Author's Pick

This is a non-standard set of strings that I'm currently using on my Martin OMCPA4. You might find it interesting if you'd like to try something different from the standard gauges featured in the rest of this guide.

Best Extra Light Acoustic Guitar Strings

For this section we considered sets of strings ranging in gauge from .010 to .047/.050.

Best Light Acoustic Guitar Strings

For this section we considered sets of strings ranging in gauge from .011/.012 to .052/.054. This is the typical string gauge for acoustic guitars, widely preferred for its lesser tension and feel.

Best Medium Acoustic Guitar Strings

For this section we considered sets of strings ranging in gauge from .013 to .056.

Best Heavy Acoustic Guitar Strings

For this section we considered sets of strings ranging in gauge from 0.14 to .059/.060

Things to Consider When Buying Acoustic Guitar Strings

There’s a lot that goes into guitar strings, acoustic guitar strings especially. To figure out which strings are best for acoustic guitar, you need to understand how gauge and materials interact with your guitar to create your tone. You then have to balance your tone preferences with the playability you’re looking for. Lets clarify how these factors work in the sections below.

Single Sets vs. Buying in Bulk

In this guide we’ve presented single sets of strings, but in most of cases these strings will be available in larger packs. When you buy larger packs you save a few bucks per set, with your savings increasing the more sets that are in the pack. So if you want to get good value out of acoustic guitar strings deals, you ought to go for bulk packages.

Most manufacturers sell three-set-packs. But some (with Ernie Ball being a notable example) produce packs with 10 sets of strings. You have to pay more for bulk packages, but you get better return for your money in the long run.

Since strings aren't aged rapidly through oxidation, you won’t have to worry about your strings going bad while they’re in the package. They’ll age a bit, but it’d take years before it was really noticeable. The main thing that will damage your strings are the oils on your fingers, particularly if you don't wipe down your strings after playing.

Acoustic Guitar String Gauges Explained

As you’ve probably noticed, manufacturers include words like “light", "medium", and "heavy” when they talk about their strings. This is referring to the gauge of the strings, or how thick they are.

Thicker strings are harder to press down and have a warmer sound, while thinner strings are easier to press down and have a brighter tone. Thicker strings are louder and perform better when strummed. Thinner strings are quieter and have a higher tendency to break when strummed forcefully.

Light gauge strings provide a good balance of tone and playability. This is the reason why they are considered as the best string gauge for acoustic, and the go-to gauge for most guitarists. Extra light gauge strings have lower string tension, which makes them much easier to play, but they tend to have a trebly sound. Their trebly sound may not be ideal for some, but their easy playability make them the best strings for acoustic guitar solos.

Below is a rough estimate for different gauges, including: extra-light, custom light, light, medium, and heavy. The sizes are organized from thinnest to thickest. One thing to keep in mind is that companies occasionally label the gauge of their strings relative to each other. So strings that one brand calls light another brand may call extra-light. Because of this, there’s some variance in how some brands classify different gauges.

Typical String Gauge for Acoustic Guitar from High E to Low E

String	E	B	G	D	A	E
Extra Light	.010	.014	.023	.030	.039	.047
Custom Light	.011	.014	.023	.032	.042	.052
Light	.012	.016	.025	.032	.042	.054
Medium	.013	.017	.026	.035	.045	.056
Heavy	.014	.018	.027	.039	.049	.059

Most Commonly Used String Materials

Below are the materials most commonly used in acoustic guitar strings. Different materials are used occasionally, but the four listed below encompass the vast majority of what you’re going to encounter.

• Phosphor Bronze

  Without getting too far into the technicalities, phosphor bronze is a bronze alloy. This is a combination of metals commonly used for guitar strings. These strings give a balanced tone with a warm low-end and a strong mid-range presence.

  Phosphor bronze is the most commonly found string, which makes sense because they’re arguably the most versatile. There isn’t really a genre that these strings don’t perform well in, though 80/20 or silk and steel strings may be a better fit depending on your preferences.

