When choosing strings for an acoustic guitar, any musician, both a professional and one who first picked up an instrument, is faced with one difficulty. It consists in the inability to listen to the sound. How these or those strings sound will become known only when they are used, it is impossible to predict the sound.
If professionals understand what they came to the store for, that is, these people are familiar with different brands, they have specific preferences and favorite manufacturers, then newcomers do not have such experience and get lost in front of the window.
How to choose?
Buying strings is almost always a lottery, however there are some defining points in it too. Firstly, you need to be as clear as possible in advance what exactly you need to acquire in terms of technical characteristics and material. There is no reason for a newcomer to music to try random things in a row, since a person who does not have experience can simply pull a string incorrectly, because of which he will not hear its true sound.
Music teachers, acquaintances with experience in the game can help determine what is worth acquiring. A similar question can be asked in thematic groups or on forums. The only thing you should not do is trust the words of the seller who talks about which strings are best for an acoustic guitar.
As a rule, the merchant is completely not interested in how the instrument will sound; he is worried about selling the old or frankly low-quality, stale or expensive goods to the amateur. Each musician can choose the best strings for an acoustic guitar independently, just like an instrument. Absolutely identical strings, like the guitars themselves, do not sound the same in different hands.
What are they like?
The question of which strings on an acoustic guitar are, how they differ from classical ones, beginners are usually shy, trying to figure it out on their own. However, finding out how some of them differ from others, novice musicians do not take into account such a factor as the strength of the fingers, which an experienced musician or teacher will necessarily tell about, explaining which strings are used on acoustics.
Acoustic strings themselves can be:
- monolithic on a steel basis;
- steel in flat and semicircular windings;
- synthetic on a steel base.
Hearing about steel, novice musicians almost always perplexedly ask sellers for strings for an acoustic guitar made of copper or brass. Such questions immediately reveal a complete lack of experience and even the fact of acquaintance with the instrument. Copper, brass and so on - the material is not the strings themselves, but their windings.
Monolithic
Made of so-called piano steel. The windings of "monoliths" use copper, its alloys and phosphor bronze. These strings are very sonorous and have good unison. Almost all 12-string acoustic guitars are equipped with them.
As a rule, it is not recommended for beginners to take them, since the game requires some skill. With its absence and insufficient strength in the fingers, the sound comes out not quite clear, with a whistle and rattle.
With flat and semicircular windings
This is how an ordinary 6-string acoustic guitar is equipped. Strings are pulled with the flat side under the fingers, and round, respectively, to the tool body.
This is the best option for beginner musicians. The specificity of this type of strings is that they give a more dull, clean and free from impurities sound even with an uncertain technique of playing. A particularly important point is the smooth sound on the bass, which is more difficult to achieve than the top ringing.
Synthetic
They are most often equipped with not very expensive tools, which just beginners acquire. Many are completely satisfied with the sound, and going to the store, such musicians know for sure that they need "synthetics".
As a rule, only when contacting the seller, newcomers to the guitar learn that this type of string is of two types.
The first type is strings in a metal winding, additionally closed on top with Teflon. This variety is good for those who use the tool intensively, because it is extremely wear-resistant and almost does not lend itself to friction.
The second type is strings, in the winding of which the wire and "synthetics" are connected. This variety is easier in terms of pressing frets, but it is quickly contaminated with sweat and skin particles, since the gaps between the turns are not very tight. This feature leads to the fact that these strings are devoid of iridescence, that is, gypsy romances cannot be played on them perfectly, the sound is rather dull. But for the chanson, they are quite suitable.
About winding
Before changing the strings on the acoustic guitar to the same, you need to know exactly what kind of instrument is on the instrument, and, most importantly, not to forget what the winding is made of and what type it is made of.
Literally everything depends on these factors in the game, and not only for a beginner, but also for an experienced musician. Since the guitar game is based on tactile memory, that is, the memory of the fingers, the uniformity of the string is extremely important. Accustomed to certain values of clearances in the turns and bulge of strings, musicians always experience discomfort and perform works worse on a new type.
Of course, after some time devoted to scales or other exercises, the fingers get used to it, but there are not always free hours for their own “tuning”, especially for beginners.
Winding Materials
The strings for an acoustic guitar are wrapped with copper and its alloys, phosphor bronze, brass, synthetic polymers and silver.
Among Western guitarists in the middle of the last century, there was a joke that silver strings protect them from vampires in the auditoriums.
In fact, such strings are not made of silver, and they cannot protect against a vampire. Silver is only sprayed onto finished strings with any winding coating. This does not affect the sound in any way, but it looks very aesthetically pleasing and even mysterious. In addition to the visual appeal, such strings do not leave dark marks on the skin and do not fade during long-term operation.
Phosphor bronze and brass are the most durable and strong of all existing windings. But they have a minus, the same as that of polymers - such strings for an acoustic guitar do not ring. Their sound is thick, rich and dull, very thorough and serious.
Copper, like its various alloys, is the most popular material for winding. These strings give off overflows, they are ideal for Spanish musical pieces, for accompaniment to dances, performance of romances and much more. For example, a quality fight can be performed exclusively on copper. The only downside is the fragility, such strings have the shortest life.
What else affects the sound?
Novice musicians, trying to achieve a satisfactory sound quality, often change the strings, throwing out quite good ones. And they do it only because "it does not sound." This is another difference between a beginner in music and an experienced guitar player.
In addition to the material of the winding and type, the sound is affected by the height of the strings on the acoustic guitar. It is regulated above the neck, and it is from it that the sound quality, convenience of performance, and even the life of the strings depend on it.
Each musician chooses this parameter for himself; there is no single standard of “the right height”. It is determined personally, during the game, of course, not in an hour, or even in a month.
Beginners need to take into account when tuning that strings that are too low will necessarily cling and rub together, as well as rattle on chords. Stretched too high will require a lot of effort from the fingers and, in general, from the wrist, especially when gripping the central frets.
The optimal height parameter is affected by the tool itself. For a convex neck, one height is good, for a curved neck - another. The ratio of the sills also matters.
What does a regular string set look like?
In the standard set for a six-string guitar, only the 4th, 5th, and 6th are always wrapped. But the 3rd string can have the thinnest winding in comparison with others, but most often it is “bald” or “naked”. 1st and 2nd always remain untwisted.
In stores, strings are sold exclusively in sets, which often causes bewilderment for beginner musicians who need to replace only one that has burst. However, the implementation of strings in sets is not due to the desire of sellers and manufacturers to cash in on beginners and inexperienced guitarists. This is because each part of the strings has certain technical characteristics of the nuances of sound. Acquired randomly, piece by piece strings from various factory parts almost never sound in unison.
And this moment is extremely important for obtaining high-quality sound. Even a home game or performance in the park on a bench “for girls” on strings from different sets often gives resonance noticeable to the audience. And even when the instrument is busy on platforms with sound amplifiers, for example, in any of the clubs or cafes, sound defects are the first thing that “catches your ears”. Therefore, do not look for ads for the sale of one string or pair, you need to purchase a whole set.
For beginners, when choosing the first string kit in life, you don’t need to be shy. You should ask about everything, no matter how ridiculous the question may seem to the most novice guitarist. Music is impossible without a good instrument, and it, in turn, requires a thorough study by the owner.