Skip to main content

A quick guide to buying guitar strings

Finished-Bridge-Knots-e1391583783276

Buying Guitar Strings

One of the best parts of my job as a sales associate at Murphy’s Guitars in Utah is helping people find the exact tone that they’re looking for. Some customers find it right away and walk out of the store with huge smiles on their faces. Eventually I know that they’ll be back, first of all because I’m committed to giving my customers exceptional service, but secondly everyone will eventually need to change their strings. Today I’m going to walk you through searching for the perfect pack of strings. 

Electric, Acoustic, or Classical?

When a customer walks in and says, “I need guitar strings” It’s basically a game of 20 questions. Start with general questions, and filter it down to the most specific. The first question that I will ask 100% of the time is, “are these for an Electric, Acoustic, or Classical Guitar?” Seems easy enough, but just to be sure. knowledge on guitar anatomy and parts for Gibson guitars is very important for every guitarist

Acoustic

Also called a “steel string” acoustic, if your strings 3rd-6th strings are a gold or brown and the top two are steel, you’ve likely got an acoustic guitar on your hands, however if you’re not entirely sure, and think you might have a classical guitar (which acoustic guitar strings would damage) loosen the strings immediately and take it to your local shop, they’ll help you identify it.
A “steel string” acoustic guitar will use either a phosphor bronze or 80/20 bronze strings. Other options do exist, but these two types are the most common.

80/20 Bronze

I’ll often ask the customer if they prefer a brighter sound that works well with finger picking, country, bluegrass, or if the specific tone that they are looking for is brighter and more vibrant. These are your 80/20 bronze strings. These are lighter in color than their phosphor bronze counterparts (a golden wheat color), and also sound much brighter, and more alive. 80/20 bronze strings will normally be cheaper or the same price as phosphor bronze, and are produced by nearly any string manufacturer.

Phosphor Bronze

Darker color (darker golden honey) and a darker tone, phosphor bronze strings produce a dark, warm, rich, projecting tone, and although they come in the same gages as 80/20’s they will often excerpt more pressure on the guitar, therefore creating a more projecting tone.
Read More: https://murphysguitars.com/news/buying-guitar-strings/#comment-179

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How To Buy Best Skateboards In 2018?

If you are a passionate skateboarder then anything will not work for you. You definitely have some requirements and the skateboard should match it. There are some important things as well which you can keep in mind while buying a skateboard. After all, there are so many options and choosing an ideal one can be a little confusing. The best thing is to research and study all the various skateboard models available in today’s market. The skater should consider all the factors to determine the most appropriate and  best skateboard  for personal use. Here are a few ways that can help you make your purchase worthwhile. Electric skateboards: Currently, many cities have electric cars and vehicles on the road. In this modern era,  motorized skateboards  are becoming a common and popular mode of transport. Even children can ride these skateboards made just for them. It also allows children to enjoy outdoor activity. Below is a list of recommended good quality ...

Skateboarding and Longboarding on and Around Campus

Even though alternative transportation is rampant on Whitman’s small campus, only a handful of Whitman students skateboard. Whether longboarding to class or skating for leisure, those who own boards on campus represent a small fraction of the student body. Whitman’s campus isn’t exactly ideal for the sport. For skateboarding you mainly just need an open, rarely frequented area with various obstacles and terrain. If there is a skatepark nearby, obviously that is a large draw, but for Whitman students, the nearest park is in College Place. On campus, skaters use the small area outside of Olin Hall or can be seen behind North Hall practicing tricks. As for longboarding, all one really needs is a hilly area that is hopefully nicely paved, ideally with not much traffic.  In Walla Walla, serious elevation change is something of a rarity, so most long boarders on campus mainly direct their hobby toward getting to class. However, there are students who do manage to find places off ca...

How To Know What Parts You Need For Your Gibson Guitar

Gibson is one of the most famous brands that cater to the needs of musicians. Gibson was founded in 1902 and since then it is meeting the musician requirements like a pro. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced guitar player, there will be a time when you will need parts for Gibson guitars to keep your instrument playable. There are some guitar accessories which you will need and there will be some optional stuff as well to keep your guitar in a proper shape. A lot of people find it intimidating to purchase the parts for Gibson guitars because of regular wear and tear. So, to know what parts you need for your Gibson parts, here is a small guide to assist you in your search. A little advice can move things smoothly. To start, you need a guitar and some picks, but there are a few things which are quite important before you think of starting the guitar learning course. It doesn’t matter whether you are using an acoustic or electric guitar. Picks: You will need a few pick...