Resonator guitars are different from regular acoustic guitars. They appeal to guitarists for their distinctive sound, especially in bluegrass or blues. Strings are a crucial part of resonator guitars as they help to maximize their sound. So it is essential to find the telling strings.
The critical question here is which strings are going to be fitting for your resonator guitar. There are various strings you could use for your guitar. And with many options in hand, choosing the best strings for your resonator guitar gets confusing.
That’s why we have developed a list of the top blue-chip string recommendations. Hopefully, our in-depth review will help you find out the top-rated strings for resonator acoustic guitars.
Let’s get underway!
Best Strings for Resonator Guitar Reviews
The strings are almost vibrating in your guitar. By applying appropriate strings to your guitar, you can enjoy the crystal clear sound. So before deciding to hit the buying button, go through the entire article to make the right choice.
Read ahead!
1. Ernie Ball Strings for Resonator Guitar | 3-Pack
You certainly want strings that can improve the tone of your guitar and at the same time produce appealing music, right? Then Ernie Ball Earthwood Strings are most appropriate for you!
The best part about resonator guitar strings is that they breathe life into the music produced, and you can avail yourself of that opportunity by purchasing Ernie Ball strings. They offer you to have a natural experience.
The added benefit about Ernie Ball strings is that they are packed in element shield packaging that ensures that the strings stay fresh and in the best of conditions.
Last but not least, if you want to be sure about buying high-quality strings, then Ernie Ball strings are a must-have for you because these sets of strings aim to provide the finest and freshest materials that ensure you have long-lasting usage.
Key factors
- Medium-light size
- Clear warm tone
- Element shield packed
- Ensures authentic materials
- Guarantees excellent projection
2. D’Addario Strings for Resonator Guitar | EJ16-3D
If you are on the hunt for a professional set of strings that are designed to ensure booming performance, then certainly you are looking for D’Addario Phosphor Strings!
They offer you a wonderfully bright and clear tone and natural playability. D’Addario is most popular among the guitarist for its excellent sounding and high playability. They are a superb combination of high performance, durability, and balanced tone.
One of the plus points of purchasing the D’Addario Phosphor strings set is that they contain phosphor bronze wire that provides corrosion resistance.
With this distinct benefit, you can get a consistent and long-lasting tone.
They come in a wide variety of gauges. D’Addario is available in plain steel and phosphor bronze wounds. The gauges are 012, .016 for plain steel and .024, .032, .042, .053 for phosphor bronze.
In closing, if you want to ensure higher output, clarity, and harmonic response along with superb performance, you should go for D’Addario Phosphor Bronze strings without any doubt!
Key Features
- Balanced acoustic tone
- Long-lasting performance
- Corrosion resistance packaging
- Range of gauges
- Choice of professionals
3. Elixir Bronze Strings for Resonator Guitar | 80/20
Do you want to enjoy a long-lasting tone along with great sound on your guitar? In order to ensure these benefits, you can select Elixir Bronze Strings and no mistake!
Do you know what makes Elixir strings unique? You can have a smooth feel with these ultra-thin Nanoweb guitar strings.
This coating is highly recommended if you want to ensure natural articulation as well as a comfortable feeling.
Over and above, they produce consistently bright tones allowing them to vibrate naturally, and they have more excellent tuning stability. So, this is perfect for sheet music, classical, or flamenco styles of playing.
Again, these acoustic guitar strings are designed with bright bronze wrap wire containing 80 percent copper and 20% zinc, assuring you of reliable performance from these consumer electronics.
Most importantly, Elixir bronze strings begin with coating technology which repels the sweat and humidity and prevents your resonator guitar strings from rusting, and you can play longer with great tone.
Lastly, they hold light strings so you can play and bend them easily. And your guitar remains fresh and sustains for an extended period of time! So to enjoy the longevity of your guitar strings, go for Elixir bronze strings!
Key Features
- Offers incredible playability
- Corrosion resistance benefit
- Crystal clear sound
- Ultra-thin Nanoweb
- Holds light gauge
4. Dunlop Strings for Resonator Guitar | Medium
If you are searching for strings that can give you optimum moisture protection, then consider buying Dunlop strings, as they are packaged with three levels of moisture protection to prevent rust and breakage.
In addition, they deliver a great, warm, and quite precise tone. An added advantage of Dunlop strings is that they are totally perfect for every style of your guitar playing. Also, these strings offer high-quality pro-audio with an optimal tone.
Moreover, they are packed and sealed in a vapor corrosion inhibitor bag, which offers that the strings remain in excellent condition until they get to the purchaser’s hands. So absolutely no worries about its freshness!
Dunlop has a medium gauge range of 16-56, and the resonator gauges of these strings are .016, .018, .028, .036, .046, and .056, which enlists it as one of the top strings for resonator guitar.
On a final note, if you want to ensure high-quality strings set along with a clear and vibrant tone, then Dunlop strings are undoubtedly the best choice for you!
Key Features
- Phosphor bronze wire
- Ensures clear sounding
- VCI fresh technology
- 3-level moisture protection
- Guarantees fresh strings
5. Elixir Strings for Resonator Guitar | POLYWEB Coating
You must want strings that are a perfect combination of outstanding performance, natural feel, and longer lifespan, right? If you’re going to get these qualities in one set of strings, select Elixir Acoustic Guitar Strings without any hesitation!
