Which strings are better? String Selection: Nylon or Metal Strings

When choosing strings, as indeed when choosing any musical instrument, you need to be aware that in this matter everything is very individual, so you should not rely entirely on the opinions of others, including sellers in music stores. I will not sin against the truth if I say that during his life, any experienced guitarist will try more than a dozen different strings and change his opinion about strings more than once. Therefore, this article is intended not so much to give recommendations on the choice of specific brands of strings, but to introduce readers to their modern types and fundamental design differences. With regard to strings of the same type from different manufacturers, we can safely say that the choice in favor of one model or another can be made by a musician only on the basis of his own experience.

First, a little about what a string is. In principle, any thread or wire, with or without winding, can be considered a string, as long as it does not break or stretch too much when played. Once upon a time, when there were no guitars or violins, our distant ancestors played on unwinded vein (made from animal tendons), intestinal (made from animal intestines), silk, bronze, copper and strings made from plant materials . Gut strings without winding have outlived all the others, surviving to this day, but for a number of reasons now they can only occasionally be found on harps, and even ancient instruments in ensembles medieval music. Winding on strings appeared only in late XVIII - early XIX i.v. It made it possible to improve the timbre of bass strings, while simultaneously reducing their tension, which facilitated performance, enriched the technical capabilities and timbre of most musical instruments that time. At the same time, with the invention of the piano, the first steel-based strings appeared, which later found application for other instruments. The 20th century extremely expanded the range of types of strings, adding many new ones to the existing ones: synthetic, on a steel cable, with multi-layer and profile winding (flat or semicircular), bimetallic (combining two or more materials), combined, etc. Let's try to figure it out. what determines the need for such diversity.

Types of strings

Gut strings- (everywhere incorrectly called “vein”), as noted above, are made from animal intestines (not produced in Russia). Despite the fact that in Lately Abroad they have learned to better protect them from external influences; they do not last long on instruments with metal frets. They also have the unpleasant ability to lose their quality in conditions of elevated temperature and humidity, including from finger sweat. And although intestinal strings are brought to Russia privately by lovers of ancient medieval music, they are almost never found on sale.


Synthetic strings- are used only for " classical guitar"They are also recommended for beginners because of their softness. In the mid-20th century, these strings replaced unstable gut strings. The top three strings of the guitar set are synthetic nylon strings. The other three bass strings are made of polyfilament (consisting of a large number of threads) synthetic base of the same nylon with a surface wire winding. The traditional winding material for them is round wound wire made of silver-plated copper. A silver coating of a few thousandths of a millimeter not only looks good, but also improves the sound of relatively dull copper, although wears out quite quickly. At the same time, copper itself, due to its natural softness, eventually breaks through in places of contact with the frets of the guitar. Recently, many companies have successfully used other copper-containing alloys (for example, silver-plated or pure brass and phosphor bronze) as windings for synthetic strings ), which are noticeably superior in durability to silver-plated copper.

High density synthetic strings made from a new synthetic material invented at the end of the 20th century in Japan carbon(or in other words - fluoro-carbon). Since the density of carbon is 30-90% higher than that of nylon (depending on the specific grade of material), at the same tension as nylon, the top strings of a classical guitar made from carbon line have thinner diameters. So, for example, the 3rd G guitar string on carbon will have a diameter of 0.85-0.92mm instead of 1.00mm.


relative comparison of the sections of guitar strings made of carbon and nylon 1st E string carbon - 0.48 mm (for nylon - 0.70 mm); 2nd string "B" carbon - 0.67 mm (for nylon - 0.80 mm); 3rd string "G" carbon - 0.87mm (nylon - 1.00mm).


Carbon strings have the advantage over nylon in better wear resistance, but their most important advantage is their greater ringing. Their only drawback is their noticeably higher cost. Carbon fishing line is 5-7 times more expensive than the best nylon string, which may be due to the fact that the production of these strings has not yet become widespread. Bass strings in sets with carbon line can be made using either carbon fiber or traditional nylon, since the difference in sonority with twisted strings is less noticeable than with fishing line.

