Classical Guitar Strings - Beginners Buyers Guide
Hello and welcome to our beginners buyers guide for classical guitar strings.
Buying a set of strings for the first time can be a daunting task. There’s a vast range on offer so deciphering which set to choose is understandably enough to get anybody hot under the collar.
But don’t worry, we are here to help! This easy to understand jargon free guide will ensure you have a great sounding set of strings in your basket in no time.
First Thing’s First
Before we get into the nitty gritty, it’s really important to ascertain what instrument you have in order to ensure we get you the correct strings you need.
When it comes to ‘acoustic’ style guitars, many people are forgiven for thinking that classical nylon strung guitars and steel strung acoustic guitars are the same thing. Whilst they look visually similar, the strings each instrument needs are quite different.
If your guitar has 3 silver wound and 3 clear nylon strings (as in the image below) you have a classical nylon guitar. In which case read on… this is the guide for you so stick with us!
However, if your thicker strings are bronze wound and made of steel and your thinner strings are steel too (as in the image below), you have a steel strung “acoustic” guitar. If that sounds like you, you’ll need to check out our acoustic guitar string buyers guide… click here and we’ll see you over there.
There are plenty of different facets to classical guitar strings and exploring these can be fun as you improve and progress through your guitar journey.
However, when you’re first starting out, we’re big believers in keeping things simple.
Below we’ve selected of our best selling sets all at different price points. Despite the difference in cost, we highly recommend all three sets so no matter which set you choose, we guarantee you’ll have a set of strings that will serve you and your guitar very well indeed.
For those of you that are interested, all three of our recommended sets have silver wound basses, clear nylon trebles and are normal tension. These three characeteristics are the most common found in classical guitar string sets today and will suit a variety of classical guitars and players of all experience levels.
Best Value for Money - D'Addario EJ27 Set
D’Addario’s EJ27 range has been designed specifically with the beginner in mind. These strings are reliable and sound great… just what you need when you are first starting out!
Brand wise, D’Addario are the biggest manufacturer of guitar strings in the world and have developed a reputation for consistent quality from set to set and these strings are no different. We happily recommend these strings.
Customer Comments
“A very good quality guitar string that is suitable for all grades of guitarists.” Myke
“Great quality strings at a reasonable price” Carol
Great Mid-Range Set - Augustine
A great mid priced set is the Augustine Classical Red Set (Don’t worry, these strings aren’t actually red in colour, it’s just the name Augustine have given to this particular set). This is a really popular set that strikes a nice balance between sounding terrific and feeling nice and comfortable under the fingers. They’ll be suitable for most styles of classical guitar and are a suitable choice no matter how experienced you are.
Customer Comments
“Anyone looking for a traditional classical guitar sound need look no further, great intonation (tuning) and feel.” Alan
“I find all Augustine strings to be of great value for high quality. These are my 'go to' strings that I use every day. I have not found better working strings.” Richard
The Best Seller - D’Addario EJ45
Our best selling classical guitar set is without a shadow of a doubt D’Addario’s EJ45 Pro Arte Classical Set… the OG of classical guitar strings and historically the world’s best selling classical set. These feel really comfortable to play, particularly beneficial for players new to the instrument. They have a lovely rich tone which will help to make any guitar sound its very best.
As mentioned above, D’Addario are the biggest string manufacturer in the world. They have been around for decades and continue to produce some of the best sounding strings we’ve heard. Regardless of how long you have been playing, you really cannot go wrong with this set.
Customer Comments
“Best nylon strings I've used, last for ages” Darren
“Lovely sound. Happy with these so have stuck with them for a while.” Joanne
Smaller Sized Instruments
Nylon strung guitars come in several different sizes. For a fully grown adult, a full sized guitar (sometimes referred to as 4/4 sized) is the most common option. If that’s you, you can just choose from the string options above.
However, if you are buying strings for a younger player with a smaller instrument or your guitar is smaller than full size, you may wish to consider one of the sets below.
Whilst there’s certainly nothing stopping you fitting any of the sets above on a smaller nylon strung classical guitar, we stock sets that have been specially created for smaller sized instruments.
Not sure what size your guitar is?
If you have a smaller guitar but not 100% sure what size it is, just measure your guitar as per the instructions below and compare your measurement with the sizes in the table below.
Once you have taken your measurement, just select the corresponding set of strings you need;
We hope this guide has helped you find a set of classical guitar strings.
As someone new to buying strings, we totally understand that you need assurance that you are buying a product that’s suitable for the job at hand, top quality and won’t let you down. We believe in all of the sets mentioned and are happy to recommend them as we know they tick all these boxes.
No matter what set you choose, we’re confident you’ll be more than satisfied with any of these sets as they help you progress through your guitar playing journey.
Of course, if you need any further guidance, please feel free to get in touch with us and we'll be happy to help you out where we can.
