

The 3 standard options to choose from are low, medium, and high tension. While the specific gauges are still shown, they aren’t nearly as important as the string “ tension“. With classical strings, it’s a bit different. So according to the previous example, a set of medium strings would simply be an “ 11“. To make things simpler, guitarists typically refer to an entire set of strings by the size of the high E string. Measured in 1/1000th’s of an inch, string gauges commonly range anywhere from. That is why…it’s far better to compare the actual diameters of the strings. And light strings for either can vary greatly between one manufacturer and another.

Light strings on an electric guitar will have smaller gauges than light strings on an acoustic guitar.There are no set-in-stone definitions for any of these terms… When comparing string gauges, you often hear labels such as: So let’s discuss each one in more detail, starting with… 1. If you’re shopping for strings, whether it’s electric, acoustic, or classical, and you’re not sure what to buy… THIS POST IS FOR YOU.Ī guitar string’s tone comes from a mix of 5 factors: So the goal of today’s post is to solve this problem. The vast major of guitar players simply don’t know shit about their strings. (And if you can’t hear the difference…try recording them through a nice condenser mic, and listen back on some good studio monitors.)īut ask a guitar player WHY he uses his particular make and model of strings…Īnd you’re not likely to receive much of an answer. We’ve all heard the difference between cheap ones and the good ones.Īnd we’ve heard the difference between old ones and fresh ones. If you have trouble downloading it, check out this Guide for Adobe Printables.As guitar players, we all know the importance of a good set of strings… The following chart shows the notes as they appear in these four alternate tunings. Jumpin' Jack Flash by the Rolling Stones is an example of open D tuning. Open D which is from low to high D A D A D D.

In DADGAD, it becomes easier to produce exotic world sounds, like Kashmir by Led Zeppelin. Strumming all the open strings together produces a G chord and is popular among blues players for slide guitar work.
