Ernie Ball vs Martin:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Martin had more branded searches than Ernie Ball among guitar strings worldwide. Martin was estimated to have 74K branded searches compared to Ernie Ball’s 33.1K, and held a 28.6% Share of Search versus Ernie Ball’s 12.8%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Ernie Ball or Martin?
Compare the guitar strings people search for. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Martin, Ernie Ball. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | D'Addario | Martin | Ernie Ball | Elixir Strings | Rotosound | Dean Markley |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 47.3% | 31.7% | 14.2% | 5.2% | 1% | 0.56% |
| Nov 2025 | 46.7% | 31.3% | 14% | 6.3% | 1% | 0.66% |
| Dec 2025 | 51.7% | 28.4% | 12.7% | 5.7% | 0.91% | 0.6% |
| Jan 2026 | 49.1% | 32.8% | 12.1% | 4.4% | 1.1% | 0.57% |
| Feb 2026 | 56.6% | 25.4% | 11.4% | 5.1% | 1% | 0.55% |
| Mar 2026 | 55.2% | 24.7% | 13.5% | 4.9% | 0.97% | 0.64% |
| Apr 2026 | 52.2% | 28.6% | 12.8% | 4.7% | 1.1% | 0.62% |
| May 2026 | 51.7% | 28.4% | 12.7% | 5.7% | 0.92% | 0.61% |
| Jun 2026 | 55.2% | 24.7% | 13.5% | 4.9% | 0.98% | 0.65% |
| Jul 2026 | 52.2% | 28.6% | 12.8% | 4.7% | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 52.2% | 28.6% | 12.8% | 4.7% | 1.1% | 0.62% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Ernie Ball and Martin comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Martin was ahead of Ernie Ball in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Ernie Ball’s estimated Share of Search among guitar strings worldwide moved from 14.2% to 12.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 40.5K to 33.1K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Martin’s estimated Share of Search among guitar strings worldwide moved from 31.7% to 28.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 90.5K to 74K.
How did search popularity change for guitar strings worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
Estimated monthly branded searches for Ernie Ball worldwide fell 18.3% over 11 measured months, from 40.5K to 33.1K in August 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Martin worldwide fell 18.2% over 11 measured months, from 90.5K to 74K in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Ernie Ball’s and Martin’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Ernie Ball
1 branded search term
- ernie ball
Martin
1 branded search term
- martin guitars
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.