Buying through these links supports Chartless: as an Amazon Associate, Chartless earns from qualifying purchases, and the Sweetwater links are affiliate links too. The price you pay doesn't change, and no one but me picks what's on this page.
Acoustic guitar
Warm and balanced
- D'Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Light12-53 · about 45 days a set · ~$8.99
- D'Addario EJ17 Phosphor Bronze Medium13-56 · about 45 days a set · ~$8.99
- D'Addario XT Phosphor Bronze Light12-53 · about 120 days a set · ~$15.99
Brighter
- D'Addario EJ11 80/20 Bronze Light12-53 · about 35 days a set · ~$8.99
- Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 Bronze Light12-53 · about 150 days a set · ~$16.99
- Ernie Ball Earthwood 80/20 Bronze Light11-52 · about 35 days a set · ~$7.99
Long life (coated)
- D'Addario XT Phosphor Bronze Light12-53 · about 120 days a set · ~$15.99
- Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze Light12-53 · about 150 days a set · ~$16.99
- Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 Bronze Light12-53 · about 150 days a set · ~$16.99
Easier on the fingers
- D'Addario EJ40 Silk & Steel Folk11-47 · about 40 days a set · ~$9.99
- Martin Silk & Steel Folk11.5-47 · about 40 days a set · ~$8.99
- GHS Silk and Steel11-48 · about 40 days a set · ~$8.49
Vintage and dry
- Martin Retro Monel Light12-54 · about 50 days a set · ~$9.99
- Martin Retro Monel Medium13-56 · about 50 days a set · ~$9.99
Electric guitar
Everyday
- Ernie Ball Regular Slinky10-46 · about 40 days a set · ~$6.99
- Ernie Ball Super Slinky9-42 · about 35 days a set · ~$6.99
- D'Addario EXL110 Nickel Wound Regular Light10-46 · about 40 days a set · ~$6.99
Long life (coated)
- Elixir Optiweb Nickel Plated Light10-46 · about 140 days a set · ~$12.99
- Ernie Ball Paradigm Regular Slinky10-46 · about 120 days a set · ~$14.99
- D'Addario XS Nickel Plated Steel Regular Light10-46 · about 180 days a set · ~$19.99
Warm and vintage
- D'Addario EPN110 Pure Nickel Regular Light10-45 · about 40 days a set · ~$8.99
- DR Pure Blues Pure Nickel10-46 · about 40 days a set · ~$8.99
- Ernie Ball Classic Pure Nickel Regular Slinky10-46 · about 40 days a set · ~$7.99
Jazz and smooth
- D'Addario ECG24 Chromes Flat Wound Jazz Light11-50 · about 365 days a set · ~$15.99
- Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Swing Flat Wound12-50 · about 400 days a set · ~$27.99
- D'Addario ECG25 Chromes Flat Wound Light12-52 · about 365 days a set · ~$15.99
High output
- Ernie Ball Cobalt Regular Slinky10-46 · about 45 days a set · ~$10.99
- Ernie Ball M-Steel Regular Slinky10-46 · about 50 days a set · ~$12.99
Bass
Everyday rounds
- Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Bass50-105 · about 90 days a set · ~$21.99
- D'Addario EXL170 Nickel Wound Bass Light45-100 · about 90 days a set · ~$22.99
- Elixir Nanoweb Bass Light45-100 · about 270 days a set · ~$34.99
Bright and aggressive
- Rotosound Swing Bass 66 Stainless45-105 · about 75 days a set · ~$24.99
- D'Addario ProSteels Bass Light45-100 · about 90 days a set · ~$24.99
- Elixir Nanoweb Stainless Steel Bass Light45-100 · about 270 days a set · ~$36.99
Flats: thump and smooth
- D'Addario ECB81 Chromes Flat Wound Bass45-100 · about 1000 days a set · ~$39.99
- Ernie Ball Cobalt Flatwound Bass45-105 · about 700 days a set · ~$44.99
- D'Addario ETB92 Tapewound Bass50-105 · about 1000 days a set · ~$44.99
Long life (coated)
- Elixir Nanoweb Bass Light45-100 · about 270 days a set · ~$34.99