Monolithic steel strings are used very widely in pop music, where sonority (“metal”) is more valued in sound. These strings have a higher tension compared to synthetic ones, and are placed on guitars of a different, reinforced design (Western models, “Western”, “Jumbo” or Russian guitars with variable neck height). The basis of these strings is high-carbon steel, which is superior in strength and elasticity to all brands of spring steel, which is used in a “bare form” for the top two or three strings. As a rule, alloys based on copper, less often stainless steel or nickel, are used as windings for steel strings. Most often, various grades of brass are used (in the American tradition called bronze), as well as phosphor bronze. The winding material varies in hardness and elasticity, giving the strings vibrations a different character, which is reflected in the sound of the instrument. The winding profile of “twisted” strings also varies, but the most common is still the so-called “round wound”, which provides the strings with maximum sonority, especially noticeable in the first period after installation. Let us note that today in Russia, domestically produced steel-based strings with silver-plated copper windings are very popular among amateurs, which is largely due to poor awareness among musicians about the shortcomings of such strings. The fact is that the steel base does not allow the twisted string to bend around the guitar fret in the same way as is the case with synthetics, which is why strings with soft silver-plated copper fail several times faster than those with windings made of phosphor bronze, brass, stainless steel, etc. .p., without having any sound advantages. Regarding varieties steel strings with flat or semicircular winding("flat wound", "half-round wound"), lying flat side out, then such strings, when changing positions, do not have the whistling of fingers on the winding turns, characteristic of strings with a "round winding". These strings give a less bright sound, which is especially noticeable in the first period after their installation, but this is why some guitarists like to use them, especially those who have to record in the studio through a microphone. They are also preferred by those performers who are greatly annoyed by the change in the timbre of round-wound strings over time, caused by the gradual flattening of the winding at the points of contact with the frets.

At the turn of the 21st century, two new types were developed in the United States steel strings with synthetic cover bass strings. The first type is distinguished by the fact that a thin tape winding made of synthetic material is placed on top of the traditional metal round winding. It is designed to protect the twisted string from the penetration of sweat and dirt from fingers between the winding turns, and also to slow down the flattening of the string winding turns upon contact with the frets. The second type of string differs from the first in that here the winding wire itself is enclosed in a plastic sheath, which is why the interturn gaps of the winding are less protected from sweat and dirt, but this design protects against breakdown of the turns no worse, and perhaps even better, than the first. Both ideas are quite good, especially for those guitarists who would like to maximize the life of wound strings, and especially for those who have a naturally caustic chemical composition of sweat that can corrode the metal of the winding. However, in addition to a noticeably higher cost, strings in a plastic shell lack that iridescent (“diamond”, as the professionals say) overtone, characteristic of round-wound strings in the first hours of playing, which is so valued by professional guitarists that for this alone they are ready to install a new one. a set of strings for every concert or studio session.

Strings on steel cable They began to bring them to Russia literally in the last 2-3 years. Manufacturers present them as strings for a classical guitar (apparently because of their softness), but rather they are still intermediate strings between nylon and steel, since when installed on an instrument they immediately amaze classical guitarists by the fact that they practically do not stretch and quickly change pitch with minimal rotation of the pegs, which is typical for steel-based strings. So far, even in Moscow, these strings are quite rare due to low demand - they are quite expensive and too unusual/unusual.

About guitar scales

There are many standard sizes for all types of guitar strings, which is determined by the varied requirements of musicians, the design and scale of their instruments. About the latter in a little more detail. Unlike bowed instruments, where the working length of the strings of a full (4/4) instrument is the same, guitars can differ quite significantly in their scale length. There are instruments with a scale length from 610 mm to 674 mm, on which the same set of strings will have different tensions. To get identical string tension, a shorter guitar should use heavier (almost always thicker) strings. Recently, the standard scale length of a guitar is increasingly considered to be 648-650mm, although the author of this article has his own point of view on what the exact scale length of a guitar should be, which can be read in the article Standardization of scale lengths of stringed instruments and methods for calculating them.

About string tension

Guitarists who play “metal” are used to determining string tension by the number of the first string, indicated in thousandths of an inch. For example, a set of steel strings No. 10 is a set in which the first string has a diameter of 0.010 inches = 0.254 mm. However, few people pay attention to the diameters of bass strings, and in vain. American steel-based acoustic guitar strings, which are very widely available in Russia, are usually designed for instruments played with a pick. These sets provide a higher bass string tension than most traditionally prefer Russian performers who often play with their fingers right hand who have instruments of a different design and rather give preference not to the volume of the sound, but to the richness of its timbre and long “sustain”, i.e. duration of sound inherent in strings with lower tension.

