. Electric, acoustic and bass strings are made for different jobs: electric strings are built to work with magnetic pickups, acoustic sets are made to drive a wooden top, and bass strings are a different length and weight altogether. A set from one family is not a substitute for another, even if the gauge numbers look close.

Pack size is the other decision, and it matters more to a buyer stocking several guitars than to a single player. Sets come as 3 Sets or 2 Sets packs for players and bands, while the 10 Sets and 25 Sets packs suit hire companies, teachers and venues that restring house instruments on a schedule and want the same set on every guitar.

Guitar Strings FAQs

Can I put electric guitar strings on an acoustic guitar? It is not recommended. Electric sets are designed around magnetic pickups and sound thin on an acoustic, so use the Phosphor Bronze sets for a steel-string acoustic.

What is the difference between the 3 Sets and 10 Sets packs? The strings are the same set; only the quantity changes. Larger packs suit anyone restringing several instruments regularly, such as schools, rehearsal rooms and hire stock.