The Beginner's Guide To Electric Guitar Guitar Strings

There will come a time when you have to consider replacing the strings on your first guitar, the question is when? That will depend on a number of factors, how often you play, how long you play for, your playing style and how well you look after your strings. A general rule of thumb is to replace the strings after 20-30 hours of play.

Why do I have to change the strings?

When you play, the oil in the skin at the ends of your fingers is transferred to the strings. This will further attract dirt which will collect on the strings. This will cause the strings to deaden as well as shake unevenly along their duration. The sweat from your fingers will also cause the strings to corrode and you will notice this with a discolouration of the string over a period of time. The dirt will eventually find its way to the core of the string causing it to corrode and weaken. A good tip to prolong the life of the strings is to wipe them after playing.

What type of strings should I buy?

You should always replace strings with those designed to be used with the type of guitar you have. If you have a steel string guitar do not be tempted to re string it with nylon strings to overcome the effects of sore fingers for example. There are a number of reasons why a steel string guitar is not suitable for nylon strings. Without going into great detail these are - the nut slots will be too narrow for nylon strings and the saddle angle.

Actually much more risky is stringing a classical guitar along with steel guitar strings (even though some traditional guitar strings possess steel wound nylon material strings for the 3 lower E, A and D guitar strings). Nylon strings are under less tension than steel string so the guitar construction takes this into account. The facing and internal braces are weaker and you might even pull the bridge off. Also, the neck of most nylon string guitars won't have an internal reinforcement, a truss rod, to keep the neck straight. Without this the neck will bend causing the action (height of the strings above the fingerboard) to change and make playing very difficult.

What are strings made from?

There are three common types of steel acoustic guitar strings

Bronze Wound - These are the most common type and have a bright sound when brand new which fades quickly with time.

Phosphor Bronze Wound - Is a bronze and phosphor alloy which is used to give the string a warmer sound and extended tonal life.

Silk & Steel - The wound strings have a thin steel core which is surrounded by nylon filaments and then wrapped in silver plated brass windings. This type of string gives a much softer sound and is less durable than other types of string. The strings are under less tension which makes it easier to depress them.

Thick or Thin?

Using thicker or thinner strings allows you to change the tone and playability. A heavier, larger gauge, chain demands higher pressure which means the chain will require more stress in order to depress but may shake much less. Less vibration allows you to reduce the action i.e. move the strings closer to the fingerboard. Thinner, lighter gauge, strings have the opposite effect. If you change the thickness of the strings on your guitar you may have to have it adjusted so that the action remains the same.

Finally, strings are a personal choice. Only by trying different makes and gauges will you fully experience each of the effects discussed above and be able to make a more measured decision.