The graph shows the tension of two types of steel strings for a six-string guitar. The differences concern only the “bass” strings with winding, starting from the third. The top graph shows the tension of “loud” strings, the bottom - less loud, but with greater “sustain”, and also richer in timbre.

The tension of synthetic guitar strings is also determined based on the cross sections of the strings. It is important to understand that only homogeneous materials can be compared cross-sectionally - for example, nylon with nylon, carbon with carbon. It is inappropriate to compare nylon with carbon in diameter due to the difference in density between these materials. At the same time, we note that the difference in the tension of nylon fishing line of different diameters is negligible - even a difference of 0.002 inches / 0.05 mm is not significant for string tension, because Nylon is almost 8 times lighter than steel. When comparing carbon line, the same difference of 2 thousandths of an inch will be slightly larger - again due to its greater density.

conclusions

When choosing strings, you mainly need to start from what sound (timbre) you personally like, what instrument you have, and even what kind of music you perform. When choosing strings, a beginning guitarist with no experience at all can be advised the following very roughly:

• If you like the classic sound of a Spanish guitar or for some reason only soft strings suit you, you should opt for synthetic strings (nylon/carbon), but they should only be used on a classical-type guitar, otherwise the sound will be too weak and dull ;
• those who are interested in sound power and ringing, and who have a large, American-type instrument ("Western" / "Jumbo") with lower strings above the fingerboard, should prefer steel-based strings no lower than No. 11 (although this requires strong fingers);
• for those who do not want to have thick calluses on the fingers of their left hand, but who are not satisfied with the somewhat “plastic” sound of synthetic strings, we can advise setting strings on a cable or on a steel base with low tension Nos. 9 and 10. In this case, you may have to increase them slightly the height of the strings (mainly bass) above the fingerboard due to the height of the nut, since soft, or rather, light strings have a larger range of vibrations and can touch the frets when playing with forced sound production.

And one more piece of advice for beginning guitarists - always tune the strings using a tuning fork. In addition to the fact that an incorrectly tuned instrument cannot sound fully, when re-stringing you run the risk of ruining it. Strings that are kept tight for a long time may, if not break, then stretch out, and in the correct tuning they will sound worse. Weak tension is also undesirable, since the sound will be less loud and ringing, and the tuning will “float”. Even the most expensive “sophisticated” strings in the wrong tuning will sound worse than simple, but correctly tuned and selected for the instrument and hands of a particular player.

Nylon or metal strings? Many guitar players have once gone through (or are currently going through) the complex procedure of selecting strings.

Let's start with the most common metal strings. They really seduce guitarists with their ringing sound, excellent sustain and, most importantly, familiarity of sound. But you have to pay for everything. Firstly, pain in the fingers. You can bet that I can play for hours and nothing will happen. I can do that too. But we are talking about training. I personally remember very well how my fingers hurt after five minutes of playing (I studied metal).

There are many parameters that characterize strings. The main ones are the thickness of the first string and the tension force of the string. Thickness ranges from 0.08 to 0.15 mm (or so). On good strings( , ​​) the diameters of ALL strings and, preferably, the tension force (in kilograms) should be written. These numbers are important. Experiment with different types and brands of strings, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. But I want to warn you: strings that are too thin are difficult to handle. They are easy to press, but they are VERY difficult to tune and can go out of tune if you press the string hard between the nuts.

Secondly, if your goal is not just strumming in the yard (nylon is definitely not suitable for this purpose), then try to find a professional guitarist who plays metal (of course, there are such people, but they are few). The fact is that the soft nylon sound is perfect for chamber performance. And in general, the speed of playing on nylon is really higher than on metal.

Metal strings less susceptible to aging than nylon strings. If nylon needs to be changed every two months, then metal lasts six or more. But here it is necessary to make a reservation that in general the first two strings fail (i.e. they stop building, change the color of the sound) much earlier than the rest, so you can often replace them (only if spare ones are included in the kit).

