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Just as there are different types of guitars, there are different types of strings. Here are the principal types:

• Nylon strings are used on classical guitars. In fact, it is dangerous to use heavier strings on a classical guitar, because the instrument is not designed to withstand the high tension they produce. The three lowest strings are made of silver-plated copper wire wound on a core of nylon strands. The upper three are pure nylon filaments.
• Steel strings are designed for acoustic folk guitars. The bass strings are wound on a core of silk or nylon.
• Heavier wound metal strings are designed for electric guitars.

Core and winding materials vary among string makers, and you may wish to experiment with different types to see which produces the sound you like best.Strings are also available with different shapes or contours, from flat to fully rounded. Strings are also sold in light, medium, or heavy gauges. This has to do with the amount of elasticity in the string: light-gauge strings are more elastic and therefore easier to play than heavy ones. Again, depending on the kind of music you play and your own personal taste, you’ll be able to choose the proper string for you. It’s always worthwhile to try different types of strings on your instrument to see if a simple change of strings can lead to improved sound and playability.

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light gauge nylon strings

The strings are supported by detachable bones at the nut and bridge (see illustration). The nut bone, which is slightly grooved to provide a guide for each string, sets the height above the fingerboard at that end. If the strings are too low they will buzz against the frets. If they are too high, the guitar becomes hard to play, which can completely discourage you from continuing.

If the setting is too high, the nut bone needs to be removed and filed down from the underside.If it is too low, a sliver of cardboard or similar material may be inserted underneath, but this should be a temporary solution until a new bone of the right height can be obtained. On a classical guitar the height of the strings at the first fret will be about 1/16 in (1.5 mm).

At the bridge end, a similar adjustment can be made to the bridge bone to produce a height at the twelfth fret of approximately 3/16 in (5 mm). The reason the measurements are approximate is that the exact amount depends on the height of the frets and the total string length, both of which vary from maker to maker.

Note that these measurements are for the nylon string guitar. The metal strings of the acoustic guitar are set lower due to the greater tension, and for the sake of the left hand, steel strings need to be as low as is practical, consistent with clear sound.

This type of guitar is normally played with a plectrum, and represents a transition from acoustic to electric guitar, because the guitar itself has some acoustic property although nowadays it is normally amplified. Although a component of the rhythm section of early jazz groups where its distinctive “chunk” sound would cut through and be heard without amplification, this guitar was also used extensively for melody and solo work, an example being the work of great players such as Django Reinhardt.

Distinguishing features include the violin-like f-holes which replace the circular sound hole of the traditional guitar. Often jazz guitars are larger in size than classical or acoustic guitars,and they usually have arched tops and backs, like a violin. This is said to improve their sound projection. Pickups are now built into the guitar, as are volume and tone controls.

The pioneering guitarist Les Paul was a technical as well as musical wizard. He is famous for multitrack recorded performances, and his developments on the instrument itself led to the extensive use of solidbody guitars with no innate acoustic resonance. Used for chords and lead in contemporary rock groups, the solid-body guitar has no sound until it is plugged into an amplifier. The electronic sound from pickups is processed in inventive ways for special effects, including deliberate distortion. The result is a new creation that has a fingerboard and strings but acoustically shares little with the traditional guitar.