Acoustic Guitar Strings

[lilifield]

I just bought my first guitar couple days ago and someone said that the factory strings should be replaced with good ones. I tried to buy some expensive strings at eBay but backed out at the last minute because there were so many "sizes" and dynamics involved that I didn't know which ones to buy? I have an Ibanez acoustic. I don't think that I need the top of the line because I am brand new to all this but I would like a recommendation for maybe the next best to the top? Many thanks in advance.

[iiholly]

Elixir is a good brand.

[Mark Pav]

Martin strings are good. I recommend phosphor bronze ones. You'll probably just want light gauge strings, too.

[gogogo]

I play ernie ball power slinkys. Strings are really about personal preference, as well as what style your going to be playing. After a couple of yrs of playin on 11 gauges anything less feels like dental floss hahaha. Most strings are pretty cheap so this allows you to experiment w/ different types w/o breaking the bank. This is about the only piece of equipment you'll be able to do this w/...so take advantage!!!Oh also since your just starting out lighter gauge strings will help your fingertips out. Take it from me treating open cuts on your fingers doesn't feel good! Once you build up some strength and "tuff skin" or "chops" as i like to call it you can bump to a higher gauge or stay where u are remember it's totally up to you ;)

[lilifield]

THANK YOU! This is all really good to know.

[Fenderalltheway]

I used J D'addario, or however you spell it for my acoustic and my strat.Great strings!

[aschleman]

Since you have an acoustic... the sizes are a little less important... most string brands only offer them in size packages light, med/light, medium, and heavy... I suggest light or med/light for any beginner... makes it easier on the hand muscles...

Usually guitars come with med/light strings already on them... So if you're comfortable with the ones on the guitar already... just go with med/light. If you want ligheter strings... get lighter ones...

Now for brands... When it comes to acoustic strings many people will argue that Elixer strings are the best you can buy... I happen to agree with that. But Elixers don't sound good on some guitars... Take a $2000 Taylor and a $2000 Martin... put them side by side and put Elixers on them... The Taylor will blow the Martin away in tone... Now do the same with Martin strings... The Taylor now will sound dead... where the Martin will sound a bit more alive. I highly recommend Elixers... go for the Nanowebs in med/light... that's my suggestion. They last longer than any other string out there, they're comfy to play... and they sound better than 95% of other strings. But you may want to try a few different just to find one you're happy with... After all... tone is what you're after.

[R. Shackleferd]

I used J D'addario, or however you spell it for my acoustic and my strat.Great strings!
Agreed, except I use Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom on my SG.

[lilifield]

Wow you guys were right about the sore fingers. I have 3 blisters from the little practice I did - ouch! :eek: I can only imagine how sore my hand will be tomorrow from all that streeeeeeeetching and trying to reach impossible chords. Some of those chords are insane aren't they??? I mean you have have E.T. long fingers to be able to reach them. I wish they'd invent a machine that could play the board and all you had to do was strum. LOL!!

[andrew3in1]

:D

If you want cheap go to webstrings.com. Free shipping if you order 12 sets and they only cost 2.74 less if you order more. I usually order at least twenty five sets at a time. They hold up good enough for me and I play every week in a humid enviroment. The strings come in x-light(10s), xl-light(11s)(my personal favorites), lights(12s), bluegrass(12.5s), and medium(13s). If I order on Monday I have them by Thursday. Nice mello tone

Very good strings and not bulk packed.

Stringthis.com also has some very good strings. They claim they are bulk packed Martins. They come in extra-light(10s), light(12s), and medium(13s). If you order more than 12 sets they come out to $2.50 a set, but shipping and handling will be around $5.00 if you live in the continental US. Very bright tone.

Very Good Also But Bulk Packed.

I have used both of these strings and find them great for what I do, which is lead Acoustic Worship every week at my church.

Hope this helps. I am always looking for cheap strings!

Andrew
The Ovation Guy.