• 80/20 Bronze (Also Called Brass)

  80/20 bronze, which is also commonly called brass, is a lot brighter sounding than phosphor bronze. It has less of a bass presence, so your guitar will cut through a mix (be heard better in a band) better than it would if you were using phosphor bronze strings.

  Our only word of caution is that if you play a guitar which already sounds trebly, 80/20 strings might not be the ideal fit for you. 80/20 strings can make some guitars sound thin, smaller guitars especially so. However, dreadnought sized instruments (if you’re not sure what this is, see our list of acoustic guitar sizes) usually don’t suffer from this. Another alternative are Nickel Bronze acoustic strings, they have less of the zing, and sounds warmer and fuller.

• Silk and Steel

  Silk and steel strings are steel acoustic guitar strings which are essentially the middle ground between a standard acoustic guitar string and a nylon string. They’re composed of three layers: a silver-plated bronze (or tin) alloy for the outer winding, a layer of nylon in the middle, and a thin wire in the center.

  Silk and steel strings have a much more mellow tone than either phosphor bronze or 80/20. Because of their construction, they’re also significantly easier to fret because it takes less pressure to push down the strings. This is part of the reason why they’re popular with fingerstyle and folk guitarists. Unfortunately, they are not quite as popular as phosphor bronze or 80/20 strings.

Aside from these popular ones, manufacturers have utilized many different alloys. But they aren't as widely available. Thankfully, there are online platforms that offer them. Those who want something out of the ordinary will appreciate aluminum bronze acoustic guitar strings.

String material affects tone and playability dramatically. So many put a lot of weight on their preferred material when choosing which strings are best for acoustic guitar use.

Coated vs. Non-Coated

Here is a simple coated acoustic guitar strings buying advice. When you hear people talk about “coated strings”, they’re talking about strings that are coated with a plastic-based polymer. This coating helps to increase the longevity of the strings. However, coated strings are also more expensive; generally twice the price of non-coated strings.

As a rough estimate they last twice as long - so you may not really be saving anything by going with coated strings. The main benefit though is you won’t have to Change Your Strings quite as often. Note that this is my personal experience, yours may be different.

The coatings used on strings also alters the tone. They generally cause a roll-off in the high-end response, resulting in a darker sound when compared to uncoated strings. In some cases this actually works out pretty well, as coated strings can tame the high-end in guitars that are too bright. Likewise, coated strings may not be a great choice for guitars that are darkly voiced. Though of course, this is all a matter of personal preference.

How To Match Your Strings to Your Playing Style

Because you can’t tweak your tone on an acoustic guitar to the extent that you can on an electric guitar, your choice in string is going to be a key element in your tone and the response of your instrument. It’s also a balancing act, because you have to weigh the tone you want against the tone of your guitar and how you play. This means that strings on acoustic guitar play a bigger role in the overall tone and feel of the instrument.

So the first question is: What do you play? If you’re a strummer, you may find that heavier strings work to your favor. You’ll get more volume and a warmer tone, which is great for accompanying vocals. If your style of playing involves melodic lead lines, you may find that medium gauge strings are the best combination of playability and volume. Finally, finger stylists generally prefer lighter gauge strings. The techniques used in the genre require more complex fretting, which can make higher gauges unmanageable. For a beginner, the softer feel of light gauge strings make the the best strings for acoustic guitar.

So, what about materials? Well, generally the livelier the genre you’re playing the brighter strings you’re going to want. So if you’re playing bluegrass for example, you may want to look at 80/20 bronze strings. On the other hand, if you play more mellow music you’ll get good results with phosphor bronze.

While your choice of string is going to vary based on how you play, your taste (which will change over time), and your guitar, here’s a quick reference table if you’re still not sure which type of string is going to work best for you.

Genre	Gauge	String Material
Folk	Medium to Heavy	Phosphor Bronze or Silk and Steel
Bluegrass / Country	Light to Medium	80/20 Bronze/Brass
Finger Style	Extra-Light to Light	Phosphor Bronze or Silk and Steel
Jazz	Medium to Heavy	Phosphor Bronze
Singer Songwriter / Misc	Medium to Heavy	Phosphor Bronze