There’s nowhere to hide when you play acoustic guitar, so it’s crucial you have the best acoustic guitar strings for your instrument and playing style. Arguably just as important as your acoustic guitar’s tonewood or its bracing pattern, the right set of strings will make your playing feel effortless, elevating your tone and volume for everyone to hear.
There are many different types of guitar strings available today, with various gauges, materials, and wrap techniques that all offer something different. We’ve picked out the best from budget to boutique, test-driving set after set of strings to help you find your perfect acoustic guitar tone.
Before you select your set of acoustic guitar strings, it's key to get a feel for the gauge of strings you need, as this majorly affects both the playability of your guitar as well as its sound. We’ve included some buying advice that goes into more detail on this at the bottom of this page but if you already know what you need, just keep scrolling.
Acoustic — Wes Lambe Guitars
They’re not the cheapest, but if you want the very best set of acoustic guitar strings, have a look at the long-lasting Martin SP Lifespan strings. Thanks to their coating they’ll last you absolutely ages with a frequency response that suits a variety of playing styles and musical genres.
One of the top brands when it comes to coated strings, the Elixir Nanoweb HD Light strings were developed alongside another giant of the acoustic guitar world - Taylor Guitars. Coming factory fitted to every steel string since 1999, the Nanoweb coating makes sure they last much longer than the equivalent non-coated set, whilst still sounding fantastic.
Martin offers a wide range of acoustic guitar strings, and these Lifespan 2.0's are its treated option of the SP 'Superior Performance' line. With ultra-pure steel SP core wire, the Lifespans are available in 80/20 and phosphor bronze sets, with 12-string and acoustic baritone players also catered for.
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If you want the extended life of coated strings without the coated feeling, then the Lifespan 2.0's are the strings we'd recommend. We found that even after playing them a few hours a day for a couple of weeks, they still had some of that 'new string' brightness - even after they'd settled in and stretched.
Martin's SP set is simply a great-sounding acoustic guitar string that's durable and fit for all styles of playing. These aren't for you if you're into coated strings, but if you're open to trying something different, then give them a go. We found they sound warmer and more dynamically responsive than some coated strings - and they still last a long time, too.
Elixir is the first name in coated guitar strings, and this coated phosphor bronze light/medium hybrid (0.013-0.053) set has been treated with Nanoweb. Elixir coats the entire string - which they claim no other company does - to protect the gaps between each winding from collecting dirt, gunk, and other gross things.
How To Choose The Right Acoustic Guitar Strings
This not only keeps the strings fresh for longer but reduces finger squeak. Developed in close association with Taylor Guitars, these strings are designed to provide a warmer bottom-end and bolder top-end with some mid-projection boost in between.
Other string gauges are available, but we found this gauge in particular to offer a really satisfying, even level of string tension. The first string (.013) is heavier than in most 'light' gauges, and during testing we found the extra tension to provide a charming level of sustain. While there are cheaper strings available on the market,
String up with these and steel yourself for a booming performance that sees a fat low-end pair well with detailed mids and enough top-end shimmer to really make your chord playing ring out.
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But these aren't just for strummers... The Aluminum Bronze set has a nice natural playability, with the copper and aluminum wrappings over Maraging steel hex core promising long life without coating.
These strings sound pretty bold - and it's kind of their selling point - so that's something to remember. We found that for finger pickers, these strings are a great way to find some extra brightness and presence in your playing - but for those who play with a pick, you may find them a little too much at times.
Dean Markley strings often take a bit of a back seat when pitted against bigger brands, and unfairly, we think. Regardless of what you think about DM's 'cryogenic processing', any set of treated acoustic strings under $10 is worth a closer look.
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The ‘cryogenic processing’ with liquid nitrogen that Dean Markley uses for the Blue Steel range may sound a little like something from a sci-fi movie, but by freezing strings to -320 degrees Fahrenheit and then gradually bringing the temperature up, greater frequency response and tuning stability is claimed.
While the frequency response might not be particularly greater than any other set of treated or coated strings, it still delivers a satisfying depth of tone. For roughly half the price of a set of coated strings, these could be a great choice for anyone looking for killer tone on a budget.
First released way back in 1974, D’Addario Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings fast became one of the standards of the acoustic guitar world. Nowadays D’Addario makes an overwhelming variety of acoustic guitar strings, but this is the set that started it all.
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They offer a warmer tone with less top end than some of the sets on this list, largely due to the phosphor bronze wind. The ball end of each string is color-coded too, which makes it that much easier to identify which is which when you string your acoustic.
This set will suit acoustic guitar players who primarily strum, however, we’ve found they do an admirable job with fingerpicking too. They’re really quite versatile, offering great clarity and articulation whatever playing style you prefer.
The 80/20 bronze Earthwood range offers this Extra Soft Silk And Steel iteration, which adds a layer of silk between the wrap and steel core to make playing easier on your fingers.
String Guitars — Ryan Guitars
Because of the silk core, the overall tension of these strings is reduced greatly - making them a perfect choice for those with grip strength issues, smaller hands, or just anyone who doesn't want to fight their guitar. As a result, the tone is mellower, smoother, and finger noise is reduced - which could prove useful for recording sessions.
Using Silk and Steel strings, you'll sacrifice on the tone front. It's not the end of the world, and the tone of these strings is still fantastic - but you'll find your guitar doesn't quite have the same punch or resonance that it may have once had. These strings are mostly about the feel, however - and we can vouch for the fact they feel great.
Returning to the old nickel-based alloy blend of Monel results in a softer touch and warm tone, to bring out the inherent tone in your acoustic’s wood. Because of this, we found these strings to be thoroughly enjoyable to play and hear - and the tonal dropoff of the 'settling in' period is greatly reduced.
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There’s also a claimed longer life than some other phosphor or 80/20 options, as these strings feel 'worn in' for longer. They definitely bring out the darkness and extra warmth from your guitar, though - something worth taking note of.
Available in light, normal, and high tensions, these classical guitar strings from D’Addario are manufactured in the USA and have a wonderful punchy and bright tone.
They might be classical by name, classical by nature, but the custom-extruded treble strings are produced by a state-of-the-art, computer-controlled laser. Because of this, the consistency of the Pro-Arte series is next level - and your classical guitar tone and playing will thank you for it.
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The Pro-Artes can be a bit too bright at times - especially before they've had a proper chance to settle in - but once they're bedded in and doing their job, you'll have no issues.
Designed under the watchful eye of Gibson’s acoustic guitar builders, these phosphor bronze strings balance a sharp brightness that rounds out as it sustains. We found that most Gibson acoustics offer up a delightful punchy tone, and with these strings equipped, people will hear you for miles.
Once you’ve dropped three grand on a Hummingbird, it's nice to know that you can still afford great strings with the change in your pocket, and for less than $10/£6, a set of Phosphor Bronze strings is a rare find.
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The gauges of these strings do run a little bit on the heavy side, so we'd double-check the gauges on each pack if we were you. What Gibson considers to be a medium set of strings may not be what you or your guitar is used to - so best to be on the safe side.
D’Addario XT represents the company’s most innovative acoustic guitar strings yet, further adding to its huge range of string sets for all kinds of instruments. Meticulously designed to be super strong and long-lasting, these strings use advanced tech to keep you playing for longer.
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