Acoustic Guitar Strings: Which ones should you purchase?

There are lots and lots of brands and variations of acoustic guitar strings. Even for a professional, it is hard to know which ones to purchase. Although you may be familiar with the gauge of string that you are after, many acoustic guitar strings come with anti-rust coatings, various metal make-ups and more. This article is intended for those seeking to understand which acoustic guitar strings best suit them, with an explanation of all the different options available for acoustic guitar strings.

Gauge

If you're simply wanting to replace the existing set of strings and are happy with your current string gauge, you can ignore this section. When we talk about the string gauge, we are referring to the thickness of the strings. Generally speaking, thicker strings tend to give a fuller sound, however they are harder to play as more effort is need to push down on the string and fret board. Such strings are referred to as medium gauge strings. At the opposite scale are light strings. They are much easier on the fingers, however do not posses the same tonal qualities as medium gauge strings. In between these sets are custom gauges that attempt to find a compromise between tone and playability. It's probably worth going to a guitar shop and trying out the various gauges to see what suits you best, as your guitar will need to be setup to the correct gauge of strings.

Material

The material of the strings affects the tonal quality of the sound produced by the string. This really comes down to a personal taste when choosing guitar strings, depending if you are after a warm sound or a bright sound. Notable materials:

• Phosphor Bronze - Produces a rich\warm sound. Not as bright as Phosphor Bronze, but not mellow either. This it the type of string material I like when purchasing guitar strings.
• 80/20 Bronze - Bright-sounding string, probably one of the most common materials found in guitar strings.

• Silk and Steel - Mellow sounding, less commonly used. 

Coating

Some string manufactures offer strings that have a coating on them. This coating is used to prevent corrosion, thus extending the life of the strings. It is by no means a requirement, but in my personal opinion, it is worth purchasing strings with a protective coating as they last much longer. A notable example are the Elixir Strings Acoustic Phosphor Bronze Guitar Strings with NANOWEB® Coating .  

Conclusion

So, what strings should I purchase? Well, it depends. As mentioned above, it depends on the gauge of string that is most comfortable to you, the tonal qualities that you are after (material), and whether or not purchasing strings with a protective coating suits you. My personal favorite are the Elixir Strings Acoustic Phosphor Bronze Guitar Strings with NANOWEB® Coating . They offer a warm/rich sound thanks to the phosphor bronze material and medium-size gauge, and the Nanoweb coating offers a non-intrusive anti-rust measure, making sure the strings last for a very long time. OF course if you're after a slightly brighter option, you could try out the 80/20 bronze version, Elixir Strings Acoustic 80/20 Bronze Guitar Strings with NANOWEB® Coating .

The only real way to tell what works best for you is to try a bunch of strings out, that's what I did, and based on my findings, the Elixir Strings Acoustic Phosphor Bronze Guitar Strings with NANOWEB® Coating worked best on my guitar. If you want to explore some other options, I've added some links below for you to check out, D'Addario also make some nice strings.