Strings are a fundamentally important element for playing many musical instruments, including the guitar. In fact, they are the ones who determine the quality and richness of the sound. But for some reason sometimes even when choosing good tool, the quality of the strings is the last thing people pay attention to. Getting the perfect sound on an acoustic guitar is a combination of great equipment, talent, technique and practice. But without good strings and setting them up correctly is unlikely to achieve good sound.

Beginning musicians most often buy strings exactly those recommended by the seller, choose according to an inexpensive price category, or are guided by the colored packaging of the strings, thinking that the brighter it is, the better the quality of the strings.

But guitar strings are an element of a musician’s equipment that, if chosen correctly, can be the golden mean in finding and creating your own sound.

Become a certain “trick” of a specific performer. There are some fundamental factors to consider when choosing strings. Each of them is equally important.
Therefore, what should you pay attention to when buying strings for an acoustic guitar?

You will need:

String choice: nylon or steel

When buying strings, pay attention to what kind of guitar you have. Because there are two types of guitars - acoustic and classical. Out of ignorance, many people generalize them and believe that they are all the same guitar, but this is not the case. There are special nylon strings for classical guitars, and the neck fastening is different from acoustic guitars, so installing steel strings on a classical guitar will damage the neck, move it and, with intense playing, may even crack at the base.

Therefore, there is a clear rule: for acoustics - steel, for classical - nylon.

Select the thickness (caliber) of the strings

Each musician selects the thickness of the strings to suit his playing style. String thickness is measured in inches. The diameter of the first string, which ranges from 0.008 to 0.013 inches in different sets, determines the subsequent thickness of the entire set. Most professional musicians play and advise starting to learn by installing a set of strings with a diameter of the first string of 0.009 (from nine).

The higher the gauge of the strings, the louder, richer and longer they will sound.

Thick strings have a variety of overtones, they are less bright, but they are much more difficult to play, especially for beginners, since a lot of effort is required to press the strings, and when playing for a long time, this is a big strain on the hands.

Select string winding material

The thicker the string, the thicker the winding on it. Winding is a layer of wire that is wound along the entire length of the string. Depending on the hardness of the material from which the winding is made, the strings will have different stiffness. This affects not only the finger feel, but also the sound of the guitar.

There are several types of winding:

• Copper

Quite a common winding. Often used on acoustic amateur guitars. It is not very expensive, so under good loads it quickly breaks and tears.

• Silver plated

These strings are more practical for concert performances due to their aesthetic qualities. They do not fade over time, do not rust, do not accumulate dirt and dust, and as a result do not leave dark fingerprints on your hands while playing. But the sound qualities of such strings are not much different from copper ones.

• Brass or phosphor bronze

This counts best strings, many performers prefer them. Because they have a more colorful and lively sound. Several times more durable than with copper winding.

Select winding type

There are two types of winding on strings: round and flat. 80% of guitar strings installed are round wound. It is very common and popular, since flat is considered more studio-specific and narrowly focused for specific styles and techniques of the guitarist.

Round wound strings have a ringing and colorful sound.

But still, after some time after their installation, it gradually decreases, the strings lose their properties, and sound more natural and monotonous.

Flatwound gives the strings a more stable and slightly muted sound. The sound is unusual with a characteristic matte sound. Good quality flat winding is the absence of whistle when sliding fingers.

From time to time, every plucked instrument requires changing the strings. They wear out in direct proportion to the intensity of use of the guitar. Their lifespan is affected by how often the guitarist accompanies the vocalists. In order to make a good choice, and the buyer is not disappointed in the purchase, we will take the liberty and publish several useful tips by choice of strings.

We hope that our work will be appreciated, first of all, by beginning guitarists. It is they, more than experienced musicians, who experience difficulties when choosing strings for their favorite musical instrument. Modern online trading has the ability to satisfy any needs of potential buyers. The choice of goods is so huge, and determining what exactly to buy can sometimes be very difficult. Manufacturers of strings for plucked musical instruments supply trading enterprises with goods of varying prices and quality levels. A dynamically developing business must develop and constantly offer new products to the market. Otherwise, you won’t be able to withstand the competition. Experienced accompanists undoubtedly have an easier time making the choice.

But how can those who are just rubbing calluses on their fingers avoid making mistakes by sliding them along the strings?

When selecting guitar strings, you need to keep in mind several nuances that can significantly facilitate the process we are covering. We assure you that over time you will also gain experience that will allow you to independently purchase the required accessories. One of the first tasks that can become key to satisfying your need is what kind of guitar strings are needed for:

• acoustic
• classical
• electrical
• bass guitars

Then we need to determine the configuration and what material the strings are made of. The diameter of their cross-section and winding configuration.

Acoustic guitar strings

For acoustic plucked instruments

The best strings are those made of steel and polymers. Metal - made of stainless steel. Synthetic - carbon or nylon. If you just recently picked up a guitar, then buy polymer strings. They are softer than steel ones, and it will be more comfortable for your fingers to learn the technique of playing chords. Carbon strings are more expensive, but they sound much better than nylon strings. Therefore, at this step the choice is yours. It all depends on the funds you have planned for the purchase. Metal strings sound louder than carbon strings. But they are pulled onto guitars of reinforced construction, with a powerful neck.

