Best Acoustic Guitar Strings (2023 Buyer’s Guide)

If you’re a new player, you might not know where to look for the best acoustic guitar strings. This guide will help you find an excellent set of guitar strings for your acoustic guitar.

I’ve been playing guitar for many years. I’ve enjoyed both electric and acoustic guitars. There’s something magical about sitting back with an acoustic guitar and strumming some chords.

Your tone relies a lot on not only the wood of your instrument but also the strings that you use. In this guide, we’ll look at several different strings and find the best ones for your needs.

What Is an Acoustic Guitar String?

You won’t get a good sound out of your instrument without a quality set of guitar strings. There are two main types: steel strings and nylon strings. Steel strings are used on regular acoustic guitars.

Nylon strings are designed for nylon-string acoustic guitars. This type of instrument is popular for classical music, fingerpicking, and folk.

Regardless of the type of instrument you have, you’ll need a good set of strings to get the best sound and tone out of it. Here’s what you need to know about acoustic guitar strings.

Types of Acoustic Guitar Strings

There are several different types of acoustic guitar strings that you need to know about it. Here is a list of the basic types, so you know what to buy.

Nylon Strings

Nylon strings are a type of string designed for a nylon string acoustic guitar. It’s important to note that you can’t put these on a regular dreadnought style guitar. You need a nylon string guitar.

These strings have a warm and pleasant tone to them. They’re also quite easy on the fingers, so they’re ideal for beginners. The downside is that nylon string guitars are harder to strum.

Bronze Strings

Acoustic strings made with bronze have a pleasant and warm tone. They’re bright and will project pleasant sounds. The downside to this type of string is that they oxidize quite quickly, so you must change them more often.

Phosphor Bronze Strings

I prefer phosphor bronze strings. These have a warmer tone when compared to bronze. The phosphor allows them to last a lot longer. You’ll change strings less frequently if you switch to phosphor bronze.

Brass Strings

Brass strings have a bright and almost jangly feel to them. They’re not as common as phosphor bronze strings. You can still find sets, but they’re harder to come by.

Coated Strings

Another type of string type I prefer are ones that are coated. These have a special material that helps the strings last a long time. In fact, with one of these sets, your strings may last several months, compared to a few weeks for a regular set.

Silk and Steel

Folk and fingerstyle guitarists may prefer silk and steel. These have a steel core along with silk, copper, or nylon. They have a softer tone, which many folk and fingerstyle guitarists prefer.

Things to Consider When Choosing an Acoustic Guitar String

There are several things to keep in mind before you pick up a set of acoustic guitar strings. Here’s what you need to know.

Size

The size of your guitar string or gauge is important. A lighter gauge is easier on the fingers. A medium gauge produces more sound and tone but are harder on the fingers.

Sound

The sound of your acoustic guitar strings is usually a personal preference. You’ll have to try several sets of strings until you find one that works for your sound. You need to experiment to find that perfect set.

Price

Regular guitar strings don’t cost all that much money. You can expect to pay between $5 and $10 for a regular set. Strings with a coating are a little bit more expensive, but they also last a long time.

10 Best Acoustic Guitar Strings

Here’s what I consider to be the 10 best acoustic guitar strings for your instrument. These are all my personal preferences. You may have sets of strings that you like that are not listed here, and that’s fine.

I think that any of these sets would make a great set of strings for your guitar. Many of them I have tried myself, and I’ve picked the ones that I like the best.

1. Elixir Bronze Coated Strings (Light)

• Gauge: Light (012-053)
• Material: Bronze
• Coated: Yes
• Best for: Those that want a long-lasting set of strings

Elixir acoustic guitar have a special coating on them, which lasts a long time. You’ll spend less money on strings when you use the Elixir Bronze Coated Strings set. They have the sound that you want out of your acoustic strings.

Why I Recommend It

I like Elixir guitar strings. I use them almost exclusively on my acoustic and electric guitars. I love the sound that they make and the fact that I don’t have to keep changing them.

I can put on a set of these strings and they last for several months. There is no need to constantly buy sets of strings when you use Elixir acoustic strings. They have a great value, long life, and excellent tone.

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2. D’Addario EJ16-3D Phosphor Bronze Strings (Light)

• Gauge: Light (012-053)
• Material: Phosphor bronze
• Coated: No
• Best for: Those that want a reliable and cheap set of strings

D’Addario has been making strings and related accessories for many years. The D’Addario EJ16-3D is an excellent set of phosphor bronze strings for your guitar. They’re corrosion resistant and will last a long time.

