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Based on price data from 4 merchants for "Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46)". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46) are the ultimate choice for musicians seeking a perfect blend of durability, performance, and tone. The strings are reinforced versions of the standard Slinky electric guitar strings, with a patented winding of bronze wire tightly wrapped around the lock twist of the ball end. This innovative design minimizes string slippage and breakage, extending the life of your strings and ensuring better tuning stability.
The RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings are precision manufactured to the highest standards, ensuring optimum performance and long life. They have been the preferred choice of legendary musicians like Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, and Slash, thanks to their consistent quality and distinctive tone.
The strings are made from nickel-plated steel wire wrapped around a tin-plated hex-shaped steel core wire. The plain strings feature a unique winding of bronze wire around the lock twist of the ball end, reducing slippage and breakage. They are slightly bright and popular with a wide range of artists.
Key Features:
- Type: Electric, 6-string
- Gauges: .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
- Core: Tin-plated hex steel
- Wrap: Nickel-plated steel
- Patented winding of bronze wire on plain strings for reduced slippage and breakage
- Designed for extended life and improved tuning stability
- Preferred by legendary guitarists for their distinctive tone
- Suitable for use on electric and acoustic guitars (not recommended for classical guitars)
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
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What makes Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings different from regular Slinky strings?
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Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky strings feature a reinforced plain string (RPS) design, which enhances tuning stability and reduces string breakage compared to standard Slinky strings.
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Are Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings suitable for all music genres?
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Yes, these strings offer a bright, balanced tone and are versatile enough to suit a wide range of music genres, from rock to blues to pop.
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How does the gauge of Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings affect playability?
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The 10-46 gauge provides a comfortable balance between playability and tone, offering enough tension for clear sound while remaining easy on the fingers, making it ideal for both rhythm and lead playing.
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What is the core material of Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings?
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These strings have a tin-plated hexagonal steel core, which contributes to their durability and bright sound.
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Do Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings have a coating?
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No, these strings are not coated, which allows for a natural feel and traditional sound preferred by many guitarists.
Videos
Guitar World
Ernie Ball Electric Guitar Strings Comparison - The Ultimate Strings Demo!
Ernie Ball Electric Guitar Strings Comparison - The Ultimate Strings Demo!
Guitar World
Ernie Ball M-Steel Strings vs Regular Slinky Strings
Guitar World
Introducing the Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci JP16 Signature Guitar
Ernie Ball
John Petrucci & The New Ernie Ball Music Man BFR Petrucci
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball Music Man: StingRay Guitar (feat. Daniel Donato)
Ernie Ball
Cheap strings vs expensive strings - Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys vs Paradigm
Pherotone Studios
Reviews
PROS
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Excellent tuning stability, even under heavy playing
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Brass wrapping on high strings adds warmth and reduces breakage
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Consistent tone and feel, similar to regular Slinkys
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Hold tune well and feel great to touch
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Longevity and durability even with aggressive playing
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Suitable for bending, with a robust tone
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Ideal for players who frequently bend strings
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Better tuning stability on plain strings compared to regular Slinkys
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Highly praised by notable guitarists like Jerry Cantrell
CONS
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Not ideal for double-locking tremolo systems
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Some users report faster rusting compared to other brands
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46).
User experience
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Cobalt strings offer enhanced bend and vibrato control, with a "grippy" feel aiding precise stopping during slides.
Source -
Cobalt strings may feel more "grainy" or "frictional" to some users, impacting slide techniques.
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Titanium strings provide a similar feel to regular Slinkys but offer improved longevity and consistent performance.
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Ernie Ball strings may require more frequent tuning adjustments compared to D'Addario, particularly noticeable during regular playing sessions.
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Some users report Ernie Ball strings corroding faster, especially for those with oily skin, leading to more frequent replacements.
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M-Steel strings are reported to retain tuning longer than any other strings tried by some users, providing a brighter, louder sound ideal for hard rock and metal.
Source
Features and functionality
Use cases and applications
Comparisons
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Ernie Ball strings are often perceived to deliver a deeper, rounder sound compared to D'Addario, which are described as brighter and janglier.
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Paradigm strings are described as having the same tone and feel as regular Slinkies but offer improved durability and tuning stability, particularly under heavy use.
Source
Setup and maintenance
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It's noted that D'Addario strings might need a day of play to settle before gigging, unlike Ernie Ball, which are ready out of the package.
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Build quality
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Concerns have been raised about Ernie Ball strings arriving corroded directly from the sealed packet, except the first string.
Source
5.0 out of 5
Based on 4 Reviews and 12 Ratings
219
Awesome strings
I've been using these strings ever since I found out that my favourite guitar player uses them. The one and only, Jerry Cantrell.
I noticed that 9gauge strings were just a little too thin for me so I wanted to step up a level and found these after doing some research. They just feel and sound great!
505
Can't go wrong with Ernie Ball
The first thing I noticed when I used the RPS was the bright sound these strings give. A little bit more than regular Slinky and they don't break!
Sadly I had to give 4/5 because they did rust faster in comparison of other brands.
Preferred Settings + Usage:
Half step down tuning
EB RSP 10-46. Use on My Music Man Steve Morse
EB RSP strings are excellent for bending and have a huge tone. I find them to have more mass, bottom end, nice highs on treble strings. Use them on my MM Steve Morse signature guitar.
Artist usage
Add artist
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Kirk Hammett uses Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46), as showcased on Ernie Ball's Instagram, featuring his workbench in a post with the hashtag #iplayslinky.
As shown on the Ernie Ball website, John Petrucci uses these strings on his guitars.
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In the video description it says that he plays RPS regular Slinky strings. At 4mins he starts talking about Ernie Ball strings and the camera shows a box of Ernie Ball RPS regular Slinky.
Jason Richardson uses Ernie Ball RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46), as featured in his Cutlass Artist Series guitar. This information is detailed on the Ernie Ball Music Man website.
in the 2022 coheed & cambria rig rundown, after claudio is done showing off his double neck, he gets asked by chris kies about what strings is he using & it happens he's using the RPS 10-46 Ernie Ball
On his website, Tipton states:
The stage gear is the second most important thing after the music itself. It has to be something that you can rely on and feel not only safeness but also comfort. Glenn tells us a bit about his equipment:
“Each tour is different and requires different units or amps in the racks depending on what songs we are playing. It’s forever changing and I’m always experimenting with new equipment and I think it always will change and evolve on stage. On the stage guitars, I use Kahler tremolo systems. The guitars are strung with Ernie Ball RPS-10 strings, which are specially reinforced for the Kahler tremolo systems. My other considerations for stage work are the pickups: They’ve got to be hot!! Most of my stage guitars are fitted with EMG 81s, which are of course active. All the EMG 81s are wired with the batteries in series so they run the pickups at 18 volts. That makes them last longer and the pickups sound hotter, with more edge and poke. This is partly for the signal-boosting active circuitry and partly to avoid worrying about the danger of picking up the local radio station midway through a solo. In later years I’ve used modified EMG’s (GTX’s) as well which are specially designed for me.”
In this profile from Premier Guitar magazine, the sidebar lists RPS .10-.46 Slinkies as Erikson's preferred strings.
According to Premier Guitar's interview, one of the items Brown uses are the Ernie Ball RPS-10 guitar strings.
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 RPS Regular Slinky Guitar Strings (10-46), it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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