I’ll say right away: nylon strings it’s more difficult to tune, the fact is that you simply have to catch the desired tone like a flea. You just have to get used to it. Nylon strings are suitable for all types guitar music, where fast passages, tremolo, vibrato or just fingerpicking are needed. Where the rich sound of six strings is needed at the same time, nylon falls on the shoulder blades: metal strings are excellent when playing with strikes.

Now a few words about guitars. There are guitars either only made of nylon or only made of metal. There is no other option! St. Petersburg's old guitars don't count - they actually fit both types of strings, but the sound left much to be desired. Whatever strings were installed when purchased (naturally, in the store), these should be installed when replacing. The fact is that technically a replacement is possible, but what will be the consequences? The guitar may simply not be in tune, or its neck may be bent (believe me, this is possible), the manufacturer will not wish anything bad.

As a result, I would still advise learning to play nylon, and then making a choice. After all, it is easier for a real guitarist to switch from one type of strings to another than for a beginner.

Which nylon strings to choose?

The typical choice of a professional guitarist is nylon strings high tension (High Tension) with silver-plated winding. Teachers usually recommend that beginner guitarists use normal-tension strings; they are easier to play on, although the nuances of sound production that are available on high-tension nylon cannot be obtained with them. You may also be advised not to install silver-plated strings on low-quality guitars. Pay special attention to the frets. If the grinding of the frets leaves much to be desired, but you still want to use nylon strings, then optimal choice- strings with copper (or copper alloy-based) braid. They will “live” longer, although their sound is initially less bright.

When choosing “voices,” the determining factor is the quality of their processing. There are polished and honed (matte) surfaces, each with its own “sound” nuances. Polished strings are the most common. This is due to the fact that they produce fewer overtones during fast passages.

Now - a couple general rules on communication with strings:

1) Never reinstall old strings - this can lead to breaks and a permanently out-of-tune guitar.
2) After installing the strings, let the guitar sit for at least a day (just tune it first) to allow the strings to stretch. You shouldn't start playing right away - the strings will go out of tune very quickly - there will be little pleasure.
3) Do not play the guitar with dirty or greasy hands - the strings will deteriorate.
4) Periodically wipe the neck of your guitar along with the strings - it won’t make it worse, but the strings will be nice.
5) If a string breaks, it is better to replace all six - the sound of the new one will still stand out from the general background.
6) If the guitar SUDDENLY stops playing, there is no need to throw it away, just try changing the strings to new ones.

Information provided- website Secrets of a Musician, author Izotov

Understand the difference between steel and nylon strings. It is important to note that using strings intended for acoustic guitars on a classical guitar will damage the neck. The tension of the strings and the guitar are different, so you cannot use classical strings for acoustic guitar, and vice versa. Classical guitars typically have nylon strings. Bass strings look like steel, but the guts (core) are made of nylon fibers. In this article we will discuss steel strings.

• If you play a lot (on stage) you may want to stick with 80/20 bronze. Phosphor strings tend to last longer.

Remember that the material you choose will affect the sound. The three most commonly used materials are bronze, phosphor bronze and silk and steel. There are other materials, but these are the main ones.

• Bronze strings are sometimes called 80/20 bronze because they are made of 80% copper and 20% zinc. They can be used for all play styles. They have a bright sound that fades quickly after a few hours of play. Bronze strings are the most commonly used strings.
• Phosphor bronze strings are bronze strings with the addition of phosphorus. They can also be used for all types. They have a warm sound that lasts longer than bronze strings.
• Silk and steel strings produce a soft, rich sound. They have lower tension and come in lighter calibers. They are good for vintage guitars that require special strings. They are quieter and less durable, but are easier to play.

When choosing strings for a classical guitar, many guitarists do not think about the possibility of experimenting with different types of materials: most musicians are still confident that only nylon sets or their traditional, but more expensive analogue - gut strings can be installed on a classical (Spanish) guitar. However, this is not at all true: in this material you can learn about which strings for a classical guitar are better, what types of strings are on the market today and which models are the most popular.

How to choose strings for a classical guitar: basic production technologies

In a general sense, “classical” guitar strings are sets for instruments with a fan-shaped spring system, having a total tension in the range of 30...45 kg; in the American tradition of classical playing, sets with a tension of up to 50 kg are also quite popular.

Today, the following types of classical strings are common on the market:

• Traditional intestinal;
• Synthetic (“nylon”);
• Reinforced synthetic (“carbon”);
• With steel core;
• Synthalic;

What strings are best for a classical guitar?

