How to Choose Electric Guitar Strings

Since the electric guitar produces sound by amplifying the strings’ vibrations across a metal plate, the type of electric guitar string used heavily influences the sound quality and overall tone of the instrument. While selecting the proper electric guitar string may seem like a daunting task, understanding each of the factors that affect guitar sound and taking the time to research and experiment can help take some of the guesswork out of the process. Read on for advice on how to find the electric guitar strings that best match your electric guitar and playing style.

Electric guitar strings are one of the important guitar parts and are manufactured in a variety of thicknesses, or gauges. Designated in thousandths of an inch, the lightest gauges are typically an .008 and the heaviest a .56. Although each string technically has a different gauge, as thinner strings produce higher notes and vice versa, the gauge is identified by the diameter of the thinnest string in the set. For example, if the thinnest string has a diameter of .008 the guitar is said to be strung with “8s”. When it comes to electric guitar strings there are six basic gauges: extra light, light, standard, medium, medium heavy, and heavy. Thinner string sets are easier to press down, and tend to be favored by beginners who have yet to build strength in their fingers. Although lighter strings tend to break more easily and produce less volume, they exert less tension on the guitar neck.

When it comes to string materials, there are three types of strings commonly used on electric guitars: nickel-plated, stainless steel, and pure nickel. Although all three have a basic steel base, each is wound in a different fiber to create a unique sound. Nickel-plated steel are the most common string type for electric guitars- they’re resistant to corrosion, last longer than untreated stainless steel strings, reduce finger noise during play, and reduce fret wear. Some electric guitar players find that the coating produces a more mellow sound than the alternatives. Better suited for true rock, stainless steel strings produce a brighter, louder sound. Unfortunately, the purity of their tone production is short lived, and stainless steel strings tend to produce a high level of noise along the finger and fret. Finally, pure nickel strings are best suited for use in the jazz and blues genres,as they’re softer than other string options and have a smooth, warm tone.

When shopping for electric guitar strings, it’s important to have a budget and playing style in mind. If this is the first time you’re purchasing strings, experiment with the different variations and find the type that works for you. Whether you’re shopping online or in a store, a good way to narrow your options is to select a material and gauge size first and move forward from there. From there, consider brand, winding, and price point. In regards to price, electric guitar strings don’t have to be super expensive to produce a great sound. Instead of automatically reaching for the most expensive strings, spend some time researching, reading reviews, or talking to other electric guitar players.

How To Clean And Maintain Your Electric Guitar Fretboard

Finished and Unfinished Fretboards The guitar community is torn in a debate about whether the material of a fretboard makes any difference. Some believe that a rosewood fretboard is markedly different from ebony, while others say there’s hardly any difference. But when it comes to cleaning, you will need to be cautious. Primarily, the focus is on fretboard cleaning, but other guitar parts are involved, like the neck and tuning pegs. And if your electric guitar has a fretboard that uses unfinished wood, things are tricky, demanding extreme caution. So, it’s recommended to oil unfinished fretboards for obvious reasons. When you leave wood for a long time, it turns hard, thereby making it difficult for the truss rod-neck adjustment. Unoiled fretboards can also crack in places that look bad and hamper your guitar play. How To Start Cleaning Your FretBoard For maple fretboards, you don’t have to spend time oiling. Typically, they are pre-hydrat...

5 Gibson Guitars You Should Go For

Gibson SG is a model that was introduced in the year 1961. The splendid feature of this guitar is that it is lightweight. You can easily find the vintage Gibson guitar parts very easily for this one. It is made of mahogany wood which is quite durable and strong. It has a small and extra-thin neck that can be played by anyone. This increases the playability of the guitar in a big way. It is also cheaper than the previous Gibson models. The versatile design makes it repairable and parts for Gibson guitars are easily available. It also produces sounds that are fully balanced. However the joint on the neck is slightly weak that can affect sound quality. It can break easily and is fragile due to its super thin nature. The Les Paul model is the model that was released before the SG or Solid Guitar. This Ultima model from Les Paul is a little expensive and is a total vintage collection. These look classy, luxurious and has explicitly handcrafted features. It ha...

How to Repair Binding around the Body of an Acoustic Guitar

What is Acoustic Guitar Body Binding? Almost all acoustic guitars have some type of binding around the edges where the top and back meet the sides. Many acoustic guitars also have binding around the fretboard and peghead. Acoustic guitar binding can be made out of many different kinds of material including: various woods, plastic, or celluloid. A “true” binding around the body of the guitar is inlayed or glued in a channel cut from the body. A router is used to cut a small channel or shelf on the edges of the guitar for the binding to sit on. The binding is then bent and shaped to fit the body and glued in place. Most of the time decretory purfling strips are usually inlayed next to the binding. Purfling strips are thin laminate pieces of wood dyed different colors. You might ask, what is the purpose of binding on an acoustic guitar and why don’t all guitars have binding. Acoustic guitars have the edges bound to create stronger joints between the top, sides, and back of the...

Nethan Vines

Search This Blog