There is a vast array of acoustic guitar strings on the market for country music in 2023, which can make it daunting to know where to start and what features are the most important to you!
Having the best strings possible helps to provide you with a great quality tone, a comfortable playing feel, and a sense of reliability between your music sessions.
The best guitar strings are the ones that allow you to play easily, accurately, and in tune.
To help with your decision-making, we have carried out some research for you on the best acoustic guitar strings for creating country music on the market in 2023!
Related: For the best acoustic guitar strings, make sure to check our best acoustic guitar strings.
Best Acoustic Guitar Strings for Country Music – In-Depth Review
Table of Contents
- D’Addario EJ11 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
- Ernie Ball Everlast Coated Phosphor Bronze
- Martin Guitar Authentic Acoustic Lifespan 2.0 MA540T
- Elixir Strings 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
- Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze Medium Light Acoustic Guitar Strings
1. D'Addario EJ11 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
D’Addario EJ11 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings, Light, 12-53 is one of the most popular strings. This set of strings comes in a variety of gauges and string types (including the heavier ones). The gauges are .010, .011, .012, .013, .014, .015. In addition to these extra heavy gauges, there are also light gauge sets available. These are good for beginners who want to learn how to play an acoustic guitar.
Product Specifications
- Gauge: 12-53
- D’Addario’s Most Popular Acoustic Gauge, Ideal Balance of Tone and Playability
- Extra-Bright Tone Mixed with Deep and Projecting Bottom End
- Material: Bronze
Pros
- Excellent balance between lows and highs. This string shines particularly at the mid-range, with its bright bronze tone.
- Excellent intonation and tuning stability.
- Great durability, especially if we consider the affordable price.
- Great balance between tone and playability.
Cons
- None
What Customers Say About The D’Addario EJ11 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
D’Addario EJ11 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings is one of the most popular guitar strings available on the market.
They are a great tried and tested string set, available in a variety of gauges and string types to suit all ranges of skillsets learning to play the acoustic guitar.
These strings offer a great balance between tone, durability, and price point, so are a fantastic option to begin with.
Reviews from Rockshop, describe these strings as being able to produce long-lasting and bright tones, with rich and powerful harmonics. Other top mentions include clarity, responsiveness, and full-bodied sound production!
Conclusion
Definitely one of the best acoustic strings out there. With its particular retro tone, the D’Addario EJ11 80/20 is one of the best choices for country music. We like how the bronze material used in this set makes it extremely bright-sounding, which is, in our opinion, one of the characteristics of the genre in question.
2. Ernie Ball Everlast Coated Phosphor Bronze
The Ernie Ball Everlast are coated with a material that, according to the brand, is 500 times thinner than any other coating, providing it with the benefits of high durability while maintaining the natural feel of the strings. They are also surprisingly affordable: $12, by the time this article was written.
Product Specifications
- Gauges: 12-54
- Everlast Treatment Is Applied to Both the Inner Hex Core and Outer Wrap Wire to Provide Ultimate Protection without Compromising Tone or Feel
- Rich, Warm Tone Played by Acoustic Greats around the World
- Material: Coated Phosphor Bronze
Pros
- As we mentioned, the coating on these strings is 500 times thinner than other brands, ensuring a great balance between durability and playability.
- The coated phosphor bronze material sounds very bright, excellent for country music.
- There’s also a pure bronze version of these strings which sound even brighter.
- Excellent materials.
Cons
- None.
What Customers Say About The Ernie Ball Everlast Coated Phosphor Bronze
According to Ernie Ball themselves, the Everlast guitar strings are coated with a material that is five hundred times thinner than any other coating – providing a very natural feel when playing with these strings!
The thinner coating is composed of coated phosphor bronze, which enhances bright sounds – great for articulating crisp acoustic tones for crafting country music!
Reviews on Amazon, compare these strings with typical coated strings, holding the Ernie Ball in a more favorable light due to their durability and bright range.
Other points to mention include durability, consistency for performance, and excellent craftsmanship.
Conclusion
We were really impressed by these strings. The fact that they are so well-balanced between durability and playability makes this one of the best choices for beginners and advanced players alike. Also, the tone is super bright and will help you cut through the mix much more easily.
3. Martin Guitar Authentic Acoustic Lifespan 2.0 MA540T
Martin Lifespan strings are a great choice for those who want to improve their tone without sacrificing durability. They’re constructed from the finest materials, including treated light-gauge that provides the best possible tone and feel. The phosphor bronze of these strings is made with an excellent balance between sound and playability, so they will work well for country music.
