Best Acoustic Guitar Strings
The results are in. We’ve listed the best acoustic guitar strings in each category and noteworthy information that will help you choose. Here, we cover acoustic guitar string names you’re probably familiar with. Some have remained a go-to, while others have improved their formulations.
D’Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze
Martin SP Lifespan 2.0
D’Addario EJ11 80/20 Bronze
Elixir 80/20 Bronze Nanoweb
Ernie Ball Earthwood Nylon
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In your guitar journey, you are free to choose whatever the best acoustic strings listed here are.
However, it is recommended that you consider strings for acoustic guitars that are close to, if not the same as, the original ones installed on your guitar.
There is still a difference between acoustic and classical guitars.
We’ve also dedicated a “Things to Consider” section to help you decide which strings are best for your setup.
Now, let’s begin!
Best Acoustic Guitar Strings Phosphor Bronze Wound
This type of wound is the current favorite of many guitar players because of its balanced and rounded tone. Phosphor bronze strings offer great versatility and cover any genre. This special alloy also lasts longer than the traditional 80/20 Bronze guitar strings.
D’Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze
The EJ16 is a familiar favorite non-coated Phosphor Bronze set. The hexagonal steel core is high carbon and durable for strumming and fingerstyle playing.
This set of D’Addario acoustic strings is designed to produce relatively warm and well-rounded acoustic guitar tones. Whether you’re playing jazz, country, or pop, it will accommodate various musical genres. It also boasts corrosion-resistant packaging, ensuring that you get your strings factory-fresh.
The EJ16 would benefit guitarists who want affordable acoustic strings that cover different styles. It’s available in different gauges and packs.
- Can accommodate different genres
- Has a well-rounded tone
- Resilient strings
- Easily discolored
- Type: Steel String Acoustic Guitar
- Core: Hexagonal High-carbon Steel
- Gauges: Extra light to heavy
- Winding: Round wound
Martin SP Lifespan 2.0
If it’s not already apparent from its name, these acoustic guitar strings preserve its longevity while preserving a good tone. The Martin SP Lifespan 2.0 promises that its bronze finish has a patented anti-corrosion treatment that protects the core.
It’s made possible by their high-precision manufacturing process, which ensures the utmost quality of their strings.
These Martin acoustic guitar strings also feature a variety of thinner to thicker strings so you can use them in folk, country, and blues. Light gauge strings are advisable for beginners, while heavier strings are for a bigger, more resonant tonal quality.
It’s great for anyone at any skill level and playing style. Plus, you’re assured that you won’t change strings for a long time.
- Lasts a long time
- Great for all kinds of guitar players
- Leans a bit on the stiffer side for some people
- Type: Steel String Acoustic Guitar
- Core: Steel
- Gauges: Light, medium
- Winding: Round wound
80/20 Bronze (Brass) Wound Sets
This is the traditional and affordable acoustic guitar string wound that many players prefer. It initially delivers a brighter tone that professional players prefer. This brightness gradually levels out as the string ages with use.
D’Addario EJ11 80/20 Bronze
The EJ11 is an affordable 80/20 Bronze wound acoustic guitar string set that sells like pancakes. It was the original acoustic string alloy back in the 1930s, and this historical significance attracts traditionalists and vintage enthusiasts.
These D’Addario acoustic strings are the go-to choice in acoustic recordings due to their crisp, deep, and projecting tone. The sparkle on the high end can cut through the mix without overpowering the mids and the highs. The light gauge versions, however, are too bright for some. For acoustic guitar string gauges, choose the one that fits your preference.
It’s perfect for those who want their tones shining through night gigs and recordings.
- Bright and bold tones
- Great sound in acoustic recordings
- Cuts through in live performances
- Lighter gauges are a bit too bright
- Type: Steel String Acoustic Guitar
- Core: Hexagonal High Carbon Steel
- Gauges: Light, medium
- Winding: Round wound
Martin Guitar Original Acoustic (M140)
These Martin strings were called the “string that started it all.” They’ve been around for 50 years and are still used for their deep bass tones and brilliant highs.
This string can withstand daily use for practice or long rehearsals. It is made of high-grade bronze and yields a consistent sound in different playing styles.
This means the brilliance and bass will be maintained throughout, whether strummed, fingerstyle, or flatpicking.
If you consider yourself a busy guitarist, rehearsing daily and playing 3-4 times a week, this will fit you like a glove.
Its heavy-duty composition proves that 50 years of runtime makes it tried and tested.
- Heavy Duty
- Accommodates different play styles
- Tried and tested
- No heavy gauge options
- Type: Steel String Acoustic Guitar
- Gauges: Extra Light, Custom Light, Light, Medium
- Core: Steel
- Winding: Round wound
Coated Acoustic Guitar Strings:
These acoustic guitar strings have a thin coating layer that protects them from the elements, lengthening their lifespan. This same coat, however, dampens the strings, allowing you to gain improved durability at the cost of losing some tone and resonance. Some swear that the difference is negligible and the benefits outweigh the additional cost.
Elixir 80/20 Bronze Nanoweb
The Elixir 80/20 Bronze with Nanoweb is among the best-seller lists for coated guitar strings. It’s a trifecta of quality: it works well, sounds good, and lasts a long time.
If you’re familiar with the polyweb version, these elixir strings for acoustic guitar have a more improved formulation.
