Picking the best acoustic guitar strings that will make your guitar stand out isn’t easy. There are all kinds of acoustic strings for your guitar made from different metals and coatings. How are you supposed to choose the right one?
Each type of acoustic string has a slightly different tone. For example, phosphor bronze acoustic strings tend to sound warm and have a rich palette. Coated acoustic strings have a bounce to them that non-coated strings don’t typically have. Also, they tend to last longer because your fingers don’t corrode the metal as quickly. Finding the right strings for your acoustic guitar is really about figuring out the tone and feel you want your guitar to have. Every string is different. The important thing is you find the set you like.
Let’s compare the top-rated guitar strings for your acoustic guitar and review their pros, cons, and features.
Compare the Top Acoustic Guitar Strings in 2020
Contents
- 1 Compare the Top Acoustic Guitar Strings in 2020
- 1.1 D’Addario Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
- 1.2 D’Addario EXP16 Coated Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings
- 1.3 Elixir Strings Bronze Nanoweb Coating Acoustic Guitar Strings
- 1.4 Elixir Strings Polyweb Coating Acoustic Guitar Strings
- 1.5 Martin Guitar Acoustic Strings
- 1.6 Martin Acoustic Guitar Strings
- 1.7 Ernie Ball Earthwood Acoustic Phosphor Bronze String Set
- 1.8 Ernie Ball Earthwood Rock and Blues Acoustic Set
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here’s a list of the best acoustic guitar strings that will give your guitar that warm acoustic tone you are looking for.
- D’Addario Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
- D’Addario EXP16 Coated Phosphor Bronze
- Elixir Strings Bronze with Nanoweb Coating
- Elixir Strings with Polyweb Coating
- Martin Guitar Acoustic Strings
- Martin Acoustic Guitar Strings
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Acoustic Phosphor Bronze String Set
- Ernie Ball Earthwood Rock and Blues Acoustic Set
D’Addario Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
The D’addario Phosphor Bronze strings were first introduced in 1974, and since then they have become one of the most popular acoustic guitar strings model in the world.
They are known for producing a bright, long-lasting and balanced acoustic tone that will definitely alleviate the sound of your playing.
One of the great things about these medium acoustic guitar strings is that they re corrosion-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about them falling apart.
They are made out of a phosphor bronze wire that is wrapped around a high-carbon hexagonal steel core using the most advanced and high-quality digital wire-making technology in the D’Addario wire mill that is based in New York.
The wrapped wire produces a different and unique sound in comparison to other kinds of strings.
These strings are really made to last you a long time without breaking down. They are made from the best possible raw materials and in addition to that D’Addario takes care to only use materials that are not bad for the environment.
The string gauges in this set are Plain Steel .013, .017 and Phosphor Bronze .026, .035, .045, .056.
It’s also important to mention that this is one of the most affordable options for acoustic guitar strings on this list.
Pros and Highlights
- Affordable
- They produce a warm sound
- High-carbon steel core
- Wrapped phosphor bronze wire
- Corrosion-resistant
- High-quality materials
- Extra Light to Medium Gauges
Cons and Potential Flaws
- The string can be rough on your fingers
- The strings are not coated
Bottom line
If you’re looking for acoustic guitar strings that are high-quality but affordable at the same time, you should choose this item. Also, make sure to choose based on whether you like coated strings, because these are not coated, and also whether you like light strings. Either way, they produce a warm sound and will last you a long time.
D’Addario EXP16 Coated Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
As another product by the same well-known brand, these strings also don’t disappoint. And also, like the above-mentioned set of acoustic guitar strings, this one is one of the most popular coated set of guitar strings. However, these are more expensive.
These strings produce a beautiful sound that is bright and warm, with great volume and balanced acoustics. All in all, the sound that these make feels livelier than with the regular uncoated strings. In addition to that, coated strings are more comfortable to play.
Like the above-mentioned product, these strings are also made in the D’Addario factory in New York, where they are carefully assembled by precise machines using the best high carbon steel.
The difference between these coated strings and other ones on the market is that in this case the phosphor bronze wire that wraps around the hexagonal core is covered in an extremely fine layer of EXP coating. This helps prevent corrosion and makes a long-lasting and consistent tone.
The string gauges in this set are Plain Steel .012, .016, Phosphor Bronze Wound .024, .032, .042, .053.
