The Best Acoustic Guitar Strings for Fingerpicking

If you're a fingerstyle player and it's time for you to buy a new set of strings for your acoustic guitar, this is the guide for you.

Wondering what the best acoustic guitar strings are for fingerpicking? I'm going to share with you my pick of the 5 best acoustic guitar strings for fingerstyle guitar.

I've been playing fingerstyle guitar on an acoustic steel string guitar for years and years. During this time I've tried dozens of different brands and string gauges.

I'll share with you my top pick for acoustic guitar strings specifically for fingerstyle guitar.

So if you're a finger picking enthusiast looking for a new set of acoustic guitar strings, let's dive right in.

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What Are The Best Acoustic Guitar Strings for Fingerpicking?

After trying out many sets of strings over time, I can truthfully say that the best set of strings you can buy for fingerstyle guitar are hex-wound, extra light gauge phosphor bronze strings. And I'll explain what that all means below (basically, I like modern technology)

To give you a better understanding of how to choose your next set of guitar strings, we'll first discuss how acoustic guitar strings are constructed.

Understanding Acoustic Guitar Strings

In most acoustic guitar guitar string sets, the 1^st and 2^nd strings are made of plain steel, and the wound strings are made of a metal wire (usually bronze) wound around a hexagonal core. The primary difference between acoustic and electric guitar strings is the presence of a wound 3^rd string and the metal winding.

A Brief History of Acoustic Guitar Strings

Before the advent of modern guitar construction techniques, guitarists had to use natural materials such as silk or gut for string construction. Then, at the turn of the 20^th century, string manufacturers began to incorporate synthetic materials such as nylon and steel into string production, forever changing the guitar.

The techniques that go into manufacturing acoustic guitar stings have been essentially standardized since the mid-1970s. Nowadays, the vast majority of strings use modern materials, and organic strings are more of a specialty item.

Metals Used In Acoustic Guitar Strings

In string sets designed for acoustic guitar,the lower guitar strings (the 6^th to the 3^rd) consist of a steel core wrapped in a copper alloy wire. The first and second strings are unwound and made of plain steel, just like for the electric guitar.

In the 1930s, string manufacturer John D'Addario standardized the 80/20 bronze alloy as the metal used in string winding. 80/20 bronze is a mixture composed of 80% copper and 20% zinc, also known as brass.

Then, in 1974, the D'Addario brothers (John and Jim) standardized the phosphor bronze format, an alloy containing a higher amount of copper.

Phosphor bronze strings are wound with an alloy of 92% copper, 7% tin, and 1% phosphorus, which gives the name 92/8 or simply 8%. Brass strings (i.e. 80/20 bronze) have a duller appearance than phosphor bronze.

Anatomy of an Acoustic Guitar String

Originally, guitar strings consisted of metal winding on a round core made of high carbon steel.  This resulted in a less flexible string since nearly 100% of the winding comes into contact with the core.

Today, the vast majority of folk guitar string manufacturers use a hexagonal core. This choice is explained by the greater flexibility of a string with a hexagonal core, thus providing better longevity.

Best String Gauge For Fingerstyle

For fingerstyle guitar, I recommend that you stick to the "light" guages. I do not recommend medium gauge strings for finger picking.

The gauge refers to the thickness of the string and the corresponding tension that the string exerts on the guitar. You can refer to the gauge by its name (e.g., light gauge) or the numbers (e.g., 11-48) which refer to the thickness of the string.

Here are the string gauges for acoustic steel string guitars that I recommend for fingerpicking.

The thickness of each string is in inches. Note that light gauge strings for bronze or copper alloy strings are thinner than the corresponding gauge for nickel wound strings. This is owing to the fact that bronze is a heavier alloy than nickel, which is a pure element.

Best Acoustic Strings For Fingerstyle Guitar

Now that we understand how to distinguish between the different types of acoustic guitar strings, let's look at choosing the best guitar strings for fingerstyle guitar.

For fingerstyle guitar, I recommend using a set of Extra Light Phosphor Bronze Strings by D'Addario.

But here are two excellent options for acoustic guitar strings that you should try if you want to explore a different sound or playing experience.

Elixir Acoustic Phosphor Bronze

The Elixir string brand from W.L. Gore focuses heavily on string coating technology to enhance the lifespan of your strings. If you don't change your strings very often, these strings can be worth the extra investment.

Elixir strings boast a thinner coating for 80/20 bronze strings and a thicker coating for phosphor bronze strings. I don't think the coating affected the sound of my guitar, so these strings are a solid bet for fingerstyle.

Popular Pick

Long Lasting Acoustic Guitar Strings: Elixir Nanoweb

         

If you're looking for high quality acoustic guitar strings with a high-tech twist, grab a set of Elixir Nanoweb for your fingerpicking needs.

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Photo by Huyen Hyt (Flickr)

DR Strings Veritas

This New Jersey based company holds its own through innovative marketing efforts. Whether it's boasting of handmade guitar strings or offering bonus strings in each set, DR Strings certainly offers good value for money.

Once you open your box of DR Strings, inside you'll find detailed instructions on how to crimp the string near the tuning pegs to extend the life of the string. I followed these instructions to the letter myself, but I must admit that I did not notice a big difference.

Other Steel String Options For Acoustic Guitar

Sometimes, these strings just won't sound right with your steel string guitar, and that's perfectly possible. So, you might be tempted to branch out and try some different brands of strings.

Before experimenting, make sure you always have an extra set of strings for any mishaps, as some of these brands are more fragile than my recommended options.

Here are some strings you may be interested in trying as you pluck away on your acoustic guitar. 

Curt Mangan Monel Round Core Strings

There's no denying the innovation and passion that Curt Mangan brings to his guitar strings. Not only does he emphasize his unique string winding technique, he also offers strings wound with nickel, silver, or steel.

If you want to experiment with different gauges or string alloys, Curt Mangan has what you need. I appreciate his detailed descriptions, whether it's for nickel-plated steel, monel steel or pure nickel.

After having tried the monel steel strings on my acoustic guitar, I concluded that the gauge is a tad too heavy for fingerstyle guitar. This, along with the round core, does add a noticeably stiff feel to the strings, which is probably a plus if you are using a pick.

John Pearse Acoustic Phosphor Bronze Strings

As a Celtic music aficonado myself, I was immediately drawn to the story of John Pearse, a folk musician who hailed from the UK and who grew up in Wales.

Upon purchase of a set of John Pearse strings, however, I noticed that the durability of these strings was much less than comparable brands. Just a few weeks after placing them on my guitar, they already showed signs of discolouration.

While the set of John Pearse strings certainly were easy to play and their tone were balanced, the lack of durability was definitely a concern. If you don't plan on changing your strings very often, this could be a factor to consider.

If you're looking for the best acoustic guitar strings for fingerstyle, you can't go wrong with any of the options presented here. As you improve as a fingerstyle guitarist, I encourage you to try something other than phosphor bronze strings, to see what gives you the best experience with your guitar.

I hope I've made your choice for your next set of acoustic guitar strings a little easier.