Best Strings For Classical Guitar (2024 Update)

I use the coated EXP45 normal tension strings on my Guild GAD-C2NA classical guitar. This is the guitar I travel with and use for most fingerstyle applications. I reserve my Ramirez E4 for local classical performances. The bottom 3 strings have great definition and stay within a few cents of concert pitch for several months. The top 3 strings are the same nylons from the EJ45 set. They may drop 20 cents overnight, but tune right up and stay in tune while playing. This set has a respectable classical tone but is a little brighter than the EJ45 Pro Arte set. They are fantastic if you are playing and singing popular and rock songs along with a few classical favorites. You can beat on them with rougher technique and they hold up and sing out. The EXP45 set only puts about 81 lbs. on the neck as compared to 86 lbs. for the EJ45 set. The lighter feel makes them very versatile and reduces your fatigue. The D'Addario claim is true: The composite core bottoms really do last 3-4 times longer. With a lot of practicing and performing, I can burn through an EJ45 set in 1-2 weeks. I've changed EXP45 sets at 2 months for a gig and have not really needed to. The windings will show some wear, but the bottoms are still staying in tune. The coating pays off if you don't always remember to wipe down the strings and fingerboard after playing.There are some who call me...Jim

I recently purchased a used classical guitar and gave it a set up, replaced the strings. That's when I purchased these EJ45's….Took almost a month for the strings to stop stretching. Would not stay in tune !! Maybe drop these in some boiling water like E.V. used to do to his strings to stretch them out..?? THE BAD….I thought it was the tuners (machine heads) on the guitar and almost purchased a new set. I've used the red package normal tension with no issues, I will not buy the EJ45 again. While my guitar was just sitting on the stand the G string starting to unravel and eventural just broke…THESE STRINGS ARE A WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME !GhostGrappler

I am accustomed to subtle differences between acoustic guitar strings by various manufacturers, but those differences can seem less apparent with classical guitar strings. However, D'Addario's Pro Arte classical strings are clear standouts. My guitar never sounded better, to the point of sounding like a brighter and more resonant instrument. I'm hooked.Ronnie

When I first recieved care of this guitar, it had no strings at all. One local guitar shop said tie-on nylon strings are all that will work. I couldn't keep 'em tied. So, tried these as an experiment. So far, so good!Shannon

Never knew Fender would sell nylon strings, well, just like everything else Fender sells, these are great and sound very nice in my Australian classical acoustic. Will keep buying these, thank you.pitymd

A personal choice, but I like D'addario strings in general and always them on my steel acoustic and electric guitars. Just acquired a Spanish classical guitar (new experience for me!) so I started experimenting with strings. I like these a lot as they have a much more familiar feel – I started with medium EJ27 strings which were a bit "loose" for me? – and a nicer tone. My teacher approves too…man_at_gwizz-it

Absolutely in love with this print! Originally purchased it in the shortie for my newborn and once I was Blueberry Ice Cream Social in person I immediately turned around and purchased a pair of pjs for my youngest and oldest!Alyssa D.

I'm not a serious Classical player but do read music and try classical tunes on my 45 + year old solid cedar top classical guitar. I think this brand of strings is fine. I'm going to go back to medium or higher tension though. Light tension takes too much tuning effort, and they're a bit flabby to my fingers. I don't think for nylon strings that the arguments regarding age and arthritis means much. I'm in my 60s, but can still bend those steel strings just fine thank you.JC

I have been using D'Addario EJ-45 (Normal Tension) strings for a couple of years and decided I'd give these 43's a try. Contrary to what other reviewers have indicated, I immediately noted a decrease in volume when using these light tension strings. I suppose if one is playing with electronic amplification, these strings might be fine. I play spruce solid-top guitars (J. Marcario 145 and Yamaha GC-7M) so crispness, as well as volume, are crucial to me. Unfortunately, these 43's have neither the volume nor the clarity of the 45's. They are a touch easier to play and they may suit the needs of others; however, they aren't right for me. I'll be switching back to 45's tomorrow. Best regards … and happy playing !yelleko