Pros and Highlights
- Coated strings = more comfortable play
- They produce a warm and bright sound
- High-carbon steel core
- Wrapped phosphor bronze wire
- Corrosion-resistant
- High-quality materials
Cons and Potential Flaws
- The sound is not as bright as with uncoated strings
- More expensive
Bottom line
If you have a bigger budget and you’re looking to get coated strings for your acoustic guitar that will last you a long time and produce a warm sound, you should opt for these. They are comfortable and have a great balance of volume.
Elixir Strings Bronze Nanoweb Coating Acoustic Guitar Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
When it comes to coated strings, Elixir arguably has some of the best ones to offer. However, if you want some higher quality coated strings you have to have a bigger budget because, in comparison to other similar items on this list, these are expensive.
The sound that you get when playing these strings is bright and crisp, with a strong and vibrant presence. You will be in awe the first time that you hear them play, and you will love playing them. As we mentioned before, coated strings are more comfortable and therefore easier to play.
These acoustic guitar strings are made out of 80% copper and 20% zinc bronze wrap wire, hence the name. They are coated in an extremely thin layer of Nanoweb coating that is so light that it gives the feel of the traditional uncoated strings, but still makes them more playable and bright.
The patented coating protects the wires from corrosion and makes them last a long time, so you don’t have to worry about that.
The gauges in this set are light and they are .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053.
Pros and Highlights
- High-quality materials
- Feel like traditional uncoated strings
- Thin Nanoweb coating
- Bright sound
- Anti-corrosion
- Long-lasting
Cons and Potential Flaws
- The coating might be too thin for somebody who doesn’t like uncoated strings
- Not as affordable
Bottom line
If you’re looking for coated acoustic guitar strings that still have that feel like uncoated ones, you’re at the right place. These strings will last you a long time and they are safe from corrosion, but they are also more expensive than other ones.
Elixir Strings Polyweb Coating Acoustic Guitar Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
These acoustic guitar wires are similar to the ones that we wrote about above. They are made by the same brand and cost the same amount, but the true difference is in the coating.
We already said that Elixir has some of the best coated strings out there. The coating on these is what makes the sound that they produce very warm and robust, with a mid-range presence. They sound “played-in”, but that’s the point.
Like the above-mentioned ones, these are also constructed out of 80/20 phosphor bronze wire that is 80% copper and 20% zinc. The wire is wrapped around the core and covered in the special patented Polyweb coating.
This original coating makes the strings feel smooth and helps you feel more of ease when playing them, making the whole experience much more comfortable.
As with the ones mentioned before, in this case, the coating also helps keep the strings corrosion resistant and gives them a much longer lifespan. However, the coating is still easily used up.
The gauges in this set are light and are the same as the Elixir wires that we wrote about above: .012, .016, .024, .032, .042, .053.
Pros and Highlights
- Smooth feel, comfortable to play
- High-quality materials
- Special Polyweb coating
- They produce a warm and robust sound
- Corrosion-resistant
- Long-lasting
- Light gauges
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Less affordable than other options
- The coat can start wearing off pretty quickly from constant play
Bottom line
If you have a bigger budget but don’t play your guitar that much you should get these strings. They feel smooth and make a sound that is warm and robust, but the original Polyweb coating can easily be used up.
Martin Guitar Acoustic Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
The Martin strings for an acoustic guitar are an inexpensive option. Actually, they’re somewhere in the middle when it comes to price.
The sound that you can get from these very good, the high notes are extremely bright and crisp, while the low ones have that deep rumble that will make you melt and that fits so well with the other notes played on these. You will notice a difference in the tone as soon as you switch from your old acoustic guitar strings to these new ones. In addition to that, they tune easily.
However, they seem to be more breakable than other similar items, so we’re not sure about the quality and time that they put into making these strings last a longer time than others. But still, some people report that they lasted them for even more than a year, so it could be that there were some bad batches. In any case, it seems uncertain.
Pros and Highlights
- More affordable than others
- Bright and crisp high notes
- Deep low notes
- Easily tuned
- Light gauges
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Uncertain quality of the strings
Bottom line
If you’re looking to try your luck with some inexpensive acoustic guitar strings you should opt for this product made by Martin. The sound is great, with bright highs and deep low tones, but the quality and the durability of the product is undeniably questionable and depends on many factors so you have no idea what you’re getting into.
Martin Acoustic Guitar Strings
Specs, features, and benefits
As the item that we wrote about above, these acoustic guitar strings are also made by the same brand – Martin. When it comes to their price, they are definitely in the higher mid-range.
These acoustic guitar strings are light, with gauges ranging from .012 to .054, as usual. The material that they are made from is a proprietary nickel-based alloy blend. The usage of this material in the making of the strings is what makes them last a long time.
