String types — What changes beyond gauge?

What strings are made of and how they're built affect their sound, their feel and how long they last. On electric guitar you'll find nickel plated steel, pure nickel and stainless steel, each with a different top-end response and a different feel under the fingers.

Steel-string acoustics usually take phosphor bronze or 80/20 bronze. Classical guitars need proper nylon sets or similar synthetic materials: we never fit steel strings to an instrument designed for nylon.

On bass, roundwounds usually sound brighter, while flatwounds feel smoother and have softer highs. Coated strings help protect against grime and corrosion. Match the material to the right string gauge and to your own taste.