Choosing the best guitar strings for acoustic instruments can be really challenging. Especially if you’re a beginner. In addition, there are so many different brands and string sizes. If you’re struggling with making the right choice, you’re in the right place. As an intermediate guitarist with over 13 years of with guitars, I personally tried the most popular guitar strings of various sizes. Hence, I feel comfortable sharing my knowledge with you. Let’s dive deeper and investigate which acoustic guitar strings are the best on the market right now. Feel free to check out my list of recommendations. You can also see the detailed descriptions and my review of these strings below. Let’s rock n’ roll!
List of Top Guitar Strings For Acoustic Guitars
- D’Addario EJ16-3D – See on Amazon
- Ernie Ball Earthwood – See on Amazon
- Elixir Phosphor Bronze – See on Amazon
- Martin MA140 – See on Amazon
- Martin Retro MM11 – See on Amazon
- Fender 60L – See on Amazon
- Martin Eric Clapton’s Choice – See on Amazon
- DR Strings Rare – See on Amazon
D’Addario EJ16-3D
D’Addario is a highly popular and respectable manufacturer of guitar strings and accessories. These strings are one of their best selling products. In addition, they offer a warm, long lasting and bright acoustic tone. Besides, EJ16 strings offer a really strong corrosion resistance. If you’re looking for affordable and great sounding strings for your guitar, this set will be absolutely a great choice. Hence, I highly recommend it!
Ernie Ball Earthwood
Another truly warm sounding and affordable solution for both beginner and intermediate guitarists. These guitar strings feature 80% copper and 20% zinc. What’s interesting, these strings are being manufactured in the USA. On top of that, this set is often used by such musicians as Elvis Costello and Joe Bonamassa. If you’re looking for a unique, warm tone with clear and crisp highs, this set of strings will be a perfect fit for you. Certainly, I definitely recommend it!
Elixir Phosphor Bronze – The Best Guitar Strings For Acoustic On The Market
In my opinion, Elixir offers the best acoustic guitar strings on the market right now. This set is definitely my favorite. Nevertheless, in comparison with previous sets of strings, this option is a little bit more expensive. These Elixirs are extremely enjoyable and playable. Moreover, they offer a really dynamic balance of clear and sparkling tone. This set of strings is highly recommended for intermediate musicians. On the other hand, if you’re a beginner and your budget is not tight, you should definitely try these ones out. Certainly, starting your musical journey with this acoustic guitar string set would be an absolute pleasure.
Martin MA140
This brand is an absolutely remarkable manufacturer of guitars and guitar accessories. If you’re not aware, the company produces the most reputable and top quality acoustic guitars in the world. What’s important, apart from making such great guitars, they offer really affordable and playable acoustic guitar strings. Besides, these strings feature a truly excellent tuning stability. As a result, this guitar string set is recommended for both beginner and intermediate guitarists.
Martin Retro MM11
Similarly as the previous model, this set offers a top quality and a really warm sound. I highly recommend this set for electric-acoustic guitars. Martin Retro MM11 strings sound great especially while plugged into an amp. Besides, this model is naturally corrosion resistant. If you’re looking for a set of strings which features an absolute quality and longevity, you should definitely check out these strings.
Fender 60L
This American producer and manufacturer produces stunning and the most iconic guitars on the market. We all know the classic sound of a Stratocaster. Indeed, this company never fails. What’s more, they also created a truly wonderful set of acoustic guitar strings. These Phosphor Bronze strings will be an amazing choice for singer-songwriters and solo artists. Thanks to the 13-56 size, Fender 60L strings sound really deep, warm, clear and resonant. I highly recommend these strings for musicians who are often playing live in front of people. You won’t be disappointed!
Martin EC Choice – Best Guitar Strings For Acoustic Recommended by Eric Clapton
This set of guitar strings is one of the most popular models offered by Martin. We all know Eric Clapton. If such a good guitarist recommends something, it has to be good. Right? The legendary musician chooses this set for both stage and studio performances. This set will be perfect for both beginner and intermediate musicians. What’s more, if you’re into fingerstyle guitar playing, you will also be satisfied. I personally choose these strings for my studio recordings from time to time. Indeed, I really value this set for its versatility, warm and clear tone and overall smooth feeling. Hence, it’s highly recommended!
DR Strings Rare
These phosphor bronze strings are also a really good and affordable option for guitarists of all levels. If you’re looking for a bright and balanced acoustic tone, this set of strings will be ideal for you. Besides, these strings will be great for playing blues, folk and roots music. What’s more, these strings are extremely comfortable to play. Undoubtedly, it’s a great choice!
Best Guitar Strings For Acoustic – Thoughts
In my opinion, the guitar strings mentioned in this article are the best available strings on the market. What’s important, they don’t only sound good. All of these sets are really affordable and they’re within the reach of any guitar player. Whether you’re an amateur or skilled guitar player, you will most definitely be satisfied with each one of these guitar strings. Remember to pick the optimal string size and keep on learning. I’ve been using 12-54 acoustic guitar strings for over ten years now and I have to admit that this is my favorite size. It offers a really versatile, warm and enjoyable sound. What about you? Which guitar strings would you choose? Undoubtedly, you have a favorite set of strings. Let me know in the comments below!
If you’re considering buying new musical gear, feel free to check my top 10 acoustic guitar under $1000 recommendations. Moreover, I highly recommend this guide for any parent who’s looking for a guitar for his child. U
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Dave, the author of this blog is an intermediate musician with years of significant experience within the music industry. The purpose of this site is to help amateur guitar players with choosing the right musical gear. Besides, thanks to you the Best Guitars Now community is constantly growing. Thanks for checking out this blog. We appreciate it. Let’s rock n’ roll!
