How to choose the right strings for your guitar. gentle sound

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 service life is affected by the fact 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 of publishing some useful tips for choosing strings.

We hope that our work will be appreciated, first of all, by beginner guitarists. It is they, to a greater extent than experienced musicians, who experience difficulties in choosing the strings intended for their favorite musical instrument. Modern e-commerce has the ability to satisfy any needs of potential buyers. The choice of goods is so huge, and sometimes it’s not even easy to determine what to buy. Manufacturers of strings for plucked musical instruments supply trading companies with goods of various prices and quality levels. A dynamically developing business is obliged to develop and constantly offer new products to the markets. Otherwise, you will not be able to compete. For experienced accompanists, no doubt, it is easier to make a choice.

But how not to make mistakes for those who are just rubbing calluses on their fingers, sliding them along the strings?

During the selection of guitar strings, it is necessary to keep in mind a few nuances that can greatly facilitate the process we are covering. We assure you that over time you will gain experience that allows you to independently make purchases of the required accessories. One of the first tasks that can become key to satisfying your need is what kind of guitar you need strings 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 section and the configuration of the winding.

Acoustic guitar strings

For acoustic plucked instruments

The best strings are made from steel and polymers. Metal - from "stainless steel". Synthetic - carbon or nylon. If you recently picked up a guitar, then buy polymer strings. They are softer than steel, 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. Everything depends on the funds you planned for the purchase. Metal strings sound louder than carbon strings. But they are pulled on guitars of reinforced construction, with a powerful neck.

Diameter and stiffness

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

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

Classical guitar strings

For classic musical plucked instruments, we recommend buying nylon strings. They are soft. It is comfortable to sort them out during the accompaniment of a vocalist performing romances or other pieces of music from the romantic repertoire, which is called: “In the circle of friends”. The bottom three "classic" strings are made in one strand of nylon fishing line. They are sold polished or sanded. Top: No. 4, 5, and 6 strings are made from multiple nylon strands. They are covered 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 downside to nylon strings is their short life. But on the other hand, they do not rub calluses on the fingertips of guitarists.

For acoustic basses

The prototype of the bass guitar is the double bass. Since time immemorial, animal veins have been used as strings for it. The sound of the instrument could not be called satisfactory until the musicians were offered strings, the sinews of which were wrapped with round steel wire. Loudness and sound quality improved, but another problem arose with the rapid wear of the frets, which degraded acoustic performance. Later, the steel coating was replaced with copper-nickel. The double bass received a soft sound, and the frets became more durable. But the service life of the new, improved strings did not satisfy the musicians, due to their rapid wear. Thanks to the sanding of the coating, which was the final process in the manufacture of bass guitar strings, they turned out to be good, and were able to satisfy the requirements of the most demanding, sophisticated consumers. When choosing strings, you need to know some more little things. In addition to coating, the sound quality of a low tone is affected by the thickness of the core. Thin, she rings louder. Thick - more powerful, the string sounds louder and richer.

Bass strings

For electric guitars

Electric guitars have gained immense popularity among fans of modern music, and have significantly replaced acoustic relatives. This type of plucked instruments, in addition to the soundboard and neck, also has pickups and complex electronic filling in its design. Therefore, the strings for them need special ones. The range of sounds extracted from different electric guitars (bass, rhythm, solo) is very wide. Consider some types of strings that can safely be called unique in their kind.

For electric basses

The best interaction in the electromagnetic field formed by the pickups of the musical instrument in question is banal iron. Accordingly, the main material for the manufacture of strings is steel of special grades.

Bass strings

Diameter value

• 0.008 - the thinnest "eight" guitar strings. Recommended for beginner 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 with the "eights".
• 0.010 - the classic "ten". The most popular strings among "rockers".
• 0.011-0.013 are the "heaviest" strings. These are for fans of the deafening heavy metal game.

Electric guitar string diameters

Hybrid string sets will appeal to musicians who tend to play piercing solos while backing up their playing with powerful bass. The first, lower three strings in similar sets of standard sizes. The top three are thickened, for playing the notes of the lower octave in "outrageous decibels". In sales there are also sets in which a third string is inserted with a top braid. Such kits are in demand by guitarists playing blues and jazz compositions.

