Can you use acoustic guitar strings for acoustic electric?

Answer 1

using acoustic strings on an electric does not damage the guitar. tightening them too tight does. acoustic strings tend to be thicker than electric strings, so all you have to do is just tune lower to avoid putting too much stress on the neck. i just want to know why they use different materials to make them. ============ Answer

No the strings are completely different. It would be much harder to play an electric even if for some reason you did put them on. And you definitely don't want to mix the two! ================ I'd be inclined to think that stringing thicker, shorter acoustic strings on an Electric Guitar would actually damage the electric guitar. It wasn't built to withstand that kind of string tension. The reverse can be done -- using electric strings on an acoustic guitar -- but you won't get a great deal of tone or attack. Great for a very easy-playing acoustic guitar for songwriting and low-volume playing, though.

Answer 2

You can't use steel strings on a guitar designed for nylon. The steel exerts a higher level of pull than nylon, so you can stress the neck. Also, the nut and the bridge are not going to be made of a material that can resist vibrating steel without notching.

Answer 3

Yes, certainly.

There is no real difference between an acoustic and an acoustic-electric. The acoustic electric merely has a pickup or microphone built-in so you can use an amplifier to get a bigger sound (or to apply effects.)

There are some things that are passed off as acoustic electric, which are actually just electrics: they have an acoustic-like body, but are filled with something so they don't work without amplification: these usually require special strings.

Likewise, there are thin acoustic-electrics like the old Gibson jazz, which use very light gauge strings. But these strings are only different from flat-top acoustic strings in gauge.

If you are talking about taking strings which are gauged for one type of guitar to use on a different type of guitar which requires a different gauge set, though, be careful: if the electric, for instance, is gauged for extra light strings and you put mediums or heavies on it, you risk ruining the electric. Likewise, you can put too-light strings on any guitar, and get floppy strings which are hard to play in tune and keep in tune. Further, if you have an archtop like the new Godin Kingpin with a P90 style magnetic pickup in it or any acoustic with a magnetic soundhole pickup, then your best bet as I have found out so far is the GHS White Bronze strings which sound almost like acoustic strings but are made from a magnetic alloy that works well with magnetic pickups. Phosphur Bronze strings are wrapped in Phosphur Bronze which means that only the steel core of the string is picked up by the pickup. I found this out the hard way. The manufacturer told me to use regular electric guitar strings on the Kingpin but I wanted a bit of the Gypsy jazz acoustic sound. Regular electric strings were really too quiet unamplified. The White Bronze are the best bet I think.

Answer 4

It is not recommended. Classical strings need a wider neck and proper tuning and bridge assembly to sound correct.
Use steel strings for dreadnought type Guitars and nylon on classicals. Any guitar with removable pegs should use steel strings. A guitar with holes through the bridge but not body should have nylon strings.

Answer 5

Yes, you can. In fact, many people do to decrease the difficulty of playing an acoustic guitar. Nylon strings are much easier to press down and play.

Answer 6

Of course! I have an extra set of strings for either of mine in case one breaks.

Answer 7

yes. and vice versa. so if you're buying a guitar, and you're planning on playing more acoustic songs and some classical, pick a steel string. and the other way around.