Help Me Choose What Guitar Strings I Need
Classical or Flamenco Guitars
Traditional Hollow box body Spanish Guitar with plastic higher strings and wire-wound lower strings."A reliable string known for its neutral color and true character." - SBM
Savarez 500CR
"A bright sounding string known for wonderful sustain." - SBM
Acoustic Guitars
Traditional Hollow box body American folk guitar with thin metal higher strings and wire wound thicker lower strings."A semi-bright flexible string, suited for all uses." -SBM
John Pearse 160SL 11-50
"A brighter sounding string for all uses, best suited for strumming." -SBM
Electric Guitars
Traditional rock or jazz guitars with solid wood or thin hollow body with pickups attached beneath the strings using thin metal higher strings and wire wound thicker lower strings."A smooth sounding string with all around great tone." - SBM
Pyramid 451 100 10-46
"Great sound, bright, articulate, would highly recommend." - SBM
Electric Bass Guitars
Normally a solid body low range electric guitar with four or five thick wire wound strings."A versatile set capable of many genres and styles." - SBM
Rotosound RS66LD 45-105
"Very responsive string with great punch and attack." - SBM
I Don't Know Which Instrument I Have
Classical or Flamenco Guitars
Although played by a diversity of players, such a Willie Nelson, Earl Klugh, & Andres Segovia, the nylon string guitars that come directly from the Spanish tradition are all referred to as classical guitars. They all have a similar body shape with a wider neck attached to the body at the 12th fret. While it is not common some of these guitars may have a cutaway body to allow easier reach for higher notes on the neck.
Metal based “acoustic” or “electric” guitar strings cannot be used on these classical or flamenco guitars without the potential of causing damage because of the difference in overall tension. Classical or flamenco guitars use plastic treble strings and bass strings with metal wire wound over a threaded core, which vibrate the lightly braced top with relatively low tension.
Acoustic Guitars (Steel Core)
While acoustic means sound created without a pickup or amplification the term “Acoustic guitar” refers in particular to the steel strung guitars traditionally used in American country, folk, acoustic rock, and popular music. These guitars usually have larger bodies than a classical or flamenco guitar and more variety of body shape options, almost all with thinner neck attached to the body of the guitar at the 14th or higher fret. They also more commonly than classical guitars have a cutaway body to allow easier reach for higher notes on the neck.
These guitars use metal strings that create the necessary higher tension to vibrate the sturdy top and create a good sound with a good volume.
Electric Guitars
Used in many styles Electric guitars are most common in Rock and Jazz. They may have a hollow body, usually with slender “f” holes cut in the body and produce a small acoustic sound, but most have a solid body and almost no sound without being amplified. They generally have a very thin body profile with single or double cutaways of the body at the neck, for easy access to higher notes.
These guitars use metal strings which create sound when magnetic pickups sense motion of the strings and create an electric signal for amplification.
Electric Bass Guitars
Used in most all styles bass guitars are normally electric with a relatively thin solid body, a long neck, and 4 or 5 thick wound metal strings. They usually have a double cutaway body for easy access high on the neck and will have magnetic pickups on the body near the bridge. As with electric guitars their metal strings create sound when the magnetic pickups sense motion of the strings and create an electric signal for amplification.
