By Michael Pierce & Giulio Chiarenza
How to Participate in the Delcamp Classical Guitar Forum Essential reading, help topics, rules and announcements. Please read this first! Welcome to the classical guitar forum. This forum is entirely free. To make use of its resources, you need to register and then post a message of introduction following your registration. The accounts of new.
Though they may be a relatively small and inexpensive purchase, guitar strings are a fundamental aspect of your tone - acoustic guitar strings even more so than electric guitar strings. The tone you hear from an electric guitar is often very colored by an amp and pedals, making it nearly impossible to hear the strings. Acoustic guitar, on the other hand, is frequently played without amplification or loads of effects pedals. The guitar strings you choose color the tone much more evidently, so it’s important you love the raw sound you’re getting. With the wrong string set your guitar is not going to live up to its full potential.
Thankfully, if you’ve ever had a hard time choosing the right acoustic guitar strings for your needs (whether you’re just starting out or an experienced player looking for a change), you’ve come to the right place. In this guide we’ll give you all the information that you need to make an informed decision, as well as give you five very thoroughly researched recommendations.
- 5 Top Rated Acoustic Guitar Strings
What Are Acoustic Guitar Strings?
To state the obvious - acoustic guitar strings are strings that go on an acoustic guitar. However, acoustic guitar strings use copper based alloys1 while electric guitar strings use nickel and steel. Copper is a better metal for preserving the tone of an acoustic instrument while nickel works better with electric guitar pickups.
There’s no reason you can’t use nickel strings on an acoustic guitar if you feel the need to do so, it’s just not going to sound as good as using strings made from a copper based alloy when you play your instrument unplugged. You may get a bit more output if you use nickel based strings in conjunction with a soundhole pickup like the L.R. Baggs M80, but it’s not going to do that much to improve your overall sound.
Dozens of manufacturers make acoustic guitar strings, from giant brands down to small boutique shops. D’Addario, Ernie Ball, Martin, Elixir, Gibson, and Dean Markley are amongst the ones you may already be familiar with.
An alloy is a mixture of metals or a mixture of a metal and another element (from Wikipedia).
Types of Acoustic Guitar Strings
We urge you to read through this section, or at least save it as a reference when shopping for acoustic guitar strings. There are some confusing terms, and understanding what’s what will make choosing the best acoustic guitar strings for you FAR easier.
When we say “type” of string, that really just means the string composition, i.e. what materials it’s made of (as you’ll shortly read). Different alloys have different tonal characteristics, and you’ll see them described as warmer or brighter or mellower. Your own personal taste dictates what you should look for, as well as what acoustic guitar you’re putting them on. A big bass-heavy jumbo body guitar could match up well with some brighter strings, to balance out a boomy bottom end. You get the idea.
So, there are several types of acoustic guitar strings, but only really two MAIN types; The first is 80/20 Bronze and the second is Phosphor Bronze. Let’s talk about what these all are:
- 80/20 Bronze: These are made of 80% copper and 20% zinc, which technically known as brass, so the music industry calling them “80/20 Bronze” is actually incorrect! 80/20 Bronze strings sound quite bright and bell-like, and more heavily emphasize the high end frequencies of your instrument. It’s a great fit for something like a jumbo guitar, which benefits from a set of strings that tighten up the huge low end that type of guitar is known for.
- Phosphor Bronze: Phosphor Bronze are 92% Copper and roughly 8% Zinc, with a small amount of Phosphorous. These strings are a bit richer and warmer sounding, and slightly more resistant to the corrosive properties of the oil on your hands. A good set of Phosphor Bronze strings is great for taming a guitar with too much high end, but it may also not be a good fit for a guitar that’s more heavily geared towards low end frequencies.
- Silk and Steel: Because these steel core strings have silk, nylon, or copper wrap wire on the lower strings, they produce a mellow tone, and are very well suited for fingerpicking.
When you’re looking for the perfect guitar string, you’re also going to consider whether or not you want a coated set. Coated strings are coated in a thin layer of plastic. This helps prevent oil and dirt from building up in the grooves of your string. However, coating a string definitely cuts some high end frequencies and overall volume - to put it bluntly it robs it of some tone. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’s just something you should consider. For example, lots of players use coated Phosphor Bronze strings to keep a Martin or Taylor guitar from sounding tinny or thin. Some players also use coated 80/20 strings as a happy medium between the two types. This type of string isn’t objectively better or worse than a non-coated string, it’s just different.
At the end of the day, you’ve just got to know how you want your guitar to sound. If your guitar doesn’t have the low end you want to hear you should try a set of Phosphor Bronze strings. Likewise if you’re sound is too dark or muddy you’re going to want to try a set of 80/20 strings to brighten things up.
