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Elixir Acoustic Guitar Strings: The Basics of String Theory

Hi, I’m Josh. I’m a local guitarist who’s been in the California bar circuit for nearly a decade now. When I’m 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 I’m here to talk about strings—Elixir strings, to be exact. Have you guys ever heard of this string brand? It’s 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 they’re 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.

It is called the string theory, a secret shared by professional guitarist like me. These pros test all kinds of strings with guitar techs just to come up with perfect strings for their instruments. Amateur guitarists think that a string is just a string. If they haven't seen it on the Internet or somewhere else, they would not even bother to check their strings.

To help you understand more about Elixir strings, I'm going to tell you about the technical aspects of how Elixir changed my guitar and the way I played with it. In that way, you will be more particular with the strings you use too.

Tension

First of all, let’s 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 shouldn’t matter. But let’s 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 who’s learning how to use a guitar is to just buy them any old cheap thing they find on the street. The kid’s just learning, right? Who would notice the guitar’s 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 hasn’t 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 aren’t as soft as Steve Vai’s strings—but then again, what is?—, but they’re comfortable on the fingers. Too little string tension isn’t good for your guitar since you can’t 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 guitar’s neck.

String Gauge

Aside from the material your strings are made of, the thickness of the string also affects the way you play, and the way you sound.

Most classical and acoustic guitarists go with a standard string gauge of .012 at the thinnest string. That’s a given standard, and it usually has a clear, mellow sound that’s a little bit tinnish at the end. The thinner you go, the wispier the sound is going to be. It’s good for maneuvering through the fret board, though, so ultimately it’s your choice. Unless your guitar has a decent soundhole and is made of good wood for reverberations, though, don’t go for thinner string gauges.

Thick string gauges, like the Elixir acoustic guitar string’s resonator—.016 at the high E—are 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 we’re talking about acoustic strings here, it’s 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 you’re 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 you’re 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.

Don’t 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.

About the Author

When you want to have good strings for your instruments, visit Elixir Strings site.

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