The quickest, cheapest and easiest way to freshen up your tone is to fit a brand-new set of strings. While there’re no set rules on how often your electric guitar should get new strings, doing it regularly helps you to get the most out of your PRS Custom 24. While finding the best electric guitar strings for your PRS Custom will also come down to personal taste and playing style, it can quickly become daunting, although this handy guide should help you through the process.
Over time, you may start to notice your PRS Custom sounding dull and losing some of the top-end definition – you may even notice some problems with your tuning or intonation. However, 9 times out of 10, once you’ve fitted a new set of strings, you should see an instant improvement.
What Strings Are Best For PRS Custom 24
Picking the best electric guitar strings for you can be quite a subjective process. You may already have a brand in mind, or a tone which can only be achieved using your style.
D’Addario NYXL Electric Guitar Strings
As one of the biggest names when it comes to guitar strings, you can expect good things from D’Addario. And, with their flagship range, they won’t disappoint. D’Addario’s NYXL range is designed with strength in mind. They incorporate a high-carbon steel core with nickel-plating. This NYXL string set can withstand all manner of abuse.
D’Addario have said themselves that the big selling point with these sets is their great tuning stability. Another bonus, is because of the way they’re constructed, and the materials used, they keep tune far better than standard steel. And with nearly 20 different gauges to choose from, there will doubtless be a set to suit your needs.
While they are a bit expensive, you do get a lot for your money here.
Reasons To Buy
- Great for whammy playing
- Top tuning stability
- Huge range
Reasons To Avoid
- Expensive for non-coated strings
D’Addario XL
D’Addario is Ernie Ball’s only real rival when it comes to quality electric guitar strings. They offer a similarly massive range of gauges and materials. D’Addario has a universal appeal when it comes to tone, suiting a vast array of playing styles.
Their XL Range encompasses various types of strings with differing materials. While the XL Chromes are flat wound for warmth and roundness, the XL Half Rounds sit between Chromes and the XL Nickel Wounds. D’Addario’s XL Pure Nickels deliver vintage tones from the ’50s and ’60s whilst XL ProSteels use stainless steel, giving a brighter tone.
With such a huge range of materials that D’Addario offer, they really do have something for everyone, whether you’re looking for the vintage blues sound of the XL Pure Nickel, or the round warmth of XL Chromes for your jazz licks.
Reasons To Buy
- Different tension options
- Huge range of materials
Reasons To Avoid
- Won’t last as long as coated strings
- Different ranges might confuse new players
Ernie Ball Cobalt
Ernie Ball uses cobalt as an element for this set. Cobalt is around 3x more magnetic than nickel, meaning that these strings interact differently with your pickups.
Cobalt strings are used to sound louder than the standard nickel-plated or pure steel string thanks to this unique magnetic relationship. They also have a rougher texture than normal nickel-plated string, so they’re great if you’re a player who really wants to feel their strings.
These strings make a crisp sound, with great harmonics and increased low-end response. Combine that Ernie Ball’s usual durability, and you’ve got a great quality set of strings.
Reasons To Buy
- Incredible output
- Excellent dynamic range
Reasons To Avoid
- May be too ‘hot’ for some
- On the pricier side
Fender Pure Nickel
These pure nickel strings are highly sought after by those with a yearning for a vintage guitar tone as they were quite common in the mid-’50s and ’60s, the golden era of guitar building. Pure nickel strings are slightly softer than wound strings, meaning that they wear far less on your frets.
In terms of sound, the strings give a warm tone with a slightly lower output compared to regular guitar strings. This gives them a more ‘played in’ sound when you first put them on, as you don’t get that initial zing of new strings.
Reasons To Buy
- Great for Strat players
- Brilliant vintage blues tone
Reasons To Avoid
- Not for contemporary styles
Dunlop Heavy Core
While Jim Dunlop is primarily known for its outstanding range of guitar care, picks, and other accessories, rather than guitar strings, these particular set of strings offers a unique take with something no other manufacturer is really doing: gunning for those who like things heavy.
Made in California, these Heavy Core strings are designed to be drop-tuned thanks to their core-to-wrap ratio, resulting in a higher tension. So, when you drop tune, with these strings you won’t get the dreaded string flop, and instead they maintain a solid playing feel.
Getting a tight low end is the name of the game here, and these strings do it extremely well. They’re balanced in the mids while being smooth in the highs. They also sound great, both clean and distorted. If you’re a hard rocker or Metalhead, then you’ll definitely find that these strings will work well for you.
Reasons To Buy
- Great for heavier styles
- Very durable
Reasons To Avoid
- Not for standard tuning
- Might be too thick for some
Conclusion
When choosing the best electric guitar strings for your PRS Custom 24, there’re a handful of considerations that you’ll need to take into consideration. All of these facets can have a huge impact on the way your guitar plays, sustains, as well as the overall tonal quality.