Coating for EMI strings

In the process of choosing a particular set of strings, you also need to be aware of the nuances associated with the types and types of coatings. Everything is simple with the core: it is always steel. But the braid of the strings is nickel or steel, copper-plated. The nickel-plated string gives the guitar a soft tone. Solo at concerts, performed on an electric musical instrument with such accessories, is especially fascinating. Their only drawback is a short service life, but real professionals will never refuse them. Steel-coated analogs produce a wide range of bright, punchy sounds from electric guitars. They are used by musicians of various styles: from classical to hard rock. The Metallists are in great demand. In order to protect guitar strings from excessive corrosion, manufacturers put a thin polymer layer on the coating. Which will certainly affect the cost of the kits in the direction of their rise in price.

Winding geometry

The distribution network sells strings with windings of the following configurations:

• round
• semicircular
• flat

String Coating Methods

Types of string windings

The cheapest in terms of cost are analogues with a round winding configuration. They are quite simple to manufacture, do not require complex production lines. A round wire is wound on a classic steel core. During the performance of chords, listeners often hear a "creak" from the movement of the musician's fingers along the frets. The strings are hard and mercilessly erase the separators and the lacquer on the fretboard. Semi-circular winding is a hybrid of flat and round technologies. Perhaps, such strings can be safely called the most popular among amateur guitarists. They most carefully treat the owner's fingertips and his musical instrument. Slightly more expensive are similar flat-wound accessories. Their round core is wrapped with square wire, but with oval ribs. This production technology has almost eliminated the "squeaks" that accompany the movement of the fingers along the neck. Guitarists are much more comfortable playing them than their round analogs.

Popular brands

Introducing the top five most popular guitar string manufacturers.

• Elixir - products of this brand are coated with a polymer composition on top, which increases the life of the strings, which are considered one of the longest playing. They are soft to the touch. They are pleasant and comfortable to touch with your fingers 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 - inexpensive, but perhaps the most optimal in the "Price-quality" segment. A favorite commodity in metalworking circles.
• Ernie Ball - decent quality coupled with excellent string endurance for a small price.
• Dean Markley - inexpensive American strings, enjoying 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 who are trying to sell anything, as long as it is more expensive. Therefore, purchase goods in stores with an impeccable reputation. Familiar musicians will be able to suggest the address. Feel free to ask them about it. In any case, first decide what strings you need for your guitar. Visit thematic forums or groups on 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 trading enterprises. But do not forget about the cost of shipping your purchase. Do not rush to throw away old strings. They may not have all gone bad. And it may happen that one string breaks, and there will be nothing to replace it. To keep your strings clean, wash your hands before handling the guitar. After playing it, wipe the strings with a rag soaked in a special degreasing solution. Experienced guitarists assure that the strings need to be replaced once every six months if you often play the guitar. To increase the life of the strings, care must be taken. Wipe them regularly with a lint-free cloth. Using a fretboard polish will protect the frets from oxidation and prolong the life of the metal baffles. A shining guitar itself asks for a hand. Take care of your instrument, and it will thank you with excellent sound.

Solve the system of equations:

Nylon strings >classical guitar

Classical guitar=nylon strings

For the humanities, we explain: the use of nylon strings is far from being limited to classical guitar. They give a soft, warm sound to acoustics and, due to their greater sensitivity than metal strings, allow you to achieve better intonation, which is valuable in different styles of music - jazz, folk, country.

On the contrary, we strongly recommend that you use only nylon strings on a classical guitar. This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the classics: the neck glued to the soundboard experiences strong stress when the metal strings are pulled, which can lead to damage to the instrument.

Below we will talk about the main characteristics of nylon strings, which we hope will help you with their choice.

Many beginners choose nylon strings as they cut less on rough fingers initially. Due to the softness of the material and the lower tension, this is indeed the case. But nylon strings should be chosen for their sound, not for ease of playing, because the sooner a guitarist gains fingertip hardness, the easier it will be.

Because nylon strings stretch more easily, they require more frequent tuning than metal strings, especially if they are newly installed. They are also more sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity.

Tension

The main characteristic when choosing nylon strings, which determines their sound, is the tension (Tension). There are low tension strings - Low Tension (you can still find Moderate or Light Tension markings), medium tension - Normal Tension (Medium Tension) and high tension - High Tension (Hard / Strong Tension).

Due to the greater pliability, low tension strings are easier to play, especially on guitars with large string spacing. But their sound is not sonorous, they lack depth and brightness, it is difficult to change intonation when playing. These strings are well suited for Legato playing.

High tension strings, on the other hand, are less pliable, they sound as close as possible to metal ones - sonorous and bright. But their minus is a greater load on the neck, which is not always justified, especially on older instruments.

