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  • String primer

    Posted by Tapley_Tinsmith on April 4, 2023 at 6:13 am

    It is about time I change the strings on my guitar. In the past I’ve always haphazardly picked strings. Is there any place in TAC where there is a guide to acoustic strings (a forum or old acoustic Tuesday) to give me some background knowledge and/or advice?

    Carol-3M-Stillhand replied 2 years, 11 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • That_Guy

    Member
    April 4, 2023 at 4:10 pm

    The number one selling string type for acoustic guitar is phosphor bronze in light gauge. Start here unless you were looking for some specific type of sound from specialty strings.

    You can’t go wrong with Martin, elixir, or Daddario. Buy the more expensive coated version. They sound the same and last way longer before corroding

    I have been using Martin PB light on my rosewood lately and Martin “specialty” nickel “monel type” on my mahogany because it has a more thumpy old school country sound with less brightness.

    • This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by  That_Guy.
  • Carol-3M-Stillhand

    Member
    April 5, 2023 at 8:59 am

    @Tapley_Tinsmith string selection can be a pretty subjective preference… It really comes down to what your ears prefer to hear. It depends on the guitar, the player and the genre of music as well. Learning your string preferences is a journey for sure. My best advice is to start out with the same strings that the manufacturer placed when the guitar was first made. You can usually find that in the specs for any specific guitar. Play those for a while, then definetely experiment with other types of strings. Coated, uncoated, PB, 80/20, lights, mediums, etc. I think different guitars are more suited for certain strings. So try out a few different kinds on each guitar you own and let your ears lead you to your favorite ones!! (I lean towards D’Addario J16)

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