- D'Addario XT Nickel Bass Regular Light45-100 · about 200 days a set · ~$34.99
- Elixir Nanoweb Bass Medium45-105 · about 270 days a set · ~$34.99
Classical & nylon
Nylon, normal tension
- D'Addario EJ45 Pro-Arté Normal Tensionnormal · about 90 days a set · ~$9.99
- D'Addario EJ46 Pro-Arté Hard Tensionhard · about 90 days a set · ~$9.99
- D'Addario EJ43 Pro-Arté Light Tensionlight · about 90 days a set · ~$9.99
Carbon: bright and clear
- Savarez Alliance 540R Normalnormal · about 120 days a set · ~$17.99
- D'Addario EJ45C Pro-Arté Composites Normalnormal · about 110 days a set · ~$12.99
- D'Addario EJ45TT Pro-Arté Dynacore Titanium Normalnormal · about 110 days a set · ~$14.99
Ukulele
Bright and punchy
- Aquila New Nylgut Concertconcert · about 180 days a set · ~$8.99
- Aquila New Nylgut Sopranosoprano · about 180 days a set · ~$7.99
- Aquila New Nylgut Tenortenor · about 180 days a set · ~$9.99
Fluorocarbon: clear
- D'Addario EJ87C Titanium Concertconcert · about 180 days a set · ~$8.49
- Martin M620 Fluorocarbon Concertconcert · about 180 days a set · ~$7.99
- Worth Clear Fluorocarbon CMconcert/tenor · about 240 days a set · ~$17.99
Warm nylon
- D'Addario EJ65S Pro-Arté Nylon Sopranosoprano · about 150 days a set · ~$6.99
- Kala Black Nylon Concertconcert · about 150 days a set · ~$6.99
- La Bella Uke-Pro Concertconcert · about 150 days a set · ~$7.99
Mandolin
Warm and balanced
- D'Addario EJ74 Phosphor Bronze Mandolin Medium11-40 · about 40 days a set · ~$8.99
- Elixir Nanoweb Mandolin Medium11-40 · about 120 days a set · ~$16.99
- D'Addario EJ73 Phosphor Bronze Mandolin Light10-38 · about 40 days a set · ~$8.99
Long life (coated)
- Elixir Nanoweb Mandolin Medium11-40 · about 120 days a set · ~$16.99
- D'Addario XT Phosphor Bronze Mandolin Medium11-40 · about 120 days a set · ~$15.99
- Elixir Nanoweb Mandolin Light10-38 · about 120 days a set · ~$16.99
Bright
- D'Addario EJ62 80/20 Bronze Mandolin Light10-34 · about 35 days a set · ~$8.99
- Martin M400 80/20 Bronze Mandolin Light10-38 · about 35 days a set · ~$6.99
Banjo
Bright and snappy
- D'Addario EJ61 Nickel 5-String Banjo Medium10-23 · about 45 days a set · ~$6.49
- D'Addario EJ60 Nickel 5-String Banjo Light9-20 · about 45 days a set · ~$6.49
- D'Addario XT Nickel 5-String Banjo Medium10-23 · about 120 days a set · ~$12.99
Stainless: crisp
- GHS PF140 Stainless 5-String Banjo Light9-20 · about 45 days a set · ~$6.99
- GHS PF150 Stainless 5-String Banjo Medium10-22 · about 45 days a set · ~$6.99
- GHS PF170 Stainless Light9-20 · about 45 days a set · ~$6.99
Warm (phosphor bronze)
- D'Addario EJ69 Phosphor Bronze 5-String Banjo Light9-20 · about 45 days a set · ~$6.49
- D'Addario EJ55 Phosphor Bronze Tenor Banjo10-30 · about 45 days a set · ~$6.49
Long life (coated)
- D'Addario XT Nickel 5-String Banjo Medium10-23 · about 120 days a set · ~$12.99
- Elixir Nanoweb 5-String Banjo Light9-20 · about 120 days a set · ~$14.99
How the app picks for you
The iPhone app knows your instrument (body style, scale length, tonewoods, or the exact model from a list of about 1,800) and the set that's on it now. After you restring, you strum once into the phone and name that fresh sound. Every check after that measures how far the strings have drifted from it: how much of the top end is gone, how fast the high partials die, how far the harmonics have wandered sharp. That's where "about 34 days left" comes from. Then it hands you the reorder button, and if you want a different sound, the picks above filtered for your instrument. More about the iPhone app.