The golden mean is medium tension strings, they combine all the advantages of the two previous categories.

Some manufacturers produce strings with very low tension (extra-light tension) and very strong (extra-hard tension), there are also average sets, for example semi-hard - medium-hard tension and sets with different tensions of 3 first and 3 bass strings. In any case, the division of strings by tension is conditional and may not be the same for different manufacturers. Therefore, first decide on the manufacturer and material and then experiment with different tensions.

A good way to reduce stress on the neck when the strings are under a lot of tension is to store the guitar with the strings slightly deflated and tune them just before playing.

String material

Calling nylon strings “nylon” is only partly correct, since they differ both in the material of the base, that is, it may not be nylon, and in the material of the winding of the bass strings. By the way, until the 1940s, classical guitar strings were made from the intestines of cows and sheep. The unwound strings were just gut, the bass strings were silk thread wrapped with gut.

The modern set of strings are the first strings made of pure nylon, fluorocarbon or other synthetic material and bass strings having a core of interlaced nylon threads with a metal or nylon winding.

Strings without winding can be a directly transparent nylon line cast in the desired gauge - this is the so-called clear nylon (Clear Nylon). Such strings are the most common and give a clear and sonorous sound. There are strings that, after casting, are additionally calibrated with a laser (Rectified Nylon), this allows you to achieve a clear observance of the diameter along the entire length of the string, while the surface of the strings is slightly rough, and the sound is more velvety. Many manufacturers have models made of black nylon, they differ in color, while there is an opinion that the dye in their composition gives the strings a warmer sound.

As a transition between unwound strings and bass strings as a G-string, twisted nylon thread is sometimes used.

The bronze winding of the bass strings - an alloy of copper and zinc 80/20 - gives a bright sonorous sound. Some manufacturers label bronze wound strings "gold".

The most common way to wind classical guitar bass strings is roundwound. Many manufacturers sand the surface of the strings to make them smoother, more pleasant to the touch and reduce finger noise.

Most classical strings have straight ends and are knotted to the bridge. Balls at the ends, the so-called ball ends, are rare, so if it is not indicated on the package, consider that the strings are with straight ends. There are a lot of videos on the Internet on how to change nylon strings, and the process is actually quite simple, so we won’t stop there.

Nylon strings fail more often than metal strings - that's a fact. This is due to the fact that the steel base of metal strings is much stronger than nylon, and manufacturers do not add materials to the alloy of the winding of nylon strings that slow down its oxidation. If the guitar keeps worse and worse and is hard to tune, the winding has changed color, the bass strings have stratified at the points of attachment to the bridge and their base is visible, the sound has become flat and muffled - these are signs that it is time to replace the strings. Dirty, sweaty hands, playing with a cigarette or in smoky rooms, frequent tuning changes contribute to the rapid aging of any strings.

There is no one right answer to the question of the best strings for classical guitar - the choice is very individual! The only thing is to start with more versatile nylon strings, there are manufacturers who call these lines “Student Classic”. With experience, you will understand what sound you are looking for and what characteristics of strings can give you it.

When choosing strings, as well as when choosing any musical instrument, you need to be aware that everything is very individual in this matter, so you should not rely entirely on someone else's opinion, including sellers in music stores. I will not sin against the truth if I say that during his life any experienced guitarist will try more than a dozen different strings and change his mind about the strings more than once. Therefore, this article is intended not so much to give recommendations on the choice of specific brands of strings, but to acquaint readers with their modern types and fundamental design differences. With regard to strings of the same type from different manufacturers, we can safely say that the choice in favor of a particular model can be made by a musician only on the basis of his own experience.

At the beginning, a little about what a string is. In principle, any thread or wire, with or without winding, can be considered a string, as long as it does not break or stretch too much when played. Once upon a time, when there were no guitars or violins, our distant ancestors played on unwound gut (made from animal tendons), intestinal (made from animal intestines), silk, bronze, copper and vegetable strings. . Intestinal strings without winding survived all the others, having survived to this day, but for a number of reasons now they can only occasionally be found on harps and even ancient instruments in medieval music ensembles. Winding on strings appeared only at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries. It made it possible to improve the timbre of the bass strings, while at the same time reducing their tension, which made it easier to perform, enriched the technical capabilities and timbre of most musical instruments of that time. At the same time, with the invention of the piano, the first steel-based strings appeared, which later found application for other instruments. The 20th century greatly expanded the range of string types, adding many new ones to the already existing ones: synthetic, on a steel cable, with multilayer and profile winding (flat or semicircular), bimetallic (combining two or more materials), combined, etc. Let's try to figure it out, what determines the need for such diversity.

