Help with strings please

DICKIE196

Hi, hope this is the right place to post this, my daughter has just started to learn the guitar but unfortunately broke one of her strings. I`ve looked on amazon but i have no idea which ones it needs, the model is an Elevation W-100-NA Electro-Acoustic guitar, can anyone help please?

HAL9000

If you're unsure then any guitar shop should be able to help you. As you say it's an electric guitar it will definitely need steel (as opposed to nylon) strings. If you're buying a set then I'd suggest buying either 9-42 or 10-46. Decent makes are Ernie Ball or D'adario. If you're buying a single string then you'll need to know which it is. It is usual to refer to the thinnest string as the 1st and to the thickest string as the 6th.

Hope this helps.

Edit - I've just looked at the Elevation W100 on the internet and am not convinced that it's electro-acoustic so I'm probably wrong about it needing steel strings. Sorry.

DulcetJones

Most stores will gladly put the string you buy on for you, while showing you how to do it and giving you more info for future reference.  Just to make sure you could call ahead, I would think independent stores to be your best bet but you never know. 

Corvus

Dave at elyguitarlessons.com in Witchford is a good guy and can sort strings and fitting. He does repairs and is a good teacher too.

Voxman

The Elevation W-100-NA is a steel strung acoustic guitar.  Here's a pic - is this what your guitar looks like?  If so, HAL 9000's string suggestions are valid.  

If it looks like the second picture then it's likely to be a nylon strung guitar.  Nylon strung guitars usually have an 'open' headstock, and instead of button pegs on the bridge holding the strings in, the nylon strings are wrapped around the bridge.

The term electro-acoustic relates to an acoustic guitar that can be plugged directly into a guitar amplifier.  It has a jack socket and electrical 'gubbins' (a pickup that you usually won't see, and a control at the side which typically houses a 9v battery and might have volume and tone controls (sometimes 'slider controls) (see last pic - this is from an Elevation Electro-acoustic that seems to have a built in tuner) .  Electro-acoustics are usually steel strung and will look similar to the first pic below.  

I recommend you put a full set of new strings on.  I've shown an easy guide vid to changing strings:

Plectrum

Having looked at some photos, it's definitely a steel-stringed guitar. Perhaps someone on here knows of a good music shop near you.

SteveRobinson

Please don't put electric guitar strings on an acoustic guitar. Get a set of light gauge acoustic guitar strings and as above, change them all.

As your daughter is just setting out though, I'd recommend getting the guitar set up (and the strings changed at the same time) as this will make it easier to play.

Voxman

SteveRobinson said:

Please don't put electric guitar strings on an acoustic guitar. Get a set of light gauge acoustic guitar strings and as above, change them all.

As your daughter is just setting out though, I'd recommend getting the guitar set up (and the strings changed at the same time) as this will make it easier to play.

Agreed, I didn't want to over complicate things for the OP.  I use Martin extra light 80/20 phospher bronze on my acoustics. You do need strings with a bit more body for better tone on an acoustic. 

HAL9000

Indeed. My original suggestions were based on the guitar being an electro-acoustic. If the instrument is purely acoustic then I'd agree with @Voxman that Martin phosphor-bronze would be an good choice.

Plectrum

HAL9000 said:

Indeed. My original suggestions were based on the guitar being an electro-acoustic. If the instrument is purely acoustic then I'd agree with @Voxman that Martin phosphor-bronze would be an good choice.

It makes no difference whether the guitar is acoustic or electro-acoustic. The strings are the same.

HAL9000

Plectrum said:

HAL9000 said:

Indeed. My original suggestions were based on the guitar being an electro-acoustic. If the instrument is purely acoustic then I'd agree with @Voxman that Martin phosphor-bronze would be an good choice.

It makes no difference whether the guitar is acoustic or electro-acoustic. The strings are the same.

I'd disagree. Phosphor-bronze strings (even with a steel core) will sound weak on any kind of electric but will give a fuller richer sound on an acoustic. Steel strings tend to sound brighter and more 'zingy'. 

Voxman

HAL9000 said:

Plectrum said:

HAL9000 said:

Indeed. My original suggestions were based on the guitar being an electro-acoustic. If the instrument is purely acoustic then I'd agree with @Voxman that Martin phosphor-bronze would be an good choice.

It makes no difference whether the guitar is acoustic or electro-acoustic. The strings are the same.

I'd disagree. Phosphor-bronze strings (even with a steel core) will sound weak on any kind of electric but will give a fuller richer sound on an acoustic. Steel strings tend to sound brighter and more 'zingy'. 

An electro-acoustic is not an electric guitar. It's an acoustic with a piezo pickup to amplify the acoustic tone .  So phospher bronze are perfect for them. Electro acoustics should be amplified ideally by an acoustic not electric guitar amp. 

An exception are certain very special types of electro acoustics that double as a conventional electric guitar. These have specific hardware enhancements and are expensive instruments. I believe Tyler guitars make such a guitar. You would use conventional electric guitar strings with these.  

Plectrum

HAL9000 said:

Plectrum said:

HAL9000 said:

Indeed. My original suggestions were based on the guitar being an electro-acoustic. If the instrument is purely acoustic then I'd agree with @Voxman that Martin phosphor-bronze would be an good choice.

It makes no difference whether the guitar is acoustic or electro-acoustic. The strings are the same.

I'd disagree. Phosphor-bronze strings (even with a steel core) will sound weak on any kind of electric but will give a fuller richer sound on an acoustic. Steel strings tend to sound brighter and more 'zingy'. 

You clearly have no idea what an electro-acoustic is.

HAL9000

Sorry, my mistake. I was thinking of conventional pickups.

DICKIE196

That's fantastic guys thank you for all the help and suggestions you gave me, i did wonder if it would be best to replace all of the strings rather than one, thanks for the video too Voxman.

Voxman

DICKIE196 said:

That's fantastic guys thank you for all the help and suggestions you gave me, i did wonder if it would be best to replace all of the strings rather than one, thanks for the video too Voxman.

Pleasure, hope it helps.