Guide to Strings

Choosing the right strings for your guitar can be a daunting task. From choosing gauge, deciding between phosphor bronze and 80/20 bronze, and choosing between flat wound round wound and semi-flat, there are a lot of different options. With this in mind, we’ve decided to create a handy guide explaining all these different choices.

Gauge

Acoustic | The Standard string guage on an acoustic guitar is .012-.054 (these numbers refer to the thickness of the string in inches). Most companies call this light gauge. If you are a new player, you might want to start with a lighter gauge like .011-.052. Lighter strings are easier to play and won’t hurt your fingers as much and or far easier to bend. The catch is that they tend to sound a little bit thinner. This is not necessarily bad but many players prefer the fuller sound of a heavier string. Try putting on a heavy set of strings such as .013-.056 and you will hear and feel the difference!

Electric | The standard string gauge on an electric guitar is .010-.046. This is usually called light gauge. All the differences between gauges on acoustic guitars still apply on electrics, but because of the type of music usually played on electrics, and because they are amplified, players tend to use a lighter string. Some players even go as low as .008 to .038! Still, some players, especially jazz players, prefer a heavy gauge such as .011-.054 or .012-.054.

MATERIAL

All wound strings on steel string electric and acoustics have a material, such as phospor bronze, wrapped around a steel core. The following are different materials and how they differ from one another

Phosphor Bronze | This is the most common material for the wound strings on an acoustic guitar. They have a good mix of warmth, brightness, and durability.

80/20 Bronze | This has the same material as Phosphor Bronze, only with a higher ratio of bronze. They have a brighter sounds at the cost of some warmth and durability. A great choice if you’re looking for a little ol’ fashioned twang!

Nickelwound | The most common type of wound string on an electric guitar. A steel core wrapped with nickel. Gives a nice bright sound to cut through the mix

Pure Nickel | A nickel core, wrapped with nickel. This is how they made em’ in the old days! Gives a classic warm mellow sound

The unwound strings on both electrics and acoustics tend to be plain steel and don’t really differ much from one to another. The exceptions are pure nickel electric packs, and some acoustic strings which are bronzed steel. Hopefully this gives you a good idea of different strings available for electric and acoustic guitars!