Acoustic Guitar Strings – What You Need to Know

Good day and welcome back to the Beginner Guitar Lessons blog.  What string gauge do you have on your guitar?

String gauge is a number referring to the thickness of the string, started with number 0.010 which is the thinnest high E string for acoustic guitars. The bigger the number the thicker it goes. For beginners I recommend using the lightest set of strings. This setting will allow you to play chords easier because the tension they are created can still be handled easily. You can always switch to bigger string gauge after getting the confidence.

What is the difference between the cheap and the branded strings? Although they may look the same, they are producing different quality of sound; choosing the right strings will give you a better sound quality. Cheap acoustic guitar strings have poor sustain, poor playability and tend to break easier. They also get rusted very fast.

Wipe dry the strings after playing your guitar to remove the oil and salt deposits from your fingers. You can also use guitar string cleaner. A proper maintenance will definitely prolong your string’s lifetime.

Don’t leave your strings tensioned during travelling with your guitar, especially if it is exposed to the heat. Heat and tension are bad combination for your guitar neck, unless if you plan to make archery as your new hobby …..

For the same reason you may want to loosen your strings if your guitar is left untouched for quite a long period.

Changing one of your acoustic guitar strings with a string from different brand may affect the sound quality of the whole strings. Always replace a broken string with one from the same brand. Strings from different brands differ in characteristic. The common problem is one string will give louder or weaker sound compared to the others. Of course the best way is to replace the whole strings with a new set but sometimes we want to salvage the remaining strings especially if they are still in good condition. Bottom line here is use your common sense.

How to find good quality acoustic guitar strings? If you can’t find them in local guitar stores try online guitar shops.

To Your Guitar Success,

-TJ-

Beginner Guitar Lessons Admin

Related posts:

1. Electric Guitar Strings Tips
2. Acoustic Guitars Buying Guide
3. String Bending for Beginners
4. Cheap Guitars
5. Guitar Size