It keeps the traditional tone and feel of the Bronze wound with space-age durability and has better ultra-thin NANOWEB tube coating. That brilliant and full tone, minus the finger and fret squeak, is a good way to put it.
Due to this, the strings feel gentle to the touch and don’t feel excessively abrasive.
This could potentially end your search in testing acoustic guitar strings with premium coating.
- Minimal finger squeak
- Organic sounding coated set
- Nanoweb preserves your strings for a long time
- Pricer than traditional strings
- Type: Steel String Acoustic Guitar
- Gauges: Extra Light to Heavy
- Core: Steel
- Winding: Round wound with Nanoweb coating
D’Addario XT Phosphor Bronze Coated Strings
We featured the EXP17 in our past reviews, and they’ve rebranded it as XT. An ultra-fine layer of XT coating is attached to the phosphor bronze wrap wire before being wound onto the hex-shaped inner core wire. The coating creates a long-term barrier against corrosion and wear, keeping the strings sounding fresh.
Through its NY steel core, it aims to preserve longevity and prevent tone and pitch loss over time. They’ve also included their new Fusion Twist technology, stabilizing the strings for optimal playing.
Phosphor bronze is known for its warmer tone than 80/20 bronze. With this, you’re assured that it will stay warm and in tune for longer.
- Prevents corrosion and wear
- Good longevity
- Fusion Twist technology for stable tone
- A bit expensive
- Type: Steel String Acoustic Guitar
- Gauges: Extra Light to Medium
- Core: Hexagonal High-carbon NY Steel
- Winding: Round wound
- Coating: XT Coat
Nylon Classical Guitar Strings:
Acoustic guitar strings generally produce a brighter tone. However, classical guitars have traditional, low-tension Nylon strings that sound dynamic and mellow. The lower register strings also have nylon at the core and are wound with metal, usually silver-plated copper.
Ernie Ball Earthwood Nylon
The Earthwood Folk/Classical has been constructed with a multifilament nylon core. The outer layer of the lower strings is wrapped with an 80/20 bronze and a ball end for quick and easy installation.
The logo itself already evokes that organic, old-school-looking design. Indeed, playing with the guitar strings produces a mellow tone reminiscent of folk, indie, and classical genres. However, it’s also bright enough to handle percussive playing without buzzing.
If your playing style leans toward nostalgic but evocative sounds, the Earthwood Folk/Classical Strings will be a treat.
- Balanced tone
- Can be mellow or percussive
- Great for playing styles with varying dynamics
- May snap in excessive tensions
- Type: Nylon String / Classical Guitar
- Gauges: Extra Light to Medium
- Winding: Silver-plated copper wrap
- Core: Nylon
D’Addario Pro-Arte Classical
Up to this day, this is D’Addario’s best-selling nylon string set. Each string is scientifically crafted with a laser machine that measures its diameter and tension to ensure consistent quality and precise intonation in every string.
Its multi-filament nylon core and silver-plated copper wound combine to produce a mellow, warm tone. The strings’ responsiveness is unmatched.
Fingerstyle playing with pianissimo to forte passages is very distinct. It also maintains those clear tones despite the wide dynamic range. As always, it comes in a variety of tensions and gauges.
The Pro-Arte Classical is the best acoustic string if you want that sought-after, standard classical tone for your recital and concert performances.
- Standard classical tone
- Consistent quality and feel
- Works with dynamic playing styles
- Minor string noise issue
- Type: Nylon String / Classical Guitar
- Gauges:Light to Extra Hard
- Winding: Silver-plated copper wrap
- Core: Nylon
Different acoustic guitars have specific string requirements. Acoustic steel guitars are compatible with any steel string. Conversely, using nylon strings is best if your playing style leans more toward classical.
Nylon and steel strings can’t be interchanged with any acoustic guitar. Using steel strings on a nylon acoustic guitar and nylon on an acoustic steel could affect your guitar’s action.
String thickness, or string gauge, refers to how big or small the string’s diameter is. Smaller or lighter gauge strings are easy on the fingers and have a more relaxed tension. Sound wise, light strings tend to have a brighter tone but can sound tinny in context with other instruments.
Due to their surface area, heavier strings output better volume and have a warmer tone. The tradeoff is that they’re harder to fret.
This same principle applies to electric guitar strings and other stringed instruments.
You will notice that most strings featured are in light gauges because lighter strings have better compatibility with different guitars, and are easier to play.
Beginners are usually advised to get a light to medium gauge for playability. However, you should still get thicker gauge strings if you want bigger tones or if you play aggressively. This is especially true when choosing electric strings.
Though not a strict requirement, specific genres do have a preference when it comes to what strings you use. If you play acoustic electric guitars in a rock band, you’ll want thicker strings to help your guitar sound better in a mix.
Bronze acoustic guitar strings tend to be brighter. Nylon strings are the opposite–it yields a warm and mellow tone.
The instruments that made it to this best cheap electric guitar selection for 2024 are made with quality materials using modern precision production. This results in good playability, tone, and reliability – all while keeping the cost minimum.
I have a Mountain acoustic. It is a Martin D28 copy from Japan. The quality is equal to any original Martin D28. I have had this guitar since 1975 but haven’t played for awhile. I used D’Angelico light acoustic string which produced awesome tones. Would like to know who’s strings would be equal to these gems because apparently D’Angelico no longer makes acoustic strings. Have tried different brands but nothing seems close. Please Help.