Strings are the main working element of the guitar, which determines the comfort and quality of the game. Each musician has his own preferences in this regard, developed on the basis of many years of experience. It is more difficult for beginners - they only have to start searching, which may not always end successfully. How to reduce the percentage of errors? What should you pay attention to?

How to choose acoustic guitar strings

The strings give the guitar personality. The peculiarity of the game is influenced by their thickness - it contributes to the appearance of volume in the sound. According to this criterion, all strings are divided into three groups:

1. Thin. They do not require excessive pressure during the game, but they sound quiet.
2. Medium. They strike the right balance between grip strength and pleasant sound.
3. Thick. Designed for experienced guitarists with trained left hand fingers. Demonstrate a rich and juicy sound.

Beginners are usually advised medium thickness strings. Sets 0.10-0.48 and 0.11-0.52 are considered the best in terms of sound transmission.

The second criterion when choosing strings for acoustics is the type of winding. It is peculiar to the fourth, fifth, sixth and sometimes third string. Winding happens:

• flat - characterized by a matte, slightly muffled sound;
• round - has a bright and sonorous sound.

The third string can be both without winding and with it (thicker in sets). In the latter case, the sound becomes more beautiful and rich, but due to the thinness of the winding, it has to be changed regularly along with the rest of the set of strings.

Unwound strings are more durable, but exhibit fewer overtones, which can cause the sound to be perceived as out of harmony. It should be remembered - the more often the winding, the more deaf and "bass" the sound is.

Much depends on the material used. Usually there are such options:

The choice of strings is a purely individual task. You have to try and compare. It is recommended to study the "habits" of your favorite musicians and play with the same strings they use.

Many beginners decide to stick with copper. This material, due to its good performance and low cost, enjoys continued popularity.

Be careful when buying silver wound strings. Most often, these are just copper wires coated with a very thin layer of silver, which is quickly erased (especially if the product is Korean or Chinese-made). It is believed that such a winding mainly affects the aesthetics, and not the sound quality. Although some musicians are confident in the indispensability of silver in the performance of fingering. If possible, it is better to try such strings yourself and draw your own conclusions.

The choice of strings is influenced by the type acoustic guitar- classical or pop. Classic models mainly used in teaching the game. The following strings are used for these instruments:

Pop instruments involve working with such strings:

1. On a monolithic steel base with a copper or bronze winding.
2. With semi-circular or flat winding. Subspecies of the previous version. They do not emit a characteristic “whistling” when sliding fingers, they are distinguished by dullness on bass strings and sonority on windless ones.
3. Steel, covered with a layer of thin synthetics.

The pop guitar assumes that the user already has some playing experience, so the strings are used harder and harder, which has a positive effect on the brightness of the sound.

How to choose electric guitar strings

All electro guitar strings have a steel core. It can have a winding of the following materials:

Nickel-plated strings are more popular, steel models are much less common.

There are several types of winding:

1. Round. The simplest and most inexpensive option, which has pronounced disadvantages in the form of:
   • looseness to the core, which causes the “looseness” of the winding in case of damage to the string;
   • relief profile, provoking the occurrence of "whistling" when sliding fingers;
   • roughness, which accelerates the wear of the fretboard and frets.
2. Flat. An improved type of wrapping that does not show "whistle" and provides less wear on the fretboard and frets. The strings are comfortable to play, but not as bright as roundwound models.
3. Semicircular. Combines the bright sound of round strings with the tactile feel of flat strings.
4. Hexagonal. Due to the close contact of the core with the winding, the best sound quality is achieved. True, at the same time, the wear of the lining and sills is accelerated (the process takes place in less time than in the case of a round winding). Also hexagonal strings are not very comfortable.

You need to select the winding, guided by your own ideas about what the sound should be like, as well as the budget allocated for the purchase. Any option can be a good choice in a particular case.

The best gauge of electric guitar strings is ten (0.010). It is this thickness that allows you to combine a sufficient level of rigidity with the density of the sound. "Eights" (0.008) are suitable only during the training period, you should not linger on them for a long time: the strings are very soft and thin, which affects the sound. Strings from 0.011 and “older” are difficult because of their thickness, but they show a spacious and powerful sound.

Knowing your instrument is the main task of a musician. Therefore, the selection of strings should be experimental. "Like" the guitar? Did she sound? Only through trial and error can you find the "those" strings that will help you achieve your own sound and develop 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. negative feedback I haven't heard of 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 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 many sets of strings and make your own assessment of many manufacturers before you find the perfect one!