Everyone can definitely answer this question for themselves - we will tell you about the features of each type of kit.

Intestinal strings (Gutstrings)- very often they are also called “veined”. By the way, this name is erroneous - they are not made from veins or tendons, but from the intestines of animals: mainly domestic sheep. Today, it is very difficult to find such sets for free sale: firstly, they are not very practical (the smell is “not for everybody”, they wear out quite quickly), and secondly, the cost of such strings is extremely high.

They are used mainly by amateurs early music, for the most part, the use of gut strings is disposable: despite the development of production technology and the use of impregnations and protective compounds, due to moisture and temperature, the strings usually become unusable after one concert.

Synthetic strings- conventionally they are called nylon. They were invented by Augustine back in the 40s of the last century, when participation in World War II forced large industrial countries to look for cheaper and more accessible materials for production for the medical field. So engineers invented a synthetic thread, which they called nylon.

The top three strings (the thinnest) are a monolithic nylon line (“monofilament”). The three lower strings (thick, “bass”) are a monolithic fishing line or an interweaving of several nylon fishing lines (“polyfilament”) in the core, which is covered on the outside with a metal winding. The classic braiding material is round-profile wire made of silver-plated copper.

Why silver plated coating is needed: It gives classical guitar strings a more attractive appearance, protects your fingers from staining due to contact with copper, and also serves as an excellent indicator of wear on the set.

The disadvantage of copper winding is its softness, which is especially noticeable on the 4th string (the thinnest braid) at the point of contact with the frets. IN last years To solve this problem, manufacturers do not use pure copper, but alloys: nickel silver, phosphorus bronze, brass, etc. Please note that alloys make the sound of a classical guitar is more velvety and “matte”.

Reinforced synthetic strings- are made from something invented in the late 90s. in Japan, a polymer composition with a very long name, which in everyday life musicians and manufacturers by common agreement began to call “carbon”. Density of this material more than 1.5 times higher than nylon - this makes it possible to produce thinner strings with an identical guitar tuning and at the same tension. The picture below shows how the diameter of traditional and reinforced synthetic strings differs at the same tension:

1. First string (E): 0.7 and 0.54 mm
2. Second string (B): 0.8 and 0.61 mm
3. Third string (G): 1 and 0.76 mm

Carbon strings are thinner, but they sound brighter and louder than their nylon counterparts - and the cost of reinforced sets is higher. The service life of carbon kits, oddly enough, differs from traditional nylon kits in big side very little.

Steel backed strings appeared on the market as an experiment at the beginning of the 21st century and, in general, found their audience. A special feature of the production technology is the use of winding on all six strings: it is applied to a core of thin steel threads twisted into a single core. The winding on the thin strings is a flat nylon tape; the winding of the bass strings is usually made of classic silver-plated copper.

Their main feature is that the strings on a steel cable have almost no stretch and react perfectly to the movement of the peg. They have a high cost, but are loved by individual classical guitar players because of their softness and fairly bright sound.

Synthalic strings(synthetic = synthetic + steel) is a fairly new development, the peculiarity of which is the combination of the properties of nylon and steel. Soft strings that tune up very quickly and have a bright sound. Syntal strings wear out more slowly than traditional synthetic sets.

String tension for classical guitar

Due to the active use of synthetic materials, some manufacturers of classical guitar strings do not indicate the diameter of the strings on their sets. This is due to the lightness of polymers: even a noticeable change in the gauge of the strings will not cause a significant difference in tension due to the almost constant weight of the string. In this situation, the following tension classification for nylon strings has become more widespread:

• Normal/Regular Tension - normal/medium tension
• Hard/High Tension - strong tension
• Extra High Tension - very strong tension.

It should be remembered that a louder, juicier and richer sound usually gives a stronger tension.

The strings on an acoustic or classical guitar have a huge impact on its sound and playability. If you have looked through the assortment of any online stores, then you have probably seen that they offer a huge variety of strings. Which strings to choose? What to look for? What does the price depend on? This article should answer all these and other questions.

Acoustic guitar strings

Because the typical acoustic guitar has no pickups and is not connected to an amplifier, its strings play a very fundamental role in how it sounds. Therefore, we must carefully consider the structure of the strings and their thickness.