Much better type of string than the ball end type. Also, these have a smoothe feel and give a nice full sound to my Yamaha NCX 900R classical guitar. The strings are forgiving on the fingers as I get back into playing after years of abcense from it. Also not noisy from sliding sounds. Tying the ends on and changing nylon is very different for me, accustomed to an Ovation, takes a little longer but is worth the difference for an improved sound. For me nylon strings are better because of losing 1/2" off left ring finger, classical easier to do. Good choice, buy them.cehl1911

First, am not a musician, just an old Scouter who plays guitar at troops campfires, and encourages Scouts to learn some chords with the expectation that within lies the next Andres Segovia. Therefore, my judgement of the quality of the product is that of a neophyte. For me, they were better than I expected. However, I must add that I received them in less than five days, now thats service worth two extra stars. Thus, from that perspective, this string set has far exceeded my expectations. Another volunteer Scouterpalac-pr

I find all Augustine strings to be great value for high quality. These are my 'go to' strings that I use every day. I have not found better working strings. Much better than some of the rather twangy 'corum' strings that seem to be so popular (and expensive) these days. Recommended.Richard

I am not a classical guitarist, I am an acoustic/electric guitarist who has modified what I do to fit a classical format. When it comes to strings, I have always opted for the biggies, usually D'Addario extra hard tension (and the titanium treble set is my go-to). I believed in the SRV adage: Bigger strings give bigger tone. I picked up a set of these Augustines the last time they were on sale at MF. I confess I got 'em because they had Segovia on the package and were on sale. My heart sank when the strings arrived, they are the black label set and are marked "extra light tension." I teach in a public school and thought I'd put these strings on and beat them to death in a matter of days. That was over a month ago, and my mid 70s Yamaha (solid cedar/rosewood) has never sounded better. I don't know what it is about these strings (components, care of manufacture), but they seem to really lay flat on the board, and I mean that in a good way. I have already admitted that my classical technique really blows, but when I try to bear down on the lower strings, the heavier wound strings almost seem to "roll" under my stupid sausage fingers. Not so these guys. Very pleasant sound and feel, I may have switched brands to Augustine Blacks. And did I mention Segovia's picture is on the label?…E. T.

After 30 years I switched to these ball ends which make it super easy to change strings. You don't have to mess around with wrapping the string around itself to secure it. These strings sound great and very much in tune.spectral_paints

There are nylon string sets and other brands that may fit certain styles of playing or specific player preferences better, but for the price, these Martin hard tension nylon sets are tough to beat. They seem to have pretty good string life and nice tone. I am happier with the wound bass strings than I am the trebles. I do prefer harder tension and some of the more expensive sets that have black or titanium trebles; but again, I come back to the Martins time and time again for the balance of good quality, for a great price. I've started playing Martins on my steel string guitars as well for similar reasons.Marshall

These are a great replacement for classical or nylon string folk guitars. Perhaps not quite as bright and sweet as say Fender Bullet nylon strings, but a much better value for money, longer lasting and resilient guitar string, not prone to breaking. I do recommend these as a general purpose string for beginners or parlour guitar use. Very nice, quite happy with these. I also highly recommend Martin Custom Light strings for dreadnought or steel string acoustic guitars.purchasefinger65

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They are not as hard as i excepected, and im glad with that cuz they doesnt hurt my fingers at all. They have a very harmonius and nice proyection. This strings reach their tones very quickly and stay in tune. Since they are my first Dynamo strings i cant compare with the normal and extra hard tension, but for sure i will give them both a try. By the way the trebels color are moe like transparent brown rather than purple titanium as i read somewhere.cmartini

D'Addario strings are one of the very best quality. I am very happy with the feel of the strings, can play for longer periods of time as my fingers don't get as sore, the sound of the strings are beautiful on my classical guitar.kimgiles_123