When choosing strings for classical guitar, many guitarists do not think about the possibility of experimenting with various types materials: most musicians are still convinced that only nylon sets or their traditional, but more expensive counterpart, intestinal strings, can be installed on a classical (Spanish) guitar. However, this is not at all the case: in this material you can find out which strings for classical guitar are better, what types of them are on the market today, and which models are most popular.

How to choose strings for classical guitar: basic production technologies

IN general sense"Classic" guitar strings are sets for instruments with a fan spring system, having a total tension in the range of 30 ... 45 kg, in the American tradition of playing the classics, sets with a tension of up to 50 kg are also quite popular.

Currently on the market are the following types strings for classical:

• Traditional intestinal;
• Synthetic ("nylon");
• Reinforced synthetic ("carbon");
• With steel core;
• Synthalic;

What are the best strings for classical guitar?

Everyone can unequivocally answer this question for himself - we will tell you about the features of each type of kit.

intestinal strings (gutstrings)- very often they are also called "core". By the way, this name is erroneous - they are made far from veins or tendons, but from the intestines of animals: mainly domestic sheep. To date, it is very difficult to find such sets in free sale: firstly, they are not very practical (the smell is “for an amateur”, rather fast wear), and secondly, the cost of such strings is extremely high.

Used mostly by amateurs. early music, for the most part, the use of intestinal strings is disposable: despite the development of production technology and the use of impregnations and protective compounds, due to moisture and temperature, the strings usually become unusable after one concert.

Synthetic strings- conventionally they are called nylon. They were invented by Augustine back in the 40s of the last century, when participation in World War II forced large industrial countries to look for cheaper and more affordable materials for the medical field. So engineers invented synthetic thread called nylon.

The top three strings (the thinnest) are a monolithic nylon line ("monofilament"). The three lower strings (thick, "bass") are a monolithic fishing line or an interweaving of several nylon lines ("polyfilament") in the core, which is covered on the outside by a metal winding. Classic material Braid is considered to be a round profile wire made of silver-plated copper.

What silver plating is for: It gives classical guitar strings a more attractive appearance, protects fingers from staining due to contact with copper, and also serves as an excellent indicator of set wear.

The disadvantage of copper winding is its softness, which is especially noticeable on the 4th string (the thinnest braid) at the point of contact with the frets. IN last years To solve this problem, manufacturers use pure copper, and alloys: nickel silver, phosphor-bronze, brass, etc. Note that alloys do the sound of a classical guitar is more velvety and "matte".

Reinforced synthetic strings- are made from the invention in the late 90s. in Japan, a polymer composition with a very long name, which in everyday life musicians and manufacturers, by common agreement, began to call "carbon". The density of this material is more than 1.5 times higher than that of nylon - this makes it possible to produce thinner strings with identical guitar tuning and at the same tension. The picture below shows how the diameter of traditional and reinforced synthetic strings differs at equal tension:

1. First string (Mi): 0.7 and 0.54 mm
2. Second string (Bi): 0.8 and 0.61 mm
3. Third string (G): 1 and 0.76 mm

Carbon strings are thinner, but they sound brighter and more resonant compared to nylon counterparts - at the same time, the cost of reinforced sets is higher. The service life of carbon fiber kits, oddly enough, differs very little from traditional nylon kits.

Steel core strings appeared on the market as an experiment at the beginning of the 21st century and, in general, found their audience. A feature of the production technology is the use of winding on all six strings: it is applied to the core of the finest steel threads twisted into a single core. A flat nylon tape acts as a winding on thin strings, the winding of bass strings is usually made of classic silver-plated copper.

Their main feature is that the strings on a steel cable almost do not stretch and respond perfectly to the movement of the peg. They have a high cost, but they fell in love with individual performers of classical guitar music because of their softness and rather bright sound.

Synthal strings(sintal = synthetics + steel) - enough new development, the peculiarity of which is the combination of the properties of nylon and steel. Soft strings that tune very quickly and have a bright sound. Syntal strings wear out more slowly than traditional synthetic strings.

String tension for classical guitar

Due to the heavy use of synthetic materials, some classical guitar string manufacturers do not list string diameters on their sets. This is due to the lightness of polymers: even a noticeable change in the gauge of the strings will not cause a significant difference in tension due to the practically unchanged weight of the string. In such a situation, the following classification of tension for nylon strings has become more common:

• Normal/Regular Tension - normal/medium tension
• Hard/High Tension - strong tension
• Extra High Tension - very strong tension.

It should be remembered that a louder, richer and richer sound usually gives a stronger tension.

Every guitarist has to change the strings on their instrument sooner or later, either due to wear and tear, or to get a slightly different sound from the instrument. The acoustic guitar is a wonderful instrument that sounds great even in concert hall, and in a cramped apartment, and in the courtyard among multi-storey buildings, and, of course, in nature by the fire.

