Guitar String Guide

String types

Buying strings can be intimidating since there are so many choices out there. I'll show you how to make a confident guitar-string buying decision.

Here's a little secret: Although there are many different string choices available, most strings are produced by just a handful of string manufacturers!

Use these steps to figure out what strings will work best for you and your guitar:

• Decide on a string material (Example: Nickel-Plated, Pure Nickel, Stainless Steel)
• Decide on a winding type (Example: Flat-Wound, Round-Wound, Half-Wound)
• Decide on a string gauge (Example: 'Eights', 'Nines', 'Elevens')
• When you experiment, follow these steps a brand at a time until you find the brand you like with the above variations.

Guitar String Materials:

• Nickel Plated Strings: The most common strings for the electric guitar, these strings are wound with nickel-plated windings around a steel core. The three low strings are wound, while the top three strings are not wound, but are made from high-grade steel. Nickel-plated strings typically sound mellow but can last a lot longer.
• Stainless Steel Strings: Introduced by D'Addario, these strings use magnetic stainless steel instead of nickel-plated windings. These strings sound brighter, but lose their overall brightness quicker than nickel.
• Pure Nickel Strings: These strings are even more mellow than nickel-plated strings and sound very warm.

Guitar String Winding Types:

• Roundwound: This is the most common winding style for guitar strings. These strings have a round core inside (usually steel) with a rounded wire wrapped around it. This winding type combined with the nickel-plated material equals the most common and least expensive guitar strings (see examples below).
• Flatwound: This type of winding is commonly seen on the bass guitar, and used for jazz guitars. They produce a very mellow sound. While this type of winding is generally more expensive, the strings produce less fret wear, less squeaking and are more comfortable to play (see examples below).
• Halfwound/Semi-Flat: This type of winding is based on the roundwound winding but the windings are made from thicker wire and they are actually ground down to make a flatter string. Consider these strings to be in-between roundwounds and flatwounds. They are a little harder to find (see examples below).

Examples:

• Roundwound GHS Guitar Boomers, Elixer Nanoweb, D'Addario EXL110
• Flatwound Gretsch Stainless Flatwounds, Fender Stainless Flatwounds, DR Strings Legend Light Flatwounds
• Halfwound/Semi-Flat D'Addario Half Rounds, GHS Nickel Rockers

Guitar String Gauges

When you are ready to buy guitar strings, you'll need to determine what gauge of strings you would like to buy. you'll see six sets of numbers on the packaging that look something like .009. Each of the six numbers directly correspond to one of the six guitar strings. The numbers are based on the diameter of the guitar strings in inches.

Sometimes when you hear someone talking about a set of guitar strings, you'll hear them refer to the set as a set of eights, nines, tens, etc. They are referring to a set of strings by the top string diameter. For example, in the case of a pack of 'nines', the top E-string would be .009'. In a set of 'tens', the top string would be .010'. You get the idea.

What Gauge should I buy?

As a general rule, thicker gauge strings will sound fuller, but will be harder to play. Some guitarists prefer buying the medium to heavy-weight strings for more resonance, louder volume and a fuller sound.

Guitarists who buy the lighter gauge strings are often focused more on the ability to produce notes more easily with less pressure on the fret-board.

In addition to the guitar 'shredders' out there, beginning guitarists love the lighter gauge strings. For a shredder, light-gauge means speed. For a beginning guitar player, using lighter-gauge strings means their fingers won't feel as though they will fall off after playing the F Bar-chord 20 times.

I prefer medium-weight strings on my acoustic guitar. They provide a great balance of tone and ease of use. They still sound very rich and full, but I don't have to press down on the strings as hard to deliver a note. Most companies make medium guitar strings and if you're reached the end of this article and aren't sure whether to buy light-weight strings or heavy-weight strings, I'd start out trying the medium weight strings. When I use coated medium strings, I tend to go with Elixers. But in order to really find what you prefer follow the steps above.