String types

intestinal strings- (everywhere incorrectly called "veined"), as noted above, they are made from animal intestines (not produced in Russia). Despite the fact that recently they have learned to better protect them from external influences abroad, they do not last long on instruments with metal frets. They also have an unpleasant ability to lose their qualities in conditions of high temperature and humidity, including from the sweat of the fingers. Although intestinal strings are brought to Russia privately by lovers of ancient medieval music, they are almost never found on sale.


Synthetic strings- used only for "classical guitar". They are also recommended for beginners because of their softness. In the middle of the 20th century, these strings replaced unstable intestinal ones. The top three strings of the guitar set are synthetic nylon line. The other three bass strings are made on a polyfilament (consisting of a large number of threads) synthetic base of the same nylon with a surface wire winding. The traditional winding material for them is round wound wire made of silver-plated copper. A silver coating of a few thousandths of a millimeter not only looks good, but also improves the sound of relatively dull copper, although it wears out rather quickly. At the same time, copper itself, due to its natural softness, eventually breaks through at the points of contact with the frets of the guitar. Recently, many firms have successfully used other copper-containing alloys as windings for synthetic strings (for example, silver-plated or pure brass and phosphor bronze), which are noticeably superior in durability to silver-plated copper.

High density synthetic strings made from a new synthetic material invented in Japan at the end of the 20th century carbon(or in other words - fluoro-carbon). Since the density of carbon is 30-90% higher than that of nylon (depending on the specific grade of material), at the same tension as nylon, the upper strings of a classical carbon-line guitar have thinner diameters. So, for example, the 3rd guitar string "sol" on carbon will have a diameter of 0.85-0.92mm instead of 1.00mm.


relative comparison of sections of guitar strings made of carbon and nylon 1st string "mi" carbon - 0.48 mm (for nylon - 0.70 mm); 2nd string "si" carbon - 0.67 mm (for nylon - 0.80 mm); 3rd string "sol" carbon - 0.87mm (for nylon - 1.00mm).


Carbon strings have an advantage over nylon in better wear resistance, but their main advantage is their greater sonority. Their only drawback is their noticeably higher cost. Carbon fiber line is 5-7 times more expensive than the best nylon line, which may be due to the fact that the production of these strings has not yet become widespread. Bass strings in carbon line sets can be made with both carbon fiber and traditional nylon, since the difference in sonority with twisted strings is less noticeable than with fishing line.

Strings on a steel monolithic basis are used very widely in pop music, where sonority (“metal”) is more valued in sound. These strings have a higher tension than synthetic ones and are used on guitars of a different, reinforced design (western models "western", "jumbo" or Russian guitars with variable neck height). The basis of these strings is high-carbon steel, superior in strength and elasticity to all brands of spring steel, which is used in the "bare" form for the upper two or three strings. As a winding of steel strings, as a rule, copper-based alloys are used, less often stainless steel or nickel. Most often used various brands of brass (in the American tradition called bronze), as well as phosphor bronze. The material of the winding differs in hardness and elasticity, giving the vibrations of the strings a different character, which is reflected in the sound of the instrument. The winding profile of "twisted" strings also varies, but the most common is the so-called "round winding" / "round wound", which provides the strings with maximum sonority, especially noticeable in the first period after installation. It should be noted that today in Russia strings of domestic production on a steel base with a winding of silver-plated copper are very popular among amateurs, which is largely due to the poor awareness of musicians about the shortcomings of such strings. The fact is that the steel base does not allow the twisted string to bend around the guitar fret as it does on synthetics, which is why strings with soft silver-plated copper fail several times faster than those with windings made of phosphor bronze, brass, stainless steel, etc. .p., without having any advantages in sound. As for the varieties steel strings with flat or semicircular winding("flat wound", "half-round wound"), lying with the flat side out, then such strings do not have the whistle of fingers on the winding turns, which is characteristic of strings with a "round winding", when changing positions. These strings give a less bright sound, which is especially noticeable in the first period after their installation, but some guitarists like to put them for this, and especially those who have to record in the studio through a microphone. They are also preferred by those performers who are strongly annoyed by the change in the timbre of round-wound strings over time, caused by the gradual flattening of the winding at the points of contact with the frets.

