Nylon strings. Which ones to choose? How to choose electric guitar strings

This article will present the strings of the most famous brands, and which of them you will like - decide for yourself, but remember that in order to successfully master the technique of playing the electric guitar, it is important to learn not only the basics this art, but also to clearly determine which specific strings are suitable for you and your instrument. The main parameters that should guide the choice will be described below, as well as the characteristics of the brands of the most famous guitars.

Main criteria

To determine which strings are best for an electric guitar, knowing the three main parameters that should be followed when choosing them will help you. Here is a simple list of them:

1. The material they are covered with.
2. Form of string winding.
3. Caliber.

Both the sound and the convenience of playing the guitar depend on the above characteristics.

Coating material

Electric guitar strings are made of either silver or steel. But the braid is made of different materials. And there are various techniques its application, which differ in the shape of the braiding of the core.

But what should you choose among today's variety and which strings are best for electric guitar? It’s up to you to choose, and you should start from the braid first. Here are her options:

• Synthetic nylon coating that makes the strings comfortable for calmer styles of guitar music. Professionals pull them to the limit, and the sound is very clear, but for beginners, this playing technique is not easy.
• Nickel-plated strings are very widely used for the most popular brands of electric guitars. They sound very warm and harmonious, but, alas, are very impractical, since nickel is soft material. But playing them is easy and simple.
• Steel-coated strings are not as popular as they are slightly more expensive than nickel-plated strings. But on the other hand, such a winding is the best option, since the sound is clearer, more voluminous and brighter, only the frets suffer from such a neighborhood much more.
• Nickel-plated steel strings combine the advantages of both. Therefore, they can be regarded as the best option what are the best electric guitar strings to buy.

Winding form

Each of the coating materials is applied to the core of the string in a special way and directly affects the sound production. Here are four winding schemes:

1. The flat shape is the most gentle on the fretboard. It makes the string very smooth and easy to play. It also gives a muffled harmonious sound, devoid of side effect from moving fingers. They are very fond of jazzmen.
2. The round shape of the winding is classic, as it is very inexpensive and widespread (because of its simplicity). The downside is that the sills wear out an order of magnitude faster. The sound is characterized by a certain whistle from slipping fingers, which many musicians turn from a minus into a plus, as a kind of expression of the main musical idea.
3. The semi-circular shape of the winding may please newcomers, as it incorporates elements of the two previous coating schemes. Initially, a round winding is made, which in the next step is subjected to pressure, which gives the tactile sensations of a flat string.
4. The hexagonal shape of the winding is also a combination of the two styles and wins in terms of sound beauty due to the hexagonal profile. Nevertheless, the sills wear out much faster.

In addition, some string sets are marked FL, which means they have a Floyd Rose tremolation system. They are characterized by the absence of special coils attached to the machine. Therefore (although such strings can be found infrequently), pay attention to such a mark.

Diameter

Often, when you get into a conversation between two guitarists, you can hear something like: “No, the nine does not sound as cool as the ten! Take it and you won't go wrong!" So what are they discussing? And they talk about the thickness of the string, that is, about its caliber, and the choice of a set should be guided primarily by the diameter of the first and sixth, which are designated as 9-42. In inches, this is reported as 0.009-0.042.

For beginners, thinner strings are suitable, since thick strings are difficult to master for unworked fingers. But the sound of a thin string vibrates less intensively, therefore it is not so juicy and bright. Most musicians use 10-46 or 9-42 calibers, but it's worth starting with 8-38 nonetheless. It’s just not worth getting involved in playing the latter for a long time, because it’s more expedient to switch to a thicker caliber and extract a more voluminous sound. To "cut" heavy metal, you can use strings with a diameter of 11 or 12. But in general choice should be done based on your own experience and style of play.

What are the calibers

1. Thin - from 0.008-0.009, ideal for beginners who learn the very basics of the art of playing the guitar. But over time, it is better to switch to thicker strings in order to improve the quality of sound production.
2. Medium - 0.010, are distinguished by a balance between the sound of the string and its thickness. This caliber is widely used by performers of various genres.
3. Thick - from 0.011 to 0.013, are favorites for representatives of metal culture, since playing on such strings requires great skill and virtuoso skills. Sound production is very bright, juicy and expressive.

To help you choose the strings that are right for you, here is a list of well-known manufacturers, after reading which it will become much clearer to you how to choose electric guitar strings based on your own preferences.