Acoustic guitar and classical guitar: what is the difference?

The first and most significant difference between acoustic and classical is that a classical guitar has nylon strings, while an acoustic guitar has metal strings. In most cases, metal and nylon strings are not interchangeable, as they are designed for a specific musical style. For example, metal strings are intended for rock, blues, and country, while nylon strings are for classical, flamenco, and folk. If you use metal strings on a guitar that was designed for nylon strings, you may cause serious damage to your instrument. The neck and body of a classical guitar are simply not designed to handle the amount of tension that metal strings create. Using the wrong strings can also cause damage to both the frets and the bridge of your instrument.

All about the thickness of guitar strings

Before we get into the specifications various types strings for acoustic and classical, let's talk about string thickness as it applies to both types. Strings are manufactured in a range from the thinnest to the thickest. Thickness is usually measured in thousandths of an inch. The thinnest strings are usually .010 inches (or simply "ten"), the thickest are usually .059 inches. The thickness of the strings greatly affects the sound of the instrument.
Thin strings:

• They are usually easier to play
• Allows you to play bends with less effort
• Sounds quieter and produces less sustain
• Tend to hit the frets, which gives a very unpleasant sound
• Puts the least amount of tension on the neck, which is a safe choice for vintage guitars

Thick strings:

• They are usually more difficult to play
• Require great effort when clamping the string and playing bends
• Sounds louder and generates more sustain (compared to thin strings)
• Places more tension on the bar

String thickness designation

Most string manufacturers define their thickness as either “super thin” or “thin.” While the exact sizes may vary among manufacturers, I want to give you the most typical sizes used.

Typical String Sizes

• Incredibly super thin:.010 .014 .023 .030 .039 .047
• Super thin:.011 .015 .023 .032 .042 .052
• Thin:.012 .016 .025 .032 .042 .054
• Average:.013 .017 .026 .035 .045 .056
• Thick: 014 .018 .027 .039 .049 .059

Metal strings for acoustic guitar

Thickness of metal strings

Let's consider the following factors in order to decide what string thickness to use:

Playing style: Let's take finger playing as an example. Playing with your fingers requires a lot of effort when producing sounds, so it makes much more sense to use thin strings. If you only want to play with a pick, thick strings will sound much better than thin strings. Okay, but what if you want to play with both a pick and your fingers? (after all, that's what most guitarists do). Your choice should be directed towards strings of medium thickness, as they will be the golden mean between ease of play and sound. If we talk in simple words, then I will say this: if you are a beginner guitarist, then give your preference to thin strings. It will be easier for you to learn to play on them and you will gradually be able to switch to thicker options. Eventually, you will be able to switch to thick ones completely and get the most benefits from them.

Desired sound: As you might have guessed, thick strings emphasize the bass register of the instrument and create deeper, stronger tones. On the other hand, thin strings will highlight high-frequency notes, which will give a sharper, crunchy sound.

Instrument age and condition: Rare guitars are often quite fragile, so thicker strings can simply move the neck, which will lead to problems with tuning. Therefore, if you have an old instrument, then play it safe and use thinner strings.

Materials used in the manufacture of metal strings

Bronze: It has clean, ringing and bright tones, but is very susceptible to wear due to its tendency to oxidize.

Phosphor bronze: It has a warmer and at the same time darker tone. Adding phosphorus to the alloy significantly extends the life of the strings.

Aluminum Bronze: Produces pronounced bass and crisp highs compared to phosphor bronze.

Copper: It has a bright, ringing metallic tone.

With polymer coating: Resin coated strings have less sustain and brightness than uncoated strings. A significant advantage is the fact that coated strings have anti-corrosion properties, which significantly extends their life.

Jon LeeVaughn of D'Addario Strings shows you how to properly change strings on an acoustic guitar.

Electric-Acoustic Guitar: Do I Need Other Strings?

Most electric-acoustic guitars, including models with nylon strings, are equipped with piezo pickups, which allow you to convert string vibrations into an electrical signal using a built-in preamplifier. This type of pickup does not use magnets (like most electric guitars), so the materials used to make the strings have less impact on the sound. Some manufacturers make strings specifically for acoustic-electric guitars and you might want to compare their sound with standard strings, but for some reason it seems to me that you won’t hear much difference.

