The Steel Guitar Forum

To all E-9 pedal steel players:

What do you all consider "the best" pedal steel guitar E-9 strings? (Sound, Tone, breakage factor, gauge, playability, etc.?) I'll go first. Even though he is no longer in business, I consider Frenchy's Steel Mill Strings the winner for me. I also like D'Addario strings. Just curious as to what brand you like the best? I might just try them!

Tony

Daddarrio NYXL are my go to's.

For the last 20 years or so, I've been using SIT the Buddy Emmons sets. For the E9th, those have an .011 instead of .010 on the 3rd string, .018p on the 5th and .038 on the 10th. I find this to help out to thicken the sound on my metal neck Emmons push pull.

I've tried other brands over time, and as far as the tone, to my untrained, old fashioned country western ear, I really can't tell the difference. However, with the SIT brand, I don't have strings breaking anymore. None have sounded off, nor do they go out of tune. Once I put the strings on, step on each of the pedals several times, re tune, do the same engaging all the knee levers and retuning, the strings stay constant. But I also change strings often as well.

BTW, juststrings.com is my go to source for main brand strings at affordable prices. I walked into Guitar Center the other day in Spokane Washington, and they had on the self d'Addario set of E9 pedal steel strings for $18.89, not sure and I don't keep up with prices, but I thought that was really high.

GHS PF 500 pure nickel rollerwound (sort of semi- flat) is what I’ve been using for years. Real happy with the sound, longevity, and price from Just Strings.

Thanks for the info guys, it's about time to change out my strings on my Simmons. I have already been shopping but can use all the ideas I can get.

NYXL and Stringjoy are both excellent. Heads above other brands I've used.

I used George L's for 35 years. I now use SIT.

GHS Boomers. Consistent Tone, no breakage. 6 weeks of playing everyday for 2hrs before they start to dull.

There are very few string brands that make their own strings. Most of the small specialty-instrument brands are private labels made by Darco, D'Addario other "big name brands" and string makers you've never heard of with no retail label; VERY few "draw" wire from steel stock, buy all the wire in bulk and only do the winding...

It's kind of silly paying premium prices for a small, specialty brand set that's actually made by Ernie Ball, D'Addario, GHS etc.

If you buy sets any pure nickel wrap (the warmest steel sets), nickel wound (nickel plated steel) (somewhat brighter), or stainless steel (REALLY bright) strings from a major brand will be about the same and the lowest price...

I buy strings in bulk because I do tech work, so I buy gages/types in bulk. Like the guys mentioned above I really like ground wounds and rollerwounds, which both have a warm sound, nice, smooth feel, and last longer than standard roundwound strings; and at times I'll load up flatwounds. Even though they are stainless they are warm sounding with a smooth top end and last longer than any other string.

All these comments only apply to wound strings - plain steel strings are plain steel wire, and they are all the same except for the color and/or twist style of the ball end!

JAGWIRE!! For me for the last 20 years at least.
Ricky

GHS Boomers for me on all my guitars except my Martin.

Sam

SIT Power Wound here.

Live Steel Strings have been my choice for many years. I've tried the rest, but to me, they are the best. Jagwires are a close second.

D'Addario NYXL's by far the best I have ever used. Perfect strings for my Pearse T. C. bars, great tone, in my opinion, and I have not broken a string since I started using them a while back.

I am a PSG tech., not a pro player so I leave strings on my own guitars until they go dead and then some. They last a long time!

All guitars I work on go out of here with a set of them and I get great feedback!

That said, I went to Buddy's house one day back in the 80's to pick up an EMCI guitar and I popped this same question to him, his reply was, "Free ones", and he did not appear to be kidding.

True story.