String Gauge and You
The String gauge you choose is just as important as the string type. String gauge refers to the thickness of a string. A thicker string is more difficult to play because it’s under more tension, but because it’s under more tension it generally causes your guitar to vibrate more which results in a sound that’s both louder and fuller. A thinner string is much easier to play, but your sound may suffer depending on the type of guitar that you play.
This is another thing that you’re going to have to experiment with, because there’s a lot of variation in how a guitar will react with a certain string gauge. For example, if the string places your guitar under too much tension it will actually have a dampening effect which will cause your guitar to vibrate less. The effects of string gauge can also be offset by your playing style. If you play really softly you may not notice a difference between heavy and thin strings. Likewise, if you play pretty hard you may be getting the perfect amount of energy from a thin gauge string.
String gauges follow a general pattern, but some manufacturers slightly deviate. When you talk to other acoustic guitar players, you’ll notice they’ll refer to their preferred string gauge either by the word or by number. “I play with 12’s” is the same as “I play with lights”, both of which refer to the string gauge set that starts with the .012 string. Here are the common string gauges:
Extra Light | .010 .014 .023 .030 .039 .047 |
Custom Light | .011 .015 .023 .032 .042 .052 |
Light | .012 .016 .025 .032 .042 .054 |
Medium | .013 .017 .026 .035 .045 .056 |
Heavy | .014 .018 .027 .039 .049 .059 |
For the beginners out there who are still working on strengthening their hands and building up those callouses, make sure not to go too heavy on string gauge. Stick with Lights, or even Extra Light if you’re having a tough time.
Why You Should Trust Us
Alright, now that we’ve (hopefully) demystified the world of acoustic guitar strings, it’s time to make a few recommendations. But before we do that, we want to make sure you know how we get our information, so you know this advice is coming from trusted, reliable sources! If you’ve read any of our other buying guides, you know our research process is very long and in-depth. It does, in fact, start with extensive online research. We scoured forums and user communities where acoustic guitarists hang out, places like reddit’s r/guitar, and The Acoustic Guitar Forum. We then hunted down posts where people are talking about and debating the best acoustic guitar strings (we try to not go past the last 4 years or so). From there, we made note of what brands and models people are recommending. Armed with this information, we talked to our musician friends who have been playing acoustic guitar for many years, and got their take. We cross-checked that with reviews from publications and online music stores (like Musician’s Friend, Amazon, etc), and of course with our own experience (prior to starting Equipboard we’ve had a combined 16 years or so experience playing acoustic guitar, and have tried LOTS of different strings). After narrowing down the winners to about 10 sets of strings, we purchased all 10 ourselves and did a final test, which helped us narrow down the top 5.
5 Top Rated Acoustic Guitar Strings
Now that you know just about all there is to know about acoustic guitar strings, and how we tested and selected our recommendations, let’s dive into our reviews! But first one quick note.
This is how we recommend you go about finding the best sounding acoustic guitar strings for you: We laid out our recommendations in a Top 5 fashion. The great thing about strings is that it’s not something you only buy once. If you actually play your guitar, you’ll have to buy many, many sets of strings over the months and years. So, if you’re clueless and are just starting out, start with our #1 top pick. Next time you need to change your strings, try our second recommendation, then our third recommendation the time after that... you get the idea! That way, you’ll not only nail down the best strings for you, but you’ll be able to help other people out with your experience. You can jot down some notes about your experience with each set you try so you can remember later, but it’s not necessary - most guitarists just get that warm, fuzzy, good feeling when they string up a guitar with a new set. Everything will just feel right and sound great when you find the best strings strings for your playing style and your acoustic guitar.
With that, let’s talk about the 5 best acoustic guitar strings out there!
Elixir 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings, NANOWEB Coating
Gauge we recommend: Light (.012-.053)
By far, Elixir seems to be the favorite brand of strings for the majority of acoustic guitarists. Why? In one word, Longevity (i.e. they last much longer than other manufacturers’ strings). How? Because they’re coated so they degrade and rust much slower. The specific strings we - as well as most guitarists - recommend more than any other are the Elixir 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings with NANOWEB Coating.
Elixir is a company that only makes instrument strings, and as such has really specialized and honed their craft, to the point of getting recognition by recording and touring artists around the world. They make electric guitar, bass, mandolin, and banjo strings as well, but their claim to fame is definitely their acoustic guitar strings. In terms of materials, they offer both 80/20 Bronze (which you will recall ring brighter and clearer) and Phosphor Bronze (a bit darker and warmer).
