Elixir Acoustic Guitar Strings: The Basics Of String Theory
Hi, Im Josh
Hi, Im Josh. Im a local guitarist whos been in the California bar circuit for nearly a decade now. When Im not playing session guitars for my buddies in the industry, I provide them with quality guitar servicing as a luthier and parts dealer in downtown Los Angeles.
Today Im here to talk about stringsElixir strings, to be exact. Have you guys ever heard of this string brand? Its something of an industry secret, and I use it specifically for my instruments.
Why do I use them? Simple: because most new guitarists pay little attention to the strings they use for acoustic and classical guitars. The same goes for intermediate guitarists: when they ask me or one of my buddies to jam with them, you can tell that theyre skilled, but lacking in the tech department. Specifically speaking, these guys use low-quality strings that sound dead. Nothing ruins a good jam session more than dead strings that are permanently out of tune and pitch.
Thats a secret professional guitarists like to call string theory. These guys spend hours just testing all kinds of strings. Some of these folks actually work with guitar techs just to come up with what they think is the perfect string for their sound. Seeing all this effort go to waste with amateur guitarists breaks my heartif they dont read about it on the Internet or somewhere else, they wouldnt even consider testing out strings for their quality. For these guys, a string is just a string.
Thats something Id like to address. Im going to try to gloss over the technical aspects in a way that will help you understand why Elixir changed the way I played my guitarand why you should be more particular with the strings you choose, too.
Tension
First of all, lets start talking about tension. Not a lot of people put enough emphasis on this factor when they string their guitars, and theoretically, for a beginner, it shouldnt matter. But lets take the example of a little kid who started playing guitar at the age of twelve.
The common thing most parents would do when they have a kid whos learning how to use a guitar is to just buy them any old cheap thing they find on the street. The kids just learning, right? Who would notice the guitars quality?
That can be a pretty big mistake. Some of these low-quality acoustic guitars use steel strings that are so tense that the kid, who hasnt developed finger calluses and dexterity for protection, will have an extremely difficult time learning. It might even dampen his enthusiasm for the instrument.
Elixir acoustic guitar strings arent as soft as Steve Vais stringsbut then again, what is?, but theyre comfortable on the fingers. Too little string tension isnt good for your guitar since you cant get a decent tone out of a slack string, but too much can make it hard to play the guitar. It may even wreck your guitars neck.
String Gauge
The thickness of the guitar strings has great effect on how you play and how you sound with your guitar.
The classical and acoustic guitarist go for the standard .012 thinniest string gauge. This standard gauge has a clear and mellow sound that is a bit thinniest at the end. It's a good choice on your part because it is good for manuevering through the fret board. But keep in mind that if your guitar has a decent soundhole made up of good wood, then don't go for thinner string gauges.
Thick string gauges, like the Elixir acoustic guitar strings resonator.016 at the high Eare extremely difficult to handle for amateur guitarists, but the sound, as the name implies, is sweet, rich and milky. If you know how to work around your strings and adjust your picking style to the thickness of the string gauge, the Elixir resonator is perfect, bar none.
Steel and Nylon
Now, since were talking about acoustic strings here, its a rather odd twist talking about the differences between steel and nylon strings. But the most basic difference, aside from the fact that nylon and acoustic guitars are two completely different animals, again lies in the sound.
Simply put, if youre after a more aggressive sound that focuses on attitude and power, a steel-stringed guitar is what you need to get for yourself. Take a hint from guitar greats like Eric Clapton and the Allman Brothers: nothing plays the blues better than a decent steel-stringer.
If you have soft fingers, or if youre more interested in a lighter, more classical sound, a nylon classical guitar is what you need. Jazz greats like Chet Atkins and Paco de Lucia, and even the Gyspsy Kings all use nylon-stringed guitars.
Dont take the strings you use for your guitars lightly. If you can spend time looking for decent string brands like the Elixir acoustic guitar strings, do so. Sometimes, adjusting the elements of what you play can greatly affect the way your guitar playing sounds, and to a musician, even the smallest improvement in tone is a big deal.
by: Josh Kline
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