Resonator guitars, also known as resophonic guitars, are acoustic guitars that produce their sound by conducting string vibrations through their bridges to one or more spinning metal cones as opposed to the guitars soundboard.
If you own one, there is a big possibility that you will need to look for good resonator guitar strings.
Therefore, we have made the list of the best strings for resonator guitar, including the pros and cons and their most prominent feature!
Check out our top recommendations and find the ones that situs your guitar and your playing style the best.
 | 1.Best Strings for Resonator Guitar Editor’s Choice – D’Addario EFT13 Phosphor Bronze Strings Perfect balance of warm yet clear and harmonically rich tone thanks to the phosphor bronze feature. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 2.Best Strings for Resonator Guitar Onboard – D’Addario XTAPB1656 Coated Acoustic Guitar Strings One of the most popular D’Addario strings coated with XT phosphor bronze for delivering better longevity and great stability. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 3. Best Strings for Resonator Guitar for Beginners – Elixir Strings 80/20 Bronze Resonator Acoustic Guitar Strings With a special protective coating, these strings will withstand your first gigs and experimental riffs as a beginner. | Buy on Amazon |
 | 4.Best Affordable Strings for Resonator Guitar – Dunlop DOP1656 Resonator Strings Great combination of quality and price, which delivers a greater sound than expected. | Buy on Amazon |
Best Strings for Resonator Guitar Reviewed
Best Strings for Resonator Guitar Editor’s Choice: D’Addario EFT13 Phosphor Bronze Strings
The high-carbon-steel core wire is wound with precision around a hexagonal shape to ensure clear intonation, rock-solid fundamentals, and unmatched consistency in every string.
Strings EFT13 has a medium gauge and is ideal for playing slide guitar or reducing finger noise on resophonic guitars.
These strings are a bit smoother and warmer than other usual resonator strings, and that’s why we love them. The EFT13 goes great with brighter-sounding guitars and would do a great job if you prefer a smoother tone.
A Flat Top string is precision ground, resulting in an extremely flat playing surface without compromising the tone and sustain of phosphor bronze strings.
With well balanced acoustic tone, a “”semi-flat”” precision ground outer surface, and bright intonation, these strings will deliver an ultra-smooth playing experience.
Besides that, we love how these strings are doing a great job of reducing finger noise. But besides that, they retain the superb tone and sustain of phosphor bronze which is a great match for recording and flat-picking.
Pros
- Beautiful and warm sound
- Phosphor bronze strings
- Well-balanced tone
- Long-lasting strings
Cons
- It might not deliver that pristine sound of flat-top guitars
Best Strings for Resonator Guitar Onboard: D’Addario XTAPB1656 Coated Acoustic Guitar Strings
Probably the most popular strings from D’Addario is the XTAPB1656 set. They come with regular 16-56 gauge for resonator guitars, and they feature the steel core and XT phosphor bronze wrapping.
XT phosphor bronze resophonic guitar strings outperform regular resophonic strings in terms of break resistance, pitch stability, and longevity.
The great thing about this type of coating is that it delivers high corrosion resistance without compromising the string’s warm tone and natural feel.
The strings are constructed with NY Steel cor and phosphor bronze wrap wire that delivers tonal versatility with added resilience.
The feature that we like the most is the so-called Fusion Twist that keeps the stability of the strings. This makes them incredibly reliable and durable, especially because of their special protective coating.
However, the greatest thing of all is that the coating won’t even affect the guitar’s tone.
Overall, the XTAPB1656 strings are very well balanced, but they strive more towards the brighter side.
Pros
- Very durable and reliable strings
- Great tuning stability
- Suitable for brighter tones
Cons
- Not so good for those warmer tones
Best Strings for Resonator Guitar for Beginners: Elixir Strings 80/20 Bronze Resonator Acoustic Guitar Strings
Elixir is a very popular brand that produces acoustic and electric guitar strings. Both types of strings are actually more worthy than their price.
The greatest feature of these strings is that they have the entire string coated with an ultra-thin coating, preventing muck from accumulating in the spaces between the windings.
