Best Acoustic Guitar Strings of 2025

Hayden Bryant Avatar
Hayden Bryant
Last Updated: 5 Feb 2025

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Acoustic guitar strings are an essential component of any guitar player's toolkit. They are responsible for producing the sound that emanates from the guitar when it is played. There are many different types of acoustic guitar strings available, each with its own unique sound and feel. Some strings are made from materials like steel, while others are made from nylon or other synthetic materials. Regardless of the type of string you choose, it is important to select strings that are appropriate for your guitar and playing style. With the right strings, you can create a beautiful, rich sound that will enhance your playing and allow you to express yourself fully through your music.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Ernie Ball Earthwood Light Acoustic Guitar Strings Cover #TOP 1
Ernie Ball Earthwood Light Acoustic Guitar Strings
ftb score rating icon 9.9
D'Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings Cover #TOP 2
D'Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings
ftb score rating icon 9.8
D'Addario EZ920 Acoustic Guitar Strings 12-54 Cover #TOP 3
D'Addario EZ920 Acoustic Guitar Strings 12-54
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Acoustic Guitar Strings

Ernie Ball Earthwood Light Acoustic Guitar Strings

P02004
Light
Light
Ernie Ball Earthwood Light Acoustic Guitar Strings Cover
Ernie Ball Earthwood Light 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings - 11-52 Gauge

The Ernie Ball Acoustic Strings offer a bright and balanced tone, perfect for enhancing your playing experience. Their light gauge ensures comfortable fretting, making it easier for you to play for extended periods without discomfort. The wound strings consist of 80 percent copper and 20 percent zinc, wrapped around a high-carbon steel core, delivering a rich and expressive sound. Additionally, the Element Shield packaging keeps the strings fresh, ensuring you get the best sound quality right from the moment you open the packet.

What We Like
Bright and balanced tone
Comfortable fretting experience
Rich, expressive sound
Freshness guaranteed

D'Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings

EJ16
Brons
Light, 12-53
D'Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings Cover
D'Addario Guitar Strings - Acoustic Guitar Strings - Phosphor Bronze - For 6 String Guitar - Warm, Bright, Balanced Tone - EJ16 - Light, 12-53

D'Addario EJ16 Strings are crafted with precision, featuring corrosion-resistant phosphor bronze wrap wire over a high-carbon steel core. This design ensures a warm and balanced tone, making them suitable for various musical styles. As a popular choice among musicians, these strings deliver a rich acoustic sound that enhances your playing experience. Additionally, you can earn reward points by registering the code found on the recyclable packaging, adding extra value to your purchase.

What We Like
Corrosion-resistant for longevity
Warm, balanced tone
Popular choice among musicians
Reward points available
#TOP 3

D'Addario EZ920 Acoustic Guitar Strings 12-54

EZ920
bronze
Medium Light, 12-54
D'Addario EZ920 Acoustic Guitar Strings 12-54 Cover
D'Addario Guitar Strings - Acoustic Guitar Strings - 85/15 Bronze - For 6 String Guitar - Full, Bright Tone - EZ920 - Medium Light, 12-54

D'Addario EZ920 Strings offer a corrosion-resistant design with precision winding, ensuring a long-lasting, bright sound for your acoustic guitar. The 85/15 bronze material delivers a vintage tone, combining the best qualities of phosphor bronze with a crisp high end and a powerful low end. You'll appreciate the extended life of these strings, giving you more playtime between changes. Additionally, you can earn rewards by registering the code included with the recyclable packaging, enhancing your playing experience.

What We Like
Corrosion-resistant materials
Bright, full sound
Long-lasting performance
Reward points available

Elixir Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings Light

16052
Light (12-53)
Elixir Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings Light Cover
Elixir 16052 Strings Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings w NANOWEB Coating, Light (.012-.053)

The Elixir Acoustic Guitar Strings are crafted with phosphor bronze wrap wire, delivering a rich, full-bodied tone combined with sparkling high-end clarity. You will appreciate the ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating, which provides a traditionally textured, "uncoated" feel, enhancing your playing experience. This patented coating technology protects against corrosion, ensuring your strings maintain their tone longer than any other brand. With a light gauge of .012 to .053, these strings are perfect for players seeking both comfort and exceptional sound quality.

What We Like
Rich, full-bodied tone
Sparkling high-end clarity
Traditionally textured feel
Longer tone life
Light gauge for ease of play
#TOP 5

Ernie Ball Earthwood Extra Light Acoustic Strings

P02150
Extra Light
Extra Light
Ernie Ball Earthwood Extra Light Acoustic Strings Cover
Ernie Ball Earthwood Extra Light Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings - 10-50 Gauge

The Ernie Ball Acoustic Strings offer a warm, rich tone that enhances your music's projection and clarity. With their extra light gauge, you can enjoy less string tension, making it easier for you to play across the fretboard. These strings are made with phosphor bronze wound on a hex-shaped, high-carbon steel core, ensuring durability and sound quality. Crafted in the USA with the freshest materials, they provide a reliable performance for all guitarists.