First, am not a musician, just an old Scouter who plays guitar at troops campfires, and encourages Scouts to learn some chords with the expectation that within lies the next Andres Segovia. Therefore, my judgement of the quality of the product is that of a neophyte. For me, they were better than I expected. However, I must add that I received them in less than five days, now thats service worth two extra stars. Thus, from that perspective, this string set has far exceeded my expectations. Another volunteer Scouterpalac-pr

I find all Augustine strings to be great value for high quality. These are my 'go to' strings that I use every day. I have not found better working strings. Much better than some of the rather twangy 'corum' strings that seem to be so popular (and expensive) these days. Recommended.Richard

I am not a classical guitarist, I am an acoustic/electric guitarist who has modified what I do to fit a classical format. When it comes to strings, I have always opted for the biggies, usually D'Addario extra hard tension (and the titanium treble set is my go-to). I believed in the SRV adage: Bigger strings give bigger tone. I picked up a set of these Augustines the last time they were on sale at MF. I confess I got 'em because they had Segovia on the package and were on sale. My heart sank when the strings arrived, they are the black label set and are marked "extra light tension." I teach in a public school and thought I'd put these strings on and beat them to death in a matter of days. That was over a month ago, and my mid 70s Yamaha (solid cedar/rosewood) has never sounded better. I don't know what it is about these strings (components, care of manufacture), but they seem to really lay flat on the board, and I mean that in a good way. I have already admitted that my classical technique really blows, but when I try to bear down on the lower strings, the heavier wound strings almost seem to "roll" under my stupid sausage fingers. Not so these guys. Very pleasant sound and feel, I may have switched brands to Augustine Blacks. And did I mention Segovia's picture is on the label?…E. T.

These are great strings be not for everyone. They are different in that they aid the upper register of vocals. I've put them on a 00-27 and a J 200; tow very different guitars. The affect is magical for those musicians who want a harp-like tone from their steel strung axe. They have an interesting configuration. From e to E; 12, 16,12,16, 23 W, 30 W. The result is crisp, clear highs and rich lows. These strings are different, but wonderful.goeller2006

I have tried countless strings over the years, and these John Pearse strings are fantastic! You name it, I've tried it. Everything from D'Addario, Elixer, Martin, Gibson, DR, Cleartone and even Dean Markley. Cheap and expensive, I have tried them. All I can say is that these are the best acoustic strings I have tried to date. I just went from a set of Elixers (which I thought were expensive, but good) to these, and these strings won out hands down. As soon as I installed these, my guitar absolutely came ALIVE! It was almost like night and day. Everything was better! Immediately what I noticed was the added volume and projection I was getting, but most of all, it was the tone that absolutely sold me on these. With these strings I heard more woodiness, percussive body, clarity, string to string definition, harmonic overtones, and resonance than any other acoustic strings I have heard to date. The top end also opened up and became even more tactile and transparent. These strings are just more organic, yet highly defined and less sterile than anything else I have heard, and they also have a very balanced output from string to string that is excellent. In no small measure, these strings have been a bit of a revelation. These strings are also very smooth, and I also noticed less finger noise between fretting notes and bar chords as well. However, regarding that smoothness, I also noticed something interesting as well. Just try to follow me with this: These are the first set of John Pearse strings I have ever installed, so I don't know if this is a "one off", but as smooth as they are, I also noticed that the unwound strings have an ever so slightly uneven and wavy finish to them in spots when you shine them in the light. I don't mention this as a negative IN ANY WAY, but just purely as an observation. Besides, I could care less because they sound so darn amazing. Anyway, my point of mentioning this (and this is based purely on conjecture), is I wonder if the barely perceptible finish inconsistencies contribute to the overall tonality of these strings? TBH, I have never seen strings that had this kind of "inconsistency" to their finish before, and I am wondering if this has anything to do with the great tonality of these strings? All the other strings I have bought over the years have been extremely smooth and consistent in their diameter and finish. Again, I don't mention this as a negative in any way because you never feel this while playing in the least. The only time I noticed it was when I looked at them under direct light. These strings sound fantastic, and obviously their specific alloy and construction plays a great part to their sound, but on the other hand, I have never seen strings with this kind of finish before, and yet I have also never been so excited about a set of strings before either. There has to be something to it. The only other thing I can mention is that these strings also have excellent string life as well. I have had these on my acoustic after about a month and a half of use, and they still sound fantastic! Anyway, all I can say is that I have tried A LOT of strings, and these ones are the standouts by far. Buy with confidence. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Peace. 🙂Eywa Dude

