Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 8 stores. Prices updated .

Sweetwater
4.5 (69)
$8.99
Guitar Center
5.0 (328)
$8.99
Amazon
4.8 (59283)
$8.54
Reverb
5.0 (53)
$5.49 New
$4.99 Used
Musician's Friend
4.0 (240)
$8.99
zZounds
5.0 (10)
$8.99
Thomann
4.8 (11979)
$5.30

Price History

Based on price data from 4 merchants for "Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.

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Description

Experience the compelling combination of impeccable craftsmanship and outstanding sound with the Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46). Admired globally, these strings bear the mark of excellence, and have been the choice of legends like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Pete Townsend.

Ernie Ball's Regular Slinky strings are meticulously constructed to produce a tone that's rich, warm, and balanced. The custom gauge set, .010, .013, .017, .026w, .036, and .046, offers the perfect blend of flexibility and resistance for effortless bending. Engineered with high-carbon, specially tempered steel wires wrapped around a hexagon-shaped core, these strings deliver long-lasting durability and an even, rich tone.

Whether you're launching into an explosive solo or gently fingerpicking, Regular Slinkys offer unmatched versatility, allowing you to shape your own sound easily. These nickel wound electric guitar strings are an industry standard and a testament to Ernie Ball's uncompromising pursuit of quality. With these strings, you're not just playing music, you're creating a legacy.

Key Features:

  • Industry-standard, top-selling set
  • Custom Gauge set: .010, .013, .017, .026w, .036, and .046
  • Made from high-carbon, specially tempered steel wires
  • Nickel-plated, wound around a hexagonal steel core
  • Delivers a warm, balanced tone
  • Long-lasting durability
  • Used by professional musicians worldwide
  • Offers excellent bendability
  • Provides versatility for all playing styles

Product specs

Guitar Type Electric Guitar
Number of Strings 6
Coated No
Gauges .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
Core Material Tin-plated Hexagonal Steel
Winding Material Nickel Plated Steel
Winding Type Round Wound

FAQs

What type of music are Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46) best suited for?

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46) are versatile and suitable for a wide range of musical styles, including rock, blues, and pop, due to their balanced tone and playability.

What is the gauge of Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings?

The gauge of Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings is .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046, offering a balanced feel and sound ideal for many playing styles.

Are Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings coated?

No, Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings are not coated. They are made with nickel-plated steel for a bright, clear tone.

What material are Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings made from?

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings are made from tin-plated hexagonal steel core with nickel-plated steel winding, providing a bright and balanced sound.

Are Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings suitable for beginners?

Yes, Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings are suitable for beginners due to their balanced tension and playability, making them comfortable for new players to use.

GAK

GAK

What Guitar Strings Are Right For You? | Ernie Ball

Video thumbnail for What Guitar Strings Are Right For You? | Ernie Ball by GAK

What Guitar Strings Are Right For You? | Ernie Ball

GAK

GAK

Video thumbnail for Ernie Ball Electric Guitar Strings Comparison - The Ultimate Strings Demo! by Guitar World

Ernie Ball Electric Guitar Strings Comparison - The Ultimate Strings Demo!

Guitar World

Guitar World

Video thumbnail for Ernie Ball Regular Slinky: THE ULTIMATE STRING COMPARISON! by Sped Spedding

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky: THE ULTIMATE STRING COMPARISON!

Sped Spedding

Sped Spedding

Video thumbnail for Ernie Ball Regular Slinky String Review & Demo by Jake Pool Music

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky String Review & Demo

Jake Pool Music

Jake Pool Music

Video thumbnail for Guitar Strings Setup and Demo on Les Paul (Ernie Ball Regular Slinky ) by Ralph Aouad Guitar

Guitar Strings Setup and Demo on Les Paul (Ernie Ball Regular Slinky )

Ralph Aouad Guitar

Ralph Aouad Guitar

Reviews

PROS

  • Affordable, high-quality strings

  • Excellent tone for a wide range of music styles

  • Retain brightness for a long time

  • Smooth feel, comfortable for long playing sessions

  • Strong tuning stability after break-in period

  • Great for both rhythm and lead playing

  • Durable, do not break easily

  • Suitable for different guitar types and tunings

  • Easy to bend, good for solos

  • Widely available and used by famous musicians

CONS

  • Packaging produces a lot of waste

  • Rusts quickly for some users

  • Short break-in period where tuning is unstable

  • May feel rough compared to other brands

  • Inconsistent durability; some sets break quickly

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46).

