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Guitar strings.


Choosing the correct strings for your guitar is very important and will depend on the style of guitar and the job it is going to have to do.

CLASSICAL GUITARS
Nowadays these are strung with strings made from nylon as opposed to the cat gut of old! The three treble strings are pure nylon, similar to fishing line, while the three bass strings have a core made on nylon fibres which is wrapped in a metal skin. Most makes have to be tied at the bridge and again at the machine head although the Martin company now make excellent ball end strings which simplify the process a great deal.

String sets come in different tensions. The higher the tension, the better the tone and volume but of course they will require more strength to hold down especially when barring chords. The lightest are usually described as Normal Tension, followed by High and Extra or Ultra High. If your guitar is a robust, newish model then the high tension should not harm it but if your instrument is old and frail then stick to the Normal Tension.

Some good makes are D’Addario, Martin, Aranjuez.

NEVER PUT STEEL STRINGS ON A CLASSICAL GUITAR. If you do the bridge will pull off, the neck will warp and the front may well collapse!

ACOUSTIC GUITARS
These use strings made of steel with the first and second strings being plain while the other four are wound with bronze. Like the classical strings they come in different tensions although in this group we talk about string gauges rather than tensions.

Sets normally come as Extra Light, Light and Medium. No one uses heavy gauge any more. Again the heavier the string, the better the tone and volume but the harder it will be to press or bend the notes. If you are busking or leading a class of kids then try to use the heaviest your fingers can cope with. If you are more into finger picking then extra lights may be best for you.

Many acoustic guitars now come with fitted pick ups. If the pick up is the under saddle transducer type or the contact mike variety then bronze strings are the best. If however you use a magnetic sound hole pick up then, unless it is top of the range, the first and second strings will be louder than the wound strings and you may want to try nickel wound electric guitar strings instead. This will give you the correct volume balance but the acoustic tone will be dull in comparison to the bronze. You may also want to use a wound third string instead of the more usual plain third which most electric sets use as the plain third might cause some problems with your intonation.

For twelve string guitars I always use extra light gauge and unless you have hands like King Kong I would advise you to do the same.

Some good makes are D’Addario, Martin, Earthwound, Ernie Ball.


ELECTRIC GUITARS
These use steel strings with the three bass strings being wound with nickel. This avoids the volume balancing problems from which bronze strings suffer. Unlike their more conservative acoustic cousins they come in a bewildering variety of names and descriptions. Try to ignore the hype on the packet and look to the numbers instead.

The lightest will begin with a string 0.008 inches in diameter. An 8 thou’ and run to about 0.038”. These are the ones to use if you are into a lot of bending notes as the heavy metal mob are want to do. They will however be relatively poor at holding their tune when you play rhythm. For more stability then use 009-042 gauge and for predominantly chord work then 010-046 will be best.

Jazz players may well go to higher gauges in search of a thicker tone with sets starting at 011, 012 or even 013. Just remember that for every 001” you add, another ten pounds of tension goes onto the neck of your guitar.

D’Addario, Earnie Ball and Fender are all good makes.

There are also various coated strings e.g. Elixir, now to be found in guitar stores. These will sound slightly dull at first but will deteriorate much more slowly so will need replaced less often than conventional strings.

Be prepared to experiment a little. When I buy a new guitar I may change the strings two or three times till I find the brand that suits that particular guitar.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD THEY BE CHANGED?
This depends on usage and you’re the acidity of your skin. Between the ages of 15 and 20 my son could kill a set of strings in 20 minutes! Also the smoky beer stink of the average bar is not good for strings or for players come to that. I change my strings about three times a year. Look out for worn wrapping, poor intonation and a loss of treble, these are all signs that a new set is required and do not be tempted with the cheap set in the bargain bin, they will prove a false economy.

 

 

 

 

These tracks are from the Year Album by Johnguitars (That's me.)

Click here to buy my CD.