If you’ve been following us, you know the importance we place on maintaining the health of your guitar strings. Among the components that make up a guitar, strings are among the most vital yet often underestimated. Read on to learn more about how guitar strings are made and how they can shape your sound.
There are 3 key factors in creating guitar strings…
Namely: Construction, Material, and Gauge
Construction
The construction of a guitar is all about how the string is manufactured and wound. The three basic components involved are:
1. The ball end
The ball end of your guitar is what holds the guitar string in place at the bridge or tailpiece of your guitar. They look like this:
The way it works can change from string to string, but its main purpose is to tense the string as well as allow it to bend and stay in tune consistently. However, sometimes you can run into stability issues with strings due to the twist area (if you look closely at the diagram above, the area right above where the string is twisted around the ball end.) Exploring strings with reinforced twists can often help to improve performance.
2. Core Wire
The core wire is high carbon steel on which the wrap wire is applied during the winding process. It can be either hex or round-shaped. But why does it matter? Well, in a hex core, the six sides of this harder core gently “bite” into the finer wrap wire (typically fine bronze wire), which creates a tighter bond and is said to have more durability, a brighter sound, and better intonation.
On the other hand, round-shaped cores carry a more vintage sound. As such, they are often referred to as “vintage core strings.” They result in a mellower tone as opposed to the bright, punchy tone of hex cores.
3. Wrap wire
This is the “skin” of the string that defines your string’s character, tone, and feel. The main types are:
Round wound
- This is the standard for electric and acoustic guitar strings
- Leave grooves in your finger and produce a tiny squeak as they move up and down
- They are the most versatile, easy to bend, have the brightest tone, and are pretty durable.
Flat wound
- Known for their warm, mellow tone
- Often referred to as “ribbon-wound” and are constructed with flattened outer wrap wire, typically stainless steel
- This construction keeps the string from vibrating as much as round wound string, resulting in a damper, muted tone as well as increased stiffness & tension.
Materials
The following are some of the most common materials that strings are made from:
Pure Nickel
A non-ferrous material, this does not have the most tone. Due to the fact these strings draw more magnetic properties from the core wire below the outer wrap wire, the pickups receive less, as such, they produce less output. Though they are not that loud, you shouldn’t discard them as an option immediately. They have a warmth that a lot of players are starting to appreciate.
Nickel Plated Steel
This material is most popular among players today and is considered “the standard.” This alloy is used in XLs and many electric strings.
Stainless Steel
This material is known for its crunchier, brighter tone. They are aggressive and bold-sounding strings that lend to more crunch. However, as it’s a harder alloy, it can really wear down your frets fast.
String Gauge
The string gauge is the diameter or thickness of your guitar string. Although string gauge does have an impact on tone, it is largely a matter of preference. Most guitarists tend to use 9 and 11 ga. strings, but you should explore options beyond this as well. Typically, heavier gauges result in more resonance and a wider spectrum of tone. This is because the increased string mass produces more energy, resulting in what might be called a “higher quality” sound. However, many famous guitarists have used very light gauges, so take a look around and don’t be put off by anyone telling you that “lighter” or “heavier” strings will make or break you.
Acoustic guitar strings are made of different materials
The manufacturing process of guitar strings for classic and acoustic guitars is largely like electric, but the materials differ. On a classical guitar, you will usually find strings with nylon core that are wound with wire.
Acoustic guitars, since they don’t typically get to plug into amps, need heavier strings. These strings are usually made with bronze that are softer than steel and result in a more versatile, brighter sound. In addition, you’ll also find that they use phosphor bronze strings. These strings have a mellower, midrange quality that is used by singer-songwriters and those who specialize in fingerpicking.
As we’ve learned today, guitar strings are much more complex than meets the eye. From the materials used to the way they are constructed; each has a drastic impact on the quality and character of your guitar’s sound. So, get out there and start testing various string types to find what best suits you and your music.