However, the same quality that serves as an advantage can also be a disadvantage-as the lack of weight makes it harder to play loudly, and thinner strings can be more susceptible to breakage.Īs the gauge increases to medium and heavy, sustain reduces, and the added weight of the strings makes for a more resonant low-end sound. Because of their supple feel, lighter gauges are often preferred for fingerpicking, and can be easier on beginning guitarists who are developing their calluses.
Typically, a lighter-gauge string will give you more sustain and a brighter tone than a heavier gauge of the same string. For the reverse change, you may need to tighten the truss rod.Ĭaveats aside, choice of gauge can make a tremendous difference in the tone quality your guitar can achieve. Slightly loosening the truss rod will allow the neck to move forward and raise the action. If, for example, you put lighter strings on a guitar that was strung with heavier strings, the reduction in tension may cause the neck to go from a concave forward bow to a convex back bow, pushing the fretboard against the strings and lowering the action. Similarly, significant changes in string gauge will affect your guitar’s action, string tension, and neck relief, and may call for a truss rod adjustment. Depending on the modification you’re after, you may choose to file the slots to widen the openings, or replace the nut entirely. If the slots are made to accommodate medium- to heavy-gauge strings, using light strings can cause them to buzz conversely, fitting a guitar suited for light strings with too heavy a gauge will cause the strings to stick in the slots and create tuning problems. Acoustic strings typically come in gauges of extra light (.010-inch diameter) to heavy (.059 in.), and the nut of your guitar is designed to hold a specific gauge range. There are more strings to choose from than ever before, and it’s important to note that not every guitar is suited to handle every type of wire. Fortunately, for most of us, simply changing to a different set of strings may be the easiest and most cost-effective way to improve the sound of your guitar. Even if you are lucky enough to own the guitar of your dreams, you can still improve the sound or adjust it more to your liking with several low-budget modifications. It might seem like the only solution is to wait until you can afford a high-quality replacement, but that doesn’t have to be the case. If you’re a guitarist who doesn’t already own the instrument you’ve always dreamed of, knowledge of your guitar’s limitations can be frustrating. Bill Evans DecemFrom the February 2018 issue of Acoustic Guitar | BY KATE KOENIG
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