Perhaps one of the most debated choices guitarists need to make when selecting Elixir strings is if they want NANOWEB Coating, or POLYWEB Coating. The coating is what really sets Elixir apart so it’s worth discussing. While the coating is responsible for giving these strings a longer-than-average lifespan, it’s also what makes a lot of people dislike them. Simply put, some players just don’t like the feel of coating on their strings. It absolutely has a distinct feel from uncoated strings, and perhaps it’s a more “purist” point of view to prefer the raw, uncoated steel. Conversely, many people love the feel of coated strings. They’re a bit more slippery leading them to be more forgiving on the skin of your fingers. The coating also eliminates some of that “squeak” from moving around the fretboard. As far as NANOWEB vs. POLYWEB, NANOWEB are less coated, and feel a bit more like traditional uncoated strings. POLYWEB are probably the most coated strings that exist, and while they last a very long time, you definitely feel that abundance of coating. It comes down to personal preference; Personally, we’ve found that most people (us included) like the coating, but prefer the NANOWEB since it’s not so extreme.
Proponents of uncoated strings claim Elixirs don’t sound as good - while we can concede that your guitar’s absolute truest tone comes out of uncoated strings, Elixir strings still have an amazing tone; very clear and resonant. That’s partially why we’re recommending 80/20 as opposed to Phosphor, to get back some of that brightness and sparkle the coating might take away.
One of the downsides of Elixir strings is that they cost 2-3 times as much as competitors. Keep in mind however that one of the primary reasons these are so well-loved is because of their extreme durability. If you play every few days, there’s no reason a set of Elixir NANOWEB shouldn’t last you a few months. Let’s say you play 3-5 days a week; It’s not uncommon for a set of Elixir strings to last you 6 months, whereas you would need to change uncoated strings every month or so. Regardless of how much you play, you won’t see rust or dirt anytime soon, so you’ll definitely be changing these less than other brands of string. The cost will even itself out (you might even come out ahead).
Bottom Line: If you’re just getting started shopping for acoustic guitar strings, we recommend the Light (.012-.053) variety for the best mix of loudness and tone while at the same time going easy on your fingers. We like NANOWEB since they’re not quite as heavy on the coating, and 80/20 to maintain some of that sparkle. If you’re absolutely not a coated strings type of person, then don’t worry, we have other recommendations for you. If you are, however, you’ll agree with this reviewer:
“My favourite aspect of Elixirs is that they are slippery and don't threaten to tear chunks of skin off. Also much less string noise when moving up and down the neck”
And if you need more proof about who else loves these, they are one of the highest rated strings on Amazon, averaging 4.5 stars out of 5, with a staggering 3000+ reviews. We recommend trying out all the strings we recommend in this guide, but Elixirs last so long (and sound so good), that it might be a while until your next string change!
Martin MSP4150 SP Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
Gauge we recommend: Light-Medium (.0125 - .055)
Next up in terms of number of recommendations is Martin, the Ying to Elixir’s Yang. If you like Elixir coated strings, chances are these aren’t for you, and vice versa. Martin is best known for making exquisite acoustic guitars, dating back to the 1800s. It’s safe to say they know a thing or two about what makes an acoustic guitar great, and that knowledge extends to their string manufacturing. While they, like other string manufacturers, make numerous strings, one of the most recommended and dependable models is the SP line, available in 80/20 Bronze, and 92/8 Phosphor Bronze. We love the Martin MSP4150 SP Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings, and in particular the Medium/Light gauge (we’ll talk about why shortly). And no, you don’t need a Martin guitar to fully enjoy these strings!
Coated strings have a very particular feel that tends to be pretty polarizing amongst acoustic guitar players; either you love it or you hate it. Martin does make lightly coated strings in their LIFESPAN SP line, but their bread and butter is definitely uncoated strings. The Martin MSP4150 SP Phosphor Bronze are often regarded as the quintessential uncoated string, and as a result they sound incredible. It would seem most players enjoy the sound of the Phosphor Bronze as opposed to the 80/20 when it comes to these, as you get a very warm and raw tone out of your acoustic.
Of course, what you gain in tone improvement, you lose out in durability. If you play several times a week, be prepared to change these every month or so. No coating means corrosion will more easily attack the surface of the strings, and gunk from your fingers will clog the gaps between the windings. There’s not much you can do to get around this, it’s simply the tradeoff.
One thing that’s particularly interesting about this set of strings is the Light/Medium gauge: .0125, .0165, .0255, .0335, .0435, .055. It’s not a gauge range that’s widely available, and yet it makes a lot of sense. If you find Medium strings too stiff and tough on your fingers, yet Light strings too brittle and quiet, Light/Medium is a perfect compromise. This user’s review describes them perfectly:
“They exert exactly the right amount of pull on my guitar (the tension is midway between the lights and the mediums) and the tone and volume are FANTASTIC. These strings are bright, even, and somewhat chimey-sounding on my guitar, and nicely LOUD.”