It will no longer be possible to change the acoustic properties, which depend on the type of wood, the composition of the varnish, the quality of the workmanship of parts. But to achieve the desired timbre and sonority by replacing the strings - this is possible.

Nylon or metal?

If we consider what types of guitar strings are, then they can be divided into two groups, which have their own varieties: nylon and metal. Each has its own characteristics, advantages and some disadvantages.

Speaking briefly about the main properties, then nylon ones are softer, and their sound is muffled. Metal is characterized by a brighter, ringing sound, but they are tougher - it is from them that guitarists form rough calluses on the fingertips of their left hand.

Soft and quiet

As already mentioned, nylon strings softer. In fact, they are nylon fishing line, at least that's what the first three look like. Only the thickness of the fishing line from the first to the third, respectively, increases. Thick basses are made up of a bundle of nylon strands that are wrapped in copper (most commonly), silver, or brass.

There is also such a thing as the degree of tension. For beginners, it is usually advised to choose normal tension - it is very difficult and painful to press High Tension nylon lines to the frets. Playing them, though easier, but some of the nuances of extracting sound, known to masters, will remain unavailable.

Experts believe that if the guitar was purchased with nylon strings, then it is better to choose the same ones when replacing. It's the same with metal ones. Nylon is usually put on the classic Spanish guitar, and for acoustic, a loud, rich metallic sound is more suitable. However, there are exceptions and special opinions among guitarists on this matter.

By the way, it happens that nylon strings are more difficult to attach to the pegs (very slippery), more difficult to tune (it is difficult to “catch” the desired pitch). Professionals advise after tightening and tuning to let the instrument lie down for a day so that the nylon stretches, and then finally tune the guitar.

Loud and loud

This is exactly what is perfect for acoustic guitar. Juicy sounding of chords, sonorous tremolo, bright playing by fighting - only metal is capable of all this. Whatever metal strings were not strung on an acoustic guitar, they will still sound louder than synthetic ones.

There are several varieties of:

Based on monolithic (piano steel) with a round winding. The first two strings are high-strength special steel wire, the third can look different: either like the first two, or have a thin metal winding. The sound with it is more velvety and pleasant, however, due to the thinness, the braid breaks very quickly. And in this case, a replacement is already necessary.

There is one remark: if one string is out of order, then it is better to change everything at once: the sound of the new one will still stand out from the general timbre. It is better not to skimp and choose to replace the entire tool kit.

With steel base and flat winding. In this case, the difference from the previous type is only in the winding: it is flat on the outside.

Steel core with synthetic sheath. The sheath can be a thin Teflon winding, or a steel wire is encased in plastic. Such protection increases their service life: they do not get dirty from contact with fingers, do not wear out, even if the frets on the guitar are not well polished. However, the special iridescent sound characteristic of a metal core with a round winding will not work here.

More about winding

In general, the sound of basses and the convenience of moving fingers over them depends largely on the winding and, first of all, what shape it has. As already mentioned, the metal winding can be round in diameter. In this case, you can get a very sonorous, juicy, iridescent sound. But the sliding of fingers on such an uneven surface is accompanied by a characteristic creak, or, as they say, a whistle, and this extraneous noise is sometimes perfectly audible to the audience.

A flat or semi-circular winding is good because it gives a perfect smooth surface. The fingers of the left hand easily and almost silently glide over it without encountering obstacles. And for beginners, pressing on such a surface is not so painful. However, the sound, although sonorous, is deprived of that special iridescence, which was mentioned above. On the bass, it has a "matte coloration" compared to the richer sound of the thin first strings.

The material from which the outer braid of the bass is made is, as a rule, copper, less often brass, silver or other alloys. Copper, of course, is cheaper, silver is more beautiful. But do not put this expensive miracle on a cheap guitar with poorly polished frets. You won’t achieve a special beauty of sound here, the silver shell will quickly tear, and you just have to change the entire set.

Diameter and tension

On the boxes with the sets, there are always numbers indicating the diameter and tension. At least, reputable companies that produce quality products (such as D'Addario, La bella, for example) must write this data on the packaging. The thickness of the first string can be from 0.08 to 0.15 mm, often this figure is indicated in inches. Thick, low tension basses can rattle when played against the frets. To avoid this, lower the neck.

As a rule, guitarists, experimenting with various parameters and brands of manufacturers, choose for themselves the most successful option (or options) that satisfies them in terms of sound and ease of sound extraction. Knowing the basics and patterns, you can personal experience choose the best strings.

We hope this article has helped you choose good strings for your guitar.