Strings

 
Toby's Music Lessons - strings at The Music Dept

Choosing the right set of strings is very much down to personal preference so it is always a good idea to try out different brands to see what you prefer. To get you started, here are some of my recommended strings. The Music Dept. has a wide selection of strings and are happy to advise you on the best ones to get.

Toby's Music Lessons - Strings

string tension

The numbers next to the recommended strings (10-46, 12-53 etc) refer to the thicknesses of the strings measured in inches:

High E string '10' - 0.01 inches (0.2540mm)

B string '13' - 0.013 inches (0.3302mm)

G string '17' - 0.017 inches (0.4318mm)

D string '26' - 0.026 inches (0.6604mm)

A string '36' - 0.036 inches (0.9144mm)

Low E string '46' - 0.046 inches (1.1684mm)

The measurements above are for medium-light strings. You can buy thicker strings and you do get a fuller tone using thicker strings, the downsides are they have to be tuned up tighter meaning they put more pressure on your guitar's neck which may bend, resulting in a higher action, and they require a lot more finger strength to play.

If you want to try using thicker strings on your guitar, bare in mind that it may have to be re-set-up at a guitar shop to get it to play correctly as the bridge and truss rod would need adjusting to deal with the extra tension.

questions? click here to see the string faqs

If you would like to learn more about strings, such as how a string is made, the types of materials that are used, and why certain metals best suit different guitars, Beginner Guitar HQ have written an excellent guide on guitar strings. This article is an extremely thorough and fascinating read. It will certainly fully prepare you for any future guitar string purchases.

Types of guitar strings - a definitive guide

electric guitar strings

acoustic guitar strings

classical guitar strings

Bass Guitar Strings

- Please note, all strings show prices and links for 4-string basses