• Elixir. The company produces strings High Quality which, unfortunately, are not cheap. Of the main advantages, one can single out a deep timbre of sound that envelops every note. The Elixir strings are coated with a polymer winding, which is quite pleasant to the touch. And it is thanks to her that they do not get salted and last longer. In general, choosing disappointed you will not. After all, based on the foregoing, they are practical and pleasing to the ear.
• D addario. They are a real dinosaur of the instrumental market, as the strings of this manufacturer have proven themselves well a century ago. Moreover, "Dadario" is still ubiquitous and loved by the people. Admirers can be found all over the world, which is not surprising, because D addario are time-tested and can be trusted. Moreover, at a price they are more affordable than the strings of other manufacturers.
• Ernie Ball. They differ primarily in that they are sealed in foil packaging, and not in a plastic bag. The strings are created with latest developments in this region. The outer coating is made of a special anti-corrosion alloy, which in itself is a huge plus. In addition, Ernie Ball are reinforced with a special titanium wire, which allows you to better keep the system. But they are much more expensive than their competitors.
• Dunlop. Strings for electric guitar, also distinguished by an unusual packaging VCI (Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor), which is a special envelope, the manufacturing technology of which allows you to keep the strings in the most favorable conditions. They were produced in North America and versatile for any style of performance.

Ibanez

The electric guitar from this Japanese manufacturer is known worldwide, as "Ibanez" became a pioneer on the way to the US music market. This brand has its own, very complicated history.

Initially, the company was engaged in selling Italian-made guitars. But in the light of tragic events ( civil war) originated in Italy, the instrument-making workshop was destroyed, and the Japanese acquired the rights to manufacture guitars under their own name, setting up their production.

Chip are horned guitars with deep cutouts. With the advent of the 80s of the last century, the Roadster Guitar and Roadster Deluxe models gained popularity, the tremolo of which is Floyd Rose, and the colors are very bright and fashionable.

To date, the Ibanez electric guitar is known everywhere and is quite democratic at a price that varies from $200 to $1500. Therefore, you can safely stop your choice on it.

Yamaha

Electric guitars from this Japanese manufacturer have received recognition from a wide range musicians. At a price they are quite democratic, and in quality they can compete for first place among representatives of the most expensive brands. The history of their production began in the 60s, when the company's acoustic models made a serious sensation among guitarists around the world.

It is noteworthy that when creating the first electric guitar, Yamaha foresaw the increased interest of the people in a new (at that time) type of instrument, and they were right. Moreover, the affordable price was initially, which is also a kind of marketing ploy.

Today, the enterprising and practical Japanese have a fairly wide choice of models, and, most likely, among them there is “the very option” for you.

Fender

It is the most favorite brand among hard rock and heavy metal artists. And it all started with the fact that back in 1946, Leo Fender founded a company for the production of this wonderful instrument. Nowadays, the factory produces personalized guitars, which are made individually, following all the wishes of the customer.

In addition, Fender re-releases old models that have become hits for true music lovers. Stratocaster and Telecaster have long established themselves as excellent instruments, becoming the standard of sound.

Now the company has many models, including: Jaguar, Jazzmaster, Mustang, Roscoe Beck Bass and Prodigy. But, in addition to excellent ones, it produces various devices, amplifiers and other electronics for a cool sound. The price of the tool varies from 800 to 3000 $.

In general, when choosing which strings for an electric guitar are best, trust your hearing, tastes and preferences, and then your heart will tell you.

Where do you get new guitar strings? Personally, I prefer to buy them in regular music stores, feeling it live, at the same time exchanging jokes with long-familiar local sellers. However, you can order guitar strings online without any worries.

Wandering through the expanses of online stores, you probably noticed that the types of guitar strings for sale are quite numerous. Of course, after that, the question could not help but arise, since how to choose strings for a guitar, how not to make a mistake with the choice when buying? These questions need to be dealt with in advance.

Varieties of strings according to the material of manufacture

There are three main types of strings, these are:

1. Organic gut (Catgut) - traditional strings made from animal sinew and wrapped with wire. Despite their short service life, many guitarists still prefer to install only gut strings on their instrument.
2. Nylon strings are favored by classical guitarists. They are soft and supple, and therefore suitable for beginners. The three tenor strings (lower) are made of nylon line, and the three bass strings are nylon threads wound in the form of gold or silver-plated wire.
3. Steel is the most popular view strings. The sound of the instrument on which these strings are placed has a bright and sonorous timbre. The winding of steel strings is made from the different material: nickel, phosphor bronze, brass and others.

About different types of string windings

Let's talk in more detail about wrapping, or string wrapping as it is sometimes called. The wire covering the core of the strings can be made in several versions.

1. Round braid is the cheapest to manufacture, which means that the cost of guitar strings will be lower. The main disadvantages: creaking of fingers on the strings when playing, rapid wear due to contamination of the sinuses of the braid.
2. The flat braid eliminates unnecessary sounds. Such strings are put on a guitar for the sake of a studio recording. Main disadvantage: less bright sound than roundwound strings.
3. A semicircular braid is a hybrid that includes both the pros and cons of the two previous types.

