Picking the best metal guitar strings to turn your electric guitar into a heavy metal shredder can be hard. There are a ton of electric guitar strings made for metal music, but all of them have slightly different tone.
The important thing is that you find the right string for the metal music you want to play. For instance, guitar strings for drop tunings typically require a different gauge because of the string tension. Likewise, the material gives the string a completely different tone as well. Some strings are nickel wound, some have a heavy core, and others are coated in titanium. Each has a different tone. You need to find the strings that fits your musical style and playing.
Let’s compare the top-rated heavy metal guitar strings and review their tones to see which one is right for you.
Compare the Top Heavy Metal Guitar Strings in 2020
Contents
- 1 Compare the Top Heavy Metal Guitar Strings in 2020
- 1.1 Dunlop DHCN1254 Heavy Core Nickel Wound Guitar Strings
- 1.2 DR Strings Drop Tuning Electric Guitar Strings
- 1.3 D’Addario XL Nickel Wound Metal Electric Guitar Strings
- 1.4 Ernie Ball Coated Electric Titanium RPS Not Even Slinky Strings
- 1.5 Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Metal Guitar Strings
- 1.6 DR Strings HI-DEF NEON Heavy Metal Guitar Strings
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here’s a list of the best metal guitar strings that will make your guitar shred in any tuning.
- Dunlop DHCN1254 Heavy Core Nickel Wound
- DR Strings Drop Tuning Electric Guitar Strings
- D’Addario XL Nickel Wound Metal Electric Guitar Strings
- Ernie Ball Coated Electric Titanium RPS Not Even Slinky Strings
- Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Metal Guitar Strings
- DR Strings HI-DEF NEON Heavy Metal Guitar Strings
Dunlop DHCN1254 Heavy Core Nickel Wound Guitar Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
If you are looking for a metal guitar strings that are perfect for drop tunings, then you don’t have to look any further!
DHCN1254 heavy core nickel wound guitar strings are a perfect choice for you! Coming from a very known and respected string-making company, you can be sure that your strings will be of the best quality.
You can know to be sure of this because Dunlop develops these heavy core strings at specially-equipped factories in California and equips them with anti-sweat and moisture protection, as well as keeping them sealed in specially-designed vapor corrosion inhibitor bag.
These strings have excellent drop tunings with gauges of .012, .016, .020, .032, .042 and .054, which allows you to completely customize your tones without any troubles.
Apart from that, these Dunlop metal strings allow you to be very aggressive, yet still have clean and neat sound, due to their core wire and proprietary wrap ratios that are selected very carefully.
Along with all that, you are able to play the way you want, whether it is by using low end, midrange and even smooth high end, as well as wanting to have clean or distorted tones. Everything is left for you to decide.
Pros and Highlights
- Excellent for drop tunings
- Very good gauges
- Allows production of aggressive and yet clean tones
- Perfect moisture protection
- Comes from reliable manufacturer
Cons and Potential Flaws
- They don’t last quite long
Bottom line
Whether you are just a casual or a professional, looking to buy a new set of very well-crafted metal strings that are excellent for drop tunings, these Dunlop strings are a good choice for you because they are built for this exact purpose. Being very reliable and with excellent moisture protection, they will surely give you the type of sound you desire, which can be both aggressive and neat, without unclear tones.
DR Strings Drop Tuning Electric Guitar Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
DR Strings DDT-11 electric guitar strings feature ACT, or in other words, ‘Accurate Core Technology’, which means they are made of hexagonal core wire that functions as a holder and completely locks the nickel-plated steel wrap wire, which makes the string more stable and allows you to have pretty constant intonation, no matter what type of tension you’re using.
When it comes to dots, these strings are heavy 11-54 DDT (Drop Down Tuning) electric guitar strings. Their dots are capable of going directly into a tune, in order to deliver very precise tones, while allowing you to really feel that power from your electric guitar.
Along with that, dots can easily lock when you change your tuning, without the need to constantly make adjustments, like on most other electric guitar strings.
These strings come with gauges of .011, .015, .019, .032, .042 and .054, which means you will be able to fully customize the music you play, according to your wishes.
Apart from that, DR DDT-11 electric guitar strings are made of special kind of material that is capable of completely fighting corrosion, which makes them more durable, meaning that they will last longer than usual.
Pros and Highlights
- DDT-11 strings feature Accurate Core Technology, making them more precise when it comes to constant intonation and sound quality
- They are excellent for drop-down tuning, due to heavy build
- Easily-locked dots, without the need to adjust tuning all the time
- Gauges from .011-.054
- Made of corrosive-proof material
Cons and Potential Flaws
- If not set properly, they can quickly break
Bottom line
DR DDT-11 heavy electric guitar strings are a very good choice for people who are looking for great precision and high-quality sound, without the need to adjust their strings after every song, as well as for those who really want to experience excellent drop-down tuning, without sacrificing the overall quality of their tones.
D’Addario XL Nickel Wound Metal Electric Guitar Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
Every time you hear or see D’Addario, you have to assume the best quality of each of their products. And rightfully so!
XL Nickel Wound electric guitar strings are capable of delivering very distinctive, high-quality and long-lasting, precise tones, allowing you to play the way you want, without having to restrain your inner-artist. They are considered to be very high-quality strings that are made with nickel-plated steel, wound onto the core made of high carbon steel, which has a hexagonal shape. This allows your instrument to deliver excellent magnetic output, perfect volume, and very clear sound, without worrying too much about loud spikes.