However, they don’t last all that long and will need to be changed a lot if you tend to play your acoustic guitar frequently. Also, they’re a bit on the stiff side, so they’re not that easy to play.
The tone that you will be able to hear when playing these strings is mellow and warm, and kind of give you that vintage feel. It really helps show those unique woody sounds that your acoustic guitar can make, making them great for some natural-sounding play and will fit well if you’re into playing some fingerstyle blues. In addition to that, the volume that these strings produce is pretty solid.
Pros and Highlights
- Made from nickel-based alloy blend
- They produce a mellow and warm tone, with a vintage feel to it
- Light gauges
- Perfect for fingerstyle blues
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Will need to be changed frequently if you play a lot
- The strings are on the stiff side, making them not as comfortable for playing
Bottom line
If you’re looking for acoustic guitar strings that will give you more of a special and unique sound, you should opt for these. However, they would probably need to be changed frequently, but that is what makes them great if you just want to try them out and you’re not sure whether you’ll like them. They are perfect for fingerstyle blues, and they produce a mellow and warm tone with a cool vintage feel to it. Without a doubt, they’re special, but they don’t last that long.
Ernie Ball Earthwood Acoustic Phosphor Bronze String Set
Specs, features, and benefits
Ernie Ball is a high-quality brand and it’s known that the strings that they produce are often being used by some of the most popular artists like Paul McCartney and Billie Joe Armstrong.
The sound that this particular product of theirs produces is known to be rich and full, with great expressiveness and warmth. They’re just something else when it comes to that. However, if you’re mot into playing and listening to deep and rich sounding guitar tunes, you might consider the sound that these strings produce to be too dull.
These strings are made in a factory based in Los Angeles, where they use only the best possible materials to produce the best possible items. When it comes to plain strings, in this case, they’re made out of tin-plated high-carbon steel, which makes them last a long time and gives them a great tone. The usage of lock twists around the ball end is what makes prevent slippage and breaking.
The Earthwood Phosphor Bronze strings are constructed out of a hexagonal core wire made from brass plated high carbon steel and then wrapped with phosphor bronze wire. This is what gives the sound that they make great clarity.
All in all, the material used is made from 92% copper, 7.7% tin and 0.3% phosphorus wire. They’re great, but not as affordable as some other options.
Pros and Highlights
- Rich, full, and warm sound
- Plain strings are made out of tin-plated high carbon steel
- Hex core wire and wrapped phosphor bronze wire
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Not as affordable
- Dull sounding, if you’re not into that
Bottom line
If you’re looking for some deep and rich sounding acoustic guitar strings, you’re in the right place. They’re not as affordable as some other options, but the quality to price ratio is amazing!
Ernie Ball Earthwood Rock and Blues Acoustic Set
Specs, features, and benefits
This is another set of special strings by Ernie Ball, made specifically for playing some rock and blues tunes. When you play these strings you’ll hear clean and crisp highs and a balanced tone that just sounds natural.
They’re made the same way as the previous ones, with a hexagonal core wire made out of tin-plated high-carbon steel and then wound with phosphor bronze strings made out of 80% copper and 20% zinc.
The plain strings in this set are made out of specifically tempered tin-plated high-carbon steel. When it comes to this set, the G string is the plain one.
But, these string will have to get tuned frequently and carefully, as they can be easily broken if you don’t pay attention. Whether that’s the fault of the company or wrong tuning we’re not sure, as they are made differently than most other acoustic guitar strings.
All of these things are what make the sound bright. However, make sure that brightness is what you’re looking for in the sound that the strings produce, because you might consider these to be a bit too bright for you. In addition to that, they’re more affordable than some other options.
Gauges for these strings are .010, .013, .017, .030, .042, .052.
Pros and Highlights
- Affordable
- Clean and crisp sound
- Bright balanced tone
- 80/20 bronze wire
- Natural feel and tone
Cons and Potential Flaws
- They need frequent tuning
- Breakable
- Might be too bright for you
Bottom line
If you’re looking to try out some special strings that will give you a bright sound with clear and crisp highs and are affordable, you’re in the right place.
What We Recommend and Why
After a lot of research, we are sure to say that the best recommendation that we have for you when it comes to acoustic guitar string is the D’Addario phosphor bronze strings.
We know that they are not the most affordable ones, but they are made from high-quality materials and are bound to last you a long time. Even though these are not coated strings, they last for a long time. You can’t beat the warm tone you get from a brand new set of phosphor bronze strings. It makes your guitar feel new every time you put them on.