Ernie Ball Guitar Strings Compare Prices And Buy

Review by B. Stallings:

Take this to heart. I have been playing for 16 years this Christmas. For the first seven years I experimented with different brands and gauges. These were the strings I settled on after all that experimentation and I have never looked back. Slinky 9's are ALL I have bought for the past nine years. There are two types of electric guitar strings: Expensive and cheap. NEVER buy cheap strings. They sound too bright and about one out of twenty will break when you wind them up. Expensive strings are a little more complicated. The durability factor is much better with expensive strings. About one out of eighty will break. The difference between the expensive brands is in the sound. Some are "tinny" or bright. Some sound like bass strings tuned way up. With that said, Ernie Ball Super Slinky 9's have what I call a "V" voicing. It's like they have a little equalizer built in set to a good rock setting. You know, boost the mids and highs and roll back the mids. THESE... are the only strings designed specifically for rock/metal/southern rock/progressive heavier jam bands/etc. Period.

Man... I sound like a commercial. It's because I am passionate about these strings.

Review by A. Thomas:

My experience with guitar started in the 70s with a beat up acoustic my dad handed down to me. I was enthralled with the sounds of the guitar, but hated that giant hunk of junk. In the early 80s I got myself a job, tossed that pile of warped wood, and bought myself a Gibson electric. A friend quickly turned me on to GHS Boomers, which I used exclusively for probably 7-8 years. I had tried several other brands, but for me, the Boomers were the best.

Well, the 90s came around, and my musical taste changed from alt-rock to a heavier sound. My preference transitioned from Gibson guitars through Orange and Mesa/Boogie amps to Jackson guitars through Marshall amps. Due to budgetary constraints, I switched to Carvin strings -- they used to be incredibly affordable -- but "discovered" the Ernie Ball Super Slinky strings when a guitar tech friend of mine restrung one of my super-strats for me, and that was that.

So what do 'Slinkies' do?

1. Bend forever.

2. Quack on a Strat with the best of 'em!

3. NOT break when setting up a Floyd Rose.

4. Last for as long as you can stand rubbing the oxidation off of the higher strings.

Okay, you get the picture. In a nutshell, these are high-quality strings at an affordable price, delivering the best tone out there. Novice or pro; you won't be disappointed.

Review by Nessander:

These are my favorite strings for electric guitar. I've been using them since I started playing about eighteen years ago. I've tried other strings, like Gibson and D'Addario, but I like the sound and feel of Ernie Balls the best -- they feel nice, full, thick, hefty. I play blues, jazz, and bluesy rock. I use these on a Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany and a Yamaha neck-thru-body electric, and they are good for the music I play and for providing a full-bodied sound. There are a whole host of "big name" guitarists who use these strings, and for good reason. I buy them in 10 packs to save money -- can't seem to find that option here on Amazon.

Review by Shimmy Pilates:

I find no desire to change brands after stringing my telecaster with these beasts. They stay in tune, sound great, and are easy on the fingers. I'll continue to use them until something markedly better comes along and is somehow strung on my instrument without my knowledge.

Review by BeeSee:

I've been playing the guitar for 20 years, and I've tried a lot of different strings. Across all of the different options that are available, I'm convinced that there are really two variables that control 95% of the sound:

1) String gauge. Suck it up and buy the 11's. You will *not* get the tone that heavy strings deliver with pedals, rack effects, or other widgets. Yes, you fingers will hurt if you've been playing .009's. No, you will not regret it once you get used to it.

2) String age. Change your strings when they start to sound bad. It's a pain, but even good technique and heavy strings can't make up for crusty, stretched-out, worn-out strings. Changing before every show is excessive. Use your ears; when the sparkle and crispness of new strings is gone, and the sound bothers you, then change your strings.

That being said, I use Ernie Ball Slinkys pretty much exclusively these days. They're reasonably cheap, sound great, and are found in pretty much any guitar shop anywhere in the world. What else could you ask for? Five stars!

Review by C. Sutcliff:

The purple ones. Strings break and there are reasons for that if you look at how you set up your guitar. Did you stretch the strings? Is the action set up well? Did you take your time to string the guitar the right way? If you use some guitar common sense and ask a pro what you need to know, then these strings will work for you. Excellent tone, feel great, and have great sustain. If you cannot find these strings, then the super slinkys are a good second choice.

Review by Petey Bombay:

I am a big fan of these strings. Nice and thick low end, but still thin enough to bend and play without stresssing your fingers. For $[...] bucks you can't beat 'em.

Review by Zachary R. Rempe:

Amazing strings. Perfect for Drop c tuning. Good crisp tone and they stay "fresh" for a decent amount of time. I find that these particular strings have a veryu quick break in period. I will never use a different string set for my Drop C guitar.