How to Choose Strings for your Stringed Instrument?

Answer 1

If you are relatively new to playing string instruments and you’ve realized that you need new strings, the strings that came on your new instrument hurt your fingers, or your teacher has suggested you replace the strings on your instrument, you’ve probably gotten a surprise when you’ve looked for replacement strings. There are so many different kinds! How do you choose between them?

There isn’t an easy answer to this question, but there are some guidelines. Some string instruments only take a certain type of string. The best example of this is the classical guitar, which is the only type of guitar that uses nylon strings. But even then you’ll see that there are lots of different types of nylon strings: different gauges, different brands, etc.

With string instruments, the type of string you choose depends on the type of music you play. For instance, most people who play Classical Music on the violin prefer synthetic strings, which sound sweet and brilliant, while those who play traditional fiddle music, which often requires crosstuning, will need a steel string which can stand up to the rigors of crosstuning, while also giving that more edgy traditional fiddle sound.

Then there are the needs of the instrument. Simply put, some instruments resonate best with a certain type and gauge of string. If you play a new instrument, you might check and see which strings the manufacturer recommends. Instruments in the violin family are especially fussy about the type of strings they like, though Guitars and mandolins can be somewhat finicky as well.

The best way to find out which strings may be worth trying on your instrument is to ask other players who play the same instrument and type of music as you do which brand and gauge of strings they use. This will start to narrow your choices. Within that range, you may be able to further narrow down the choices by budget considerations. Trial and error will further narrow it down.

You will know when you’ve found the right strings, your instrument will tell you loud and clear.