Change Your Strings!

Do you want a great sounding guitar with good volume, spot-on intonation and that addictive crisp playability that will have you wishing for more practice time

I’m sure you’re saying the only way to achieve this is by upgrading your current guitar to a better model, or perhaps sending it in for a setup and adjustment. The truth is, buying yourself a new guitar is probably going cost  thousands of dollars, while a professional setup by a luthier or experienced workshop/shop will also be pretty expensive – probably around the $150 to $200 mark.

My solution? Put a new set of strings on!

In my experience, nothing makes a guitar come alive like a fresh set of strings. The high notes sing, the lows are punchy and well-defined, the mids are cello-like, and because the intonation of the guitar is now a lot more accurate, the whole instrument is alive and resonant at a single touch.

And it doesn’t really matter what strings you put on, as long as they are new. Modern string manufacturing is precise and scientific, and it is uncommon to get a “dud” string like we used to in the old days. But that said, the more brands and tensions you try, the better, and of of course you pay for what you get. Each player has his own preference, and more than that each and every guitar is different, so you will need to experiment with a few brands until you find your “special tone”. But the good news is that even the most expensive set of guitar strings is relatively cheap in comparison to violin or cello strings! Classical guitar strings range in price from around $10 to $60, with the average around $25 to $30 (here I’m talking in Australian Dollars).

My top two brands of classical/nylon strings are D’Addario and Savarez. Other great brands include Hannabach and Augustine, but in in my opinion,  D’Addario and Savarez manufacture strings that are consistent, have a fantastic tone and “feel right” under your fingers. They also are mid-range in terms of cost.

I usually put “normal” tension strings on my guitars (what Savarez sometimes call “hard” tension) and because I change my strings quite often, I actually buy the packs in bulk, saving me quite a bit of cash. I can then also offer my students strings at a lower price than their local music shop!

You’re also probably wondering how often you should change your strings. That all depends on how much you practice, your playing style, the chemical reaction your skin makes with the metal windings and the quality of the strings. I usually recommend to an average student who practices a fair amount to change strings at least every two to three months.

And here’s another tip… Change all the strings to new ones to get a well balanced tone out of your instrument. The only time I would change an individual string is if it is (quite unlikely though) a dud string, or you messed up the string when putting it on, or a new string string from a new set snaps.

So go ahead – get that great tone you want on the guitar that you have. Change your strings!