It doesn't matter if you are a professional or just starting to play the guitar, there will come a time when you need to change the strings for your favorite instrument and then the difficult task of choosing them will arise. In order to choose good, and most importantly “correct” strings, you need to know a few things. We will talk about them.

Important!!! strings different type, can only be used on the corresponding instrument. Use of strings for purposes other than those intended may result in undesirable consequences up to tool failure.

Today we will talk about how to choose, which is very popular in the musical instrument market, as well. But before that, I would like to say a little about what a string is. By by and large for a string, you can take any wire or fishing line that can not be deformed or torn with repeated use.

But if all the strings were the same thickness, then the sound of all 6, 7 or 12 strings would be the same. In order to make the sound of each string unique, in the 18th century, windings began to be used, which can be made from various metals:

Bronze:

• yellow- a bright clanging sound with good percussion, loud, beautiful, but yellow bronze requires care - it quickly oxidizes, the winding acquires a characteristic greenish color. It is better to store in a case in a dry place.
• Phosphoric- there is no such characteristic clanging, but the sound is more even, deeper, with clear bass.

What kind of bronze to choose is an amateur, but personally I prefer the first option. I want to note that if you choose bronze from good manufacturer you definitely won't regret it. The cost is from 60 - 100 UAH. average.

Copper- a cheaper version of the strings. Although their sound is clear, with a good middle, but there is no such individuality as bronze ones. In general, they sound about the same for different brands.

Silver- quite thin in structure. Their sound also has subtlety and clarity. Voiced, perfect for picking performed both with fingers and with a plectrum. But, as for me, they do not have such power when playing in combat, like bronze ones.

And also be of different types:

• Round winding. Such strings have a sonorous and bright sound.
• flat winding. These strings have a more matte, slightly muffled sound.

In this regard, the sound of the guitars was filled with great power, which guaranteed the performer an unforgettable success. In the 20th century, the range of strings becomes even more diverse. They are beginning to be made on a steel cable, synthetic, with a profile and multilayer winding, combined, bimetallic.

When choosing strings for your guitar, you should not forget that all strings are divided into 3 types: thin, medium thickness and thick (light tension, medium and strong, respectively)

• thin strings easier to press, fingers are not so tired, but their sound is quieter
• Thick sets strings sound richer and richer, but they are harder to play.
• Average thickness ideal for beginners and combines ease of clamping the strings and a pleasant sound

In terms of thickness, the best sound transmission sets are 0.10 - 0.48, 0.11 - 0.52. Strings 0.12 - 0.56 add volume, but are very hard, so it is advisable to lower the system with them a little.

Synthetic strings are used only for classical guitar, so it is not surprising that such a guitar is recommended for beginners. When playing on such strings, the fingers are not so tired, it is easier to press them to the frets. As a rule, the top three strings are synthetic nylon line, and the rest are made on a polyfilament basis. Often, craftsmen use round wire for winding.

Also, I would like to note that synthetic strings are of increased density. Their inventors are Japanese scientists, who at the end of the 20th century began to use carbon in their work, which has a density higher than that of nylon. For example, the 3rd string of this type has a diameter of 0.85-0.92 mm. The main disadvantage of such strings is high price, since such material costs 5-7 times more than nylon. But, despite this, high-density synthetic strings will provide you with pleasant guitar lessons that are sure to be effective!

• Synthetic (nylon) strings. In such sets, the first three strings are made of nylon fishing line, and the three bass strings are made of many threads of the same nylon covered with an external metal winding, mainly copper, sometimes silver or brass (phosphor bronze).
• High density synthetic strings. These strings are made from carbon fiber, which gives them a higher density and a thinner diameter. Such strings have a sonorous pronounced sound. The disadvantage is the high price.
• Strings on a steel cable. These strings are relatively soft and have different string wraps: the first three are nylon webbing, and the 4th to 6th are silver-plated copper. These strings stay in tune very well and don't stretch at all. They are not very popular, as the price is very high.
• Synthal strings. These are strings that, even at the metal level, are characterized by a high brightness of sound and the usual softness, like nylon strings. They are tuned very quickly, the winding wears out much less from contact with the frets, and these strings also make it possible to make “braces”. For several months they keep the system and juicy sound unchanged.

Strings for acoustic (pop) guitars:

• Strings on a monolithic steel base. It is definitely worth mentioning the strings on a steel monolithic base. They can be seen on acoustic guitars, which are often used in pop music. These strings are based on high strength steel. The winding is most often made of copper or phosphor bronze and it differs in hardness and elasticity. These parameters are reflected in the sound of the guitar and comfort for the fingers.
• Steel strings wrapped in fine synthetics Americans are known to us not only for the invention of new types of guitars, but also for strings. For example, creating steel strings in addition to synthetic shell bass strings. This means that the bottom layer is made of a metallic material coated with synthetic elements. Such a successful selection is ideal for those guitarists who want to practice for a long time. musical creativity on my acoustic guitar.
• Steel strings with semicircular or flat winding. Such strings belong to a variety of strings on a monolithic steel base. There is no "whistling" when the fingers slide along the string, which is characteristic of ordinary strings. They have a matte sound on the bass strings and are more sonorous on the first three, which are without winding.