Setup and maintenance

  • High E string breakage often linked to burrs at nut or saddle; filing these areas can prevent future breaks.

    Source
  • Using DR Pure Blues nickel strings reduces corrosion and prolongs lifespan, offering an alternative to Ernie Ball Slinkys for longevity.

    Source

User experience

  • Ernie Ball Paradigm strings are praised for durability but criticized for losing tone quickly compared to Regular Slinkys.

    Source
  • Players with oily skin report that Ernie Ball strings can go dead within a week, while D'Addario strings maintain a newer feel for longer.

    Source
  • Some users experience better tuning stability with D'Addario, requiring less frequent retuning compared to Ernie Ball strings.

    Source
  • Some players report Ernie Ball strings staining fingers with nickel corrosion, leaving a metallic smell, unlike D'Addario NYXLs.

    Source
  • Ernie Ball strings come in individual envelopes, useful for managing multiple guitars without loose strings.

    Source

Comparisons

  • D’Addario NYXLs are noted for better tuning stability and longer life than Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys.

    Source
  • Ernie Ball strings are noted for their initial brightness but tend to corrode faster than D'Addario XLs, which have a higher nickel content.

    Source
  • Ernie Ball strings are described as having a more bass-heavy sound, whereas D'Addario offers a brighter, more mid-focused tone.

    Source
  • DR Pure Blues users claim they retain tone for years, with some having strings that are over 4 years old and still used for gigging.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • Regular Slinky strings are favored by players who frequently bend strings, even up to 2.5 steps, without breakage when setup correctly.

    Source
  • Ernie Ball strings are favored for immediate readiness after restringing, whereas D'Addario strings may require a day of wear-in before optimal performance.

    Source
  • Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys are preferred for short-scale guitars tuned to A-Standard for ease of intonation.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • Applying Big Bends Nut Sauce on bridge and nut saddles can reduce string breakage and improve longevity.

    Source

Critic Reviews

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46) review on reviewingthis.com

reviewingthis.com

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings have long been hailed as the standard, beloved by guitarists like Eric Clapton and John Mayer. The review lauds their balanced tone and durability, making them perfect for letting a guitar's natural sound shine. While not revolutionary in design, they offer consistent performance and value, particularly when bought individually rather than in multi-packs. However, for those seeking cutting-edge innovation, these strings may not provide the thrill. Yet, their no-nonsense reliability keeps many players coming back, establishing them as a trusted choice in the guitarist community.

positive

Review: Ernie Ball Regular Slinky guitar strings - Light Audio Recording

lightaudiorecording.com
Add

4.5 out of 5

Based on 92 Reviews and 481 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
viniwiermann

Good strings

Good strings, they last 4-5 months with 1hr of play/day on average, easy to bend.

akeseraine

Highly recommended

These are very nice. They sound good, and are very durable. The strings are also easy on the fingers, so i didn't have to play with a pick all the time.

el_monje

My go to strings

Good package, good quality, good tone, good duration, what else can i ask? reliable brand

perfectcandor

Good low cost strings

Nice to find anywhere which is needed for floating bridges. Solid strings that are about the best quality for the price other than custom Stringjoy sets.

zessenea30

beautiful

Strings work great with Tex Mex pickups and the spruce goose. Sound best tuned to G.

miguel_angelo

The Standard

Competitively priced, great sounding, available everywhere, classic feel, balanced tone, played by legends... I love them and I also prefer the brass ball ends looks. But comparing it to the competition and discriminating every single trait, there is one negative aspect: packaging. One pack produces considerably more waste than any other string set I've bought. Besides the dense plastic outer wrap each string is individually packed inside a paper wrap. So it produces way more waste than a set of D'Addario's for example. I mean it's not the end of the world, I always recicle the packaging, but these are probably the most sold string set on the Planet, and being such a high grossing company they could set an example.

zisis

Not great, not terrible

I can't say i liked these strings very much.

I started using Ernie Ball from the beginning but then i discovered more brands and in comparison with them i found better strings for me. Tho i use the RPS sometimes. The thing is that they rust very easily. Last time i put them on my guitar i could see some rust on 2nd and 12th fret within four hours! And their tone is very mellow but rich.