[lilifield]

Thank you Andrew, I'll check those out. When I read that you lead worship at your church my stomach got all up in butterflies. I think that ultimately that is where all this is leading to. Hard to explain... dreams and visions... you know ;)

[andrew3in1]

:rolleyes:

All I can tell you is go for it! Practice a lot, Pray a lot.

What part of the world are you from? I live in San Antonio, Texas, USofA.

I have found that either WebStrings or Stingthis strings last just as long in what I do as any other premium brand. I usually change my strings one a month.


Andrew
The Ovation Guy.

[Buddha3j]

I started playing seven years ago and just recently started in again my husband has been playing for 16 years and he told me to get Martin strings full name- Martin Marquis 80/20 Bronze Extra Light they work for me and with much less pain for your fingers. :rolleyes:

[lilifield]

Thanks so much everyone. I am a total beginner and have only had my Ibanez for 6 days and haven't changed the strings yet. I'm trying to research as much as I can before I make any decisions. I know there's more important things in life than strings, but I would like to know.... Do you find that by switching the weight of the string for comfort that you sacrifice any sound quality? I'm tempted to buy the XL strings because my fingers are a mess and I'm a woosey about pain, but would rather go through the pain for better sound. Or is there not much difference?

[lilifield]

Andrew, I'm in Northern Michigan - cold country. Only, it's like an oven today with lot's of humity to boot. :eek: Thanks for the sites... those prices are great!!

[R. Shackleferd]

...but I would like to know.... Do you find that by switching the weight of the string for comfort that you sacrifice any sound quality? I'm tempted to buy the XL strings because my fingers are a mess and I'm a woosey about pain, but would rather go through the pain for better sound. Or is there not much difference?
Yep, personally I can't stand the sound of really light strings on an acoustic especially. Not only that, but they don't seem to last as long and they break easier/more often. In my own experimentation of gauges, I think the worst aspect of super lights is an unwound G string (3rd string). To get chords to sound right on an acoustic I think that string has to be wound. I'd say sacrifice a lil pain for now...it'll pay off down the road anyway.

[andrew3in1]

:)

The Xlights I get have a wound third string. MOST but not all brand new guitars I have seen here in my part of the world all come with Medium strings(both my Ovation and Art&Lutherie came with mediums). I would have to agree with what the last poster said. Xlights will not give you the tone Lights or Mediums will, but if your acoustic is hooked up to an amp it makes no difference in my experience. But if you are in a recording studio you want the heaviest string your guitar can handle for the absolute best tone.

I have been playing at one church or the other every week for over four years, and have even gone to Mexico and played, and in all that time I have only broken 2 1st strings and that was because the manufacturer had not wound the little button on the bottom of the string right and Stringthis.com not only replaced those strings but sent me 10 complete sets for my troubles.

If you are just learning I would go with a light(12s) strings first and see how it goes. If they still seem to heavy for you go to Xlights or if they seem to light go to Mediums.

Andrew
The Ovation Guy.

[Frank Gonzalez]

I had exactly the same question, and I am in the same situation.
Let me know what you chose and if it works fine.

Frank

[lilifield]

Frank, someone suggested Elixur Nano Wed Lights and I went and bought a set and put them on. WOW... I could not believe the difference. My Ibanez now sounds like a freekin piano!

They are new, and really tight right now so I'm still in the process of stretching and pulling them, and refining the tuning. I've had them on less than 10 hours so I figure by tonight they'll be perfectly in tune. When you stretch them be careful of the 3rd string... those are the ones I'm told break easier. It's the same as getting a new pair of jeans... they are tight and stiff at first but after you wear them in they get soft and comfy.

My fingers are still sore, but I am feeling the beginning of numbness and callusses (yay). I still can't play more than 10 minutes at a time and that bites because I'm never ready to quit when my fingers say "enough". ;)

The Elixurs are really expensive though. I also bought a set of Martins which were like 1/4 of the price. I haven't tried them yet but I've heard through tons and tons of various sources that they are really good strings. After these Elixurs are ready for the trash I think I'll stick with Martins even if they end up not sounding like a piano. :p

[raven8100]

I think Martin and Ernie Ball strings are the best.Tim

[andrew3in1]

The only bad experience I have had with Elixer strings is it seems that when they do break, which is not often they take skin with them.