Why I Recommend It

Before I switched to Elixir strings, I used D’Addario strings. These are a decent set of phosphor bronze strings for your acoustic guitar. They have a decent life and a great tone.

This particular package has three sets of strings, so you’re going to save money, which is important, especially if you have more than one acoustic guitar that you need to restring.

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3. Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Light

• Gauge: Light (012-053)
• Material: Phosphor bronze
• Coated: No
• Best for: Beginners that want a reliable tone

Ernie Ball makes a wide range of acoustic guitar strings. The Ernie Ball Earthwood Phosphor Bronze set is an excellent choice. They have a great tone and the reliability that you need in a set of acoustic strings.

Why I Recommend It

When I was first starting, I used Ernie Ball Earthwood acoustic strings. This is a decent set of strings, and you won’t pay a whole lot of money for them. They hold their tone well and don’t break easily.

I found that this set tended to wear out faster than other sets I’ve tried. This may depend upon how much your fingers and hands sweat. They’re still quite reliable and will make your acoustic guitar sound great.

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4. Martin Retro Custom Light

• Gauge: Custom light (011-052)
• Material: Nickel-copper alloy
• Coated: No
• Best for: Those that want lighter strings

Martin is known for excellent acoustic guitars. It goes without saying that they can also make excellent acoustic guitar strings. The Martin Retro Custom Light set is perfect if you want a lighter gauge for your instrument.

Why I Recommend It

The Martin Retro Custom Light set of strings is a good choice for your acoustic guitar. They’re made of a nickel-copper alloy that will bring out the natural sound of the tonewood of your instrument. This is a lighter string, so string bending is easier.

I’ve used Martin strings in the past and was always happy with the results. This is a decent set if you want reliable strings for your acoustic guitar.

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5. D’Addario Silk and Steel 11-47

• Gauge: Custom light (011-052)
• Material: Silk and steel
• Coated: No
• Best for: Fingerstyle and folk players

The D’Addario Silk and Steel 11-47 is one of the best acoustic strings for fingerstyle. They use a silk and steel combination, which gives a warmer and softer tone for these types of styles. They’re long-lasting and a perfect choice.

Why I Recommend It

If you need a softer or a warmer tone and you play fingerstyle, D’Addario Silk and Steel is an excellent set to purchase. These strings are lighter than normal sets, so they won’t be as rough on your fingers.

I’ve used this set before and found that they had the tone I wanted for fingerstyle guitar. They don’t cost a whole lot, so you’ll save money on your string purchases.

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6. D’Addario EJ46 Pro Arte Nylon Strings

• Gauge: Hard tension
• Material: Nylon
• Coated: No
• Best for: Classical players

If you have a classical acoustic guitar, you’ll need a good set of strings for it. The D’Addario EJ45 Pro Arte set gives you the reliability and performance you need in a set of nylon strings.

Why I Recommend It

I’ve used these D’Addario Strings before on my students’ classical guitars. They have a decent tone and a long life. You shouldn’t have too many problems with this set of strings.

I find that breakages and other issues with nylon strings tend to be caused by how they’re attached to the bridge. If this is done the right way, the strings shouldn’t break on you.

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7. GHS Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings

• Gauge: 12-54 (light)
• Material: Phosphor bronze
• Coated: No
• Best for: Those that have a lot of guitars to string

GHS Phosphor Bronze is an excellent set if you have a lot of guitars to string up, since this particular set comes with six packages of strings. You get great value and a reliable set of strings for all of your acoustic guitars.

Why I Recommend It

One of the first string companies I tried was GHS. They make a perfect low-cost string for your acoustic guitar. These tend to have a decent life along with great tone.

They’re great if you have several guitars to string up and you don’t have a whole lot of money to spend on strings. I found that they did the job for me, although I do prefer other string sets now.

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8. Ernie Ball Paradigm Bronze Strings

• Gauge: 12-54 (light)
• Material: Bronze
• Coated: Yes
• Best for: Those that want a coated string

If you’re looking for a long-lasting set of strings that sound great, Ernie Ball Paradigm Bronze Strings are a good bet. They’re coated for longer life and resist string breakages, so you won’t be spending as much on strings.

Why I Recommend It

Ernie Ball Paradigm Acoustic strings are a great alternative to Elixir, as they cost a little bit less. You’ll have a string that will last you a long time, as they’re resistant to breakages.