If the electric guitar is equipped with a piezo pickup, a microphone or a magnetic pickup above the sound hole, then I would advise you to follow the recommendations from the manufacturer of this pickup rather than the advice from users.

Nylon strings for classical guitar

Characteristics of nylon strings

Typically, nylon strings are used in such musical genres like: classical, flamenco, bossa nova and folk. Their soft, gentle tone is preferred by many guitarists including jazz and country.

Many beginning guitarists think that nylon strings are easier to play than metal strings due to their soft material and lighter string tension, which is generally true. However, all beginning guitarists experience pain in their fingertips to one degree or another, regardless of whether it is an acoustic guitar with metal strings or a classical one with nylon strings. All these inconveniences will pass when your body adapts to them. Calluses on the tips of the fingers appear quite quickly, within about a month or two, and after this time, pain in the tips of the fingers will cease to be such a significant problem. I highly recommend that you do not choose a nylon string guitar just because it is a little easier to play. This choice should be made only in accordance with your musical preferences, namely: if you want to play rock, blues, country, then metal strings are your all. If you prefer classical, Spanish music, flamenco, folk, then you cannot do without nylon strings.

Also, nylon strings need to be constantly adjusted (much more often than metal ones), especially new ones that have just been installed. All this is due to the fact that they tend to stretch and are very sensitive to atmospheric influences (changes in humidity and temperature).

Materials used in the manufacture of nylon strings

Calling nylon strings nylon strings is a bit of a misnomer. As will be described below, a variety of materials are used to make this type of string, so it would be more accurate to simply call them “classical guitar strings.” You will also notice that the principle of making bass strings is a little different from the rest.

And now a little history. Before the 1940s, classical guitar strings were made from cow or sheep intestines. The bass strings (E, A, D) had a core of silk thread on which animal intestines were wound. The rest, the so-called high-frequency strings (E, B, G) were made from pure guts (without the use of other materials).

Modern manufacturers use pure nylon, fluorocarbon or other synthetic threads to make high-frequency strings. Bass strings have stranded, nylon cores with various metals or nylon wound around the top.

Materials and tonal characteristics of high-frequency strings

Pure Nylon: The most popular material, which is made from pure nylon monofilament. Much appreciated for its rich, clear tone.

Refined Nylon: It is also made from pure nylon, which is then sanded to create a smooth surface along the entire length of the string. It has a gentle, even tone than pure nylon.

Black nylon: Made from a different nylon composition. It has a warm, clear sound with prominent high-frequency overtones. Very popular among folk performers.

Bass String Materials and Tonal Characteristics

As stated above, bass strings have stranded cores that wrap around different kinds metal windings.

Bronze 80/20: Made from 80% copper and 20% zinc. This alloy has a pronounced shine and projection. Some manufacturers call these strings “gold”.

Silver Plated Copper: The material is very smooth to the touch and produces a fairly warm tone. Some manufacturers call such strings “silver”.

Some guy shows how to properly change strings on a classical guitar

Signs that it's time to change strings

1. It is becoming increasingly difficult to tune and maintain an instrument
2. You see that there is rust on the strings
3. The braid of the bass strings seemed to begin to “unravel”
4. Dissonance and instability appear even in the way you tune the instrument
5. You can't remember when last time changed the strings

How often should you change your strings?

Unfortunately there is no definite answer to this question, but there are some factors that shorten the life of your strings:

• Sweating. When you play a lot, your fingers produce a lot of sweat, which simply corrodes the strings.
• You play very aggressively, i.e. use a lot of bends and a hard attack when playing.
• Frequent playing of the instrument will also wear out the strings.
• You use different guitar tunings and often change the instrument.

• Keep your strings clean. After each gaming session don’t be too lazy to take a dry, clean rag and simply wipe them from your sweat, pieces of skin from your fingers and dirt. This procedure will allow you to significantly extend the life of your strings.
• Wash your hands before each play on the guitar, which will slightly slow down the oxidation process of the strings.
• Invest in a tool for winding strings onto pegs. It will help you significantly reduce your time when changing strings.
• Buy strings in 5-10 sets. This way you will save your money by buying them at wholesale prices.
• You may need to urgently replace a broken string at a rehearsal or performance, so keep a spare set or individual strings in your case or case.