D'Addario Guitar Strings - Acoustic Guitar Strings - Flat Tops Phosphor Bronze - For 6 String Guitar - Warm, Semi-Bright Tone - EFT17 - Medium, 13-56

Great strings play alot of blues these strings hold up and just very nice to play and they sound bright luv them.

I play an acoustic electric. When I first got an AE 12 years ago I was dismayed at how much string squeak was amplified. In desperation, I tried flat wound strings for electric guitars. That reduced the string squeak significantly, but the tone was flat and tinny. Then I discovered D'Addario Flat Tops. They are round wound, but with the tops of the round wire shaved off. There is a little more string squeak than with flat wounds, but the tone is as good as a good round wound. I've used nothing else for over 10 years. I've tried both the medium and light gauges. My playing style works better with the medium gauge -- which is a rather "heavy" medium. The strings are also very durable, with a set lasting several months with regular playing. Only once have I broken a flat top string while playing. Given the increasing popularity of acoustic electrics, I don't understand why these strings aren't more common.

The first set was defective, which was annoying, but Amazon's next day replacement and the performance of the second set more than made up for initial disappointment. Really looked forward to trying these, but 2 strings broke during installation. Amazon sent a replacement set that works very well with my particular guitar (Takamine 12 fret deep bodied OM with thermal spruce top, solid mahogany sides and back). Regular light strings didn't quite wake it up and the heavier Nickel/Bronze .012-.056 (light top, medium bottom) had a dominating ring. The EFT17's produce the balanced sound I want. These "Flat top" Phosphor bronze .013 - .056 mediums open up the full musical range of my instrument. Real flat top strings use flat wrapping wire around the core. The EFT17's are wrapped with round wires but then milled flatter. The advertised result is less squeak, which is true, but I also found them easier on the fingertips than standard mediums. They are expensive, but hopefully they will last a few months. After a lengthy search, I've found the best strings for my guitar. Can't say how they work on other guitars, but they fit mine like a glove.

There are plenty of folks who tried these and then seem to hate these. I found them a very interesting change from EJ16s. I usually play without a pick so these strings with a pick sound pretty good to me but I also changed to medium weight at the same time. Surprisingly enough, they don't seem harder to fret than EJ16 light strings. Also surprising was that they are not ground very flat. To my ear they reduce the squeak from sliding on the bass strings about a third but certainly do not eliminate it. My opinion is that technique has more effect on string squeak than these flattened strings but they provide a very different playing experience and tone and were worth trying out. Time will tell if they grow on me.

I have used various D'Addario strings over the years and have come to really like the EFT17s because they sound great and don't have the usual string squeak. Although I've tried the lighter strings I go back to the Mediums on my two flattops and archtop. I recently had an issue with one of the string sets- the ball end was not firmly attached on one string and disappeared under the couch (or somewhere). D'Addario promptly took care of the issue. It's the only issue I've ever had with D'Addario strings. These EFT17s are as close to perfect as I've had. Yes, there is a small sacrifice in tone- very small- but I don't have the string noise.

Nice

Brought the wrong one but they are great just got wrong size

…they send you to D’Addario’s support page. This review is for Amazon, not D’Addario strings. These strings are great! I just put these on 2 days ago. One broke and I cannot return them to Amazon. I went to my Guitar Center as I needed them right away. All my audio, instrument and music needs will be purchased from GC from now on. Jeff Bezos likes the money but shirks the responsibility.