Diameter and hardness

The elasticity of guitar strings for acoustic musical instruments directly depends on their cross-section. They are produced and sold in the following sizes:

• 9/45 - thin and soft, with a quiet “voice”
• 10/47 - a little tougher than the previous ones, recommended for beginner guitarists
• 11/52 - “golden mean”, optimal in terms of rigidity and reproduction of sound intensity
• 12/53 - medium tension, recommended for completing new tools
• 13/56 - these are very tight, for experienced guitarists with a lot of experience

Classical Guitar Strings

For classical musical plucked instruments, we recommend purchasing nylon strings. They are soft. They are comfortable to play while accompanying a vocalist performing romances or other musical composition from the romantic repertoire, which is called: “In the circle of friends.” The lower three “classical” strings are made into one strand of nylon fishing line. They are sold polished or honed. Top: Strings No. 4, 5 and 6 are made from several nylon strands twisted together. They are coated with a thin layer of metal alloys, mainly copper, zinc and silver.

According to the degree of elasticity and tension, they are divided into:

• normal
• strong
• very strong

The only drawback of nylon strings is their fragility. But they don’t cause calluses on the fingertips of guitarists.

For acoustic bass guitars

The prototype of the bass guitar is the double bass. Since time immemorial, animal sinews have been used as strings for it. The sound of the instrument could not be called satisfactory until the musicians were offered strings whose tendons were wrapped with round steel wire. The volume and sound quality have improved, but another problem has arisen related to the rapid wear of the frets, which deteriorates the acoustic characteristics. Later, the steel coating was replaced with copper-nickel. The double bass has a softer sound, and the frets have become more durable. But the service life of the new, improved strings did not satisfy the musicians, due to their rapid wear. Thanks to polishing the coating, which was the final process in the manufacture of bass guitar strings, they turned out well and were able to satisfy the requirements of the most demanding, sophisticated consumers. When choosing strings, you need to know a few other little things. In addition to the coating, the quality of the low-pitched sound is affected by the thickness of the core. Thin, it rings louder. A thick one is more powerful, the string sounds louder and richer.

Bass Guitar Strings

For electric guitars

Electric guitars have gained immense popularity among fans modern music, and significantly displaced their acoustic relatives. This type of plucked instruments, in addition to the soundboard and neck, also has pickups and complex electronic components in its design. That's why they need special strings. The range of sounds extracted from different electric guitars (bass, rhythm, solo) is very wide. Let's look at some types of strings that can be safely called unique in their kind.

For electric bass guitars

The best interaction in the electromagnetic field generated by the pickups of the musical instrument in question is found in common iron. Accordingly, manufacturers have chosen special grades of steel as the main material for making strings.

Bass Guitar Strings

Diameter value

• 0.008 - the thinnest figure eight guitar strings. We recommend it to beginning accompanists who prefer a soft, non-aggressive sound of a musical instrument.
• 0.009 - they are also “nine”. They have a denser sound when compared to eights.
• 0.010 - classic “ten”. The most popular strings among “rockers”.
• 0.011-0.013 are the “heaviest” strings. These are for fans of deafening heavy metal games.

Electric guitar string diameters

Hybrid string sets will be needed by players who tend to deliver piercing solos while backing their playing with powerful bass. The first, bottom three strings in similar sets are of standard sizes. The upper three are thickened, for playing notes of the lower octave in “exorbitant decibels”. There are also sets on sale that include a third string with an upper braid. Such kits are in demand by guitarists who play blues and jazz compositions.

EMI String Coating

In the process of choosing a specific set of strings, you also need to be aware of the nuances associated with the types and types of their coating. Everything is simple with the core: it is always steel. But the braid of the strings can be nickel or copper-plated steel. The nickel plating on the strings gives the guitar a soft sound. A solo at concerts performed on an electric musical instrument with such accessories turns out to be especially mesmerizing. Their only drawback is their short service life, but true professionals will never give them up. Their steel-plated counterparts produce a wide range of bright, punchy sounds from electric guitars. They are used by musicians of various movements: from classical to hard rock. “Metalists” have them in great demand. To protect guitar strings from excessive corrosion, manufacturers apply a thin polymer layer to the coating. Which certainly affects the cost of the kits in the direction of their rise in price.

Winding geometry

IN trading network Strings with windings of the following configurations are sold:

• round
• semicircular
• flat

String coating methods

Types of string windings

The cheapest in cost are analogues with a round winding configuration. They are quite simple to manufacture and do not require complex production lines. Round wire is wound onto a classic steel core. When playing chords, listeners often hear a “creaking” sound from the musician’s fingers moving across the frets. The strings become hard and mercilessly wear away the spacers and varnish on the neck. Semicircular winding is a hybrid of flat and round technologies. Perhaps, such strings can safely be called the most popular among amateur guitarists. They take the most care of the owner’s fingertips and his musical instrument. Similar accessories with flat winding are sold a little more expensive. Their round core is wrapped with wire square section, but with oval ribs. This production technology almost eliminated the “creaks” that accompany the movement of fingers along the fingerboard. Guitarists find them much more comfortable to play than their round counterparts.

