Choosing the right gauge of guitar strings for your acoustic can make a big difference in the sound and playability of your instrument. But with so many options available, it can be confusing to know where to start. Here are some tips to help you choose the right gauge of guitar strings for your acoustic.

1. Consider your playing style

The gauge of your guitar strings can affect the tone and volume of your instrument, as well as the ease of playability. Thicker strings generally produce a louder, fuller sound, but can be more difficult to play, especially for beginners or those with smaller hands. Thinner strings, on the other hand, produce a brighter sound and are easier to play, but may not have as much volume. Consider your playing style and the type of music you want to play to determine the right gauge for you.

2. Check your guitar’s manufacturer specifications

It’s important to check your guitar’s manufacturer specifications to see what gauge of strings they recommend for your instrument. This information can usually be found in the owner’s manual or on the manufacturer’s website. Using the recommended gauge can help ensure that your guitar sounds its best and doesn’t suffer any damage.

3. Experiment with different gauges

If you’re not sure what gauge of strings to use, try experimenting with different gauges to find the one that works best for you. Start with a medium gauge (usually around .012-.053) and then try lighter or heavier gauges to see how they affect your sound and playability. Keep in mind that changing the gauge of your strings can also affect the guitar’s intonation, so you may need to make adjustments to the bridge or saddle if you make a significant change in gauge.

4. Consider the material

Acoustic guitar strings are made from a variety of materials, including bronze, phosphor bronze, and silk and steel. Each material has its own unique sound and feel. Bronze strings are bright and punchy, while phosphor bronze strings have a warmer, more mellow sound. Silk and steel strings have a softer, gentler tone. Consider trying different materials to see which one you prefer.

5. Change your strings regularly

No matter what gauge or material you choose, it’s important to change your guitar strings regularly to ensure that your instrument sounds its best. Strings can become dull and lifeless over time, affecting both the tone and playability of your guitar. As a general rule, you should change your strings every 3-6 months, depending on how often you play.

Choosing the right gauge of guitar strings for your acoustic can take some experimentation, but it’s worth the effort to find the perfect fit for your playing style and instrument. By considering these tips and trying different gauges and materials, you’ll be able to find the strings that sound and feel the best for you!

Chris Gill

You’ve got the bug—you’ve decided to buy an acoustic guitar—and nothing will stop you, not even the haunted, hungry look in your children’s eyes. So you empty your bank account, raid your kids’ college fund and head down to a local house of ill repute: a music store. You’re gonna get that acoustic, practicality and your wife’s entreaties be damned.

You navigate your way through the racks of gear and gaggle of fools trying to play the solo to “Stairway to Heaven” to find the acoustic guitar room in the far reaches of the building.

As you close the glass doors, you take a deep breath and survey the room. Hundreds of acoustics of all sizes, shapes and colors hang, meat-like, from the walls and ceiling. You really want to take one of those lovelies home today, right now, but a sudden thought stays your trembling hands: I don’t have a clue what I’m looking for.

My task here is to give you that clue—to ensure that prior to entering the unfriendly confines of a big, gleaming music store you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’d like in an acoustic guitar.

The Buck Stops Where?
Unless your dying aunt has willed you the vintage six-string that’s been gathering dust and accruing value in her attic all these years, your first question must be: How much do I want to spend? While there are respectable guitars to be had in any price range, the fact is that you do get what you pay for. And if a wily salesman convinces you that he’s got “just what you’re looking for, and it’s only a tad more expensive,” you need to be able to make an informed decision.

If you’re a beginner or just want something to bang around on in your bedroom or at the beach, you’ll still probably want to spend at least $300 for a guitar. Anything less will almost certainly get you something that not only will be very difficult to play but will sound lousy, besides. Say you’ve got a spending ceiling of around $700. Guitars at this price range should have a solid spruce stop. Raise that to $1,200 and you’re talking about a solid- wood instrument. The word “laminate” should not appear in descriptions of guitars that cost close to or above four figures.

