Cleartone: guitar strings that last longer without compromising your tone

Cleartone: guitar strings that last longer without compromising your tone

Changing your strings is a ritual every guitarist knows, but few stop to think about. Yet the choice of a string set directly influences the feel, the sustain and the tonal character of the instrument. It is precisely on this ground that the American brand Cleartone has built its reputation: offering guitar strings whose coating noticeably extends their lifespan, without ever choking the tone or stiffening the playing feel. A promise that many have tried to keep, and one that Cleartone honours with an in-house technology called EMP.

Distributed through short supply chain on Green Musicians, Cleartone appeals as much to studio guitarists who no longer want to change sets every two weeks as to stage musicians looking for flawless reliability. Electric, acoustic, drop tuning or classical: the brand covers the essentials, with a rare consistency of quality. In this guide, we review the brand's history, its string ranges and the reasons that make Cleartone a smart choice for anyone who wants to play longer with a tone that stays true.

The story of an American brand born from a pursuit of tone

Cleartone was born in the United States, carried by enthusiasts from the string industry. Their starting observation was simple: traditional strings quickly lose their brilliance, while so-called coated strings that promise to last longer tend to alter the feel and dull the attack. What was missing was a solution able to reconcile longevity with tonal transparency.

It is from this gap that the EMP (Enhanced Molecular Protection) technology was born. Rather than wrapping the string in a thick layer of polymer, Cleartone applies a protection at the molecular scale, so fine that it remains imperceptible to the touch and to the ear alike. The result: strings that keep their brightness and harmonics far longer, without that plasticky feel that purists dread.

The brand first made a name for itself among studio musicians and touring artists, for whom consistency and reliability are non-negotiable. Through word of mouth, Cleartone then won over a wider audience, until it became a discreet but respected reference in the world of high-end strings.

The Cleartone string ranges: from electric to classical

Electric strings: Electric and Monster Light

For electric guitar, Cleartone first offers nickel sets with a soft feel and generous sustain. The Cleartone Electric Light Top/Heavy 10-52 pairs thin treble strings with firmer bass strings, a balance appreciated by guitarists looking for both expressiveness in bends and hold in rhythm parts. The Cleartone Monster Electric Light 10-52 is its power-oriented version, designed to take hard attacks. Fans of very thin gauges will find their happiness with the Cleartone B-52 Rockers 9-42 Super Light, a supple set built for fast playing and generous bends.

The Monster range: drop tuning without compromise

With the Monster range, Cleartone answers the call of low tunings. The Cleartone Monster Electric Drop D 11-56 keeps a clear tension in drop D, while the Cleartone Monster Drop A 14-80 goes even lower for extreme metal. Seven-string players are not forgotten: the Cleartone Monster 7-String 9-52 and the Cleartone Monster 7-String 10-56 offer gauges suited to the extended range of the neck.

Phosphor bronze acoustic strings

On the acoustic side, phosphor bronze is the go-to choice for warmth and projection. The Cleartone Phosphor Bronze Medium 13-56 delivers a complete balance, the Cleartone Phosphor Bronze Bluegrass 12-56 favours the powerful lows prized by bluegrass players, and the Cleartone Phosphor Bronze Grand Light 13-53 softens the feel for light fingers and fingerpicking.

EQ Hybrid Metal and classical: versatility taken further

The EQ Hybrid Metal series targets musicians who alternate standard and lowered tunings without changing sets. The Cleartone EQ Hybrid Metal Light 12-53 and the Cleartone EQ Hybrid Metal G Light 13-56 combine supple trebles with firm lows to hold intonation across all registers. Finally, the Cleartone Concerto Medium Tension Tie End Classical brings the brand's answer for classical guitar, with a medium tension that suits most instruments.

The Cleartone philosophy: a coating you cannot see or feel

What truly sets Cleartone apart is its EMP technology. Where a conventional coating deposits a layer of polymer over the string, Cleartone's molecular protection works at a much finer scale, close to the metal itself. The benefit is twofold: corrosion and oxidation slow down considerably, and the tone keeps its brightness and original harmonics, set after set.

This technical choice translates into noticeably longer lifespan, often several times that of a standard set, without the drawback of the slippery feel or muted attack sometimes blamed on coated strings. For the musician, it is the guarantee of a stable tone over time, whether you play one hour a month or several hours a day.

Why choose Cleartone on Green Musicians?

Green Musicians offers a selection of Cleartone strings available through short supply chain, new, refurbished or second-hand. Buying your strings on our marketplace means enjoying a regularly renewed catalogue, competitive prices and a community of musicians who share the same demand for quality. Since strings are a consumable you replace regularly, choosing them through short supply chain is also a simple gesture for both your wallet and the planet.

To deepen your knowledge of strings, we invite you to read our complete guide to D'Addario, our article on Ernie Ball and the Slinky strings, or our guide to DR Strings.

And there you have it! We hope this article has made you want to discover or rediscover the Cleartone universe and its long-lasting coated strings. All that remains is to browse Green Musicians to find the Cleartone set of your dreams at the best price.

We offer a complete catalogue of musical instruments featuring brands from all over the world such as Fender, Gibson, Martin, Taylor, Ibanez and many more. Whether you are an amateur or professional musician, our marketplace is designed to give you the very best of music.

Green Musicians is also the music marketplace where everyone can buy or sell music gear with total confidence: new, refurbished and second-hand instruments, as well as software, plugins, sheet music and samples.

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