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Are All Guitar Strings The Same?

Are All Guitar Strings The Same?

We believe the more info players have about their guitar strings, the better. And with all the marketing mumbo-jumbo we all wade through—it would be nice to get some actual information every now and again, wouldn’t it?

So, we put on our professor hats and made an in-depth video covering all aspects of string construction—and talking about what makes one brand or style of strings different from another.

If you’ve ever wanted a deep dive into the string world, this is your chance. Want to dig in further, or try some Stringjoys for yourself? Killer. Just head on over to Stringjoy.com

 

 

Here are the cliff notes of the video so you can follow along.

 

What is a guitar string?

  • Ball end
  • Core wire
  • Wrap wire (on wound strings only)

Core Wire

  • Made from tempered, high-carbon steel
  • Originated in 1840 for piano strings
  • Great at taking abuse from guitar picks, etc
  • Holds tune very well
  • Also used in springs and orthodontics

Core Shape

  • Round Core
    • “Boomier”
    • Less consistent over time
  • Hex Core
    • Brighter
    • More durable

Wrap Wire

  • Stainless Steel – extremely bright
  • Pure nickel – extremely bright
  • Most companies use different compositions of nickel plated steel

Wrap shape

  • Round wound
    • Bright
    • Most finger noise
  • Ground wound or half wound
    • Fairly dark
    • Less finger noise
  • Flat wound
    • Very dark
    • No finger noise

Hows it wrapped?

  • A machine tightens and spins the core wire
  • Wrap wire is threaded and fed as it wind the length of the string
  • Human involvement varies from company to company

Coatings

  • Made of Teflon
  • Creates a barrier
  • Keeps off dirt
  • Decreases output and sustain

What should you care about

  • Getting your sound
  • Quality and durability
  • Customer service/support

 

 

 

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