At the turn of the 21st century, two new species have been developed in the United States steel strings with synthetic shell bass strings. The first type is distinguished by the fact that a thin tape winding made of synthetic material is placed on top of the traditional metal round winding. It is designed to protect the twisted string from the penetration of sweat and dirt from the fingers between the turns of the winding, as well as to slow down the flattening of the turns of the winding of the strings upon contact with the frets. The second type of strings differs from the first one in that here the winding wire itself is already enclosed in a plastic sheath, which is why the interturn gaps of the winding are less insured against sweat and dirt, but this design protects against breakdown of the turns no worse, and perhaps even better than the first. Both are good ideas, especially for those players who would like to maximize the life of their twisted strings, and especially for those who have a naturally caustic sweat chemistry that can corrode the metal of the winding. However, in addition to the noticeably higher cost, the plastic-wrapped strings are devoid of that iridescent ("brilliant", as professionals say) overtones characteristic of round-wound strings in the first hours of playing, which is so appreciated by professional guitarists that for the sake of this alone they are ready to put on a new one. a set of strings for every concert or studio session.

Strings on steel cable They began to bring to Russia literally the last 2-3 years. Manufacturers present them as classical guitar strings (apparently because of their softness), but rather they are intermediate strings between nylon and steel, since when installed on an instrument, they immediately impress classical guitarists with the fact that they practically do not stretch and quickly change pitch with a minimum turn of the pegs, which is typical of steel-based strings. So far, even in Moscow, these strings are quite rare due to the low demand - they are quite expensive and too unusual / unusual.

About guitar scales

For all varieties of guitar strings, there are many sizes, which is determined by the various requirements of musicians, the design and scale of their instruments. A little more about the latter. Unlike bowed instruments, where the working string length of a full (4/4) instrument is the same, guitars can vary quite a lot in their scale. There are instruments with a scale from 610 mm to 674 mm, on which the same set of strings will have different tensions. To get identical string tension, heavier (almost always thicker) strings should be used for a shorter guitar. Recently, the size of 648-650mm is increasingly considered the standard scale of a guitar, although the author of this article has his own point of view on what the exact scale of a guitar should be, which can be read in the article Standardization of Scales of Stringed Instruments and Methods for Calculating Them.

About string tension

Guitarists who play "metal" are accustomed to determining the string tension by the number of the first string, indicated in thousandths of an inch. For example, a set of #10 steel warp strings is a set whose first string has a diameter of 0.010 inches = 0.254 mm. However, few people pay attention to the diameters of the bass strings, and in vain. American strings for steel-based acoustic guitars, which are very widely represented in Russia, are usually designed for instruments played with a pick. These kits provide for a stronger bass string tension than traditionally preferred by most Russian performers, who often play with their fingers in the right hand, have instruments of a different design and rather prefer not the volume of the sound, but the richness of its timbre and long "sustain", i.e. the duration of the sound inherent in strings with less tension.

The graph shows the tension of two types of steel strings for a six-string guitar. The differences concern only "bass" strings with winding, starting from the third. The upper graph shows the tension of the “loud” strings, the lower graph shows less loud ones, but with more “sustain”, as well as richer timbres.

The tension of synthetic-based guitar strings is also determined based on the sections of the strings. At the same time, it is important to understand that only homogeneous materials can be compared by cross-sections - for example, nylon with nylon, carbon with carbon. Comparing nylon with carbon in terms of diameters is illegal due to the difference in density between these materials. At the same time, we note that the difference in the tension of nylon fishing line of different diameters is negligible - even a difference of 0.002 inches / 0.05 mm is not significant for the tension of the strings, because. nylon is almost 8 times lighter than steel. When comparing carbon line, the same difference of 2 thousandths of an inch will be slightly larger - again due to its greater density.

findings

When choosing strings, it is mainly necessary to build on what kind of sound (timbre) you personally like, what instrument you have at your disposal, and even what kind of music you play. For a novice guitarist who has absolutely no experience, when choosing strings, the following can be very approximately advised:

• if you like the classical sound of the Spanish guitar or for some reason only soft strings are suitable for you - you should opt for synthetic strings (nylon / carbon), but you should put them only on a classical guitar, otherwise the sound will be too weak and dull ;
• for those who care about sound power and sonority, and who has a large, American-style instrument ("western" / "jumbo") with a lower set of strings above the fingerboard, steel-based strings no lower than # 11 should be preferred (although this requires strong fingers)
• for those who do not want to have thick calluses on the fingers of their left hand, but who are not satisfied with the somewhat “plastic” sound of synthetic strings, we can advise you to put strings on a cable or on a steel base with low tension Nos. 9 and 10. In this case, you may need to slightly increase the height of the strings (mainly bass ones) above the fretboard due to the height of the saddle, since soft, or rather, light strings have a greater range of vibration and can touch the frets when playing with forced sound extraction.