They are revolutionary for various reasons. They are designed to be phosphor bronze strings, but they also produce a nice, robust tone.
On top of that, Elixir strings contain poly web coating, which ensures a firmer natural warm tone with a comfortably smooth feel in the hands.
Their exclusive patented coating technology makes these strings corrosion-resistant and more durable. At the same time, they stay in tune better than any other brands. The long-lasting tone of elixir strings will help you to maintain concentration.
They work great and deliver an excellent and authentic resonator tone. Moreover, Elixir Strings are available in six different gauges in total, ranging from .016-to .056.
For the final addition, as far as poly web coating guitar strings go, Elixir resonator guitar strings are impossible to beat for their various wholesome features. So, considering all these features, you can go for Elixir strings.
Key Features
- Bronze wrap wire
- Original poly web coating
- Protects against corrosion
- Offers great tone
- Natural playing experience
Things to Consider Before Buying Strings for Resonator Guitar
Strings are crucial to your sound as the appropriate strings produce a cleaner, brighter and excellent tone. Also, it is very significant that your guitar is fitted with the appropriate strings according to your needs.
For these reasons, there are a few considerations you have to take into account about the material, quality, string gauge, and so on when it comes to choosing the best strings for slide guitar. In this section, we have discussed some crucial factors to help you get the right set. Additionally, you can check our review on strings for taylor 214CE.
So, let us plug in!
Metal or Nylon
The first step is to determine the type of dobro or resophonic guitars you have. Strings for acoustic guitars, electric guitars, or classical guitars are different.
Classical guitars benefit from nylon strings, whereas electric and acoustic guitars benefit from metal strings. Metal strings are cold and hard, whereas nylon threads seem like plastic and are nice and soft to touch. Incompatible strings might cause your guitar’s neck and bridge to break.
Also, metal strings usually produce more sound than nylon.
Durability
If you want to extend the life of your guitar strings, you need to select a set of strings that ensures high strength so that it lasts longer.
So consider purchasing more durable and long-lasting guitar strings. Besides, you can choose some 12 fret guitar.
Gauge
There are a variety of gauges in guitar strings. The thicker the strings, the heavier they are. A heavy string gauge produces more sound; on the other hand, light gauges will sound finer.
Moreover, it is easy to bend them, and you will feel comfortable using light gauges as they are easier on the hand. And if you play heavier style, then a thicker gauge is suitable for you. You need to choose a gauge as per your requirement.
So you should find gauges that sound best on your guitar strings.
Playability
Want to make guitar playing easier on your finger? Then you have to be conscious of the materials. Some materials used in strings are softer as well as tend to stretch more and thus easier to play.
So ensure optimal playability before purchasing guitar strings.
Sound
Certainly, a great-sounding resonator guitar strings is all you want, don’t you? Also, you don’t wish strings that make unnecessary noises. The perfect strings for resonator guitar produce cleaner, brighter and crisper sound.
So carefully select strings that produce a more balanced, optimal, warm, and resonant tone.
Corrosion preventive
The steel of guitar strings has a propensity to suffer aggressive corrosion. Some coated guitar strings are capable of protecting the guitar from corrosion and providing them a longer life.
So you need to purchase corrosion resistance strings to keep them sounding great for longer and prevent rust. For better corrosion prevention, you can look for phosphor bronze strings or nickel wound strings.
Tuning stability
Tuning stability is an important fact to consider before buying strings. Resophonic guitars are known to have less stable tuning. But, there are strings that hold tune far better because of their carefully considered syntax. Generally, using flexible strings result in complex tuning, and thicker strings can retain tune better.
So consider this feature before purchasing your guitar strings.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
1. Can I put nylon strings on a guitar that use to have metal?
Yes, you can!
For this, you need to make a neck adjustment to make up for the lower tension, and then it will be done. But the sound produced might not be so good.
2. Do resonator guitars require unique strings?
Yes. Resonator guitars are an exciting and unusual variation to the standard guitar and require unique resonator strings for maximum sound.
3. . What is the main difference between custom light and light gauge strings?
Actually, the main difference is in gauge!
The custom light gauge is comfortable on the hand. On the other hand, light gauge strings are louder than custom light gauge strings.
4. Do I have to put anything on the strings after each use?
You can use dry or microfiber cloth!
You may wipe down the strings using a microfiber or dry cloth after each use.
5. Do I need to use lighter strings if I have a small guitar?
No, you don’t have to!
You can use light or heavy gauge strings. But be wary of not using too heavy strings.
6. How can I find the best strings for slide guitar?
It’s pretty simple!
Consider all those factors mentioned above before purchasing strings. Hopefully, you will get the appropriate one1
Final Words
When you find the appropriate guitar strings, you will be more comfortable and happier with your playing than ever before. In order to get a unique and natural playing experience, read the whole article thoroughly, and we hope that you will find the perfect strings for a resonator guitar, which will allow you to have a bright, warm, and resonating tone.
Happy Toning!
I, Mike K. was born on August 25, 1992, in Abingdon Virginia. Our family relocated to Santa Monica, California after middle school.
I received an electrical engineering degree from U.C. San Francisco. While looking for work, he was guided by an engineering position at the company where he is working for. Besides working, David and I are started blogging about the latest developments of electrical stuff and enjoy sharing my thoughts with readers.