How to choose acoustic guitar strings. What are the best strings for electric guitar? Brands you can trust

Where do you get new guitar strings? Personally, I prefer to buy them in ordinary music stores, having felt them live, at the same time exchanging jokes with the local sellers I have known for a long time. However, you can order guitar strings online without any worries.

Wandering through the expanses of online stores, you probably noticed that the types of guitar strings for sale are quite numerous. Of course, after that, the question could not help but arise, since how to choose strings for a guitar, how not to make a mistake with the choice when buying? These questions need to be dealt with in advance.

Varieties of strings according to the material of manufacture

There are three main types of strings, these are:

1. Organic gut (Catgut) - traditional strings made from animal sinew and wrapped with wire. Despite their short service life, many guitarists still prefer to install only gut strings on their instrument.
2. Nylon strings are favored by classical guitarists. They are soft and supple, and therefore suitable for beginners. The three tenor strings (lower) are made of nylon line, and the three bass strings are nylon threads wound in the form of gold or silver-plated wire.
3. Steel is the most popular type of string. The sound of the instrument on which these strings are placed has a bright and sonorous timbre. The winding of steel strings is made of a wide variety of materials: nickel, phosphor bronze, brass and others.

About different types of string windings

Let's talk in more detail about wrapping, or string wrapping as it is sometimes called. The wire covering the core of the strings can be made in several versions.

1. Round braid is the cheapest to manufacture, which means that the cost of guitar strings will be lower. The main disadvantages: creaking of fingers on the strings when playing, rapid wear due to contamination of the sinuses of the braid.
2. The flat braid eliminates unnecessary sounds. Such strings are put on a guitar for the sake of a studio recording. Main disadvantage: less bright sound than roundwound strings.
3. A semicircular braid is a hybrid that includes both the pros and cons of the two previous types.

What is string tension?

Before choosing guitar strings, find out what their tension is: light (light), medium (medium) or heavy (heavy). Several factors affect the tension force: their length, mass, tuning frequency, diameter, winding material and core size.

It is believed that the stronger the tension, the louder and brighter the instrument sounds. If it is light, the instrument is quiet and melodious. Another nuance is that strings with a heavy tension will not be so easy to press on the frets, and therefore, for beginners, to make playing easier, it is recommended to take the strings of the lightest tension.

The most popular manufacturing companies and the cost of guitar strings

D'Addario and LaBella have long produced a wide range of strings for classical and acoustic guitars. They are considered the most popular manufacturers - all their types of guitar strings have excellent characteristics and are not sold at such a high price (about $ 10).

Separately, there are the strings of the French manufacturer Savarez. They are made of high-strength materials, have excellent sound data, and therefore their cost is high (from $20).

The most popular string manufacturers for electric guitars and basses are Elixir and DR. Their prices are very democratic: for electric guitars - from 20 USD, for a four-string bass - from 70 USD.

Why can't steel strings be used on a classical guitar?

The mechanics of the tuning pegs and the bridge in a classical guitar are made of lightweight materials. Therefore, only nylon strings can be put on this type of guitar - they are soft and not very stretched, which means they are not able to break and ruin the instrument.

Steel strings are used on guitars with reinforced construction, such as acoustic six-strings. Well, if you try to put nylon strings on an electric guitar, then see for yourself that the pickup simply cannot read sound vibrations from them.

Conclusion

So, in the matter of choosing strings, you need to focus on the instrument itself, its strength or, conversely, softness, on the level of your technical skill (tight or light stretch), on the practical purpose of the instrument (training, concert, studio, etc.), well and on the traditions that have developed in guitar schools (preferences for materials of one type or another).

Of course, one of the most important criteria, and for some the main one, is the cost of guitar strings. And yet, pay attention also to the packaging of the strings - it should contain not only the characteristics of the product, but also the main data of the manufacturer. Carefulness will protect you from buying a fake.

Check out other posts on the subject of the guitar. You may be interested in and. Subscribe to site updates to receive new articles directly to your email inbox - the subscription form is at the very bottom of this page.

Nylon or metal strings? Many guitar players have gone through (or are going through) the complicated process of selecting strings.

Let's start with the most common metal strings. They really captivate guitarists with their sonorous sound, excellent sustain and, most importantly, familiar sound. But you have to pay for everything. First, pain in the fingers. You can bet that I can play for hours and nothing will happen. I can do that too. But it's about learning. I personally remember very well how my fingers hurt after five minutes of playing (I studied metal).

There are many parameters that characterize strings. The main ones are the thickness of the first string and the force of the string tension. The thickness is from 0.08 to 0.15 mm (or so). Good strings ( , ) should have the diameters of ALL strings and preferably the preload (in kilograms) written on them. These numbers are important. Experiment with different types and brands of strings, don't be afraid to make mistakes. But I want to warn you: too thin strings are difficult to handle. They are easy to press, but are VERY hard to tune and can go out of tune when the string is pressed hard between the nut.