Bottom Line: If you’re new to stringing an acoustic guitar, you’re sure to notice how different the Martin SP will feel and sound from Elixir strings. The Martin SP Phosphor Bronze are a good value for the money, considering how good they sound. If you pick up and play your acoustic frequently, it’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, you’ll want the best tone available, and uncoated strings are more “true” in that sense; On the other hand, you’ll frequently be changing your strings due to dirt and corrosion, which costs money and time.
D’Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
Gauge we recommend: Light (.012-.053)
Coming up behind Martin by a very small margin as the most recommended and best sounding acoustic guitar strings are USA-made D’Addario strings. D’Addario strings are actually often compared to Elixir, and are the perfect choice for players that want the same sort of slick feel of coated strings, but don’t actually want the coating. If Elixir are on the coated far end of the spectrum, and Martin strings are on the far uncoated end, D’Addario are somewhere in the middle. D’Addario makes a lot of good strings, and it was difficult to name the best one, but the ones we recommend above all others are the D’Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings.
To clear up confusion: Elixir is not the only game in town making coated strings. D’Addario makes some too in its EXP range, if you care to check them out. In this case however, we’re recommending their uncoated strings. D’Addario Phosphor Bronze strings are somewhat of an “industry standard”; they’re reliable, inexpensive, they sound great, and they are very resistant to breakage. You can think of these as the acoustic guitar strings for those that don’t want to think too much about their acoustic guitar strings. They are not the clear winner in any one particular category, but they do just about everything well.
There are a handful of “perks” that make D’Addario strings stand out from the rest. First, in a string package all 6 strings are in their own corrosion-proof sealed bag, to make sure they don’t oxidize as they sit on the shelf at the music store. Next, they have color-coded ball ends, which is a nice visual indicator when stringing up your guitar that you’re putting the right string in the right place (we’ve all grabbed the wrong string at some point). Finally, they have a cool Players Circle rewards program where you can collect points to eventually trade in for gear and merchandise.
So, why Phosphor Bronze? In the mid-1970s, D’Addario actually introduced Phosphor Bronze to the string making process. Phosphor Bronze strings are composed of 92% Copper and 8% Zinc, and the small amount of Phosphorous in the alloy is corrosion-resistant and extends their life. In terms of tone, Phosphor Bronze strings are often referred to as more warm as opposed to more bright.
These particular strings are also known for not breaking very easily. If you play loud and with a heavy hand, you’ll appreciate that these strings can take some punishment. This is partially because of their superior construction; they are wrapped with the correct tension (not too tight or loose) around a “hexagonally shaped, high carbon steel core.”
Bottom Line: If you’re somewhere in between coated Elixir and uncoated Martin strings, D’Addario’s Phosphor Bronze strings might just be the perfect acoustic guitar strings for you. Nobody does Phosphor Bronze better than D’Addario, since they invented the process. Unless you have a strong preference in gauge already, we recommend the Light (.012-.053) variety, or what D’Addario calls the EJ16 (the model number changes depending on gauge - the Custom Light Gauge for example is called EJ26). The D’Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze strings are a #1 Amazon Best Seller, and have a 4.5 star rating from 2000+ user reviews and counting.
Ernie Ball 2146 Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
Gauge we recommend: Medium Light (.012-.054)
Next up is another acoustic guitar string in the “you can’t go wrong” category. Ernie Ball is a very trusted name amongst guitarists and bassists, manufacturing guitars, basses, pedals, accessories - and of course one of their most popular products, guitar and bass strings. Ernie Ball’s electric guitar strings are probably the most used, and while their acoustic guitar strings don’t quite enjoy the same level of popularity, it doesn’t take away from them being very high quality, and a fantastic choice for stringing up your acoustic. In particular we recommend the Ernie Ball 2146 Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings.
Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze strings are made in California, U.S.A., and are composed of 92% copper, 7.7% tin, 0.3% phosphorus wire. These strings have some considerable star power behind them, with artists like Paul McCartney, John Mayer, Brad Paisley, Billie Joe Armstrong, and James Bay all using them... so they must be doing something right!
In terms of feel, Earthwood strings are actually quite comparable to the D’Addario Phosphor Bronze. They are good compromise in feel between Elixir and Martin strings. As one reviewer puts it:
“I'm not a huge fan of the slick feel of Elixirs and these are not grabby or slick, kind of in between. The sound is warm and resonates well, and for whatever reason these just feel better on my fingers than most other strings I've tried.”
