Here’s a List of Great Guitar Strings

Hello, it’s Kaoru the composer!

This time, I would like to talk about guitar strings since they’re indispensable for guitar playing.
Strings are an important item that greatly affects guitar sound and playability, but with all the different materials, thicknesses, and other characteristics, many people probably think, “I don't know what to buy.” The best thing to do is to try different things, but considering the financial aspect, this would require quite a long-term quest, wouldn't it?

However, you can narrow it down to some extent by keeping the characteristics of each one in mind!
Please take a look at this guitar strings selection guide!

Types and characteristics of guitar strings

The most important part about the string is the material.
Let's take a look at the characteristics of each material.

Nickel strings

Nickel strings are the most popular material among electric guitar strings.
There are quite a few users, both professionals and amateurs, who love to use them, and they have been steadfastly popular for a long time.
Their soft, bright, and well-balanced sound makes them truly an all-rounder.

Nickel itself is a rust-resistant material, so it can be used for a long time to some extent.
Also, because of its popularity, there is a fairly extensive product lineup.
For beginners, I recommend these nickel strings for now!

Stainless Steel Strings

Electric guitar strings made of stainless steel (an alloy of steel and chrome), which is harder than nickel.
It can be said that the hard material is durable and very rust-resistant, but these strings are a little more expensive than nickel.

The sound is sharper and brighter than nickel.
Also, since they are a hard metal, they are less likely to slip and bite into the fingers, so there may be differences in preference.

Coated strings

Nickel strings are coated with a special very thin coating.
They are used on both acoustic guitars and electric basses.

Thanks to the coating, they are considerably more rust-resistant and stable sounding than conventional strings.
Generally speaking, they last four times longer than regular strings.
In addition, playability is not much different from conventional ones, so you will be able to use them without any discomfort.

The drawback is that the price is quite expensive so it’s quite sad when the strings break.

Bronze strings

Bronze strings are the most popular strings for acoustic guitars.
Since the material contains 80% copper and 20% tin, the official name is “80/20 bronze strings”.
Many of them are actually listed on the product packaging, so please check it out.

The copper (bronze) is wrapped around the 4th to 6th strings, which is easy to recognize because the color is somewhere between gold and brown.
The strings themselves are quite hard, so they are not suitable for techniques such as string bending/vibrato.
However, the bright sound unique to bronze is perfect for chord playing and arpeggios.

Phosphor Bronze strings

Phosphor bronze strings are strings that contain a material called “phosphorus”. The strings themselves have a slight reddish tint to them, making them easy to recognize by appearance.
They have characteristics such as higher volume, better sustain, longer life, and more resonance in the upper registers than bronze strings.

However, there are a certain number of people who find this high frequency range to be a bit too much for their ears, but I like it a lot!

Compound strings

Special acoustic guitar strings are made of silk, which are a soft and easily adaptable material. They are easy to press and are highly recommended for beginners and children.
Compared to other strings, the volume is lower and the tone itself is calmer, so they are perfect for practicing at home.

They are not so mainstream and there are not many of these strings available, but if you are about to give up on the guitar, please give them a try!

Differences in String Thicknesses (Gauge)

A set of guitar strings is usually sold in a set of six, but the thickness of each string differs depending on the product (some products have individual thicknesses for each string). (Depending on the brand, each string can be purchased individually.)

You can actually see the numbers 010, 013, 017, 026, 036, 046, etc., on the Sound House product page. This indicates the thickness from the 1st string to the 6th string.

By the way, the diameter is described in inches.

These different gauges have names such as “light gauge” and “super light gauge”.

The thinner the string, the lighter it is to play, and the more sparkling and light it sounds. Conversely, the thicker the string, the bassier the sound, but it’s harder to play.
This is quite important because it greatly affects the style and genre of playing.

Let's take a look at some of the products being sold at Sound House that I recommend.

ELIXIR / NANOWEB Light #12052

When it comes to coated strings, Elixir is the most well-known brand for coated strings! There are many professionals who use Elixir strings, and many of them may have been influenced by Elixir.

NANOWEB offers such natural playability that you may forget that they’re coated strings.
It also has a long service life, so you will be glad to know that you don't have to change strings as often!
Recommended especially for those who play guitar every day!

*Please note that although they are sold at unbelievably low prices on flea market sites, there is a possibility that they are fake/shoddy products. If you want to be sure you are getting a genuine product, please purchase at Sound House!

GHS / GBCL BOOMERS 6-STRING - Custom Light

These are my favorite strings! They feel great to the touch and are fun to play!

The sound is well-balanced and all-around great strings.
However, I recommend using it with this string as it feels scratchy in the hand at first!

GHS / FAST-FRET Fingerboard Lubricant

Since this lubricant is not a spray type, it can be applied to the targeted area without fail. Moreover, there is no need to worry about applying too much!
If you are not a very frequent user, you can use it for quite a long time, so it is easy on your wallet!

The above is a summary of guitar strings. It can be quite difficult finding strings that you like, right? I myself am still in the process of searching for the right strings for me.
One of the joys of playing the guitar is trying out different kinds of strings! Please let me know your recommendations! (lol)

The column “sound & person” is made possible by your contributions.
For more information about submissions, click here.