Strings are obviously an essential component of a guitar, but do all strings fulfill the same purpose? In other words, do the specific strings you buy matter that much, or will any set do the job?
Let’s do a deep dive!
Guitar Strings DO Matter
The brand, size and overall quality of the strings you buy will have a significant impact on how your guitar sounds. Not all strings are created equal, so choosing the right strings for the style of music you want to play and type of guitar you have is really important. Guitar strings are not universal.
Does Guitar String Brand Matter?
There are a whole lot of guitar string brands out there, so how do you go about choosing the best ones for your guitar and playing style?
First off, you don’t need to match the string brand to your guitar brand. Any guitar will accept any string, so long as those strings are the correct size and style for your guitar (for instance, electric guitar strings don’t sound very good on an acoustic guitar).
And not every guitar brand even makes strings, so if you bought a guitar from one of these brands you’d be out of luck!
So now that we have a wider range of string brands to choose from, how do we know which brand to choose?
Well to be honest, it’s hard to say which string brands are better than others. There are certainly some brands, like Ernie Ball, that are used by countless musicians of all different genres and playing styles, but popularity doesn’t equate to superiority…though I do think Ernie Ball strings are fantastic and use them on my own guitar!
Each brand makes a wide range of guitar strings to suit different budgets and playing styles, so it’s more important to look at these factors. If you want to use the same string brand as your favorite musician, that’s totally fine: just be sure to choose the right strings for the sound you want.
Which brings us to some more important questions…
Does Guitar String Quality Matter?
Guitar string quality will have a tremendous impact on the sound your guitar produces, and it’s WAY more important than just looking at the brand (in my opinion).
All string brands make strings at different price points. Budget strings are generally very simple in nature, while premium strings offer advanced features like special string materials and coatings meant to enhance the sound quality and longevity. And don’t worry, we’ll cover both string materials and coatings in more detail later in this article.
If you’re a beginner, you don’t necessarily need premium strings, nor will you be playing at a level that takes full advantage of those premium features. If you’ve been playing a while or practice frequently, higher-quality strings make more sense. They’ll last longer and maintain their sound quality better so you won’t need to replace them as often.
Does Guitar String Size Matter?
Guitar strings are identified by size, called gauge. Gauge refers to the thickness of the guitar string, measured to the thousandth of an inch.
For instance, a High-E string may be labeled as a 10 (or .010), which means the string measures 10 thousandths of an inch thick. A Low-E string on the other hand might be labeled as a 46 (or .046). Two strings, tuned to the same note, but at different octaves.
Thicker strings (usually the three lowest pitch strings on a 6-string guitar) also feature a core wound in some type of metal, while thinner strings (usually the three highest pitch) are unwound. Wound strings will differ in look and feel as well as tone.
As each individual guitar string in a pack will vary in thickness, the terms “thin” and “thick” are relative. String packs will be labeled with two numbers, indicating the thickness range from the High-E to the Low-E string (for example, 10-46).
That’s a bit of background, now here’s how the size of guitar strings will impact your playing…
1. Thinner Strings
Thinner strings will produce a crisper, brighter tone. Thinner strings are great for music genres like jazz, country or folk, which commonly use finger picking and rely on a brighter, twangy sound. They’re also easier to bend and play fast.
Examples of Thinner String Sets
2. Thicker Strings
Thicker strings will produce a warmer, more resonant tone. Rock and metal guitarists favor heavier strings for their ability to create more robust, powerful sounds. They’re also ideal for drop tuning, as they don’t lose their sound quality when tuned down.
Heavy strings are also widely used on acoustic guitars because they resonate better (i.e. produce higher volume sound) without an amplifier.
Examples of Thicker String Sets
3. Hybrid String Sets
For players who want to be able to achieve brighter tones while maintaining sound quality when tuning down, some companies offer hybrid string sets; where the three highest strings will be much lighter than normal or the three lowest strings will be much heavier than normal.
Hybrid strings are great for guitarists who like playing many different types of music, as they’re very versatile.
Examples of Hybrid String Sets
Does Guitar String Material Matter?
The materials used to manufacture guitar strings also has a big impact on their performance. Let’s have a look at the most common string materials:
1. Steel and Nickel Guitar Strings
Steel and nickel are the most common materials used to make electric guitar strings. Strings will either be all-steel, all-nickel, or feature a steel core with nickel-plated wrap. Steel strings will produce a sharper tone while nickel strings are warmer and richer.
Blues players may opt for nickel strings and the more full-bodied tone they provide, while rock and metal players will get punchier, more aggressive sounds out of all-steel or nickel-wrapped steel strings.
2. Brass and Bronze Guitar Strings
Brass and bronze strings are reserved for acoustic guitars (since neither has the same conductive properties as steel, which is necessary to produce sound through an electric guitar amplifier).
Brass strings may also be referred to as “80/20 bronze,” the numbers referring to their makeup of 80% copper and 20% zinc. Confusing, I know, but it makes sense when you learn that brass is an alloy made of copper and zinc.
Bronze is also an alloy composed of copper and tin, sometimes with phosphorus added. Therefore, bronze strings may also be labeled as “phosphor bronze.”
Both brass and bronze strings will feature a steel core. The main difference between these two materials will be the sound they produce.
Brass will have a brighter tone, but may sound too tinny and harsh on acoustic guitars with smaller bodies. They’re best used on guitars of Orchestra Model (OM) size or larger.
Bronze has a warmer, more mellow tone. They’re great for smaller-bodied guitars or for more relaxed music genres.
Didn’t know there were different sized guitars? You’re not alone: check out this article which explains the different acoustic guitar body sizes.
3. Nylon Guitar Strings
Nylon strings are reserved for nylon or classical acoustic guitars. If you have one of these guitars, you should never use anything other than nylon strings, as the guitars are not built to handle the extra strain that metal strings place on the neck and body when tightened.
Nylon strings produce a very warm, relaxed tone. This is great for folk music and other mellow genres, but nylon strings don’t have the resonance for louder, more aggressive genres. You’re going to have a lot of trouble getting enough volume out of nylon strings to play certain types of music.
Does Guitar String Coating Matter?
Some strings are coated with a polymer material, while others are bare.
Polymer coated strings resist the buildup of dirt and oils from your fingers, which can accumulate over time and degrade your strings. This means coated strings will last significantly longer than non-coated strings.
So, choosing coated strings sounds like a no-brainer, right?
Well, coated strings do have a downside. The coating may keep your strings clean, but it can also dampen their vibration. Since vibration is how strings produce sound, coated strings will produce lower output and less sustain. Depending on the style of music you play, this may not be desirable.
If you choose to use uncoated strings, you can increase their lifespan by ensuring your hands are clean and free of excess oils before you play. You should also wipe down your strings after playing to remove sweat and oils, and keep your guitar out of direct sunlight, or better yet, in its case, to keep dust and debris away when you’re not practicing.
Does Guitar String Age Matter?
Like anything, guitar strings will degrade as they get older. Aside from the buildup of oils and sweat, frequent bending and re-tuning will cause your strings to stretch out over time. Eventually they’ll get so worn out they may not hold a tune for more than a few playing sessions.
Even brand new, unplayed strings can degrade if left in poor storage conditions. Since most strings are made of steel or other metal alloys, they’re prone to rust if left exposed to humidity or moisture. Putting rusty strings on your guitar is a surefire way to corrode the rest of your instrument!
If your guitar is starting to sound a little tired and isn’t holding a tune, slapping on a set of fresh strings may be just what it needs to bring it back to life.