And one more tip for beginner guitarists - always tune the strings to the tuning fork. In addition to the fact that an incorrectly tuned instrument cannot sound fully, if you overtighten it, you risk ruining it. If the strings are held for a long time with a constriction, they can, if not break, then stretch out, and in the correct system they will sound worse. A weak tension is also undesirable, since the sound will be less loud and resonant, and the system will "float". Even the most expensive "heaped" strings in the wrong tuning will sound worse than simple, but correctly tuned and matched to the instrument and hands of a particular performer.

Being able to play the guitar has always been an honor. Even having learned a few chords, you can already play simple songs in the yard or near the fire to raise your mood and morale. But there are times when, due to negligence or from prolonged use, the strings on the guitar are torn. In order not to interrupt the holiday, you should always have a spare set of strings with you. This is where the main question arises: "But how to choose the strings for an acoustic guitar?"

String types

For an acoustic guitar, there is a choice: to install nylon or metal strings (on the same electric guitar it is possible to install only metal ones). These are two opposite camps. There is still debate about which strings are best for acoustic guitar. In fact, it all depends on the person. Acoustic guitar strings sound different. That is why there are so many of them. There are a lot of different kits that differ from each other in various parameters that affect the sound and quality of the game. Don't forget that, among other factors, playing is also influenced by the acoustic guitar itself. What strings are best for beginners?

Strings for beginners

The first steps in mastering the guitar are always difficult. It is very important that from the very beginning a person enjoys playing the guitar, otherwise he will soon give up this business. Since the strings are the main element of the guitar, the approach to their selection should be in the first place. For beginners, nylon ones are best, since they have all the parameters that are useful to them.

Pros and cons of nylon strings

For beginners, nylon strings are best, as synthetics are much easier to play. Metal is a much harder material than synthetics, so it's more difficult to strike your first chords on such strings. Synthetics, in turn, are a softer material, so learning to play on it will be many times easier.

For untrained fingers, the first loads will be quite large, so you need to do everything possible to reduce the load on them. In addition, synthetics are not so detrimental to the skin: although at first it will hurt to clamp the frets, but then you quickly get used to it.

But everything is not as simple as it seems. Synthetics are a soft material, which is why it is prone to deformation. Because of this property, acoustics need to be constantly adjusted as the strings stretch. They are also less durable, so you should be careful and try not to tear them.

Nylon on the guitar does not sound as loud as metal. Its sound is more muffled, but soft. Therefore, when playing "forte" you need to put more effort.

Pros and cons of metal strings

Metal strings are made of a stronger material, which gives them such strength. They are more durable and unpretentious to other conditions. They also don't deform as much. This makes it possible to keep them taut (no need to adjust them every time). The best acoustic guitar strings are metal. They are rightfully considered as such, because their sound is more sonorous and loud.

But they have a number of disadvantages. Due to their strength, metal strings are made thinner. Especially for beginners, this results in thick calluses on the left hand. If, out of a spiritual impulse, you re-study, then you can erase your fingers into the blood, and these are not just words. That is why it is important for yourself to choose the norm, several hours a day, in order to avoid overwork and bloody blisters. In addition, it will be much more difficult to pinch chords than on synthetics, since metal is a harder material. Here you need to apply all your strength to make a sound.

Which strings to choose

So what are the best strings for acoustic guitar? Well, for this it is worth considering all the factors. If a person is just starting to play music, then it is better to put nylon strings, since it is easiest to learn from them, if with experience, then metal ones, because they have a more beautiful sound.

How to change strings on an acoustic guitar

If suddenly the purchased guitar turned out to be with a set of metal strings, but nylon ones were required, it does not matter. The question of how to change the strings on an acoustic guitar is solved very quickly.

The first step is to buy a new set of strings. They are sold in any music store, and there are plenty of them on the Internet. After that, it remains only to remove the old ones and fix the new ones.

