Strings

The string makes the sound 

The history of stringed instruments goes back approximately 4500 years, and possibly even much longer (up to 15,000 years). Wall paintings of these multi-stringed instruments from around 2500 BC have been found in Egypt. People have always enjoyed the sound of this instrument family, which derives its characteristic sound mainly from one thing: the string. Initially, strings were made of gut, a derivative of the tendons used to make hunting bows. It took a long time before strings made of silk (in China and from the 9th century in Spain) and later of metal (around the 17th century) and polyamide (nylon, in the 1930s) became established. Both latter are still the most widespread today. The construction of the string also became increasingly complex. For example, the low strings of various instruments consist of a core with a winding, while the treble strings (such as the G, B, and E strings of the classical guitar) are completely drawn from gut or nylon. 

Different string, different sound

Today, the guitar is certainly one of the most well-known and best-selling stringed instruments. Depending on the type of guitar, there are three different types of strings available. On classical concert guitars, one usually finds strings made of nylon or carbon. They have a balanced, warm sound and offer a rather soft feel that allows for dynamic playing styles, from fingerpicking to loud flamenco. On the popular Western guitars, on the other hand, steel strings are used. More specifically, these strings are made of an alloy, typically consisting of 80% bronze and 20% tin, which also gives the strings their bronze-like colour. On electric guitars and basses, one often finds strings with a steel core and nickel windings. Stainless steel strings are also popular. Overall, for instruments with electromagnetic pickups, the use of metal is mandatory, as the induced voltage is created by the vibrating string above the pickup's magnetic field. 

But it is not only the material properties of the strings that play an important role. Strength is also crucial. Thinner strings give a completely different feel, thus usually result in a different playing technique, and ultimately have a less powerful tone. Thinner guitar strings also allow fatigue-free playing, and favour alternative playing techniques (e.g., tapping on the electric guitar, or slapping on the bass). In the end, however, it remains a matter of taste, or even a "question of faith", which string and gauge one prefers. 

Stringing, a question of technique

Before strings can be plucked, bowed, picked, or however stimulated to vibrate, they must first be installed on an instrument. On guitars, as with all other plucked instruments, the string vibrates between two contact points, e.g., the saddle and the bridge. The distance between these two points indicates the scale length. Especially in the case of electric basses, there are instruments with different scale lengths, and string manufacturers often offer their products as short, medium and long scale variants. Of course, the strings must be attached to the instrument behind the saddle and bridge. In the case of the classical guitar, they are knotted behind the bridge and wound on so-called tuning pegs behind the saddle. These tuning pegs can now be rotated via a mechanism, loosening or tensioning the string, which consequently changes the tuning of the guitar string. Western guitars, with their steel strings, have a much higher string tension at the same tuning. That is why the so-called ball ends were invented. Here, the string core runs around a metal ring at one end of the guitar string. This is now clamped into the guitar, using a long pin through the bridge. It ensures a secure hold and tuning stability. With electric guitar and bass, this works basically the same. The strings are passed through the guitar or through the bridge, with the ball ends clamping either in the guitar or directly in the bridge. Behind the upper saddle, the strings of Western, electric guitar and electric bass are then again wound on tuning machines. Especially in the 80s, so-called headless instruments became popular. They come without a headstock on which the tuning machines sit. Special bridges with tuning mechanisms have been developed, and string manufacturers offer matching strings with double ball ends. 

A multi stringed business

New playing techniques, different types of instruments, and the fun of experimenting have led to a growing demand for custom solutions. And sometimes, what started as an experiment becomes a successful mainstream trend. Although the standard for electric guitar strings is usually .009-.042 and .045-.105 for bass strings, there's a wide range of different gauges to choose from. Hybrid sets are also popular. Usually, you buy a whole set of strings, because it makes perfect sense to put on fresh strings after a certain playing time. The material loses tension, the windings get filled with dirt, and finger sweat causes corrosion. All of that negatively affects your playing feel and, of course, the sound. Nowadays, manufacturers offer the right product for all preferences and needs. Flatwound strings are becoming very popular again, especially for electric bass. Instead of being wrapped with round wire (aka roundwounds), the steel core of the string is wrapped with flat wire (aka flatwounds). There are also so-called halfwounds where the wound round wire is ground down. Flatwounds and halfwounds have the advantage of minimizing fretting noise due to their less rough surface. With flatwounds, the space between the windings is also minimized, which means less dirt can accumulate. This results in a higher durability. After a certain break-in period, flatwounds deliver a warm and round tone that remains unchanged for a long time. To minimize dirt build-up and maximize durability, the company Elixir has developed coated strings. The string is completely covered with a plastic coating that prevents dirt and sweat from getting in. Gold plating strings, as manufactured by Optima, can also lead to longer durability. Then, there are relatively new instruments, like the bass ukulele, that only work with the fitting string. For example, Aquila offers Thundergut strings made from a plastic blend that allows for deep tone and good playability even with a short scale length. 

Let´s put on new strings!

Whether a string breaks, the whole set doesn't sound good anymore after a few gigs, or whether you just want to try something new. The strings are what makes your instrument sound, and what you feel right under your fingers. W-Music Distribution offers you top strings at a top price for your electric guitar with Framus Blue Label. Breathe new life into your acoustic guitar with Framus Phosphor Bronze guitar strings! Or do you play bass and your new 5-string doesn't sound quite the way you want it to? With Warwick Red Label bass strings, you can change them more often without having to spend a fortune. You might want to try a high C string on your 5 string? Then try the Warwick Black Label Stainless Steel strings. With GHS, we also offer you one of the market leaders in the field of high-quality strings with a rich range. You can also find Aquila, string specialist for ukuleles and other historical instruments, in the portfolio of W-Music Distribution. You play guitar or bass, ukulele, or U-bass, lap steel guitar, or, or, or...? Then it's definitely worth taking a look at the wide range of strings from W-Music Distribution!