Steel vs Nickel

What's your preference?

I'm a nickel guy all the way. Gives my Fenders the vintage sound and makes a Les Paul neck pickup come to life. At least for me, anyway.

Be interesting to see what the rest of you like.

It's been so long since I've played nickel strings that I don't remember what they're like, so I guess I can't really say!
This thread might prompt me to try nickel strings!

Up until about 10 years ago I used nickel wrapped for all my instruments. Then as my hearing began to fade and loosing lots of the high frequency hearing, I've gone to nickel plated steel. I hear them better these days. A side benefit is that they last a little longer too. Handy on an old man's budget!:smile:

i must confess, I never really paid attention to that.

I knew my strings by brand, so I really liked Gibson Brite Wires in my Les Paul Standard, sounded really good. Otherwise, I'd just string it up with Ernie Ball 0.10s. Sometimes D'Addarios too.


I'll have to try both nickel and steel in my strat now. At the moment it is loaded with Fender pure nickel 0.9s... Sounds quite fine.

I use Snake Oil Brand (SOB) pure nickel strings on my '52 tele (0.95s). They make my old tele sound like it should and like it used to 40+ year ago. I really like the SOB strings, and use them on my Strat and my '60 custom shop NOS reissue Les Paul, too. The nickel strings make the Les Paul sound more like an actual '60 guitar.

Nickel Rockers love them the smooth wound strings just feel good under my fingers...

True story -

I used Musicians Friend brand for about a year on my electrics - just because I had picked up a bunch cheap on line with a purchase. I left D'Addario wrappers in my cases so that no one knew.......

I let friends of mine who are good players use my guitars and never told them. I always asked how it felt, but usually mentioned that I am not a guitar player usually - and was asking as a point of reference.

No one ever complained - and they always said that these guitars played great.

On electrics, whatever the regular D'Addario's are, I've tried others but always prefer them. Martin 80/20 Bronze on acoustics, and Dunlops on my basses. I used to be a dyed in the wool Rotosound Swing Bass guy, but found the Dunlops to feel and sound like the Rotos for half the price.

Gibson Vintage Nickel on Electric - Elixir 80/20 on acoustic.

Yeah... it's also been awhile since I've used pure nickle wrap strings. I guess it would be less harsh sounding on the wound strings...don't know anymore...LOL.

I've got a few sets from Gibson that I might try; or maybe some of my old stored guitar might have nickle flat wound. I've not given it much thought.

Nickel absolutely.