Old strings need to be removed starting from the pegs (things that are attached to the headstock). By reducing the tension, you can easily untangle them with your fingers and remove them from the peg. Then the knot on the bridge (the base on which the strings are attached near the right hand) is simply untied. Then, having done the reverse procedure, they put on new strings, starting from the lower bridge and ending with the pegs.

Valuable advice: the strings for an acoustic guitar are best changed not according to the principle from top to bottom, but from the sides. That is, first the sixth and first strings are put on, then the fifth and second, and only then the fourth and third. The headstock is designed so that pairs of pegs hold the strings in that order. The farthest pair of pegs is responsible for the first and sixth. Same with the middle and third pair of pegs.

In fact, there is nothing complicated here, you just need to practice a little.

Best Strings

You always want to have something very high quality and reliable. The same applies to strings. As a rule, acoustic guitar strings installed at the time of purchase do not shine with quality. That is why it is recommended to change the strings after buying an instrument. The best option would be the famous brand dedicated to guitars, Fender. He collected the best in himself. This pleasure is more expensive than other strings, but it's worth it.

This article will present the strings of the most famous brands, and which ones you will like - decide for yourself, but remember that in order to successfully master the technique of playing the electric guitar, it is important to learn not only the basics of this art, but also to clearly determine which particular strings suitable for you and your instrument. The main parameters that should guide the choice will be described below, as well as the characteristics of the brands of the most famous guitars.

Main criteria

To determine which strings are best for an electric guitar, knowing the three main parameters that should be followed when choosing them will help you. Here is a simple list of them:

1. The material they are covered with.
2. The shape of the string winding.
3. Caliber.

Both the sound and the convenience of playing the guitar depend on the above characteristics.

Coating material

Electric guitar strings are made of either silver or steel. But the braid is made of different materials. Moreover, there are various techniques for its application, which differ in the form of braiding the core.

But what should you choose among today's variety and which strings are best for electric guitar? It’s up to you to choose, and you should start from the braid first. Here are her options:

• Synthetic nylon coating that makes the strings comfortable for calmer styles of guitar music. Professionals pull them to the limit, and the sound is very clear, but for beginners, this playing technique is not easy.
• Nickel-plated strings are very widely used for the most popular brands of electric guitars. They sound very warm and harmonious, but, alas, they are very impractical, since nickel is a soft material. But playing them is easy and simple.
• Steel-coated strings are not as popular as they are slightly more expensive than nickel-plated strings. But on the other hand, such a winding is the best option, since the sound is clearer, more voluminous and brighter, only the frets suffer from such a neighborhood much more.
• Nickel-plated steel strings combine the advantages of both. Therefore, they can be regarded as the best option for which electric guitar strings to buy.

Winding form

Each of the coating materials is applied to the core of the string in a special way and directly affects the sound production. Here are four winding schemes:

1. The flat shape is the most gentle on the fretboard. It makes the string very smooth and easy to play. It also gives a muffled harmonious sound, devoid of the side effect of moving the fingers. They are very fond of jazzmen.
2. The round shape of the winding is classic, as it is very inexpensive and widespread (because of its simplicity). The downside is that the sills wear out an order of magnitude faster. The sound is characterized by a whistle from slipping fingers, which many musicians turn from a minus into a plus, as a kind of expression of the main musical idea.
3. The semi-circular shape of the winding may please newcomers, as it incorporates elements of the two previous coating schemes. Initially, a round winding is made, which in the next step is subjected to pressure, which gives the tactile sensations of a flat string.
4. The hexagonal shape of the winding is also a combination of the two styles and wins in terms of sound beauty due to the hexagonal profile. Nevertheless, the sills wear out much faster.

In addition, some string sets are marked FL, which means they have a Floyd Rose tremolation system. They are characterized by the absence of special coils attached to the machine. Therefore (although such strings can be found infrequently), pay attention to such a mark.

Diameter

Often, when you get into a conversation between two guitarists, you can hear something like: “No, the nine sound is not as cool as the ten! Take it and you won't go wrong!" So what are they discussing? And they talk about the thickness of the string, that is, about its caliber, and the choice of a set should be guided primarily by the diameter of the first and sixth, which are designated as 9-42. In inches, this is reported as 0.009-0.042.