Tone-wise, they sound great. Nice and rich, warm, clear, with just the right amount of brightness for our taste. They’re also packaged well, with Ernie Ball’s Element Shield Packaging ensuring they stay fresh and don’t prematurely oxidize.
Bottom Line: A very worthy competitor to D’Addario Phosphor Bronze acoustic guitar strings. If you need a good starting point, we like the Medium-Light gauge (.012, .016, .024w, .032, .044, .054). As a testament to how well-liked these are, they have over 500 reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
John Pearse 600L Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
Gauge we recommend: Light (.012-.053)
While it became obvious what the top 4 acoustic guitar strings should be in our guide, the 5th was not so obvious. Rotosound, Cleartone, and Dean Markley were worthy contenders, but in the end the one that felt best both to us and the experts we spoke to are the John Pearse 600L Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings.
“Possibly the best acoustic guitar strings that you've never heard of,” says one reviewer. To be fair, plenty of people have heard of John Pearse strings, but they do lag far behind in popularity against the likes of Elixir, D’Addario, Ernie Ball, and Martin. Marketing may not be John Pearse’s forte (the Website still looks like it was designed in the early 90s), but they make fantastic strings.
Tonally they are excellent, right up there with Martin strings. They sound very clean and clear both on our inexpensive Ibanez acoustic, and high-end Taylor. While their longevity is less than coated Elixir strings, they last a reasonably long time, and still tend to sound good even as they’re approaching the end of their life.
Bottom Line: As we mentioned, we recommend trying out acoustic guitar strings in the order we listed them in this top 5 list. While it may take you a while to get down to the 5th string change, we definitely think John Pearse are excellent, and worthy of taking for a spin. We really enjoyed the Light gauge with these (.012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053, with the two thinnest strings being plain, and the rest wound).
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Comments 1
Definitely recommend D'addario's phosphor bronze strings. Very good quality at a fair price.
over 2 years ago
By Mason Hoberg
If you’ve spent most of your time playing steel string acoustics, or you’re a beginner starting with a nylon string guitar, choosing the right string can be a bit overwhelming. There’s just so many options to choose from, all of which have a drastic effect on both your tone and the feel of your instrument.
Thankfully, if you’ve struggled with figuring out how to choose the best classical guitar strings for your needs you’ve come to the right place. This article will give you all the information that you need in order to make an informed decision, as well as give you five great recommendations to help aid you in your search.
- Top 5 Classical Guitar Strings
What Are Classical Guitar Strings?
Up until WWII, classical guitar strings (some people say nylon strings, and some people say classical guitar strings. They both refer to the same thing) were made out of intestine and silk. The process used then is actually similar to how nylon guitar strings are made today. The three thinnest strings were plain, while the three thickest strings were wrapped in silk.
Today guitar strings are made from nylon as opposed to gut and silk for a variety of reasons, though cost is definitely the chief among them. This type of string is traditionally used on a classical guitar for two main reasons. The first is purely tradition. Gut was all that was available up until recently, so the majority of classical guitar works have been composed or arranged with gut (and now nylon, which does a good job of approximating the tone of gut) so in order to get what’s generally thought of as the “classical guitar sound” you need to use a traditional string. The second is that nylon strings are physically easier to play because they’re under less tension than steel strings, which makes complicated fingering or fast passages easier for the musicians playing them.
What Are The Different Types of Classical Guitar Strings?
While nylon strings do come in different gauges, the most important factor is tension. Nylon strings come in low, normal, and high tension varieties. Low tension strings are easier to fret, have a bit less volume, and are generally considered to be a tad more “complex” sounding. High tension strings are the opposite of low tension strings, and normal tension strings strike a happy balance between the two extremes.
When considering what type of string you should get, first you need to really be aware of the current sound of your guitar. Some guitars emphasize treble frequencies, so a high tensions set of strings that has some dampening effect might do a good job of taming high end frequencies that are a tad too piercing. The inverse is also true for low tension strings.
Unfortunately, there isn’t really a clear cut answer here. In order to find the best match for your guitar you’re going to have to experiment. Thankfully, strings really are pretty cheap all things considered. And it’s worth the extra investment and effort to ensure that you get a set of strings that make your guitar sound as good as it possibly can.
Ball End vs. Tied Classical Guitar Strings
While the majority of nylon strings generally come unadorned, some do come with a ball end similar to what you’d find with a regular steel string guitar. Structurally, there’s nothing wrong with this. It’s not going to destroy your guitar, and you’re probably not going to notice a difference between a ball end string and a plain end string provided they come from the same manufacturer.
