If you’re a rock guitarist trying to sound like Ray and Dave Davies of The Kinks, you’re eventually going to wonder what are the best guitar strings for indie rock.

Once you learn the chord changes and solos to your favorite indie songs from groups like The Smiths, Sonic Youth, or The Strokes, you will try to tailor your sound to match theirs. 

Even though the indie label has been diversified considerably from its halcyon days of the 1970s, it hasn’t lost its identity.

That means that some of the sonic elements that made early indie rock famous, like buzzy distortion, jangly rhythms, and hard-edged themes are still primary components of today’s music. 

Despite the wide variations in tone, lyrics, mood, and overall sound, all of these groups somehow fit under the roof of indie. So let’s look at which strings are best for helping a guitar player emulate their sounds. 

Our Recommendation for Best Guitar Strings for Indie Rock

When it comes to their favourite strings, every musician has a favourite. So any rating of “the best” is a bit subjective. However, some strings are just better for the indie rocker in all of us and might allow you to match that indie sound easier.  

1. Gibson Brite Wire Guitar Strings (Overall The Best)
2. Ernie Ball Regular Guitar Strings (Best Reputation)
3. D’Addario EXL 110-3D Guitar Strings (Best Value)

1. Gibson Brite Wire Guitar Strings

The Gibson Brite Wire Guitar Strings are ideal for recreating the indie tone. As their name suggests, they offer a much brighter sound than other strings due to their nickel-plated steel design. As a bonus, they are reliable and durable as well. 

Here are some of the pros of these strings:

• An ultra-light gauge is flexible enough for easy bending and vamping on the barre chords that typify indie rhythm guitar style. 
• They are unbeatable in terms of the pop they deliver, mainly when played aggressively. 
• Even in heavier gauges, they are still very bright. So, it’s not a problem to step up to a higher thickness to try and get some more energy into your rhythms. 

If these strings have one drawback, it’s that they tend to lose some of their brightness after a while. However, that’s to be expected, especially when you’re rocking hard. The loss of illumination is probably primarily due to the degradation of the nickel-plating as you wear them down. 

These premium strings carry a premium price tag. They can cost more than double other sets of strings. 

2. Ernie Ball Regular Guitar Strings

Ernie Ball are probably the most ubiquitous strings on the market. They enjoy that position because they are reliable, durable, and proven.

For an indie guitar player, who is pretty likely to beat their strings up a bit with aggressive chord strumming and complex bends, these nickel-wound strings will stand up to all but the harshest abuse.

And, if you want a thicker tone to drive some distortion or add some depth to your rhythm section, consider stepping up to a heavier gauge. Or, step down to a lighter gauge for a bit more brightness and easier fingering. 

You’re going to have to work to find the right blend of elements for you, your style, and your guitar. For instance, a set of strings that sounds great on an aggressive Flying-V might not sound quite the same on a twangy Fender Telecaster. 

3. D’Addario EXL 110-3D Guitar Strings

D’Addario EXL110-3D Guitar Strings are nickel-wound and have a reputation for high brightness. Designed to be accessible on a player’s fingers and to reduce wear on the frets of their guitar, these strings are suitable for most players and most guitars. 

Benefits of These Strings 

• They are very versatile, and their ‘middle-of-the-road’ tone makes them ideal for guitarists who play music from many different genres.
• They are perfect for indie players, who have to cover such a dynamic range of sounds. 
• These strings are just as capable of delivering the punch of a hard and distorted rhythm like on The White Stripes ‘Icky Thump,’ or the twang of a dissonant bend like on Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped Box.’
• Where they stand out from the crowd is with their extreme affordability. You can buy three sets of these strings well under the cost of one collection of the top-performing Gibsons. 

What’s more “indie” than that? 

Indie Rock Guitar String Buying Guide

Guitar strings aren’t all the same. Let’s look at some of the characteristics that make strings different from one another.

Electric Guitar String Gauge

The gauge of your strings is just a way of measuring their thickness. Lighter gauge strings (lower numbers) are easier to play in general.

They bend more readily than heavier gauge strings, and they are perfect for novice players who are still building up their strength and the callouses on their fingers. 

Lighter gauge strings are also brighter than heavier gauge strings.

Heavier gauge strings are better for playing in alternate tunings, like Drop D. They tend to exert more pressure on the neck of your guitar and deliver much more drive and force to your sound. 

Some players even mix and match strings from different sets, varying gauges for a unique sound. For instance, you could consider using a heavier gauge low-E and A strings for a driving rhythm attack while keeping your D, G, B, and high-E strings in a lighter gauge.

That sort of configuration can be a little bit rough on your guitar’s neck but offers a distinct sound. 

Electric Guitar String Materials

Crafted from various metal alloys, electric guitar strings can stand up to the rigors of practice, jam sessions, and live performances. 

The composition of a given set of strings has a strong influence on the sound they make. Each type of construction yields different characteristics in terms of playability, durability, and tone. Here’s the difference:  

• Stainless Steel – Resistant to corrosion, high brightness, sharp tone
• Cobalt – Thicker bottom sounds, strong, high-end tone 
• Pure Nickel – Classic vintage tone, warm sounds
• M-Steel – Lots of low Heart-Shapedull and warm tone
• Nickel – Balanced sound output, good warmth, and brightness

Conclusion 

No matter which type of strings you pick, there’s a set out there for every rocker. You’ll find something that gives you that perfect indie or grunge sound. Check out some of the types on our list to get a feel for them all. 

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