Had a pesky b and e string on short scale 000. Solution was it wanted more tension to ring true. The 13 and 18 did it; short scale so they play like lighter strings! The 22w g is awesome, the rest balance nicely. 52 is lite for E but not much of a sacrifice; drop D tuning still do-able. SO HAPPYJohn

Got these because the non-wound strings are a thinner diameter. The spacing on my Bedell guitar neck is narrow so this gives more room between strings for my fingers. The strings seem to stretch faster than the nylon based strings also. Very happy with the results.Michael

I was already a fan of the D'Addario hard tension carbon trebles, having fitted them to other classical guitars that seemed a bit 'woolly' on the high strings. I find they give them back the missing definition without sounding overly brittle. The Dynacore Basses seem like a very good match for them, giving a nice 'tight' sound with plenty of volume available.legard1129

I have recently converted to using carbon fibre strings, and thought I'd try the harder tension. I was a bit worried that they would be too tight to let the top work properly; but instead they increased the volume and range of sound of the guitar and are still easy to play. Give them a try – you might be surprised !!kuczer101

Saverez make one of the nicest rectified trebles I’ve tried, but buying singles is seldom cost efficient—hence the three b stars. I’m looking forward to Strings Direct’s custom set builder, which is apparently coming soon. I expect the cost of each string in a custom set might be less than when only buying one.Brandon

I am using normal tension Alabastro strings on my Yamaha NTX1200, which I play fingerstyle exclusively. The neck on this guitar is narrower than standard classical guitars. I find that the width of strings themselves is key to whether it can be played cleanly. I like Aquila strings I have tried: Rubino, Zaffiro, and these Alabastro strings. I like the quality of the Aquila nylon, which feels much less "plasticky" than most nylon strings. They set up quickly and stay in tune in a couple days time. I would say these compare favorably with D'Addario Pro Arte strings I have tried for sound and I just like the Aquilas better for feel. On a full-size classical guitar, I might never have ventured to anything other than Pro Arte strings, but the Aquilas really suit a narrower neck and the sound is excellent. The normal tension Alabastro strings seem slightly harder than normal Pro Arte strings, which for me is not a bad thing. I will probably experiment with superior tension Alabastros as I think they might be optimum for my guitar and style.Sparky B.

Reluctant to put these strings on my cheapest guitar – but thought it wouldn't hurt to try them out and see how they differ to other strings. Any string you put on fresh will make the guitar sound better – but these strings have brought life into the guitar that I thought didn't exist. Other "good" brands do not compare. They are "classical" strings, but I also use them on my flamenco guitars. So, I am very pleased that I tired them and will be keeping Aquila strings on all my Nylon strung guitars. apparently, the sugar based strings are even better.stevwrigh-592

I have a lattice braced instrument that I use Savarez New Cristal alliance trebles on. First & second nylon, and third carbon. This is naturally a bright guitar, and the first string in particular can be extremely bright. It took a lot of effort to produce sweet sounds on that first string. I purchased the Perla superior tension JUST to try the e first string with my Savarez. That Perla first string is so warm that its timbre is almost identical to the Savarez second string. The guitar now sounds perfectly balanced and sweet. Now, I don't finger pieces to stay on the second string. First string, seconds string sound the same!!! Of course, I wish they sold individual strings, but the price is right.Rob