Guitars in the range of $1,200 and $2,500 must get you nothing less than a pro-level instrument that you will love and never outgrow. Anything above that, and you’re in highly specialized and hand-crafted territory—a danger zone because if you buy a lemon for this kind of money nothing will ever blunt that sour feeling in your stomach.

If you are particularly budget conscious, here are a couple of friendly suggestions. Don’t put your cash into expensive accessories—say, handtooled leather straps, or even more practical items like a high-end tuner. Instead, put all that money into the best guitar you can get. Remember that nobody in his right mind pays list price these days; discounts of ten to thirty (and often forty) percent are standard. Large music stores are no different from cut-rate clothing establishments and audio shops—they’ll use any holiday or other excuse to have a “Blowout Sales Event of the Century” that in truth won’t offer you much of a real savings.

Choosing Your Weapon
There is no such thing as right or wrong when it comes to choosing a guitar. Bigger does not always mean better, and the popularity of a particular guitar does not necessarily mean that it’s for you. Acoustics come in all shapes and sizes, and (this should be your mantra) what someone else finds appealing may not be right for you.

The traditional workhorse of acoustic guitars is the dreadnought, of which the Martin D-28 is the standard bearer. Powerful, versatile and extremely coollooking, this model has graced countless recordings and is the classic rock acoustic guitar. The D-28’s success over the years has spawned countless imitations, good and bad. Pick one out, give it a few good strums and then go on to something with a different look, feel and sound—a small guitar, like a Grand Concert size Taylor, a jumbo Gibson or an Ovation Adamas. Even if you can’t afford any of these instruments, playing them will give you at least an idea of the kind of guitar you’re most comfortable with.

Set Up, Man
Obviously, whatever guitar you ultimately choose must be comfortable to play. If the action is too high—the strings are too far from the fretboard— your fingers will pay a price, and it may be an indication that the neck is bowed. Look for low, even action up and down the fretboard, with the strings slightly higher at the 12th fret. Check for fret buzz by playing chords and single notes at different spots on the neck. Some pro players like their action higher for a clearer, punchier sound, but if you are a beginner or an electric player buying your first acoustic, you will probably find light strings and a low action to be more suited to your needs.

You may have heard players discuss how good or bad the “intonation” is on a particular guitar. This refers to how well a guitar is in tune up and down the neck. The easiest way to check this is to play an open D chord and then play the same D chord at the 14th fret. If the guitar sounds out of tune up there you know it’s got a problem.

Although tuning and other problems like fret buzz can often be alleviated with simple neck adjustments, they sometimes require more involved bridge work. The odds are that this is something you don’t want to get into when buying a brand new guitar. On the other hand, if you’ve really fallen in love with a particular instrument that needs a little work, have the dealer take care of the necessary repairs and then try the guitar again before finalizing your purchase.

Original Source: Guitar World Magazine

Have you ever picked up a guitar and with the first strum, it just felt ‘right’?  It was comfortable in your hands, ‘easy’ to play and you just couldn’t put it down.  It might have been an expensive guitar you tried in a shop, or maybe just and old garage sale find.  Either way, it suited your style and chances are, it was properly set up.

A properly set-up guitar will not only make the instrument sound better, but it will make you a better player.

Why is this?

A properly set up guitar takes into account your playing style and individual preferences.  More importantly, playability is enhanced by setting the right amount of ‘relief’ in the neck, adjusting the intonation to ensure notes ring true up and down the fretboard and by setting the ‘action’ low.

A guitar’s “action” simply refers to the distance between the top of the frets and the strings.

Guitars with high action – strings that are too far away from the frets – are difficult to play because it takes more pressure to actually fret each chord or note.  Guitars with action that’s too low can result in a rattling or buzzing when played.  Either extreme results in a bad playing experience.

Many guitar players, especially beginners get easily discouraged and blame themselves for poor performance or slow progression, when often, it’s actually the instrument that’s the problem.

The goal is low action; high playability. A properly set up guitar can achieve this.

At Bird & Bee, we offer two types of set ups: Basic, and Advanced.  To find out more, follow the links below to find out what’s best for you, and for your guitar.

The Bird & Bee Basic Set Up

The Bird & Bee Advanced Set Up