What is string tension?

Before choosing guitar strings, find out what their tension is: light (light), medium (medium) or heavy (heavy). Several factors affect the tension force: their length, mass, tuning frequency, diameter, winding material and core size.

It is believed that the stronger the tension, the louder and brighter the instrument sounds. If it is light, the instrument is quiet and melodious. Another nuance is that strings with a heavy tension will not be so easy to press on the frets, and therefore, for beginners, it is recommended to take the strings of the lightest tension to make playing easier.

The most popular manufacturing companies and the cost of guitar strings

D'Addario and LaBella have long produced a wide range of strings for classical and acoustic guitars. They are considered the most popular manufacturers - all their types of guitar strings have excellent characteristics and are sold not at such a high price (about $ 10).

The strings of the French manufacturer Savarez stand separately. They are made of high-strength materials, have excellent sound data, and therefore their cost is high (from $20).

The most popular string manufacturers for electric guitars and basses are Elixir and DR. Their prices are very democratic: for electric guitars - from 20 USD, for a four-string bass - from 70 USD.

Why can't steel strings be used on a classical guitar?

The mechanics of the tuning pegs and the bridge in a classical guitar are made of lightweight materials. Therefore, this type of guitar can only be placed nylon strings- they are soft and not very stretched, which means they are not able to break and ruin the instrument.

Steel strings are used on guitars with reinforced construction, such as acoustic six-strings. Well, if you try to put nylon strings on an electric guitar, then see for yourself that the pickup simply cannot read sound vibrations from them.

Conclusion

So, in the matter of choosing strings, you need to focus on the instrument itself, its strength or, conversely, softness, on the level of your technical skill (tight or light stretch), on the practical purpose of the instrument (educational, concert, studio, etc.), well and on the traditions that have developed in guitar schools (preferences for materials of one type or another).

Of course, one of the most important criteria, and for some the main one, is the cost of guitar strings. And yet, pay attention also to the packaging of the strings - it should contain not only the characteristics of the product, but also the main data of the manufacturer. Carefulness will protect you from buying a fake.

Check out other posts on the subject of the guitar. You may be interested in and. Subscribe to site updates to receive new articles directly to your email inbox - the subscription form is at the very bottom of this page.

At any music forum, the same topic is necessarily created. Every aspiring guitarist asks us the same question. And every young musician always faces the same problem - the choice of strings for his new acoustic guitar. And, indeed, today it is easier to decide on a guitar than on strings! And around everyone is only advised to try, understand and choose the best option for yourself. But what about a newbie who first encountered such a problem ?!

We would like to extend a helping hand to novice guitarists and tell a little about various types strings and their brands. And although the choice of strings really depends on the preferences of the musician, we still share with you personal experience and our opinion about certain manufacturers. Perhaps this will answer not only some of your questions, but also help you decide what you need.

Material foundations

The key qualities of strings: sound, durability and playability depend on the material from which they are made. So the first thing to decide is the material of the winding of your future strings. Go!

Variety of brands

Something, but there is no shortage of different brands of strings for acoustic guitars today. And it is not surprising that it is difficult for any novice guitarist to make an independent choice for the first time. So let's dwell on the most famous modern brands in a little more detail and see what seasoned ones say about them.

• Dean Markley. negative feedback I haven't heard of these strings yet - they sound great and are reasonably priced. Their only drawback is the service life.

• Ernie Ball. Another string option that perfectly combines quality and price. They serve for a long time, sound good, tactile sensations are pleasant, and they are not very expensive. In short, a good start!

• Olympia. Another standard string option that combines an affordable price, good sound and reliability.

• Rotosound. Perhaps, the strings of this brand can be described as follows: just strings. They have no outstanding qualities, as well as especially negative traits. Strings and all.

So we went over all the well-known manufacturers of acoustic guitar strings and their products. And what conclusion can be drawn from all this?! Obviously, many strings of many brands are a specific accessory, the choice of which is still worth growing and trying a lot. So if you are buying replacement strings for the first time and are not yet in the mood for experiments, our advice to you is to take something simpler, such as D'Addario, La'Bella, Olympia or GHS of medium hardness. They will give a fairly clear sound, and will not create discomfort during the game.

Otherwise, the forums do not lie - throughout your creative activity you'll have to try many sets of strings and make your own assessment of many manufacturers before you find the perfect one!

Choosing guitar strings, the happy owner musical instrument should take into account the whole a number of parameters: manufacturer, material, coating, type of winding. One of the most important indicators is string thickness, or, to put it another way, their caliber.