Unfortunately, some ball end strings aren’t made to same level of quality that you’d find with high quality nylon guitar strings. The reason is that the companies who make ball end nylon guitar strings are trying to capitalize on beginner’s not knowing how to properly tie a nylon string, so they cut corners because they can get away with it. Ball end strings have the capability to sound just as good as a plain end string, just make sure you go with reputable manufacturers like the ones mentioned below to make sure they are not trying to take any shortcuts.
Top Five Classical Guitar Strings
Because guitar strings are relatively cheap, we selected the highest quality products we could find. All of our selections are based on feedback from both the general public, our readers, and the Equipboard staff.
D'Addario EJ45 Pro-Arte Nylon Classical Guitar Strings
Established in 1974, D’Addario is one of the leading manufacturers of instrument strings (though primarily guitar strings) and instrument accessories currently on the market. Currently based on Farmingdale, Long Island, D’Addario is still a family owned and operated company. This means that while they’re business has grown to impressive heights they still retain the values and dedication to quality that made them such an impressive force when they were first established.
A fact that may surprise many of you is that the brand actually got their start producing classical strings, first made from sheep or hog cut and then nylon following the material’s invention by DuPont during WWII. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the company first stepped into the world of steel strings.
Given the fact that the company built their reputation on producing classical guitar strings, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the D’Addario EJ45 Pro-Arte Nylon Classical Guitar Strings are a quality product.
The most important thing to note about these strings is that they’re a normal tension, and when the company states that they mean it in a way that’s more in line with the industry standard. Other companies have a tendency to market their strings as normal or high tension without really qualifying it compared to more popular brands, resulting in a string that disappoints some musicians because the set is not of the tension that they were expecting.
To reiterate on a principle that was previously stated elsewhere in the article, normal tension (or medium tension, depending on the brand) is the middle ground between high or low tensions. This offers the benefits of both types of strings, with plenty of warmth, volume, and clarity. We’re going to go more in-depth with this later in the article.
These strings are also plain ended nylon, meaning that to put them on your guitar you are going to have to tie them. While this can be a bit intimidating if you’ve never done it before it’s really not that much harder than putting on standard ball end strings. There are a wealth of resources available online which give you a step-by-step guide with pictures to help you accomplish this, so as long as you’re willing to research how to put on nylon strings you should be able to accomplish it fairly easily. If you’ve never done it before it’s probably going to be worth it to buy two sets of strings in case you make a mistake with putting on your first set.
For the price the strings are very responsive and offer a pleasing dynamic range. They also have a clarity and articulation lacking in other budget strings, which is a plus for those of you who want to play “proper” classical arrangements. They obviously aren’t going to be quite on par with significantly more expensive strings, but considering that they’re significantly more affordable that really isn’t an objective con.
Some do state that they don’t have a lot of volume on hand, which may be a problem if you want to play un-amplified in an ensemble setting. However, for solo play (whether you’re playing through a mic or not) these strings should still have enough projection and volume.
For the price the D’Addario EJ45 Pro-Arte Nylon Guitar Strings are a very reasonable purchase. They’re a good fit for beginning classical guitarists, because while they may not have the dynamic range or volume of a more expensive string they are pleasant sounding and articulate in their own right.
Ernie Ball Earthwood Folk Nylon Guitar Strings
Founded in 1962 in California, Ernie Ball is easily one of the most notable manufacturers of guitar strings ever. While producing a lighter-gauge string seems like common sense, at the time it was completely unheard of. Beginning musicians were forced to suffer through a process of building callouses that was many times more painful than it is for the majority of beginning musicians in modern times because light gauge strings just weren’t available. Heavy gauge strings also limited professional musicians, making bends and fast passages harder to play because heavy gauge strings don’t facilitate these playing techniques as well as thinner strings.
Though the company’s claim to fame was producing strings that were much lighter than those of their counterparts Ernie Ball has gone on to produce a variety of different string to appeal to different sections of the market. A perfect example of which is the Ernie ball Earthwood Folk Nylon Guitar Strings.
The first thing to know about these strings is that the wire wrapping is made from 80/20 bronze, sometimes known as brass (guitar strings generally denote the composition, even though in other situations this alloy is what’s commonly known as brass). This results in a brighter string, which we’ll go over in greater detail in the sections below.
The strings are medium tension, which is the middle ground between low and high tension classical guitar strings. High tension strings have a brighter voice and a great amount of volume, though they tend to lose some warmth. They’re also harder to play when compared to low tension strings, though this difference is less notable when compared to high and low gauges of steel strings.
