That wall of string packets at the music store can stop you in your tracks. Whether you play an acoustic or an acoustic-electric, the choices all start to blur together.
Here’s what most of those packets boil down to. The metal wrapped around the core is what sets the brightness, the warmth, and how long the set lasts.
This guide takes the common types one at a time, so you can match the right strings to how you play. Since most players swap their strings often, the payoff adds up fast.
We’ll start with steel wound strings, the bright and punchy set you’ll find on plenty of acoustics.
Steel Wound Strings
This is the most common type of acoustic guitar string. They’re made from high quality plated steel and are wound with a copper wire.
Because they’re made of steel, they have a bright, cutting tone. Steel wound strings break into two categories, medium and light gauge strings.
Medium gauge acoustic guitar strings are usually 9s or 10s, and light gauge strings usually fall at around 8s.
- Sound - The sound of steel wound strings can be described as very bright and cutting. They can add a lot of attack to your music.
- Durability - Because they’re made from steel, these strings have a fairly long life. However, steel tends to rust, and there can be some damage to your acoustic guitar if they’re exposed to moisture. They can also cause tiny dents on the frets if not changed frequently and with care. If you take good care of them, though, steel wound strings are very durable.
- Best used for - Medium gauge steel wound strings are best used in rock, blues, country, and jazz. Light gauge steel wound strings are best used for fingerstyle playing or relaxed folk.
Flatwound Strings
These strings are made from high quality brass wrapped around a steel core. They’re wound in a flat spiral and have a medium gauge.
This makes them well suited to blues, rock, and jazz. These strings are very durable, although not as durable as steel wound strings.
- Sound - Flatwound strings have a warm, smooth tone that’s good for fingerpicking or plucking the string with your index finger or thumb. They’ve great sustain but can sometimes sound a little strident at first because of the brightness in the tone.
- Durability - These strings are a little more durable than steel wound strings, but not as durable as regular brass. They have a long life in terms of the number of times they’ll vibrate before going dull.
- Best used for - Flatwound strings are best used with fingerstyle playing or blues, rock, and jazz styles.
Nickel Wound Strings
Nickel wound acoustic guitar strings are also made from high quality steel, but they’re wound with a nickel plated copper wire. These strings produce an overall warmer sound than steel wound strings.
Because they aren’t made purely of steel, they tend to have more sustain than their steel counterpart.
- Sound - Because they’re made from nickel plated wire, these strings tend to have a warmer tone. They aren’t as bright as steel wound strings but still produce good attack.
- Durability - Because they’re made from nickel, these strings can last a long time without rusting. However, they can lose their brightness faster than some other types of acoustic guitar string if exposed to moisture and dirt.
- Best used for - Nickel wound strings are great for all genres of acoustic music. They’re especially good for bluegrass and folk.
Bronze Wound Strings
Bronze wound acoustic guitar strings are sometimes referred to as “brass” strings. They’re made from a bronze alloy composed of roughly 85% copper, 10% zinc, and 5% tin.
This alloy makes the strings sound less bright and gives them a warmer tone. Bronze wound strings also tend to produce an increased amount of sustain along with a fuller sound.
- Sound - These strings have a warm tone with less attack than steel wound strings. They’re also soft to the touch, which makes them great for fingerpicking styles of music.
- Durability - Although they’re made from an alloy, bronze wound strings tend to wear out faster than other acoustic guitar strings. This is because of their higher tin and zinc content, which means they corrode more quickly than steel or nickel wound strings.
- Best used for - These acoustic strings are best used for fingerstyle guitar and mellow folk music. They’re good all-around strings for almost any kind of music. To get a good sound from them, play a soft picking style while keeping some bite in your attack.
Phosphor Bronze Wound Strings
Phosphor bronze acoustic guitar strings are made from a phosphor bronze alloy composed of roughly 92% copper and 8% tin, plus a trace amount of phosphor. Phosphor bronze strings have a bright, cutting tone that many players find hard to describe precisely.
Phosphor bronze strings tend to cost more, but they have a brighter, more cutting quality than bronze wound strings and a warmer tone than nickel wound strings. They’re also very durable and require less maintenance than many other kinds of acoustic guitar string, holding their quality even after long use.
- Sound - Phosphor bronze strings have a brighter, more cutting tone than plain bronze or nickel wound strings. The tone is sometimes described as sitting between steel and nickel.
- Durability - Because they’re made mostly of copper, these strings last longer than most other types of acoustic guitar string. They’re very resistant to corrosion and, with proper care, will hold up for a long time.
- Best used for - Phosphor bronze sets are particularly effective for folk and rock. They have a biting tone that’s popular across many styles of acoustic music.
Popular Acoustic Guitar String Brands
The next time you plan to change your strings, these brands are worth a look, and most suit a wide range of playing styles:
- Ernie Ball Earthwood
- D’Addario
- Dean Markley Blue Steel Acoustic
- Elixir Strings
- Gibson Masterbuilt Premium
- DR Strings
- Curt Mangan Acoustic Round Cores
- Dragon Skin
Which Type of String Should You Choose?
This is a tough question, and there really isn’t a single right or wrong answer. It comes down to your guitar’s sound, the feel you prefer under your fingers, and the music you play.
If you want bright attack for rock or country, steel wound strings are a safe bet. If you want a warm, smooth feel for fingerstyle, bronze or flatwound strings shine.
Phosphor bronze splits the difference with brightness plus long life, while nickel wound strings are a versatile, all-genre option. The best approach is to try a couple of types and trust your own ears.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I change my acoustic guitar strings?
Most players change strings every one to three months, but it depends on how often you play and how much your hands sweat. Heavy daily playing can dull strings in a few weeks, while occasional play might stretch a set for several months.
Signs it’s time include a dull, lifeless tone, visible corrosion or grime, and trouble staying in tune. Wiping your strings down after each session helps any set last longer.
What’s the difference between bronze and phosphor bronze strings?
Bronze strings use an alloy of roughly 85% copper, 10% zinc, and 5% tin, which gives a warm tone but corrodes fairly quickly. Phosphor bronze uses about 92% copper and 8% tin with a trace of phosphor.
That extra copper and the phosphor make phosphor bronze brighter and noticeably longer lasting.
If you want warmth, choose bronze. If you want brightness plus durability, choose phosphor bronze.
Do heavier gauge strings sound better?
Heavier gauge strings generally produce more volume and a fuller low end, which is why many players favor medium gauge for strumming. Lighter gauges are easier to fret and bend, making them friendlier for beginners and fingerstyle players.
“Better” depends on your style and your guitar. Lighter strings put less tension on the neck, so check what your instrument is built for before jumping to a heavier set.
Can I put electric guitar strings on an acoustic?
You can physically fit electric strings on an acoustic, but they aren’t designed for it. Electric strings use nickel or steel windings tuned for magnetic pickups, so on an acoustic they sound thin and quiet with far less projection.
Acoustic strings use bronze or phosphor bronze windings specifically to drive the soundboard and produce volume. Stick with acoustic strings on an acoustic guitar for the best tone.
Final Thoughts
There’s no universally perfect acoustic guitar string. Steel wound strings deliver bright attack, flatwound and bronze strings lean warm and smooth, nickel wound strings cover a wide range of genres, and phosphor bronze pairs brightness with impressive longevity.
The smartest move is to match the string to your music and your hands. Buy a couple of different sets, install them, and pay attention to how each one feels and sounds over a few weeks of playing.
Your ears will quickly tell you which type belongs on your guitar.
Related reading: warped neck guitar issues to look out for, and classical guitar nylon strings.