What We Like
Warm, rich tone
Less string tension
Durable construction
Fresh materials
Excellent projection
#TOP 6

D'Addario EJ13 Acoustic Guitar Strings, 80/20 Bronze

EJ13
1 Pack
Custom Light, 11-52
D'Addario EJ13 Acoustic Guitar Strings, 80/20 Bronze Cover
D'Addario Guitar Strings - Acoustic Guitar Strings - 80/20 Bronze - For 6 String Guitar - Deep, Bright, Projecting Tone - EJ13 - Custom Light, 11-52

D'Addario EJ13 Strings are designed for exceptional acoustic performance. With precision winding over a hexagonal high carbon steel core, these strings ensure durability and maintain excellent tuning stability. The bold, bright sound produced by the 80/20 Bronze wrap wire allows for crisp projection, making your music resonate beautifully in any space. Originally crafted in the 1930s, these strings carry a rich legacy, providing you with a trusted choice for your six-string guitar. Plus, you can earn reward points with each purchase, adding extra value to your investment.

What We Like
Precision wound for durability
Bright, bold acoustic sound
Excellent projection in any space
Earn reward points with purchase
Made in the USA
#TOP 7

Martin MA535 Authentic Acoustic Guitar Strings

MARTIN
41Y18MA535
Martin MA535 Authentic Acoustic Guitar Strings Cover
Martin MA535 Authentic Acoustic - SP - Phosphor Bronze CustomLight ( 11-52 )

The Martin MA535 Strings offer bright, rich tones that enhance your guitar's voice, making them ideal for any performance. Their superior construction ensures tuning stability and playability, even during intensive practice sessions. You will appreciate their versatility, as these strings are suitable for various playing styles, whether you prefer fingerpicking or flat picking. With light acoustic strings ranging from 0.011" to 0.052", they brighten the natural tones of your guitar, providing a delightful sound experience.

What We Like
Bright and rich tones
Excellent tuning stability
Versatile for various genres
High-quality construction
Ideal for performance and practice
#TOP 8

Fender 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings

0730070405
Custom Light | 70CL
.011 - .052 Gauge
Fender 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings Cover
Fender 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Strings, Ball End, 70CL .011-.052 Gauges, (6)

The Fender 80/20 Bronze Strings are designed to enhance your acoustic guitar's sound. With gauges ranging from .011 to .052, these strings provide a bright and articulate tone, ideal for instruments with a naturally dark sound. The unique copper and zinc composition ensures durability, so you can rely on them for even the longest performances. Additionally, the hex core construction offers a faster pick attack, resulting in a fuller and clearer sound that enriches your playing experience.

What We Like
Brightens acoustic tone
Durable for long performances
Full, clear sound
Easy string changes

Elixir 11027 Custom Light Acoustic Guitar Strings

11027
80/20 Bronze
Elixir 11027 Custom Light Acoustic Guitar Strings Cover
Elixir 11027 Strings 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings w NANOWEB Coating, Custom Light (.011-.052)

The Elixir 11027 Strings offer exceptional quality for acoustic guitar players. Crafted with 80/20 bronze wrap wire, these strings deliver a crisp and bright tone, enhancing your music's vibrancy. The ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating provides a traditional feel, allowing you to enjoy the strings as if they were uncoated. This innovative coating technology protects against corrosion, ensuring that your tone lasts longer than with other brands. With the custom light gauge, you can achieve a comfortable playing experience while maintaining excellent sound quality.

What We Like
Crisp, bright tone
Traditional “uncoated” feel
Corrosion-resistant coating
Longer tone life
Comfortable custom light gauge
#TOP 10

Elixir Acoustic Guitar Strings with NANOWEB Coating

16545
Bronze
Light (12-53)
Elixir Acoustic Guitar Strings with NANOWEB Coating Cover
Elixir Strings, Acoustic Guitar Strings, Phosphor Bronze with NANOWEB Coating, Longest-Lasting Rich and Full Tone with Comfortable Feel, 3-pack, Light 12-53

Elixir Acoustic Guitar Strings offer a rich and full-bodied tone thanks to their phosphor bronze wrap wire and innovative NANOWEB Coating. This coating not only enhances the sound quality but also provides a comfortable feel while playing. You can expect brilliant tone and reliable performance, making these strings highly rated among musicians. Additionally, the corrosion-resistant properties of the NANOWEB Coating ensure that sweat, humidity, and rust won’t diminish the strings' out-of-the-box sound, allowing you to enjoy longer-lasting playability.

What We Like
Rich, full-bodied tone
Comfortable feel while playing
Corrosion-resistant for durability
Lab-tested for reliable performance
Longest-lasting sound quality
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the 6 acoustic guitar strings?

So, on a typical six-string guitar, the numerical string order goes like this:. E – 1st string.B – 2nd string.G – 3rd string.D – 4th string.A – 5th string.E – 6th string.

2. What kind of strings are on an acoustic guitar?

Acoustic guitar strings come in two basic varieties: phosphor bronze or an 80/20 bronze. Phosphor bronze strings are bronze strings with phosphor added to the alloy. They produce a slightly warmer tone, and they tend to last longer.

Editor's Notes

During our acoustic guitar string research, we found 306 acoustic guitar string products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 1,121,364 customer reviews through our big data system to write the acoustic guitar strings list. We found that most customers choose acoustic guitar strings with an average price of £7.84.

The acoustic guitar strings are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of acoustic guitar strings, including Ernie Ball, D'Addario, Elixir, MARTIN, Fender.

Written by
Hayden Bryant Avatar

Hayden was born in Liverpool, and he never left his hometown until university. In his freshman year at the University of Manchester, Hayden was the group leader of a popular music group. Hayden is responsible for the popularity of his music, and this is because of his natural ability to play with keys and strings. He graduated with BFA in 2016 and returned in 2018 as a lecturing staff in the School of Music.