Personally I prefer more bright strings that will last at least one or two weeks.

Also their tension is pretty smooth so i struggled a little bit because i play agressivily. For guitarists who tour and change strings often it can be ideal but for those who don't change their strings often you can find other brands or other types of Ernie Ball to play like Paradigms or Cobalts.

Preferred Settings + Usage:

Perfect for standard and half step down tuning

keola_hutchinson

Balls are best!!

I've tried many strings over the years...but Ernie Ball Slinky strings just sound and feel the best to me. They don't break. They are affordable. An integral part of my tone.

thcraymer

My go-to strings

The reasons I usually put these on my electric guitars: They stay in tune well (even with my frequent use of the whammy bar), last a long time and never seem to break, and are relatively cheap. Not to mention, their wonderful, bright tones!

noels_riviera1980s

Bad

I like the sound of these strings but they are absolute pains to get on to the guitar and then, when tuning the guitar, my low e string clicked and started to unravel (thankfully I bought 2 sets) so now the second set is a spare and I’m using Rotosound strings instead

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Nai Palm uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Nai Palm

Guitarist, Singer

Hiatus Kaiyote

...
Verified via Premier Guitar

According to 2021 Premier Guitar interview, Palm uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky guitar strings.

See how Jack Owen uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Jack Owen

Guitarist

Cannibal Corpse

...
Verified via YouTube

Jack mentions he mainly uses a 10-46 set in D#/Eb tuning, and keeps a seven string set as an emrgency backup at 7:14

See how Steve Cropper uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Steve Cropper

Guitarist

Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

...
Verified

In this interview for Fuzz.se, Steve Cropper says

What gauge strings do you use?

  • I’m still using Ernie Ball Slinkies, the green packet with the black writing - 010 through 046.
See how Josh Carter uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Josh Carter

Guitarist, Music Producer

Phantogram

...
Verified via YouTube

At the end of the video "Ernie Ball: String Theory featuring Josh Carter of Phantogram," it says "Josh Carter Plays Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Strings."

See how Colin Newman uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Colin Newman

Singer, Guitarist

Wire

...
Verified via Photo

In this interview, Colin is asked, "What gauge strings do you use and why?" He responds, "I’ve used Ernie Ball Regular slinky 10-46 forever."

See how Andy Partridge uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Andy Partridge

Singer, Guitarist

XTC

...
Verified via Chalkhills

"Guitar strings are D'Addario or Ernie Ball Regular Slinky."

See how Tom Fletcher uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Tom Fletcher

Singer, Guitarist

McFly

...
Verified via Photo

Tom Fletcher uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46) on his guitars, as shown in an Instagram post by nellyrocks, where they describe restringing several of Tom's Gibsons for the McFly "Power to Play" tour.

See how Sadler Vaden uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Sadler Vaden

Guitarist

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

...
Verified via Premierguitar

According to Premier Guitar, Vader strings his SG Standard with those strings.

See how Kelley Deal uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Kelley Deal

Guitarist, Singer

The Breeders

...
Verified via Premierguitar

She talks about what strings she uses at 8:07 in the video.

See how Lindsey Troy uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Lindsey Troy

Guitarist

Deap Vally

...
Verified via Instagram

Lindsey Troy uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46), as highlighted in a post on Ernie Ball's Instagram, which features Deap Vally's video for "Little Baby Beauty Queen."

See how Ryan Waste uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Ryan Waste

Singer, Guitarist

Municipal Waste

...
Verified via Premier Guitar

The article states that Ryan uses these strings.

See how Benny Reed uses Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)

Benny Reed

Singer, Guitarist

Skegss

...
Verified via Photo

Benny Reed uses Ernie Ball regular slinky guitar strings on his Fender Mustang and Telecaster

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46), it is most commonly used with the following gear.

Community setups

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Gear IQ 222

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4 alternative and related items for Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46), curated by the Equipboard community.

Rotosound R10 Roto Yellows Nickel-Steel 10-46

$5.60 - $7.50

high-end alternative

Same gauge but it is a different company and has better strings

Stringjoy Signatures (Custom Set w/ Wound 3rd)

$11.99

similar sound

Similar construction and feel. possibly more balanced.

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