Which Guitar Strings Do You Prefer?

I’ve been playing for 30 years and have done most of those string changes myself on all my guitars.  I got my first acoustic in 2002. That upgraded my string changing game. I learned the hard way, the slow way, the complicated way and some others I’m still trying to learn.  I never had anyone show me "the right way". I had too many wraps on a few. I wound the wrong direction and ended up with a kink in my fresh new strings. I have even cut the string too short, before finding out I didn't have enough wraps on the post. Yep, I've made most, but not all, the mistakes a young guitarist can make. Let's talk about guitar strings...

New, clean strings are a great way to improve the sound of any guitar whether it be an acoustic, electric, or bass guitar.  Nickel, Steel, Phosphor / Bronze Alloy, Gold, Coated, Platinum, Long Lasting are many of the search categories you will find looking up guitar strings these days. In decades past I've always chosen .10s for my respective guitars. The size of a guitar string is referred to as its gauge and. it primarily means how much resistance you have between the neck and the strings when attacking as you play. If you are heavy handed like me then .10s would be suitable for tuning stability, but more difficult to perform bends and tremolos. I used to think that a lighter gauge string meant more likely to break. This is not true. Many of the guitars I've seen recently come loaded with .09s of some type ready to go.

Guitar strings are meant to be stretched and pulled and over time will wear out. It is written in rock legend. It is true. Different strings provide varying tensions, which brings us to the question, which guitar strings do you prefer. Light versus Heavy. Silky versus bulky. Nickel versus gold. The debate will never stop so I'm diving in head first. Always try to buy local when you can, but if you're like me the closest shop is a 35 minute drive at best. If you can skip the drive and get free shipping, then you've already saved money.

There is some variation in the individual string sizes. Here's a quick reference chart.

List of varying gauges of guitar strings

My wife and I do a lot of comparison shopping online and in store. For most guitar related stuff I've found minor differences in prices when comparing brick and mortar stores to online stores. The big determining factor in buying strings is having to drive to a retailer or wait for it to arrive by mail. Both are time consuming.

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky .10s

This is my latest set of electric guitar strings. They are Ernie Ball Regular Slinky Nickel Wound. These strings go from .10 - .46. I've gotten used to .10s over the years and have just recently experimented with varying gauges on different types of guitars. I've used these strings for years now in live practice, studio session, and general picking around on all my electric guitars.

Ernie Ball 80/20 Bronze Alloy Light Acoustic Strings

These are my latest acoustic strings. They are also Ernie Ball 80/20 Bronze Alloy Light. These strings go from .11 - .52 because they are made from different types of metal. The country ballads I like to practice acoustic sound fantastic on these strings. Good clarity, good string life, and all around great looking strings. I chose these because of the 4 pack. Some places offer different quantities so do your price comparisons and choose what best suits your needs as a guitar player. As a luthier and repair technician I'm constantly trying to balance cost of stock and immediate availability for any given gig or job.

I have always been a budget guitarist. I used to save money for setups and strings and all that fun stuff. I've tortured guitars and their resilient strings in all kinds of environments like an open ended greenhouse with no humidity control, except a fan. The back porch outside with nothing but a shade cover. Out next to the pool in the full sun. In the back yard by the lake. A giant metal building in the middle of the winter. And everyone's favorite, the smoked out weekend jam spot where everyone came to hang out and listen to live music. All of these scenarios put different stresses on guitar strings. Depending on which one you frequent will determine the life of your strings. When mine get wet with any perspiration, they have a 3-6 month life. The acoustics that stay indoors or in a studio setting could very well last a year if properly conditioned and stored.

If you are trying to achieve a specific sound during a performance or recording, then spending a little extra money on a set of strings is a worthy investment. Like I said, nothing make a guitar sound its best than a new set of strings. I used to not worry about conditioning strings and wiping everything down thoroughly. I'd wait for a string break, pilgrimage to the guitar shop, and restring and stretch in time for the next jam.

Now that I have a few guitars that sit in the stand more than they go out, I've taken to wiping and polishing with varying compounds to make sure they are ready when the time comes to play. Since opening my own setup and repair shop, I've gotten a lot more particular about the way things are used, cleaned and then stored. Guitar cases are a simple way to extend string life. Hard shell cases seem to work better than padded gig bags, but honestly any case is better than nothing at all. Shopgoodwill.com is a great resource to find some second hand cases, but be prepared to pay for shipping. In all humidity control would be my number one factor in string life.

I'll have to admit that I never bought a new set of strings that I didn't like. Lighter strings are great for expressive playing. Heavier gauges stand up to the chugging and palm muting in rock and metal. Lower, dropped tunings will do better with heavier strings, but pay particular attention to the low E string size. I'm reconditioning and acoustic now that I wouldn't mind having gold plated strings on. I'll have to sell a few guitars and knock down a couple more jobs before my wife lets me buy gold for a guitar instead of her!