Secondly, if your goal is not just strumming in the yard (nylon is definitely not suitable for this purpose), then try to find a professional metal guitarist (of course, there are such, but they are few). The fact is that the soft nylon sound is perfect for chamber performance. And in general, the speed of the game on nylon is really higher than on metal.

metal strings less prone to aging than nylon strings. If nylon needs to be changed every two months, then metal lasts six or more. But here we need to make a reservation that in general the first two strings fail (i.e. stop building, change the color of the sound) much earlier than the rest, so you can often replace them (only if spare ones are included).

I'll say right away: nylon strings more difficult to tune, the fact is that the desired tone just has to be caught like a flea. You just have to get used to it. Nylon strings are suitable for all types of guitar music where you need fast passages, tremolo, vibrato or just picks. Where the rich sound of six strings at the same time is needed, nylon lies on the shoulder blades: metal strings are excellent when playing with a strike.

Now a few words about guitars. There are guitars either only for nylon, or only for metal. There is no other! St. Petersburg old guitars do not count - they really fit both types of strings, but the sound left much to be desired. What strings were at the time of purchase (of course, in the store), these should be installed when replacing. The fact is that technically a replacement is possible, but what will be the consequences? A guitar may simply not build, or its neck may bend (believe me, this is possible), the manufacturer will not wish anything bad.

As a result, I still advise you to learn to play nylon, and then make a choice. After all, it is easier for a real guitarist to switch from one type of string to another than for a beginner.

Which nylon strings to choose?

The typical choice of a professional guitarist is nylon strings high tension (High Tension) with a silver-plated winding. Beginning guitarists are usually advised by instructors to use normal tension strings, as they are easier to play, although they do not get the nuances of sound production that are available on high tension nylon. It can also be advised not to install silver-plated strings on low-quality guitars. Pay special attention to the frets. If the fret polishing leaves much to be desired, but you still want to use nylon strings, then the best choice is strings with a copper (or copper alloy-based) braid. They will "live" longer, although their sound is initially less bright.

When choosing "voices", the determining factor is the quality of their processing. There are polished and polished (matte) surfaces, each has its own "sound" nuances. Polished strings are the most widely used. This is due to the fact that they emit less overtones during fast passages.

Now - a couple of general rules for communicating with strings:

1) Never put the old strings again - it threatens with breaks and an eternally out of tune guitar.
2) After setting the strings, let the guitar lie down for at least a day (just pre-tune it) so that the strings stretch. You should not start playing right away - the strings will get out of tune very quickly - there will be little pleasure.
3) Do not play the guitar with dirty or greasy hands - the strings will deteriorate.
4) Periodically wipe the neck of your guitar along with the strings - it won't get worse, but the strings will be nice.
5) If a string breaks, it is better to replace all six - all the same, the sound of the new one will stand out from the general background.
6) If the guitar SUDDENLY stops building, do not throw it away, just try changing the strings for new ones.

Information provided- site Secrets of a Musician, author Izotov

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.

At any music forum, the same topic is necessarily created. Every aspiring guitarist asks us the same question. And every young musician is always faced with the same problem - the choice of strings for his brand new acoustic guitar. And, indeed, today it is easier to decide on a guitar than on strings! And around everyone is only advised to try, understand and choose the best option for yourself. But what about a newbie who first encountered such a problem ?!

We would like to lend a helping hand to beginner guitarists and tell a little about the different types of strings and their brands. And although the choice of strings really depends on the preferences of the musician, we still share with you our personal experience and our opinion about these or other manufacturers. Perhaps this will answer not only some of your questions, but also help you decide what you need.

Material foundations

The key qualities of strings: sound, durability and playability depend on the material from which they are made. So the first thing to decide is the material of the winding of your future strings. Go!

Variety of brands

Something, but there is no shortage of different brands of strings for acoustic guitars today. And it is not surprising that it is difficult for any novice guitarist to make an independent choice for the first time. So let's dwell on the most famous modern brands in a little more detail and see what seasoned ones say about them.

• Dean Markley. There have been no negative reviews about these strings yet - they sound great and are reasonably priced. Their only drawback is the service life.

• Ernie Ball. Another string option that perfectly combines quality and price. They serve for a long time, sound good, tactile sensations are pleasant, and they are not very expensive. In short, a good start!

• Olympia. Another standard string option that combines an affordable price, good sound and reliability.

• Rotosound. Perhaps, the strings of this brand can be described as follows: just strings. They have no outstanding qualities, as well as especially negative traits. Strings and all.

So we went over all the well-known manufacturers of acoustic guitar strings and their products. And what conclusion can be drawn from all this?! Obviously, many strings of many brands are a specific accessory, the choice of which is still worth growing and trying a lot. So if you are buying replacement strings for the first time and are not yet in the mood for experiments, our advice to you is to take something simpler, such as D'Addario, La'Bella, Olympia or GHS of medium hardness. They will give a fairly clear sound, and will not create discomfort during the game.

Otherwise, the forums do not lie - throughout your creative activity, you will have to try more than one set of strings and give your own opinion to many manufacturers before you find the perfect one!

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.