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How to choose classical guitar strings | Types and recommended products

How to choose classical guitar strings | Types and recommended products

Classical guitar strings are a very important item and have a significant effect on playing comfort and sound. It is said that veteran guitarists always have their favorite strings. However, if you are new to guitar, there are so many things you may not know, and there are too many types and you may not know what to choose, or the criteria to choose the best strings for you. The best way to choose a string is to try different strings and find the one you like best, but here I would like to introduce the types of strings, the criteria for selecting, and our recommended products. Find your favorite strings and create your own sound!

String material

Nylon

The most commonly used synthetic fiber strings on classical guitars. Very soft and stretchy. Due to the nature of the material, thicker strings have the disadvantage that the sound is muddier, so some guitarists use different materials only for thick strings.

Fluorocarbon

A string created to overcome the weakness of nylon strings, "the muddy sound". They feature a more brilliant and well-defined sound than nylon strings. Although they have excellent durability, they have a higher tension than nylon and tend to have a harder playing feel.

Titanium

A string whose surface hardness has been increased by adding a hybrid to a nylon string. Named for their distinctive purple color, they do not actually contain titanium. They have characteristics like those between nylon strings and fluorocarbon strings, and have both a playing feel that is close to nylon strings and a glittering sound.

Gut / Nyl Gut

Gut is a string that uses the intestines of cows and sheep. Before nylon became common, such materials were used for classical guitar strings. The supply is unstable and difficult to manage, but there are still guitarists who are particular about choosing gut strings. Nyl Gut is a string that reproduces the gut sound using nylon. It tends to get a clearer sound than gut.

About string tension

Tension is the tightness of the strings. There are three main types of classic guitar strings: low tension, normal tension, and high tension. The same material has different sounds and playability.

Low tension

Also known as "light tension", as the name suggests, the tension is light. It requires less power to hold down the string and is easy to handle for women and smaller hands. The tone is calm and the sound tends to rise quickly. There are drawbacks such as going out of tune when played hard and harmonics are difficult to get, so strings with higher tension are recommended for those who use harmonics frequently.

Normal tension

The most common tension string, also called "medium tension". Many classical guitars come with a normal tension strings when shipped. A very balanced string that lies between low tension and high tension in both tone and playability. If you are not sure what to get, start with a normal tension string.

High tension

Also called "hard tension", it features strong tension. The sound does not easily get muddy even with strong strokes, and a sound with a core is obtained. Compared to low tension and normal tension, they do not respond well to delicate performances. Also, since it takes power to hold down the strings, it is recommended that you select these strings after you are used to playing classical guitar.

Representative brands

AUGUSTINE

In the 1950s, it was known as the world's first manufacturer of practical classical guitar strings. In addition to "BLACK" and "RED", which have been standards since their release, there is a wide lineup including "IMPERIAL", which uses thinner high strings, and "PARAGON", which uses fluorocarbon.

AUGUSTINE
BLACK

AUGUSTINE
IMPERIAL/RED

AUGUSTINE
Paragon/Red

HANNABACH

A long-established brand of classical guitar strings from Germany. The product has been developed through countless tests and is very attractive. Another major feature is the lineup of five tensions, including original lows, super lows and super highs, in addition to the three general lows, mediums and highs.

HANNABACH
SET815SLT YELLOW

HANNABACH
SET815MT BLACK

HANNABACH
SET815SHT RED

SAVAREZ

This is a French guitar string brand which also has a long history. Based on the standard "ALLIANCE" model, they have a lineup of strings with various features including the brighter sounding "NEW CRYSTAL" and the overtone rich "CANTIGA" bass string. There are many guitarists who mix SAVAREZ series strings with strings of other brands, so this is a recommended brand for guitarists who want to explore their own sound.

SAVAREZ
ALLIANCE/CANTIGA -Normal tension-

SAVAREZ
NEW CRISTAL/CANTIGA -Normal tension-

SAVAREZ
CREATION Cantiga -Normal tension-

DADDARIO

A great guitar string brand for electric and acoustic guitars, as well as classical guitars. Strings produced in advanced factories are characterized by high stability. The treble strings are made while measuring the diameter and tension precisely with a laser type sensor. A great feature is not only the rich sound, but also the stability of the pitch.

DADDARIO
EJ45 Pro-Arte Nylon Core