Note:

• - on the frequency of winding turns: Once I bought a rather expensive set of phosphor bronze, which has a more frequent winding. As a result, I got a completely different sound - more deaf, with bass and without my favorite clanging.
• - on the manufacturer: Choose strings that are more expensive and from well-known brands that have proven themselves in the market - the strings will last longer and you will get more pleasure from playing.
• If you are a beginner and do not particularly understand the choice of strings and do not see the fundamental differences in them, you should consult with consultants in the store. They will be happy to help you choose exactly what will best suit your guitar. Very often, novice musicians mistakenly put strings that are not characteristic of it on the guitar, as a result of which, at best, you will simply get a low-quality sound, at worst, the guitar will fail.
• If you have an idol in music (it is possible that you have an analogue of his instrument), I advise you to find out which strings he plays. Knowing his preferences, you can always find a lot useful information about the parameters of his strings and make your choice based on this knowledge. For each style of music, you need to select your own set, and who, if not famous guitarists, know best what it takes to play well.

In general, the choice of strings is a very individual process: see what companies your idols use, try playing on sets of different thicknesses and different manufacturers, because the most best experience- personal. Only by trying many options, you can choose the best for yourself.

P.S. After playing the guitar, run your finger along the bottom of the string, from nut to nut. You will see the dirt that has accumulated there, it needs to be removed. Do this every time you finish playing - the strings will last you much longer. I do not advise you to wipe them with a rag that is not intended for string care - the micro fibers that remain on the strings from it accumulate between the turns of the winding and interfere with the vibrations of the string, drowning out the sound.

Good luck!

For this kind of guitars, there is a huge range of different strings on the market. Typically, classical guitar strings are made of either nylon or carbon. In addition, there are vein strings of the intestines. Classical guitar bass strings are also made from nylon, but with the addition of metal winding threads. The most commonly used winding material is silver-plated bronze or bronze with the addition of phosphorus.

Nylon strings

It's pretty popular view strings for classical guitar. Strings of this type are wear-resistant and durable. Nylon strings vary in size, so the tension must be determined from the information on the package. As a rule, the following inscriptions are present on the pack with strings: Hard, Normal or Light tension. These inscriptions are translated as strong, normal and weak tension, respectively. For guitarists, low tension strings are usually recommended. For more experienced musicians, it is recommended to purchase strong and medium tension strings.

Carbon strings

Carbon strings are made, respectively, from carbon fiber, a material superior in quality to nylon. This material was created in Japan and quickly found application in many areas, including the production of musical instruments. Carbon strings are very strong and last longer than nylon strings. In addition, carbon strings extract more ringing sound. The density of carbon fiber is higher than that of nylon, so a strong string tension can be achieved with a small diameter. The main disadvantage of this type of strings is obvious - the high price.

gut strings

These exotic strings are made from the intestines of animals and are prized primarily by hobbyists. ancient music. You won't find these strings in the free market. In the process of their creation, modern technologies to increase their service life.

Winding for bass strings

Bass string wraps also come in several types. Bronze winding without any impurities is rarely used, as such strings wear out quickly. The cost of strings with bronze winding is usually small. Silver-plated bronze wrapping on bass strings is quite common in production. Such a coating increases the life of the strings, in addition, the quality of the extracted sound also increases. The cost of this type of string is slightly higher than strings with a simple bronze winding. There are also silver-plated brass wound strings, which are highly durable. Phosphorus bronze winding is one of the most best types windings. These strings produce a very long, soft and voluminous sound.

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 from the different material: 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. great price(about 10 USD).

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, this type of guitar can only be placed nylon strings- 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.

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Strings are this fundamentally important element for playing on many musical instruments including guitars. In fact, they determine the quality and richness of the sound. But for some reason, sometimes even when choosing good tool, the quality of the strings is paid attention to in last turn. Getting the perfect tone on an acoustic guitar is a combination of great equipment, talent, technique and practice. But without good strings and their correct settings to achieve a good sound is unlikely to succeed.

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

But guitar strings are such an element of a musician's equipment, which, when correct selection can be the golden mean in finding and creating your own sound.

Become a certain "chip" of a particular artist. There are some fundamental factors to consider when choosing strings. Each of them is equally important.
So what should you pay attention to when buying acoustic guitar strings?

You will need:

String Choice: Nylon or Steel

When buying strings, pay attention to what kind of guitar you have. Since there are two types of guitars - acoustic and classical. Out of ignorance, many people generalize them and believe that this is all the same guitar, but this is not so. There are special nylon strings for classical guitars, and the neck attachment is different from acoustic guitars, so installing steel strings on classical guitar will ruin the neck, lead it, and with intensive play, it may even crack at the base.

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

Choose the thickness (gauge) of the strings

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

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

Thick strings have a variety of overtones, they are less bright, but they are much more difficult to play, especially for beginners, since it takes a lot of effort to depress the strings, and when played for a long time, this is a big load on the hands.

Choose your string material

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

Winding is of several types:

• Copper

Pretty common winding. Often used on acoustic amateur guitars. It is not very expensive, therefore, with good loads, it quickly breaks and breaks.

• Silver plated

These strings are more practical for concert performances due to its aesthetic qualities. They do not fade over time, do not rust, do not accumulate dirt and dust, as a result of which they do not leave dark prints on the hands during the game. But the sound quality of such strings is not much different from copper strings.

• brass or phosphor bronze

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

Select winding type

There are two types of winding on strings: round and flat. 80% of installed strings on guitars are roundwound. It is very common and popular, as the flat one is considered more studio and narrowly focused on specific styles and playing techniques of the guitarist.

Round-wound strings have a sonorous and colorful sound.

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

Flat wound strings give the strings a more stable and slightly muffled sound. The sound is unusual with a characteristic matte sound. good quality flat winding is the lack of whistle when sliding fingers.

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 personal experience and our opinion about certain 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!