My classical requires ball end strings. I have tried every different brand of less expensive strings, and most are great. However, these are exceptional. I hate having to spend forty clams for two sets of strings, but Sevilla are the best. I have had to return some before because of tarnish, and I have broken new strings before, which makes me so mad. Yet when everything goes according to plan, the tone, the feel, and the warmth are unsurpassed. In addition, my current set has been on for about a year, and are still awesome. Peace.pipe925

Excellent strings! As the name implies they are very clear in tone and have very adequate loudness. Easy to play barres in the top frets are a plus feature for these mediuim tension stringsBarry

These strings are well made; the low strings are extremely smooth which helps eliminate finger squeaks, and the treble strings ring very clear and even. I am highly pleased with these strings and plan to continue using Thomastik strings indefinitely. A great value considering the quality of the product.Vern

I love these strings for certain instruments and styles of music. They are the darkest sounding strings I know of but do have a rich and pure sound. (For the science minded, they have the least overtones.) Ther are also extremely durable. And unlike round wound strings, no squeaks from fingers sliding along them. The G string is also a wound string and solves the "dead" sound common on many instruments with the normal G string.Aaron

Over the years, I have tried many other manufactures with mixed results, however these strings are by far and away the best!! If you want great tone and feel then these strings are for you..JWR

These are great sounding strings, but the price for these is way too out of line….too expensive. Because of the high price, I'm sure I won't be buying these again.brb5594

These are the slickest, most comfortable strings. I bought them to put on a PRS Angelus SE and be able to do those David Gilmore bends on an acoustic. For that, they are awesome. Bendiest, easy to slide acoustic strings I have ever tried. Great for all those single note lead lines. The bass strings are also heavy enough to still give some oomph. The problem is when you come out of those lead lines to do any rhythmic strumming-the tone is bright, brash, tinny and very G forward. I want to like these strings for their play-ability and keep trying them to see if they'll break in, but always leave disappointed. For reference, my PRS is already a little brighter in a Taylor sort of way than my other guitars. I usually play Santa Cruz Low Tension Parabolics on my Santa Cruz OM, and Martin Life Span on my Martin 0015. The brashness is muted a little if amplified.Jonah

Bought these as replacements on my Taylor guitar. I was surprised at the quality of the strings, the incredible tone and that they didn't stretch A LOT when new (meaning I didn't have to retune after every song…I let the rest for about 4 hours and tune them up before performing). And, they were made in the USA. Highest possible recommendation!Amy

I have been experiencing with different string blends and I stumbled across these… I love them! I like the bright top tones these strings bring. They are super flexible for soloing! I have smaller hands amd fingers so the thinness is an extra benefit! 10/10 recommend!Kayla

Great strings! Have used them for many years because they sound incredible on my 1978 Fender F-55 12-string! Thank you sooo much!!kduckyg_27

Best sounds so far. My mando now has deeper tones and more resonance. Bluegrass and folk as well as spiritual songs and hymns.billbob164

I've been on the lookout for some thicker 12-string sets (not for down-tuning, but just so the thing puts up a bit more fight), and they're getting hard to find (most companies max out at .10's). So I was glad to stumble across these, and the price point seemed right; however, while bringing them up to tension and making requisite truss-rod adjustments, two of the new strings [high A .22w and high G .10] popped, leaving me to go shopping the next day for individual strings. Ernie Ball has long been my go-to for electric strings, and I can't say this experience rules them out for me, but I was disappointed. Will definitely be trying Martin strings the next time my 12 needs changing, as they offer even thicker strings and come recommended from several friends I've talked to since. On a final note, if you haven't tried using sets where the high A is wrapped, I'd recommend you do so; the high A has always been one of the main sources of 12-string tuning frustrations in my experience (if it sounds in tune open, it sounds off when fretted & vice versa), and having it wrapped seemed to clear a lot of that up.czdolphy