Apart from that, they come in a package that is resistant to corrosion, making them last longer and always keeping them fresh, which increases their endurance. They come with two sets of gauges. Plain steel gauges are .011, .014 and .018, while nickel wound gauges are .030, .042 and .052. When it comes to usability, these strings are the best choice for people who value versatility because they are perfectly made for different types of guitars and musical styles.
Because of that, they are often used by a lot of people, not just professional musicians, but also casual players.
Pros and Highlights
- Long-lasting and corrosion-proof material
- Nickel wound hexagonal wrap, for perfect precision and intonation
- Very versatile, can be used on a lot of guitars and works well with different play styles
- Comes from one of the most reliable string manufacturers
- Very affordable, worth the price considering the quality
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Could be too bendy for certain play styles
Bottom line
With their excellent design and performance, XL Nickel Wound electric guitar strings set from D’Addario will most definitely satisfy even the most demanding players, who require long-lasting and high-quality strings capable of adjusting to different play styles and various guitar types.
Ernie Ball Coated Electric Titanium RPS Not Even Slinky Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
Ernie Ball Coated Electric Titanium RPS strings are made by using the latest string-making technology, making it one of the top-notch strings for electric guitar currently on the market.
They are equipped with the latest nanotechnology that can be used to fight against the moisture and oils that could have a negative effect on your instrument’s performance. That, along with two types of wrap wire and high carbon steel hex core, ensures very good durability and makes these strings very reliable no matter the tone type you are playing. As said, there are two wrap wire types. For increased durability and stability of the tuning, there is a wrapped wire made of titanium.
Along with that comes nickel-plated steel wrap wire, which is capable of providing perfectly balanced sounds, without having to adjust your tuning too often.
As for the gauges, these strings have slinky .012 – .056 gauges, which makes them really good and gives you multiple options. Even though these strings are coated, you will notice that it doesn’t feel that way at all. They still have a feel of the uncoated strings, as well as their sound, which is possible because of the very long experience that Ernie Ball has managed to earn in more than 50 years.
Therefore, you can be sure that these strings will be up to their task, even if you are a professional player, who needs high-quality electric guitar strings.
Pros and Highlights
- Titanium RPS and titanium wrap wire for increased stability
- High carbon steel hex core for higher durability
- Nickel-plated wrap wire for delivering tones that feel classic and balanced
- Excellent slinky gauges
Cons and Potential Flaws
- They take a while to stretch and could last shorter, depending on the type of music you play
Bottom line
Coming from one of the most known guitar strings manufacturers, these strings are very well-crafted and capable of giving you excellent sounds while maintaining their quality. Depending on the type of music and how often you use them, they could last a bit shorter than usual, but they are still very fine choice to consider if you need new electric guitar strings.
Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Metal Guitar Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
Another excellent electric guitar string set from Ernie Ball! Made in California, these strings are made of some of the best and the highest quality material, making them durable, allowing them to last longer. They come with a special element shield package, which is used to always keep your strings fresh and ready to use and it is also capable of prolonging their life.
When it comes to its core, these strings feature a high carbon steel hexagonal core, which allows them to be highly durable. Along with that come plain strings made of high carbon steel, that can prevent any slipping because of round wiring and series of lock twists. As for wound strings, they are slinky, made of nickel-plated steel and wound with great precision to ensure perfectly-balanced sounds with pretty consistent volume. Because of all this, these strings can be used on different types of electric guitars, as well as for playing different types of styles.
Apart from that, they usually go at a pretty affordable price, so even if you are not a professional, but a casual player, you will probably be able to afford them.
Pros and Highlights
- Capable of delivering excellent and consistent tones
- Comes with anti-moisture protection
- Made of the finest materials
- Good durability
Cons and Potential Flaws
- They can be tricky to tune
Bottom line
All in all, if you decide to get Ernie Ball nickel wound strings with skinny top and heavy bottom, you won’t make a mistake because they are very good and capable of being used on almost all guitar types, as well as for playing the guitar style you want.
DR Strings HI-DEF NEON Heavy Metal Guitar Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
DR Hi-Definition Neon Pink Colored electric guitar strings (NPE-1) are heavy guitar strings that are designed, not just to have a good performance, but also to look good on a stage. Therefore, they are perfect for professional musicians, who like to have their strings to look different and cool. They can glow under UV black-lighting.
Apart from just being pretty, they are also very functional. These strings feature a hexagonal core, making them durable and long-lasting. Wound strings are wrapped with silver and nickel-plated steel, allowing you to create very clean and precise tones, without having to adjust them all the time. Along with that comes K3 neon coating, which reduces unwanted high-pitch tones and improves the clarity of your sound.
As for gauge, DR NPE-11 strings feature .011, .014, .018, .028, .038, .050 gauge, allowing you to completely customize your music.
Pros and Highlights
- They look really great on the stage, due to the neon lighting
- They feature hexagonal core, making them more durable
- Feature K3 neon coating, for increased the sound clarity
- Comes with both silver and nickel-plated steel wraps, for greater precision
- Excellent for heavy tuning
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Neon coloring wears off pretty fast, especially if you play metal
Bottom line
DR NPE-11 Hi-Def Neon Electric Guitar Strings are an excellent choice for people who need to both sound and look good on the stage. With their excellent performance and very good durability, they are a very popular choice for professional players, as well as some casuals who value excellent performance and looks.
What We Recommend and Why
There you go, folks! Those were our picks for the best electric guitar strings. Now that we went through the list, we decided to choose one of these products as our final recommendation.
It wasn’t an easy choice, since all of these electric guitar strings are very good, but in the end only one can win and we decided to pick Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Nickel Wound Set as our pick for the best electric guitar string because it excels in every area we had covered and has the highest rating of all the products we had covered.