Our guitar string sets are available for 6-string and 12-string guitars. We also offer 5-string sets for Mandolin and Banjos. Individual gauge strings are also available. Acoustic guitar strings differ greatly when compared to electric guitar strings, and are manufactured differently. The main two types of acoustic string you’ll see are 80/20 bronze, and phosphor bronze. 80/20 bronze, or brass, is an alloy made from 80% copper and 20% zinc. Phosphor bronze is simply bronze, with phosphor added to the alloy. Whilst this all might sound a little boring, the two types of string do actually make quite a difference to the sound of your acoustic guitar. Elixir also make some incredible coated strings that help preserve that bright, freshly-restrung sound for up to 3-5 times longer than uncoated strings - they’re also what Taylor use on all of their steel-strung acoustics. Acoustic experts Martin also make a range of strings to suit quite literally any style of player. What are acoustic guitar strings made of?

Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product. Related buyer's guides When it comes to testing acoustic guitar strings, it's essential that we put them through their paces to ensure they are fit for your beloved guitar. Now, that means putting them through a bunch of everyday tests.Our acoustic guitar strings line includes Aluminum Bronze, Earthwood 80/20 Bronze, Paradigm 80/20 Bronze, Everlast Coated Phosphor Bronze, Paradigm Phosphor Bronze, Earthwood Phosphor Bronze and Everlast Coated 80/20 Bronze. Ernie Ball coated acoustic guitar strings use groundbreaking nanotechnology that repels unwanted moisture and oils that negatively impact your tone. Unlike most coated string products on the market, our proprietary treatment is applied to both the inner hex core and outer wrap wire to provide ultimate protection without compromising tone or feel. Ernie Ball offers Everlast Coated 80/20 Bronze and Everlast Coated Phosphor Bronze acoustic strings that are virtually indistinguishable from our uncoated string products allowing for the natural feel and sound players are accustomed to. How regularly you need to change the strings on your acoustic guitar will also vary. If you’re playing it a lot, then once every 6-8 weeks or so will keep your instrument in good shape (you can wait a little longer if you’re using coated strings). If you’re playing it more, or playing it live, then maybe more regularly, and vice versa. How we test acoustic guitar strings Generally, 80/20 bronze strings tend to be brighter, with a more pronounced top end. Phosphor bronze on the other hand are often mellower, and slightly warmer sounding. Considering what sort of tone you’d like can be a good starting point when looking for the best acoustic guitar strings. Acoustic guitar string gauges explained

Now, obviously, how a set of strings sounds is very important. To test the tone of the strings, we make sure to play a wide variety of styles to see how the strings handle the different musical genres. We'll pay close attention to how the EQ of our guitar has changed with the addition of the new strings.

Acoustic Guitar String Materials

Phosphor bronze acoustic strings tend to be a little warmer and mellower, with a balanced response, whereas 80/20 bronze strings sound brighter, with some nice detail. They also tend to have a good bass response, with almost a slight natural mid scoop. How often should I restring my acoustic guitar? Whilst you would be able to put electric strings on an acoustic, they wouldn’t sound as good due to the different types of metal being used. Strings for classical guitar are also different, so if you’ve got a steel stringed acoustic, then it’s worth making sure you’re replacing them with the correct type of string. Ernie Ball Our new state-of-the-art wire drawing process coupled with our patented RPS (reinforced plain string) technology dramatically increases tensile strength by up to 35% and provides up to 70% more fatigue strength than traditional strings. Our PARADIGM wrap wire uses an exclusive plasma enhanced process to remove defects and greatly improve corrosion resistance. Get strings that last longer and sound fresher – without the tone-killing side effects of a coated string. Earthwood 80/20 Bronze Made from 80% copper, 20% zinc wire wrapped around hex shaped tin plated steel core wire, this is the most popular type of acoustic guitar string. They provide a crisp, ringing sound with excellent projection. Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Phosphor bronze strings are made of 92% copper, 7.7% tin, 0.3% with phosphorus wire wrapped around tin plated hex shaped steel core wire. These guitar strings have a light orange, gold color and provide a rich warm tone, with excellent clarity. Aluminum Bronze Aluminum bronze strings are made from a blend of copper and aluminum specifically tailored for acoustic guitar strings. They offer more projection and clarity than traditional bronze strings, while also providing improved corrosion resistance. Ernie Ball maraging steel hex cores and aluminum bronze wrap wire provide more pronounced lows coupled with crisp brilliant highs. Uncoated vs. Coated Next, we need to test how the strings feel under our fingers. Naturally, we are looking for smooth strings, that allow us to glide effortlessly up and down the fretboard. When it comes to coated strings, we prefer not to notice the coating while we play - we'd rather just notice the anti-corrosion qualities. Speaking of corrosion, that brings us on to the longevity of the strings. To test this, we'll keep the strings on our guitar for as long as possible and take note of when they start to discolor, tarnish and lose their spark.