The best part about these strings is that they keep debris and grime out of your strings, so you get a long life out of them. This is an excellent set of coated strings from Ernie Ball.

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9. Fender Acoustic Coated Bronze Strings

• Gauge: 12-52 (light)
• Material: Bronze
• Coated: Yes
• Best for: Those that want a cheaper coated string

Those that want to try coated guitar strings but don’t have a lot of money should try Fender Coated Bronze Acoustic Strings. They have a long life, are moderately priced, and will give you the tone that you want.

Why I Recommend It

These Fender strings are an entry-level coated string. They’re not quite as good as some of the other brands, such as Elixir, but they do the job quite nicely. If you don’t have a lot of money, then this can be the ideal set.

They’re resistant to corrosion, so they’ll last you a long time. If you play acoustic guitar often, this set will be ready to go every time you pick up your instrument.

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10. Ernie Ball Everlast Coated Phosphor Bronze Strings

• Gauge: 11-52 (light)
• Material: Phosphor bronze
• Coated: Yes
• Best for: Those that want a good performing coated string

Ernie Ball makes a good set of guitar strings. The Ernie Ball Everlast Coated Phosphor Bronze Strings are coated so that they will last longer than normal. You get good tone and reliability with each set.

Why I Recommend It

I like this particular set of coated strings because they cost a little bit less than some of the other brands. I find that they have a solid tone, and they last a long time.

You won’t spend as much cash on your strings when you pick up a set of Ernie Ball Everlast acoustic strings. The package is shielded, so your strings will be fresh until you want to use them.

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Best Acoustic Guitar String Brands

Below is a list of the best acoustic string brands, which will help you find an established manufacturer to work with. I find all of these manufacturers make excellent strings. It all depends upon your personal preferences.

Elixir

I prefer using Elixir coated strings on my acoustic guitars because they last a lot longer than other strings. They’re reliable and sound great, and I save money on strings.

D’Addario

Before I switched to Elixir strings, I was using D’Addario. They’re my second go-to brand if I can’t find any Elixir strings. They produce a wide range of different strings for your acoustic guitar, and they tend to be quite reliable.

Martin

Martin makes acoustic guitars, and they also make a decent set of acoustic strings. This is another company that produces top-quality strings that you might want to consider for your acoustic guitar.

Ernie Ball

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, Ernie Ball is always a good option. They have a wide range of different types of acoustic strings for your instruments. They’re always a good choice if you’re looking to save money.

Acoustic Guitar String Aesthetics & Build

It’s important to understand the different materials used in constructing acoustic guitar strings. You’ll have to experiment with different materials until you find something that works for your own individual tone.

Material

There are several different materials used to make acoustic guitar strings. Here’s what you need to know:

• Bronze: Bronze strings have a well-balanced and vibrant tone to them. On the downside, they tend to oxidize quite quickly.
• Phosphor bronze: This type of string lasts a lot longer when compared to regular bronze strings. Most people go with phosphor bronze strings for this reason.
• Brass: This type of acoustic guitar material has more of a jangly feel than what you might want for playing guitar chords.
• Coated: These strings have a special coating, so they last a lot longer than normal strings. They’re usually bronze or phosphorus bronze with the coating added.
• Nylon: This type of string is exclusive to a nylon-string acoustic guitar. You can’t put them on regular steel-string acoustics. They have a warm tone suitable for classical music and similar styles.
• Silk and Steel: These have nylon, copper, or silk wire. They produce a delicate tone, which fingerstyle and folk guitarist tend to prefer.

Coated vs. Non-Coated

Some acoustic guitar strings, such as Elixir, have a special coating on them. This helps your strings last a lot longer than normal strings. The downside is that some people don’t like the feel of these strings.

Regular acoustic guitar strings without any coating may sound a little bit better, but it all depends upon your ear. These strings need frequent changes because they oxidize from sweat and grime from your fingers.

Gauge

The gauge of your acoustic guitar strings is important. In general, you’ll probably want to go with a light or an extra light set of strings if you’re a beginner. For those that already have good calluses, medium strings are a good choice.

You could also try several different acoustic guitar string gauges before deciding on one that works for you. It’s always best to start with a lighter gauge and work your way up. Thicker strings can be hard on their fingers.

Acoustic Guitar String Brands to Avoid

In general, you should go with established string brand manufacturers. This will ensure that you get a decent set of strings for your guitar. Of course, you can experiment, and you may find a different set that works for you.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Here are some frequently asked questions about guitar strings that you need to be aware of.