Two of the six people I play with have had elixer strings break and got cut by them.

I personally have never had this experience.

One other note along the same lines is never use alcohol to clean your strings(any strings). It evaporates very quickly cooling off the strings causing them to contract.

[andrew3in1]

:eek:

An aquitance has written a short article on guitar strings in the Christian Musician magazine and has given me permission to include it here. He is an expert, at least more than I, so here it is:

Strings:
Whether you play acoustic or electric guitar, strings are a big issue. Unlike the old days, there are few 'bad' strings anymore. In fact, a handful of factories produce most of the of the string brands we use.

When trying to find the perfect string, I wouldn't start with brand names. Start with gauges and metal alloys. Acoustic string gauges run from .010" - .046" to .013" - .056" and electric strings can run from .008" - .038" up to 013" - .056". Gauge selection is a tradeoff between playability and sound.

The better the tone, the harder they are to play. Also, larger gauge strings tend to stay in tune better and aren't easily "pushed" out of tune by a heavy grip.

I think the standard place to start should be a .012" set for acoustic or f-hole guitar and a .010" set for solid-body electrics. If you get much lighter than that, you begin to lose tone and develop tuning problems. Very much heavier and the playability becomes stiff.

I've discovered that the exact string set that I use varies from guitar to guitar, so I always start by trying 3 sets of strings. (The standard gauges I mentioned above and one gauge smaller and one heavier to compare.) Once I establish the size of the string for that guitar, I buy 3 or 4 sets of that gauge in different metal alloys and brands. Eventually I figure out what I like the best for sound, playability and durability and then I buy a box of them to cut down on the expense.

Some of my personal favorite strings are D'Addario Phosphor and Thomastik Spectrum Bronze light-gauge strings for my acoustic and Savarez Alliance high-tension strings for my nylon string. There are a lot of good electric strings and having several different electrics, the gauges I use range from .095" sets to .012" sets, depending on the guitar. I usually like D'Addario nickel and Thomastik Swing strings the best.

By the way, I always take my D'Addarios out of their boxes and place just the plastic wrappers in my case to save room.

John Standefer

[Akira]

Interesting read.

Good call! :)

[bunmiadefisayo]

Did you string your guitar yourself? Ive been using the same set of Martin strings for the past two years and of course they are rusted and sound just crappy. I never changed them cuz i figured it'd be difficult. How did you change yours and is it difficult?

NB- I am nowhere near any kind of guitar help; professional or otherwise.

[andrew3in1]

:confused:

I string my guitars myself. I have two acoustics an Ovation and an Art&Lutherie. Since I play for my church every Sunday I restring my guitars one a month. Most players will not need to do this so often.

[R. Shackleferd]

Did you string your guitar yourself? Ive been using the same set of Martin strings for the past two years and of course they are rusted and sound just crappy. I never changed them cuz i figured it'd be difficult. How did you change yours and is it difficult?

NB- I am nowhere near any kind of guitar help; professional or otherwise.
If you had the high bandwidth subscription here you'd have to look no further as Schmange has it covered in video. But since you don't, this is what I found after a quick search. Seems just about how I do it. Although I'll add that on that 1st crimp of the string before you feed it through the peg, I'll bend it using a guitar pick to make the angle extra defined...thus reducing slippage.
Tutorial (http://guitar.about.com/library/weekly/aachangingstringsc.htm)

[bunmiadefisayo]

Does it matter if its an acoustic-electric? Are there special acoustic-electric strings or can i just buy regular strings and it'll work fine?

[andrew3in1]

:p

An acoustic/electric uses acoustic strings.

[andrew3in1]

:(

You may not be able to use extra light strings on a guitar because of string buzz. I know that some of the cheaper Ibanez, Brownsville, and even a couple of the jasmine(a cheaper version of a Takimie) are really bad about this.

My last shot at this! :)