Popular brands

We present the five most popular manufacturers of guitar strings.

• Elixir - the products of this brand are coated on top with a polymer composition, which increases the service life of the strings, which are considered one of the longest-playing ones. They are soft to the touch. They are pleasant and comfortable to finger while playing musical compositions on the guitar.
• D"Addario is in second place. They are in high demand among most guitarists of various backgrounds.
• GHS are inexpensive, but perhaps the most optimal in the “Price-quality” segment. A favorite product in metal circles.
• Ernie Ball - decent quality coupled with excellent string endurance at a low cost.
• Dean Markley are inexpensive American strings that enjoy some popularity among amateurs and professionals.

When to change strings

Then when they became:

• soft - hard
• hard - soft
• make dull sounds
• sound different on adjacent frets
• rattling, with damaged winding

Unfortunately, there are still sellers trying to sell anything for a higher price. Therefore, purchase products from stores with an impeccable reputation. Familiar musicians will be able to tell you the address. Don't hesitate to ask them about it. In any case, first decide what strings you need for your guitar. Visit thematic forums or groups in in social networks and read reviews about the product you intend to buy. Explore the price range. Ordering in online stores is always cheaper than in real stores trading enterprises. But don't forget about the shipping cost of your purchase. Don't rush to throw away old strings. Perhaps they haven't all gone bad. And it may happen that one string breaks and there is nothing to replace it with. To protect your strings from contamination, wash your hands before handling the guitar. After playing it, wipe the strings with a rag moistened with a special degreasing solution. Experienced guitarists claim that strings require replacement once every six months if you play the guitar often. To increase their service life, strings need to be looked after. Wipe them regularly with a lint-free cloth. Using a fretboard polish will protect the frets from oxidation and extend the life of the metal baffles. The shining guitar just begs to be picked up. Take care of your instrument, and it will reward you with excellent sound.

We can say that the choice classical guitar as the main instrument is determined by the style of the music chosen for performance. Can we remember that domestic school guitar playing assumes the classical guitar as the instrument on which most guitar playing courses are based educational institutions. It follows from this that the choice of strings for such a guitar is by no means an idle question.

Of course, even the best strings in the world will not make a low-quality guitar sound decent, but bad strings can ruin the sound of an absolutely magnificent instrument. No matter what your skill level, your guitar will sound better with the highest quality strings you can find. In fact, the best strings for classical guitar are those that are comfortable for you to play and will enhance the sound quality of your guitar. It is always more important to rely on your own feelings than on the recommendations of even venerable specialists and musicians.

When choosing strings for a classical guitar, you need to pay attention to three parameters - the tension force for which specific strings are designed, the material of the strings, and the actual quality of their manufacture. Guitar strings are known to be classified by their diameter in thousandths of an inch, but classical guitar strings are also classified by their tension. Unfortunately, a standard for this value has not been developed, so you need to experiment personally and select strings that are convenient for yourself according to this parameter. Low/Moderate/Light Tension strings make them easier to pluck, especially on guitars with more space between the strings and the neck, but they tend to be quieter and have less attack. On strings with normal or high strength Tension (Normal / Medium / High Tension) are somewhat more difficult to play, but they provide a loud and confident sound, emphasized attack and are generally the best for performing and recording rhythmic parts. It is recommended that after playing a guitar with strings with a similar tension force, you detune the instrument by releasing the strings, so as not to cause unnecessary damage to the structure of the guitar. But in order to understand which string tension force is most convenient for you, you need to take at least two sets of strings from the same manufacturer and the same series - for example, D'Addario EJ45 Pro-Arte Nylon Normal Tension (by the way, it is this that is recognized by experts as one of best string sets for classical guitar for 2015) and EJ46 Pro-Arte Nylon Hard Tension. By changing sets of strings on your guitar over the course of several days, you will understand which one is best for you personally.

It's the same story with string material. As is known, in modern sets of strings for classical guitars, the three top strings are made of the following materials: Clear Nylon, Rectified Nylon - the term means not chemical composition, and ultra-precise maintenance of the diameter of the strings through their processing after extrusion and cooling), black nylon (Black Nylon is a different chemical composition of the fiber that provides a warmer and cleaner sound) or composite fibers such as fluorocarbon. The lower strings are several nylon fibers in a metal or again nylon braid. The already mentioned D'Addario Pro-Arte Series strings are pure nylon on the top strings and 80/20 bronze wound nylon (80% copper and 20% zinc) on the lower strings. The D'Addario EJ50 Pro-Arte Black Nylon Hard Tension set has silver-plated copper winding on the lower strings, which provides comfortable playing and a warm sound - often strings with such winding are called silver. That is, in in this case you need to select the strings for yourself, but now based on the material - the comparison for the mentioned D"Addario sets will go between the EJ50 and EJ45 / EJ46. And again you will need to change the strings on the guitar several times, listen to the sound of the instrument and analyze your own sensations from the game. Yes, choosing strings for a classical guitar is not done in ten minutes, but it is this lengthy method that will save you from any displeasure in communicating with your personal tool.