While the origins of the modern guitar are hard to place, the history of stringed instruments goes back thousands of years. Historically, guitar strings were made of catgut until the introduction of steel strings towards the end of the nineteenth century. Despite the name, catgut was made typically from the inner linings of sheep or goat intestines, not from a cat.

Guitar strings have come a long way since those days and are now available in numerous different materials, widths, and colours. The strings vary based on the type of a guitar.

“Manufacturers have unique ways of guitar string production along with differences in their materials, sound qualities and feel, but the foundations often remain the same” says Simon Bennett, Managing Director of musicGuard.

Leading music insurer musicGuard dives into the history of guitar strings and their production:

Classical guitars
Classical guitars typically have strings made from nylon. These 6 strings will be split in half into groups known as basses and trebles. While the trebles are plain nylon which are ground down into the tight tolerances required for correct resonance, the basses are made with a different technique. A metal wrap is used to wind around a nylon core to create the bass strings, and even the metals used here can be unique. Most classical strings feature bass strings wrapped with an 80/20 bronze, however for those with a more expensive taste some manufacturers produce strings wrapped in pure silver.

Acoustic guitars
Unlike classical strings, acoustic strings use steel rather than nylon for both plain and wound strings. This innovation was inspired by the use of metal wound strings in pianos. Acoustic guitars typically feature 4 wound strings instead of the 3 found on classical guitars, but they share a commonality in using metals like 80/20 bronze or phosphor bronze for the wound strings. Phosphor bronze, a newer option, is favoured for its longer lifespan, making it popular among players.

Electric guitars
The electric guitar creates sound differently than the acoustic one. Acoustic guitars use vibrations, but electric ones use pickups and magnets. That's why electric guitar strings are made of steel, which is magnetic.

“Whether you’re using strings from Ernie Ball, D’Addario, Rotosound or any of the other many guitar string brands from around the world, they are all linked with the same history” adds Bennett.

Read more about guitar string production on:
https://www.musicguard.co.uk/guitar-strings

ENDS