From the description on the storefront it appears like these strings are ball end, meaning that you shouldn’t have to wrap them. This isn’t completely clear, because while they do specifically say that the first through third strings are ball ended they don’t state whether or not the fourth through sixth are.
The reason that the tone of these strings are so divisive is that they are made from bronze as opposed to a more traditional material. These strings are a great fit for musicians who primarily play steel string instruments because they have a more familiar tone, but odds are that those of you who are dedicated finger-style guitar players who focus on nylon string instruments.
The main difference between these strings and others is that they’re warmer. They also don’t have quite the projection of higher-end classical guitar strings, but to be fair they are also significantly cheaper. They are great for slower, more melodic passage but they may not be the best fit for lively or highly technical classical passages. The main reason for this is that because they have this warmth they have less clarity and articulation, which can make faster passages sound muddier than they would otherwise. Of course this is also going to depend on your technique and the instrument you use, because these two factors are just as important as your strings in regards to your final tone.
Due to the materials utilized nylon strings just require a longer amount of time to settle in, so this isn’t a flaw in the strings it’s just a factor of the design.
While they don’t have the traditional nylon string sound, Ernie Ball Earthwood Folk Nylon Guitar Strings offer a great option for musicians who primarily play steel string guitars but are looking to get into playing nylon string instruments.
Savarez 500CJ Corum Cristal Classical Guitar Strings
Founded in 1770, Savarez is arguably one of the most prestigious producers of classical guitar strings on the market who offer products that are both affordable and widely available. The company has had a place in the industry almost since the inception of the guitar, and has been providing musicians with quality examples of a variety of different guitar strings (everything from gut to the Argentina strings famously used by Django Rheinardt). Considering the company’s history, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the Savarez 500CJ Corum Cristal Classical Guitar Strings are a quality option for any musician.
The key thing to note about these strings is that they’re intended to be an affordable option for those of you looking for a higher fidelity of sound. These are “proper” classical guitar strings, and are designed with the needs of classical guitar players in mind. We’re going to get into the sound of these strings more in the section below, but just be sure to keep this in mind while you’re considering different strings.
Savarez nylon strings are available in low, medium/normal, and high tension. Tensions for classical guitar strings are the equivalent of gauges for an electric guitar string (nylon strings are still available in different gauges, but the impact of nylon string gauges are less dramatic when compared to the impact that gauge has on the feel of electric strings). Low tension strings have more warmth and bass response, but high tension strings are generally capable of producing more volume and on average are more articulate than low tension strings. Normal or medium tension strings are obviously going to combine elements of both.
These strings are also subject to very precise production, with the tension of the nylon strings all being balanced to one another. While D’Addario or Ernie Ball nylon strings are perfectly acceptable for a lot of situations the balance of these strings is going to benefit those of you who focus on the classical guitar as your primary instrument.
We also shouldn’t ignore the fact that Savarez also focuses on classical strings to a much higher degree than D’Addario and Ernie Ball, so they benefit from decades worth of experience designing these strings as well as being able to focus more exclusively on their production of nylon strings. Products from bigger companies are more widely available but they generally don’t perform as well because the attention of these companies are split between a variety of different products as opposed to focusing almost entirely on one type.
As we previously stated, these strings are intended for classical guitar. The benefit of this is that they are very articulate without sounding thin. They also have a lot of warmth (though when compared to other strings that use different materials they are a bit more sterile) and a pleasing amount of overtones.
Just as importantly these strings are also capable of producing an amount of volume that’s very reasonable for the price. They’re a good step-up from cheaper nylon strings though they obviously aren’t going to perform as well as those that are many times more expensive.
For whatever reason, those who aren’t experienced in nylon strings have a hard time believing that they require a longer break-in period than steel strings. This means that the tuning instability common to new sets of strings is going to be worse here because nylon is a more flexible material overall. This isn’t a flaw, it’s just a component of the design.
The general consensus of these strings is that they’re one of the cheaper options available if you’re looking for a traditional sounding nylon guitar string. They’re very well suited to playing traditional arrangements of classical music.
Savarez 500CJ Corum Cristal Classical Guitar Strings offer a great value to any musician looking for a traditional sounding nylon guitar string.
Martin M160 Silverplated Ball End Classical Guitar Strings
C&F Martin & Company, founded in 1833, is easily one of the most prolific manufacturers of acoustic guitars in the world. They were the first company to launch x-braced guitars that were suited to the added tension of steel guitar strings (while many believe that Martin was the first company to use the design, there were a variety of German immigrants who also utilized the design), and the guitars they’ve made have been used to great effect by musicians who have literally defined Western music.
