best strings to buy?

[christinahaas]

I got the Epiphone AJ-200SCE in Vintage Sunburst for christmas, and I am just learning to play what are the best kind of strings i can get that will be well made, with good sound but also easy on my fingers? (i havent any calluses yet...)

[johnl]

Hi, Christina; welcome to the forum. Assuming your guitar has a good setup, and the action is nice and low, the easiest answer I can give you is simply to stick with light gauge strings (usually that means the high-E string is .012" in size) from one of the more well known brands like D'Addario, GHS, Martin, or Gibson (or Ernie Ball or Dean Markley or whoever, there’s plenty of quality brands). Keep practicing regularly and the calluses will come (but if, after you’ve been practicing a while, it still hurts to fret the strings, you might want to try lighter gauge string sets where the high-E string is .011” or .010” or thinner; or see if a guitar tech can get the guitar’s action lower).

 

Once you’re into it, you can experiment with different types of strings like phosphor bronze, coated, or whatever; as well as different sets and makers. The main thing is to find the sound that YOU like; so as you progress, you’ll experiment more and more. You decide which strings best suit you.

 

Or if you just want a quick answer, go with D'Addario EJ-11's

[Spyders]

Hi Christina,

 

John has given you some excellent advice and I have nothing to add about strings. My advice to you is not to give up. It is painful to learn how to play guitar. Your fingers will hurt for a while but rest assured that if you keep at it, the day will come where it doesn't hurt to fret any more. Just do it a little bit every day and it shouldn't take that long. Keep after it.

 

Good luck and congratulations on your new guitar.

 

Spyders