DEAN MARKLEY 2556 Blue Steel Electric Guitar Strings. 6 piece Electric Guitar String Set. Cryogenically Treated for Longer Life, Enhanced Performance, and Superior Sound. Made in USA. Gauges 10-46

I've been using Cold Steel strings on my electric guitars for nearly 20 years. They seemed to not be as available now in guitar stores like they once were (maybe it's just around where I live), so I order them from Amazon. Nice clear and bright sound, I use 10s on my electric, but don't use this brand on my acoustics. Not sure if the cryo process does anything to the string (lots of talk about that on the web for you to read about if you're interested), and I don't know that they sound all that much better than other strings that I've tried. For me, if I can get a set of these, then that's my first option to put on my guitar. I'm not a touring musician. I mostly play worship music at my church every Sunday, so my strings do get regular use. I typically replace them every few months (probably waiting longer than I should ... like many of us!).

As the title says, I have been using BS strings for over 20 years. They are absolutely the best strings for my style of play (80's 90's rock) with lots of whammy bar action :-)They last forever, always say in tune (once properly stretched and set), and have a really bright yet smooth sound for my needs. They are getting harder to find in stores so I am using Amazon fully to have these delivered straight to the front door. Great strings at a great price

I play these (9-42) on a Fender Strat with a solid rosewood neck and Fender Custom Shop Fat 50's pickups. I've tried other, more expensive strings but these sound the best to me for a vintage style sound. Other brands and styles of strings may be cheaper or last longer but these are my pick for the best tonal strings for that Strat style sound.For most pickers that play on a regular basis, changing strings isn't a big problem. I change mine AT LEAST once a week and sometimes every day. So, I don't really understand the "corrodes too quickly" statements. Obviously, these pickers are using their strings a lot longer than I do. I've tried the coated, dipped and extended life strings but they all sound substandard to plain-old strings. They might last longer but you are sacrificing tone. An electric pickup works on vibration and magnetic energy. The longer your strings vibrate, the longer sustain you encounter. If you take a string that sounds good and install a sleeve on it, the sustain will diminish slightly. Thus your tone will diminish slightly. For some, this isn't really an issue and they compensate with expensive gear. However, nothing beats the clean sound of freshly installed plain strings (in my humble opinion).In the end, pick what you think is going to work best for you. Personally, the Dean Markley Blue Steels work excellent for me on my Strats.

Blue Steels have been my go-to strings for over a decade and I see no reason to change. I've tried every major manufacturer as well as every type of string - steel, nickel, hex core, etc. etc.. What I like about Blue Steels: They last reasonably long without needing a coating. They're bright without being overly so. The low (heavier) strings have clarity and depth. Equally important, I find them to be consistent - I've tried boutique-y strings I liked a lot but thought the manufacturer let a few dud (dead sounding) strings pass through to the consumer. I've found Blue Steels to be very consistent and reliable. I'm far less interested in the process than the result. I like them a lot and am a loyal customer for good reason. Try 'em.

I only play guitar casually now, and don't change my strings as much as I used to. I've used Blue Steels for a long time, but they're particularly good in my situation because they don't break easily and sound pretty good for a long time. Disappointed I couldn't find the gauge I really wanted though, unless I just wasn't looking hard enough.

I have loved these Blue Steel guitar strings for 20 years or more. I don't know if the set I bought through Amazon might have been old, or the quality control has diminished over the years, but the strings were already inarticulate and flubby from the first note. I might attribute this to the increased difficulty in finding Blue Steel strings that someone would sell old, DOA strings. I won't blame the manufacturer unless there becomes a pattern.The smoothness of feel and longevity are biggest pros. I started off using Boomers, and in terms of tone brightness, I have not found anything that beats them; but Boomers go dead so fast, you spend twice the amount having to replace them all of the time. So I tried several others like Slinky's or a few others. They have neither the life nor the brightness of tone. The Blue Steel comes closer than the others and brings the feel and longer life to the table.I am currently experimenting with D'adario Nickel plated and the smooth feel and tone are comparable to the Blue Steel. I have not decided whether the longevity is equal. But the Blue Steel has become the standard by which all other brands are judged. The availability and price are important to the discussion, however between the two brands. If the Nickel Wound last as long, the price then comes forefront.Does one last the same amount time, and what then are the price difference, if any. That requires shopping around. If you buy from a local store, you are in higher likelihood of not getting old DOA strings because they rotate the stock, but you will also have a slight price markup. You pay for the service they provide, and that is fair. Buy from an online source and get a better price (and with Prime, free delivery), but you take the chance of getting old stock.I'm giving the strings 5 stars because of my long history of using the strings with positive experience. The only bad experience with these strings was the set purchased online. The brand shouldn't be punished for unethical sellers practices. Great strings if you can find them.Like Ben Eller always says, "Now get off the Internet and go play your guitar. Less clickin' and more pickin'. "