Electric guitar strings are soft. Types and types of strings

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 represent the optimal 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 of 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 demonstrate a spacious and powerful sound.

Knowing your instrument is the main task of a musician. Therefore, the selection of strings should be experimental. Did you 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.

Usually you will find a long article of several pages, which describes all the intricacies of string selection, but in reality, the choice comes down to several essentially identical options.

What strings to choose for electric guitar? The choice of strings for electric guitar depends on your task. If you just need quality strings, or you are a beginner musician - start with the main manufacturers, market leaders: American Ernie Ball, La Bella (this company deserves special attention - for example, they invented the very strings for the electric guitar, and they have a huge assortment) or D "Addario. The most popular calibers are 9-42 (softer, it will be convenient for a beginner guitarist, easier to play solo), 10-46 (usually put on strat and similar guitars, generally the most popular caliber) and 10-52 (set by default to LesPaul, they sound slightly lower than 10-46 and slightly stiffer), and if the guitar is a 7-string start with 10-56. Traditional materials are steel strings with nickel wound (Nickel wound), start with them. For a warmer (vintage) sound, choose Pure Nickel winding, for a brighter - steel winding (Stainless Steel wound) Have you already mastered and know the right gauge? Ball and Dunlop - they are easier to achieve a hard sound, and they cope better with rough treatment.:) Strings with increased service life due to special coating - for example, Elixir, will last 3-4 times longer, it is very convenient if the guitar is not used very actively - when idle, the strings will not be exposed to the environment for a long time. Next, take a look at smaller brands like Curt Mangan or Kerly, which have their own specialties and manufacturing techniques, and they might be the best strings for you!

What strings to buy for bass guitar? For beginners, and most, standard gauge strings with soft or medium tension: 45-100 or 45-105 (40-125 or 45-125 for a 5-string guitar) from any manufacturer, with traditional nickel-plated winding, will do. Often the choice is made in favor of steelwound strings - they have a brighter tone with an extended low range. If you need strings with extended life - choose coated strings (coated) such as Elixir or other manufacturers. It is easy to find similar strings in our catalog by checking the product filters for Extended Service Life or Protective Coating. For example, the D series Addario NYXL and Ernie Ball Cobalt offer better, richer sound.

What strings to buy for classical guitar? First of all, if you are just starting to play, we recommend the average tension of the strings, so it will be easier for your hands and fingers. A stiffer tension will produce a rich and loud sound, but these strings are a little more difficult to play. Classical guitar strings are made primarily of nylon and silver-plated copper windings. Similar strings good quality at a low price offer known to everyone American companies D "ADDARIO and ERNIE BALL, or inexpensive series from the German HANNABACH - they are suitable for a beginner musician or for everyday amateur playing, and they will never disappoint you. If you are seriously learning to play the guitar and want to get an excellent sound and make the learning process more enjoyable - try SAVAREZ strings, which are recommended by most music schools and teachers. Find the strings that will maximize the sound of your guitar and will be comfortable for you!

What strings to buy for acoustic guitar? For beginners, we recommend 10-47 or 10-50 gauges, which have a softer string tension, so it will be easier for hands and fingers, it will make learning easier and more comfortable. 11-52 or 12-54 have a tighter tension, but more powerful sound output - choose these strings if you already have experience playing the guitar. The second important criterion is the material. 80/20 bronze (Bronze Alloy) is brighter, Phosphor bronze (Phosphor Bronze) is warmer and richer, and specially coated strings (Ernie Ball Everlast or Elixir) last especially long. There are other alloys, such as Aluminum Bronze or Nickel Bronze, which are brighter in the mid-high range, and more resistant to corrosion even without a special coating. Whatever you choose, they will not disappoint with their quality.

This review will introduce you to different types of guitar strings, winding types and materials from which they are made. Let's take a look at what a string is all about. By the way, any stretched thread or metal wire can be called a string. Of course, with the condition that during the game it does not stretch or tear.

And now a little history. Our ancestors, long before the appearance of guitars, used strings made from animal sinews. This type of string is called veined"strings. You can also meet those that have survived to this day" intestinal"strings. They are, you guessed it, made from animal guts. String type, which appeared in - early 19th century was completely different. These were wound strings that were able to improve the timbre of many instruments, in particular guitars. The wrapping helped reduce tension, making it much easier to play. Somewhere at the same time, another type of string appears - with a steel base or core. Although at first they were used on the piano, they later spread to other musical instruments including the guitar. 20th century with its technical progress greatly increased the variety string types. Next, we can analyze each of them in more detail.

String types.

- intestinal strings Kind of strings from this, to put it mildly, unusual material no longer produced in Russia. Although sometimes they can be found in the west, but this is already a rarity. Intestinal strings with the advent of synthetic, almost immediately, gave way to them. The main disadvantage of this string type in that they wear out very quickly near the frets and lose their qualities from high temperature or humidity, including from moisture emitted by the hands. In other words, not the best the best option;) .