For beginners, thinner strings are suitable, since thick strings are difficult to master for unworked fingers. But the sound of a thin string vibrates less intensively, therefore it is not so juicy and bright. Most musicians use 10-46 or 9-42 calibers, but it's worth starting with 8-38 nonetheless. It’s just not worth getting involved in playing the latter for a long time, because it’s more expedient to switch to a thicker caliber and extract a more voluminous sound. To "cut" heavy metal, you can use strings with a diameter of 11 or 12. But in general, the choice should be made based on your own experience and playing style.

What are the calibers

1. Thin - from 0.008-0.009, ideal for beginners who learn the very basics of the art of playing the guitar. But over time, it is better to switch to thicker strings in order to improve the quality of sound production.
2. Medium - 0.010, are distinguished by a balance between the sound of the string and its thickness. This caliber is widely used by performers of various genres.
3. Thick - from 0.011 to 0.013, are favorites for representatives of metal culture, since playing such strings requires great skill and virtuoso skills. Sound production is very bright, juicy and expressive.

To help you choose the strings that are right for you, here is a list of well-known manufacturers, after reading which it will become much clearer for you how to choose electric guitar strings based on your own preferences.

• Elixir. The company produces high quality strings, which, unfortunately, are not cheap. Of the main advantages, one can single out a deep timbre of sound that envelops every note. The Elixir strings are coated with a polymer winding, which is quite pleasant to the touch. And it is thanks to her that they do not get salted and last longer. In general, choosing disappointed you will not. After all, based on the foregoing, they are practical and pleasing to the ear.
• D addario. They are a real dinosaur of the instrumental market, as the strings of this manufacturer have proven themselves well a century ago. Moreover, "Dadario" is still ubiquitous and loved by the people. Admirers can be found all over the world, which is not surprising, because D addario are time-tested and can be trusted. Moreover, at a price they are more affordable than the strings of other manufacturers.
• Ernie Ball. They differ primarily in that they are sealed in foil packaging, and not in a plastic bag. The strings are created using the latest developments in this area. The outer coating is made of a special anti-corrosion alloy, which in itself is a huge plus. In addition, Ernie Ball are reinforced with a special titanium wire, which allows you to better keep the system. But they are much more expensive than their competitors.
• Dunlop. Strings for electric guitar, also distinguished by an unusual packaging VCI (Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor), which is a special envelope, the manufacturing technology of which allows you to keep the strings in the most favorable conditions. They are made in North America and are universal for any style of performance.

Ibanez

The electric guitar from this Japanese manufacturer is known worldwide, as "Ibanez" became a pioneer on the way to the US music market. This brand has its own, very complicated history.

Initially, the company was engaged in selling Italian-made guitars. But in light of the tragic events (civil war) that occurred in Italy, the workshop for the manufacture of instruments was destroyed, and the Japanese acquired the rights to manufacture guitars under their own name, setting up their production.

Chip are horned guitars with deep cutouts. With the advent of the 80s of the last century, the Roadster Guitar and Roadster Deluxe models gained popularity, the tremolo of which is Floyd Rose, and the colors are very bright and fashionable.

To date, the Ibanez electric guitar is known everywhere and is quite democratic at a price that varies from $200 to $1500. Therefore, you can safely stop your choice on it.

Yamaha

Electric guitars from this Japanese manufacturer have received recognition from a wide range of musicians. At a price they are quite affordable, and in terms of quality they can compete for first place among representatives of the most expensive brands. The history of their production began in the 60s, when the company's acoustic models made a serious sensation among guitarists around the world.

It is noteworthy that when creating the first electric guitar, Yamaha foresaw the increased interest of the people in a new (at that time) type of instrument, and they were right. Moreover, the affordable price was initially, which is also a kind of marketing ploy.

Today, the enterprising and practical Japanese have a fairly wide selection of models, and, most likely, among them there is “the very option” for you.

Fender

It is the most favorite brand among hard rock and heavy metal artists. And it all started with the fact that back in 1946, Leo Fender founded a company for the production of this wonderful instrument. Nowadays, the factory produces personalized guitars, which are made individually, following all the wishes of the customer.

In addition, Fender re-releases old models that have become hits for true music lovers. Stratocaster and Telecaster have long established themselves as excellent instruments, becoming the standard of sound.

Now the company has many models, including: Jaguar, Jazzmaster, Mustang, Roscoe Beck Bass and Prodigy. But, in addition to excellent ones, it produces various devices, amplifiers and other electronics for a cool sound. The price of the tool varies from 800 to 3000 $.

In general, when choosing which strings for an electric guitar are best, trust your hearing, tastes and preferences, and then your heart will tell you.