Best Electric Guitar Strings For Beginners

Finding the right guitar strings for our guitar can be a long process – let’s explore our top five best electric guitar strings for beginners!

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In this free lesson you will learn…

• Our five favourite string types for electric guitar
• Why the right guitar string is important to find
• Tips on finding the right string for you
• What string gauges are & why they’re important

Check Out Our List Of The Best Electric Guitar Strings For Beginners!

When we first begin playing guitar, one thing we should focus on learning about is our strings.

• Sure, it seems easy enough to just slap on any old set of guitar strings, but certain strings are better than others and can make it a lot easier to play.
• You don’t want strings that will fight against you, and the wrong type of guitar string definitely will.
• In this short guide, we’re going to show you our top five best electric guitar strings for beginners and why they’re so awesome (not to mention easy to play).

Grab your guitar and a notepad, and read this free guide before your next trip to the local guitar shop!

Why Are The Right Guitar Strings So Important?

The wrong set of guitar strings can do a whole lot more than just create an uncomfortable playing experience.

Strings that are too heavy for the way the guitar is set up can bow the neck and cause permanent damage to our instrument. Nobody wants that!

Pro Tip: If you’ve bought a guitar second-hand and you don’t know what type of strings are on it, make sure you take it to your guitar shop of choice first.

Most guitar shops have in-house techs that can take a quick look at your instrument and tell you what the best string gauge will be.

Finding a comfortable set of guitar strings makes the playing experience so much more enjoyable, not to mention comfortable.

• Comfort level is something that we should never underestimate when it comes to playing guitar.
• If you’re not comfortable with your instrument, you won’t enjoy playing nearly as much.
• Find the right gauge of strings first, then you can proceed to experiment with different brands of guitar strings within that gauge.

This way, you don’t have to worry about damaging the neck of your guitar in the process. Find your choice of the best electric guitar strings for beginners and your guitar will thank you!

Pro Tip: Depending upon how often you’re playing, you may want to consider changing your strings more or less frequently.

We recommend that you change your strings every two to three months to keep them sounding and feeling fresh!

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Know Your String Gauges!

Light gauge strings are the way to go if you’re just starting out.

Not only are they easy on the fingers, they sound great!

• Light guitar string gauges usually fall in the 9 – 41 range.
• These strings may also be referred to as ‘super-light’ strings depending upon to brand you purchase.
• If these strings are too light for you, consider stepping up to the 10 – 52 range of string gauges.

This gauge of string is sturdier and will put a bit more tension on the neck, but they will also help you develop thicker calluses at a quicker pace.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different brands.

Each of the string brands listed below offer a different approach to the creation of good sound in electric guitars.

• Every guitarist has a favored string brand, and it will take you a while to find yours. Don’t worry though, there’s plenty of room to play around and find what works right for you.
• We even recommend that you purchase two or three different brands of string and rotate them onto your guitar over the course of a few months.

This will give you a good indication of what feels good to your hands and fingers.

Best Electric Guitar Strings For Beginners – Ernie Ball Cobalts (Writer’s Pick)

Cobalts are sturdy and clear-sounding, and they provide a lot of solid string definition when we are learning new chords. 

• Made from a combination of cobalt, stainless steel and nickel, these are some of the best electric guitar strings for beginners.
• These strings have a great mid-ranged tone that is super useful over a variety of genres.

You can purchase a set of Ernie Ball Cobalt strings here.

Best Electric Guitar Strings For Beginners – D’Addario Pro Steel XL

Tried and true, these strings have withstood the test of time for many years.

Many guitars that you see in your local guitar shop may be equipped with D’Addario XL strings.

• These strings are versatile and clear, making them some of the best electric guitar strings for beginners to learn on.
• At some point in your lifetime, you’ll most certainly end up buying a guitar equipped with these strings, and they’ll last you a while before they wear out their sound.

Pick up a set of Pro Steel XLs here.

Best Electric Guitar Strings For Beginners – Elixir Nanoweb

Elixir have a history of making beautifully clear guitar strings with massive definition for both electric and acoustic guitars.

• The Nanoweb line of guitar strings are extremely flexible and very playable.
• Elixir also pride themselves on creating strings that retain their colour and voice for longer, and the Nanowebs are no exception.

These exceptional strings will keep your guitar sounding fresh for longer, making them some of the best electric guitar strings for beginners.

Pick up a set and see for yourself here.

Best Electric Guitar Strings For Beginners – Rotosound Roto Pinks

Rotosound are known for long-lasting string tone, so we absolutely had to throw them on our list for the best electric guitar strings for beginners.

These guitar strings have a ton of definition and are easy to play. They hold their tone for quite a while and will keep your guitar sounding great.

Pick up a set of Roto Pinks here.

Best Electric Guitar Strings For Beginners – Ernie Ball Super Slinkys

Another tried and true classic, Slinkys have been an industry standard guitar string for years.

The ‘Super Slinky’ is the light-gauge version of this string brand.

• Ernie Ball’s flagship guitar string holds its tone for ages and keeps your guitar sounding bright and defined rather than dull and lifeless.
• These strings are easy to learn on and grow with, making them our final pick for our top five best electric guitar strings for beginners.

Many famous guitarists have sworn by Slinkys for years, maybe you’ll be next!

Pick up a set of your own here.

Where Do I Go From Here?

If you’re looking for more information on the best electric guitar strings for beginners, check out some of our favourite YouTube content below:

• Rob Scallon – String Gauges 101
• KSM Music – How To Choose The Right Strings
• Music Is Win – Guitar Strings – Which Brand Is Best?
• Stewmac – Guitar Strings Guide
• Ryan Bruce – Guide To String Gauges

Recommended Resources

If you enjoyed this free guide to the best electric guitar strings for beginners, you’ll love some of the other content we’ve got planned for you below:

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