String Gauge defines two important moments: sound and playability. The thicker the string, the richer and louder the sound will be, but they are more difficult to clamp. Thin strings are easier to handle and are often preferred by beginners. In general, the choice of caliber depends on what and how you want to play and what you are willing to sacrifice: sound or convenience.

String thickness most commonly expressed in fractions of an inch. On the packaging of the kit, the thickness of the 1st and 6th strings is indicated through a hyphen. It looks something like 9-42, 10-46 and so on. In slang - "nine", "ten", etc. Acoustic guitar strings typically come in 0.009 gauge and up, with figure-of-eight strings used primarily for electric guitars.

What string thickness should I choose?

Most thin strings choose either, as already mentioned, beginners, or guitar virtuosos like Yngwie Malmsteen. Also thin strings better suited for all sorts of bands (“braces”), so blues lovers will like them too. The most common calibers of the 1st string are 0.010 and 0.011. More thick strings are used less often, but with them you can achieve a more juicy and dense sound. They will be very useful, for example, in jazz. Also, large-gauge strings are often used for playing in a low tuning (Drop D or even Drop C). In addition, thicker strings are better suited for choosom playing.

Usually you will find a long article of several pages, which describes all the intricacies of string selection, but in reality, the choice comes down to several essentially identical options.

What strings to choose for electric guitar? The choice of strings for electric guitar depends on your task. If you just need quality strings, or you are a beginner musician - start with the main manufacturers, market leaders: American Ernie Ball, La Bella (this company deserves special attention - for example, they invented the very strings for the electric guitar, and they have a huge assortment) or D "Addario. The most popular calibers are 9-42 (softer, it will be convenient for a beginner guitarist, easier to play solo), 10-46 (usually put on strat and similar guitars, generally the most popular caliber) and 10-52 (set by default to LesPaul, they sound slightly lower than 10-46 and slightly stiffer), and if the guitar is a 7-string start with 10-56. Traditional materials are steel strings with nickel wound (Nickel wound), start with them. For a warmer (vintage) sound, choose Pure Nickel winding, for a brighter color - steel winding (Stainless Steel wound). We would like to pay attention to the companies Ernie Ball and Dunlop - it is easier to achieve a hard sound with them, and they cope better with rough treatment.:) Strings with increased service life due to special coating - for example, Elixir, will last 3-4 times longer, which is very convenient if the guitar is not used very actively - when idle, the strings will not be exposed to the environment for a long time. Next, look for products from smaller manufacturers - such as Curt Mangan or Kerly, which have their own characteristics and production technologies - you will probably find the most suitable strings from them!

What strings to buy for bass guitar? For beginners, and most, standard gauge strings with soft or medium tension: 45-100 or 45-105 (40-125 or 45-125 for a 5-string guitar) from any manufacturer, with traditional nickel-plated windings, will do. Often the choice is made in favor of steelwound strings - they have a brighter tone with an extended low range. If you need strings with extended life - choose coated strings (coated) such as Elixir or other manufacturers. It is easy to find similar strings in our catalog by checking the product filters for Extended Service Life or Protective Coating. For example, the D series Addario NYXL and Ernie Ball Cobalt offer better, richer sound.

What strings to buy for classical guitar? First of all, if you are just starting to play, we recommend the average tension of the strings, so it will be easier for your hands and fingers. A stiffer tension will produce a rich and loud sound, but these strings are a little more difficult to play. Classical guitar strings are made primarily of nylon and silver-plated copper windings. Similar strings good quality at a low price they offer well-known American companies D "ADDARIO and ERNIE BALL, or inexpensive series from German HANNABACH - they are suitable for a beginner musician or for everyday amateur playing, and they will never disappoint you. If you are seriously learning to play the guitar and want to get sound great and make learning more enjoyable - try the SAVAREZ strings recommended by most music schools and teachers. Find the strings that will maximize the sound of your guitar and will be comfortable for you!

What strings to buy for acoustic guitar? For beginners, we recommend 10-47 or 10-50 gauges, which have a softer string tension, so it will be easier for hands and fingers, it will make learning easier and more comfortable. 11-52 or 12-54 have a tighter tension, but more powerful sound output - choose these strings if you already have guitar experience. The second important criterion is the material. 80/20 bronze (Bronze Alloy) is brighter, Phosphor bronze (Phosphor Bronze) is warmer and richer, and specially coated strings (Ernie Ball Everlast or Elixir) last especially long. There are other alloys, such as Aluminum Bronze or Nickel Bronze, which are brighter in the mid-high range, and are more resistant to corrosion even without a special coating. Whatever you choose, they will not disappoint with their quality.