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Guitar Plectrums & Guitar Strings

There is a wealth of guitar accessories available and many manufacturers make the same type of product. Many products come do the same thing but have large differences in price point so this can sometimes be confusing for many new guitarists.

The old saying “You get what you pay for” does ring true in some circumstances but the volume and quality of guitar accessories available are ever becoming harder to distinguish. For example: If you were buying a product made of a solid wood, this would cost much more than a product made of plywood, why? Simply because the raw materials are more expensive.

The guitar accessories I am going to talk about are guitar plectrums and guitar strings.

Guitar Plectrums (Picks) are usually small triangular pieces of plastic that you use to strike the strings of your guitar with. Plectrums have many different thicknesses, materials, and sizes that all factor into the job they do, these variants create a different sound. More thinner and flexible plectrums generally are best suited to playing rhythm guitar, as they pass the strings quickly with less resistance. You’ll also hear a lot more of a flicking sound (a little like a scratch) as they pass over the string that is to some, desirable. This only really happens with the thinnest of plectrums.

The thicker picks can be used more for lead guitar playing, as they produce a good amount of attack. They generally produce a more even sound and you get less flicking sound as they pass the strings. However, the sound you produce will differ, dependant on how hard your plectrum grip is. If you have a rigid grip a thinner plectrum may be beneficial as trying to play fast with a thick plectrum could be tricky.

The plectrums I use are the Dava Control’s. The have a thinner central area that alters how hard the pick is dependant of how close to the tip you hold it. So I suppose you could call it a combination thickness plectrum. Guitar Plectrums only cost a few pence anyway so I would recommend getting a few different ones and try them out to see what you like best.

Guitar Strings come in different gauges, the first question you will be asked when you go into a music shop to buy a replacement set of strings is “what gauge do you want?”

String gauge affects the tone and the playability of your guitar. If you have a higher gauge string, there is greater tension. Heavy gauge strings generate a higher volume, however the greater the tension, the more finger pressure is needed to fret the strings properly.

One major benefit of higher tension strings is that they vibrate in a shallower fashion, which allows closer adjustment to the fret board before getting string buzzes. A pretty standard Acoustic guitar string gauge is 12-54, and 9-42 on electric guitars. Altering your string gauge may require adjustment to your guitar in order to maintain the same action (Height between the string and fret board). On the flip side, lower string tension will cause the strings to lie lower which may result in buzzing, but if you already have a high action then you could solve that problem with a new set of strings.

I actually prefer a medium gauge (a set of 10’s) string as it produces a more reliable string bend. The ones I use are the D’addario XL’s 10- 46 (regular light gauge) on my electric guitars and on my acoustic guitars I always use Brass wound D’addario EJ16 Light (Gauge 12-53). Brass strings produce a rich bright tonality that lasts well.

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How to String A Steel - String Acoustic Guitar For Dummies

How often should I be changing my acoustic guitar strings?

I play guitar for about an hour and a half a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less. It's an acoustic. The strings are starting to leave a funny smell on my fingers. Is it time to change them? And how often should I be changing them?

That is probably the bronze smell from the wound strings. I know exactly what funny smell you are talking about.

You don't really have to change strings all that often. Unless you are a professional player, 6 months to a year is OK, provided you take care of your guitar after playing.
You need to wipe the strings down with a clean cloth after every playing session. This gets off the fingers oils and sweat that you deposit on the strings. And will make them last longer.

I've heard of some people that have very high acidity in their sweat that really plays hell on strings and will start them rusting in weeks time. But if you are a normal person, just wiping the strings off will really help the longevity of your strings. If you keep the guitar in a case or Gig Bag, that will also help shield the strings from humidity and moisture, that can rust your strings early.

Once the G B and High E strings go dull, it's time to change them.
Other than that it's OK to keep em on for a while, unless you like to waste money.

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