How Long Do Acoustic Strings Last?

Several factors go into how long your strings will last. If you play all the time, you may find that your strings only last a few weeks if they don’t have any coating. The amount that you sweat is also be a factor.

In general, I find a basic set of guitar strings will last around one month. You will, of course, have to change your strings if you break one. If you happen to break one, it’s probably a good idea to change the rest of the set.

When Should I Change My Acoustic Strings?

Changing your guitar strings all comes down to your individual preferences. In general, you should change strings when you don’t like the tone of them anymore, they’re corroded, or they don’t feel right when you play them.

If you buy a set of strings with coating on them, they’ll last a lot longer and you won’t have to make as many string changes. If you don’t like coated strings, you’ll have to change your strings more often.

What Brand Is Best for Me?

It’s difficult to determine what the best set of acoustic guitar strings is for your needs. I suggest that you try several different brands until you find one that works the best for you.

The tone that you prefer may not be the tone that someone else prefers. Just like we all prefer a different type of guitar, we all tend to prefer a different type of string. For me, I like Elixir because they last a long time.

Can I Use Nylon Strings on My Acoustic?

No. If you have a regular steel-string acoustic, you have to use steel strings on it. Nylon strings are designed for a nylon string acoustic guitar and not a regular steel-string.

If you want somewhat of the feel of nylon strings for your acoustic guitar, try silk and steel because they’re easier on the fingers and great for fingerpicking.

How Much Do Acoustic Guitar Strings Cost?

Acoustic guitar strings, on average, don’t cost all that much. You can get a basic set of guitar strings for around $5 to $10. Once you add a coating to the strings, you can expect to pay between $12 to $20.

It’s beneficial to buy more than one set of strings because you’ll usually get a bargain. If you frequently change strings, then this is probably the best option for you. Most major manufacturers have string packs available.

How Do I Avoid String Breaks?

There is no real way to avoid acoustic guitar strings breaking. They tend to break from time to time. Make sure you put them on properly, and you should avoid most strings breaks.

If you’re a heavy-handed player, you may break strings more often. As your strings age, they tend to break more easily. Put on a fresh set, and you shouldn’t have as many breaks.

What Are the Best Acoustic Guitar Strings?

Here is what I consider to be the best acoustic guitar strings that you can buy. These are all my personal choices, and you might have something that is a bit different depending upon what you like.

Always experiment with your guitar strings until you find a set and a brand that meets your expectations. It may take you a while until you find the right brand that works for your individual playing style.

Elixir Bronze Coated Strings: Best for Long Life

Changing strings can be a pain, and you’ll end up spending a lot of money. I find Elixir Bronze Coated Strings or phosphorus bronze to the excellent. They have a long life and great tone, and you’ll save a lot of money.

D’Addario EJ16: Best for General Playing

D’Addario makes great guitar strings. The D’Addario EJ16 is a great set of acoustic guitar strings for general playing. You’ll get a great tone, and they don’t cost a whole lot but last a long time. They’re an all-around great set to put on your instruments.

Ernie Ball Earthwood: Best for Beginners

Ernie Ball Earthwood is an excellent set for those that are just starting out. They don’t cost a whole lot yet have a great tone and a long life. This is the perfect acoustic guitar string set for any beginner.

Where Are the Best Acoustic Guitar Strings Made?

Most acoustic guitar strings are made in the United States. This is where the major manufacturers are located. You’ll find a wide range of strings available to you.

Where to Buy Acoustic Guitar Strings

There are several places where you can buy acoustic guitar strings. Here are some of the options when it’s time to pick up a new set.

Amazon

I prefer to purchase my guitar strings on Amazon. They have an excellent selection of strings, great prices, money-back guarantees, and you can read reviews before ordering.

Online Music Retailers

Sweetwater and Guitarcenter are two other places where you might want to pick up some guitar strings. They have a wide range of products, great prices, and excellent customer service.

Your Local Music Store

It’s also perfectly acceptable to pick up your guitar strings at your local music store. Please keep in mind that your store may not have the selection that you want, but it can be more convenient because you’ll get the strings right away.

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In Conclusion

This concludes my guide to the best acoustic guitar strings. It’s important to change your strings often if you want the best tone. The strings listed here would all make excellent choices.

Please like, share, and leave your comments on this article. I look forward to hearing from you. What is your favorite set of strings? Now, go pick up your guitar, change your strings, and start strumming some chords.