Though they’re mostly known for their guitars, Martin has also produced a variety of different instruments and products. They’ve made ukuleles, acoustic archtops, mandolins, electric guitars, electric basses, and even a variety of different guitar strings.
While the company’s guitar strings may not have the glowing reception of their guitars, they actually do produce a few interesting additions to the market. They’re one of the few companies who make Monel guitar strings (used by Tony Rice) and high-quality ball end nylon guitar strings.
A perfect example of Martin’s nylon string offerings is the Martin M160 Silverplated Ball End Classical Guitar Strings.
They feature ball ends, as opposed to the plain nylon strings more commonly produced. The benefit of this is that it’s going to be much easier for those of you not accustomed to tying nylon strings. The only thing to keep in mind is that while these strings are well made the ball ends do have an effect on the sound, which we’re going to get into more in the section below.
These strings are silver-plated, which is nice for those of you looking for a more traditional sound. 80/20 or phosphor bronze coatings on nylon guitar strings do add warmth to your sound, they don’t have the articulation you get with silver-plated strings. Volume is going to vary from string to string depending on how they are designed as well as the tension they come in.
Lastly, the silver-plated coating is also considered to be more resistant to corrosion from the oils present on your fingers. The difference between this effect on silver-plated strings vs. bronze plated isn’t overly dramatic, though it is widely acknowledged nonetheless.
So ball end vs. plain end nylon strings are subject to a pretty hefty amount of debate in guitar playing circles. Some say that the difference between the two is negligible, while others say that it’s incredibly dramatic. Basically, the most common opinion is that ball end guitar strings is that they have less volume and a lower presence of overtones than plain ended nylon strings. Of course your experience with this going to depend on what you’re looking for from your string as well as who made them. Another thing to note is that because ball end strings change the angle of the string compared to the bridge many find that ball end strings are more easily picked up by piezo pickups.
The general consensus of these strings is that for the price they offer a pleasing fidelity of tone, even if they don’t hold up quite as well to more expensive strings. The strings are stated to have a clear and articulate voicing, though they do lack some warmth when compared to other types of strings (such as those made from 80/20 or phosphor bronze).
Martin M160 Silverplated Ball End Classical Guitar Strings offer a good value to musicians who are looking for reasonably proficient sounding ball end guitar strings.
Albert Augustine 525A Gut Classical Guitar Strings
Founded by Albert Augustine (1900-1967) in the mid-1940s, Albert Augustine Ltd. Is literally the company who pioneered nylon guitar strings. They were the first company to utilize nylon, a material created by the DuPont family, in guitar strings.
Albert Augustine was an immigrant from Denmark who, after arriving in the country, resided in New York. He moved to America to pursue a career as a luthier. The advent of nylon guitar strings was actually spurred on by a conversation that Agustine’s partner Andres Segovia had with General Lindman of the British Embassy. Segovia mentioned that there was a shortage of good guitar strings available, and because of this comment Lindeman later presented Segovia with nylon strings (in a guitar gauge, though not the strings we know today). Segovia wasn’t impressed with the tone of the strings, and it wasn’t until he was introduced to Augustine by their mutual friend (and the editor of Guitar Review) Vladimir Bobri that nylon strings became the product we know today.
Given the impact that Augustine has had on the industry it isn’t surprising that these strings are a very good product. To learn more about how they compare to their competition be sure to check out the specifications below.
So right off the bat, these strings are made from gut. They aren’t made from nylon. With that being said, the formulation of these strings is intended to approximate the tone of original gut strings. This does result in a tone that is different from your standard nylon guitar string. We’re going to get into this in more depth in the section below.
These strings in particular are high tension, as opposed to low or medium/normal. High tension strings are noted for their clear highs, articulation, and volume. It should be noted that while nylon strings are significantly easier to play than steel strings, high tension strings are still going to be notably more difficult to play than low tension strings. If you’re a beginner you may find that low tension strings will make the period where you’re developing your callouses significantly easier.
Lastly, keep in mind that these are plain end nylon strings. While tying nylon strings does take a bit of practice it is a skill that can be easily mastered so long as you take your time. Thankfully, there are a wide variety of resources available to help you with this.
When compared to similar nylon strings (high tension) this set has a lot of warmth while still maintaining great clarity, projection, and volume. They’re a very robust sounding string, with a pleasing amount of overtones present.
The general consensus is that while these strings are expensive when compared to more widely produced strings they are an affordable option for musicians looking for a proper nylon guitar string. They have the response and articulation that’s suited to playing classical guitar arrangements without lacking the warmth or low end response that cheaper strings tend to have.
Albert Augustine 525A Gut Classical Guitar Strings have a traditional gut string sound at a price that’s pretty hard to beat.
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