Along with guitar picks, strings are one of the most personal elements that a guitar player chooses for his or her instrument. After all, the strings are the primary means by which the instruments actually produce music. As you're searching for the perfect strings, there are a number of factors to consider. Lighter guage strings are easier to bend and easier on the fingers; however, they tend to lose their tune faster and lack the sustain of higher guages. That said, higher guage strings provide thick, rich tone and sustain, but they can be much harder to play. While it's a common assumption that "shredders" will use low action and lighter guage strings, some players do quite well with high action and heavy strings.

In addition to the string guage, the material used to make the strings as well as the type of construction have an obvious effect on the sound. Materials range from bronze, nickel, stainless steel, and nylon, whereas string winding styles include flatwound, roundwound, and halfwound. The choice of strings will also be dicated by the style of music you play, though there are no hard and fast rules. For example, while it's doubtful that a shredder would ever use flatwound strings, many jazz players use roundwound strings with no issues.

In the end, you should use strings that are appropriate for your style, which balance tone, playability, and comfort.