- Synthetic strings The type of strings of synthetic composition as a whole can be divided into two groups:

1. Nylon strings - They are mainly used for classical guitar. They are quite soft, and are well suited for beginner guitarists. The lower 3 strings of the guitar are made of nylon fishing line, which is made of the so-called monofilament synthetics. The top three strings are made from many thin nylon threads. Such fishing line will be made from polyfilament synthetics. Usually, the winding for such string type they are used from copper in the form of a round type wire with a silver coating (Fig. 1). Silver increases wear resistance and to some extent does not allow you to stain the strings with your hands. But the numbness gradually wears out in the region of the frets. People have found a way out by experimenting with other alloys. Silver-plated brass, pure brass or phosphor bronze outperforms silver-plated copper in wear resistance.

Rice. 1

1 2. Carbon strings The material for these strings was discovered in the 20th century in Japan, and it is called fluorocarbon or carbon. The density of carbon is 90% higher than nylon. Therefore, with the same tension, a carbon fiber line can have a smaller diameter. This string type much louder than nylon. Bass strings of carbon sets can be made of both carbon and nylon, as there is no noticeable difference in sonority. Although, let's say for especially sophisticated musicians, this small difference is enough to make their choice in favor of carbon strings.

- Steel based strings

Data string types most often found in pop music, rock, blues, and also where they prefer sonority and richness of sound. These strings can be pulled three times harder than synthetic strings. In acoustics, they are usually put on guitars with more reinforced construction. These are non-classical acoustic guitars with western, jumbo, dreadnought hulls. And, of course, such strings are put on electric guitars. Because magnetic pickups simply won't be able to pick up vibrations from a nylon string. Winding, by the way, metal strings you can find different ones. The most commonly used alloys are copper-based, but can be found in stainless steel, nickel, brass, phosphor bronze.

Each winding gives its own, unique zest to the sound of the instrument. We are already familiar with the “Roundwound” winding, it can be seen again in Fig. 1. Such a winding gives maximum sonority and velvety, which is especially noticeable for the first time after installing the strings. There are two more popular winding type steel strings : "flatwound" and "groundwound", they can be seen in Fig.2. Both types of winding "eat up" the whistle and unpleasant sounds that the fingers make when sliding along the strings. This is achieved because outer side the windings are flat. Such type of strings very often used by guitarists who record in the studio through a microphone.

Rice. 2

Here, in general, that's all. Now you know, what are the strings for guitar. We conclude that to string selection should be taken quite seriously, since each type of string has its own pluses and minuses, its own characteristics, which can somewhat facilitate or complicate, and maybe even enrich guitar playing. And personally from myself I would like to advise you: experiment!;)

The strings on an electric guitar have a huge impact on the sound and playability of your instrument. If you look at the range of any online store, you will probably see the variety of strings they offer. Keep reading and you will be able to easily decide which strings you need, whether they are suitable for your guitar and playing style.

All about string thickness

Their main characteristic of any strings is the thickness, which is measured in thousandths of an inch. The thinnest strings are usually measured in .008 (commonly referred to by guitarists as simply "eight") or the thickest .56 (or simply "fifty-sixth"). The thickness of the strings has a big impact on the playability of the guitar and the overall sound.

Thin strings:

• They are usually easy to play.
• Allows for easy pull-ups
• Very easy to tear
• Sound quieter and produce less sustain
• Tends to hit the frets, resulting in a very unpleasant sound
• Have the least impact on the neck of the guitar, which is a safe choice for vintage guitars

Thick strings:

• They are usually harder to play
• Requires a lot of effort when clamping and playing bends
• Generate louder sound and sustain
• Preferred for low tunings such as
• Put more pressure on the guitar neck

String thickness designation

Most string manufacturers define string thickness using terms like "thin" or "very thick". While the exact thickness may vary slightly among manufacturers, I want to give you typical string size ranges for electric guitars:

Main string thicknesses

• Incredibly super thin: .008 .010 .015 .021 .030 .038
• Super thin: .009 .011 .016 .024 .032 .042
• Thin: .010 .013 .017 .026 .036 .046
• Medium thickness: .011 .015 .018 .026 .036 .050
• Thick: .012 .016 .020 .032 .042 .054

The set of strings is determined by the thickness from the thinnest string, which is the lowest of all the others, to the thickest, which is the highest. For example, for a medium-thick set of strings, the first string (thinnest) would be .011 inches, the second .015, the third .018, and so on.

