Guitar string overview

strings for electric guitars

Acoustic guitar strings

strings for classical guitars

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Every guitarist's good form should include having at least one set of guitar strings in reserve. Guitar strings always break when you don't expect them to. But even if all 6 strings are still intact, it is recommended to change the strings regularly. Over time, guitar strings lose their brilliance. They wear out, become dull and dirty. This circumstance not only worsens the playing characteristics but also the sound of the guitar. However, it is impossible to say exactly how long guitar strings last, as this depends on the individual playing style. However, we are happy to explain to you how best to put new strings on your guitar in our helpful online guides “ Changing strings on electric guitars ”.

Guitar strings differ mainly in the material used (metal, nylon) , the thickness/thickness , and of course the instrument they are intended for. Electric guitars use metal strings , mainly steel strings (steel core and wrapping, very brilliant), nickel-plated steel strings (steel core and nickel-plated steel wrapping, most commonly used, less brilliant) or nickel strings (steel core, nickel wrapping, least brilliant). The rule here is that the bass strings (EAD) are wrapped, but the high strings are not.

When it comes to acoustic guitars , also known as steel-string guitars, a distinction is made mainly between bronze and phosphor bronze strings . The 80/20 strings are very popular for bronze strings; here the wrapping consists of 80% copper and 20% tin; another variant is 85/15 strings with a correspondingly different ratio. The sound of these strings is voluminous, rich in bass, brilliant and has many overtones. Phosphor bronze strings have an added phosphorus content. These strings are more corrosion resistant and sound slightly warmer and softer than bronze strings. On western guitars, the bass strings and often also the G String are usually wrapped and the high strings are not.

Classical guitars are covered with nylon strings . The low strings (E, A and D) consist of a nylon core wrapped with a silver-plated, sometimes gold-plated, copper wire. The high strings are not wrapped. Nylon strings are categorized not by their thickness but by their tension , a result of the different materials used by manufacturers. We usually talk about light, medium, hard and extra hard tension .

To prevent strings from corroding, some manufacturers have started wrapping their steel strings with a special coating. The pioneer of this nanoweb technology is the company Elixir . The advantage of coated steel strings is obvious. The sweat that occurs when playing the guitar does not reach the metal core inside the string as quickly, thereby extending its life immensely. However, you should note that the coatings change the sound properties of the guitar strings. The rule here is: Trying is more important than studying!

Guitar strings are not only available in different materials and coatings, but also in different thicknesses . How strong a guitar string is depends on its thickness. For all steel strings (electric guitar, acoustic and electric bass, western guitar) the thickness is given in inches. If we are talking about a 010 strings set , the thinnest e-string has a thickness of 0.01 inches. This corresponds to approximately 0.25 mm. As already mentioned, when describing nylon strings (concert guitars) and their strengths, one is limited to general terms such as low, medium and high tension. In some cases it is also referred to as a gauge.

It is not possible to say exactly which thickness is the right choice for you, as it depends on your personal playing feeling and well-being. However, it can be said that thinner sets of strings are much easier to pull and can therefore be modulated more delicately. Nothing stands in the way of expansive solos with extreme bends and vibratos with thinner strings . Thicker strings sets are more commonly used in jazz or metal . The dark and firm tone, but above all the features to not lose tension when the drop tuning is down, characterize the stronger strings sets. In order to find your way around the seemingly endless selection of strings, the value of the highest and lowest strings is usually given. (Example: .009 to .042)

However, it can take years until you finally find your strings set. And who says there is only one suitable sentence? In various online forums and blogs, guitarists have made it their purpose to hotly and controversially discuss the comprehensive theme of “guitar strings”. It was declared a science.

In our range of guitar strings you will find the most common variants from the most important manufacturers such as Ernie Ball , D'Addario and Elixir , but also one or two unusual sets of strings.