Guitar Strings

Whether you are looking for nylon strings or steel strings for your guitar, The Cheap Guitars shop has you covered with our huge range of guitar strings.

Guitar strings are responsible for the sound a guitar makes when played. Traditionally, bass strings were composed of a silk thread core that was wound with a gut and the treble strings were composed from sheep or cow intestines. Now, the most commonly used strings are constructed from nylon, plastic, and wire.

Albert Augustine Ltd, a New York instrument maker, was the first player to ever use modern guitar strings. During the Second World War, materials were difficult to come by. While in an army surplus store, he happened to stumble upon some nylon. He then approached DuPont, the company that made the nylon, and asked them to complete a blind test.

Despite their scepticism, the DuPont manufacturers found that the nylon strings produced a better guitar sound. Once DuPont discovered that they had chosen the nylon strings, they were ready to support Augustine’s efforts. Nylon quickly became the string material of choice.

Recently, fluorocarbon polymers have been used for guitars in place of nylon treble strings. Many players prefer the smoother transition provided by the G string from treble to bass with the fluorocarbon polymer strings.

Mass and density of the strings determine the pitch of the sound made. Sound is made through the vibration of the string. Tighter, smaller strings produce higher pitched sounds than denser, looser strings. Each string is designed to be tuned at a perfect quarter pitch below the previous string. Proper tuning of the guitar strings ensures that a harmonious tune is transmitted.