Factors to Consider When Buying Electric Guitar Strings

Most important factors when buying are:

• Your playing style and music genre
• How often do you play
• The character and tone you want to achieve

Things that affect these factors:

• String thickness
• The material from which the strings are made
• String winding method used
• The presence of a protective coating on the strings

Now knowing all these factors, we can find the most suitable solution for you.

We have already discussed above that thinner strings are easier to play than thicker ones. If you're looking to play fast, technical solos, and intense rhythm parts, then you might want to consider thinner strings. Although, on the other hand, if you play metal and use lower tunings, then your choice should fall on thicker ones.

Those guitarists who play in genres such as blues or rock and use bends (bends) most often prefer medium thickness strings, which allow bending to be played easily and generate a richer, fatter, darker tone. Jazz guitarists most often use the thickest strings, as they practically do not play bends and have a great need for a wide range of tones.

Most beginners prefer super-thin and thin strings. Once you have mastered the basic technical skills and your fingers become more flexible and strong, you will be able to move on to thicker options (because of their specific benefits, which we discussed above).

In order to find the right string thickness for you, you should rely solely on your playing style and experiment as much as possible. Try strings of different sizes, brands and you will probably find the ones that are most "attractive" to your fingers and ears.

Difference between different types strings can be quite "thin" and at first glance incomprehensible to you. The only advice I can give you is to listen to your own personal taste and choose what is comfortable for your fingers and ears.

Also keep in mind that the transition to new type strings may require you to adjust their height above the fretboard, as well as Negative consequences for your technology.

String durability

I have a question for you: how often do you play the guitar? If you're a guitar player who plays, say, a few times a month and has a penchant for "light touch" playing, then you can safely buy less expensive strings and not think they'll be finished in, say, a couple of weeks. On the other hand, if you play often and hard, then you should buy more expensive strings, as they will remain playable for quite a long time. Most guitar manufacturers price their strings according to their durability, which depends on the materials they are made from.

materials

All electric guitar strings are made of steel, nickel or any other magnetically conductive alloy. Why magnetically conductive? Because these alloys are great for transmitting vibrations generated by strings directly to pickups that use a magnetic field to pick up sound (I wrote about this in more detail in the article:). The type of plating or coating applied to the steel alloy has a significant effect on the sound of the strings. Here are some tonal characteristics the most common materials used in the manufacture of guitar strings:

Nickel-plated steel: has a balanced brightness and warmth with more attack

Pure Nickel: has a slightly lower brightness compared to nickel-plated steel and with more pronounced warmth

Stainless steel: has a bright, crisp tone with sustain, as well as anti-corrosion properties.

Chromium: has a characteristic warm tone with less resonance. Jazz and blues are often preferred by guitarists.

Titanium: has a bright tone and excellent durability

Cobalt: has a wide dynamic range with outstanding brightness

polymer coating: has less sustain than uncoated strings, but is still resistant to corrosion

Color Coating: some coatings have color dyes, which gives visual appeal

Types of string braid

The first, second, and sometimes even third strings do not have a "wire" braid wound over the string. The rest, or as they are also called bass strings, have it. The following are the types of braids and how they affect playability and tone:

• Round braid: most popular view braid that has a noticeably ribbed structure and produces more sustain, attack and bite. Also this species braids wear out the neck and frets quite a lot.
• Semicircular: has a smoother texture and produces a darker tone and less attack compared to round.
• Flat braid: has a very smooth tactile quality, as well as a rather dark tone. Popular with jazz and blues guitarists.

Signs It's Time to Change Your Strings

1. It is becoming more and more difficult to set up and keep the instrument in service;
2. You can see that the strings have rusted and are beginning to fade or are already faded;
3. The braiding of the bass strings seemed to start to “unravel”;
4. There is dissonance and instability even in the way you tune the instrument;
5. You can't remember when last time changed strings;

How often should strings be changed?

Unfortunately I don't have a definitive answer to this question, but there are some factors that shorten the life of your strings:

• Sweating. When you play a lot, your fingers sweat profusely, which simply corrodes the strings.
• You play very aggressively, ie. use a lot of bends and a hard attack when playing.
• Frequent playing of the instrument also wears out the strings.
• You use different tunings of the guitar and often change the tuning of the instrument.

Some dude from Fender shows how to change the strings on his electric guitar

• Keep your strings clean. After each gaming session, be sure to take a dry, clean rag and simply wipe them from your sweat, bits of skin from your fingers and dirt. This procedure will allow you to significantly extend the life of your strings.
• Wash your hands before playing the guitar, which will slow down the oxidation of the strings a bit.
• Invest in a peg winder. It will help you significantly reduce your time when changing strings.
• Buy strings in 5-10 sets. So you save your money by buying them at a wholesale price.
• You may need to urgently replace a broken string at a rehearsal or performance, so keep a spare set or individual strings in your case or case.

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, which are very fast to set up 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.