Another great thing is that these sets of strings have extended tone life. This means that they will serve you for a longer time than expected. Thanks to the anti-rust plated plain steel, which resists tone-deadening corrosion, the set is able to last a lot longer.
This brand is popular thanks to its special protective coatings. The Elixir 80/20 strings are designed to sound warmer and darker. This is the case with all of their sets that come with the Polyweb coating keeping its tone fresh for the long run.
Overall, they sound pretty full. They’re extremely useful for metal-bodied resonators and can take the edge off while keeping the richness.
Pros
- An ultra-thin coating
- Reduces finger squeak
- Long-lasting feature
Cons
- Not so suitable for brighter tones
Best Affordable Strings for Resonator Guitar: Dunlop DOP1656 Resonator Strings
Dunlop is another great yet affordable brand that has great resonator string sets. Dunlop DOP1656 has a gauge of 16-56, which the name says itself.
The greatest advantage of these strings is that they are really cheap, almost as twice as other mentioned resonate strings.
From our experience, they are one of the best options if you don’t know what to get. We cannot lie and say that they are perfectly balanced, but they deliver a more or less balanced tone.
These strings are constructed of the phosphor bronze wire available in the core-to-wrap ratio formula for a well-balanced set. This clean-sounding set has growling bass strings and singing treble strings to highlight your playing style’s characteristics appropriately.
You can feel the strings’ rigidity, heaviness, and thickness as soon as you unpack your box. Stringing them is a little more difficult than standard strings, owing to their inflexibility, but nothing out of the norm.
The sound is very good for such a price, and its projection is much better than anyone would expect at this price point. These strings also feel very different than other strings when you’re using a bar slide; there’s a lot of resistance as you apply pressure, such as when you’re using bend effects.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Great value for its price
Cons
- Might feel slightly scooped
- Not such a balanced tone like the other mentioned strings
Best Strings for Resonator Guitar Buying Guide
Do resonator guitars require special strings?
There is no difference between strings for acoustic guitar and strings for resonator guitar. In most cases, resonator guitars use bronze-coated steel wires; and in rare cases, nylon strings are used. Hence, there is no difference between strings, but the main difference is actually in the guitars themselves. Acoustic guitars are all wooden body structure, while the resonator guitars amplify the strings through the use of one or more metal coils.
Therefore, when you are shopping for either your resonator guitar or its strings, make sure you are informed well enough about how special it is.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you will have a hard time finding equipment for it; it is just not as popular as other types of guitars and strings.
Can you use resonator strings on the acoustic guitar?
You can resonator strings on your acoustic, but just remember that these strings are very heavy, so you need to do some tuning.
The strings are heavy, even though they tune to pitch at a lower tension than most heavy gauge strings. The 13/56 set is sufficient if you tune a wooden-bodied acoustic to very slack. The 15/56 set will also do a fine job on your acoustic guitar.
Can you put light strings on a resonator guitar?
You can use any gauge you like with resonator guitars, but you shouldn’t go lighter than 11/52.
Although heavier strings drive the cone better, you should not use them if they cause you pain or make playing more difficult.
How do you change the strings on a resonator guitar?
Changing the strings on your resonator guitar is not a big deal. All you need to do is have a pair of string winders and quality side cutters.
To make things easier, here is a guide that will make your string changing much easier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA9OGS2lKWQ
Conclusion and Winner(s)
Choosing the strings for your resonator guitar can be a little bit challenging. Therefore, we decided to provide you a list of the best strings for resonator guitars from our experience as well as the experience of many satisfied consumers worldwide.
When it comes to choosing our top pick from all four strings mentioned above, it has to be D’Addario EFT13 Phosphor Bronze Strings. That’s our choice, and top pick since these strings deliver exactly what we prefer.
It has a great quality, reasonable price, amazingly balanced tone, and warm sound – just how we like it. If you are a fan of these features too, you will most definitely be a fan of these strings, but if you prefer brighter tones and other characteristics, check the other three options available!
We are sure you will find your cup of tea and nail that next gig with your new strings!
Last update on 2023-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