Product Specifications
- Gauges: 12-54
- Martin Authentic Acoustic Strings Provide Excellent Tuning Stability and Playability with Bright and Rich Tones
- Treated with a Special Coating that Protects it Against Oils and Humidity
- Material: Phosphor Bronze
Pros
- These coated guitar strings have excellent durability due to its special coating.
- Stronger output across all frequencies, if compared to other coated acoustic strings.
- Better tuning stability and intonation.
- Same playability and sound quality of uncoated natural strings.
Cons
- None.
What Customers Say About The Martin Guitar Authentic Acoustic Lifespan 2.0 MA540T
The Martin guitar strings are a great option for guitarists wanting to improve their tone and sound without making any sacrifices for product durability.
These strings are crafted from premium quality materials including light-gauge, which helps ensure the best possible tone and feel while playing!
Due to the special coating, these guitar strings have stronger outputs across all frequencies, but the same playability and sound quality as natural strings.
Reviews on Amazon draw attention to the ability of the strings to hold tone, premium playability, and the quality of sound output. A great option for those looking for a long-lasting and durable product!
Conclusion
Martin strings are known for their ultimate sound quality. Whichever is your playing style, these strings are an excellent match to play country music and offer unpaired durability. We also like the fact that the brand is very transparent about all the materials used to make these strings and every characteristic of the product.
4. Elixir Strings 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
Bright and focused smooth set, Elixir Strings are made up of 80% phosphor bronze and 20% nickel-plated steel wire. The phosphor bronze is wrapped around a steel core wire, which ensures that the string maintains its tone and volume when played. Furthermore, the durability is also enhanced by the coating that these strings receive.
Product Specifications
- Gauges: 10-47
- Played for a Crisp, Bright Tone with an Expressive, Vibrant Presence
- Ultra-Thin Nanoweb Coating Provides a More Traditionally Textured, “Uncoated” Feel
- Material: Bronze
Pros
- As these are pure bronze strings, they have unmatched brightness and are excellent for playing country music and bluegrass music.
- These coated strings not only sound great but they have excellent durability and string life.
- The Nanoweb coating process by Elixir is one of the best among all strings.
- Reduced finger squeak and noise.
Cons
- None.
What Customers Say About The Elixir Strings 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings
The Elixir Strings are slightly different from the rest, composed of 80% phosphor bronze and 20% nickel-plated steel wire.
The combination and structure of these two components ensures that the guitar strings are able to hold their tone and their volume whilst being played, as well as adding enhanced durability.
Reviews on Sweetwater are fantastic, with a focus on the warmth, fullness, and brightness of the strings as well as longevity.
Conclusion
At $15 by the time this article was written, we feel like these Elixir strings have a great value for the price. Having a brighter tone than most other coated strings, this is an excellent match to your country music needs. The durability is also something to talk about since the Elixir Nanoweb coating process is one of the best among the product category.
5. Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze Medium Light Acoustic Guitar Strings
Ernie Ball’s Bronze Medium Light strings are a soft and bright set of strings for acoustic guitars. This string features Ernie Ball’s famous aluminum bronze coated alloy wire, which is highly durable, as well as featuring excellent intonation capabilities in use. The medium-light gauge is great for modern acoustic guitars with the proper tension (medium-light).
Product Specifications
- Gauges: 12-54
- Wrap Wire Made from a Blend of Copper and Aluminum Specifically Tailored for Acoustic Guitar Strings, Resulting in Pronounced Lows Coupled with Crisp Brilliant Highs
- Crafted in Southern California with the Freshest and Finest Materials
- Material: Coated Aluminum Bronze
Pros
- The aluminum bronze material that these strings are made with sound excellent.
- More balanced tone if compared to pure bronze strings.
- With all the technologies employed in the making of these strings and described by Ernie Ball, you know that this is a quality product.
- Excellent bass and high response.
Cons
- None.
What Customers Say About The Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze Medium Light Acoustic Guitar Strings
Another option from Ernie Ball is the Bronze Medium Light strings, which are a great soft and bright set composed of aluminum bronze-coated alloy wire.
Ernie Ball are famous for this composition, and it is well known to be durable and capture excellent intonation capabilities.
These strings offer a more balanced tone when compared to pure bronze guitar strings, as well as strong bass and high response when strummed.
Reviews on Ernieball highlight the long duration that musicians have been utilizing these strings with little to no wear, as well as the bright quality and overall sound quality produced by them.
Conclusion
One affordable set of strings with excellent performance and tone, the Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze is one of your best bets. Compared to the Everlast Coated, it has a more balanced tone which is not so bright as pure bronze. We recommend that you test both since both strings sound great and it could be a matter of preference about which one is the best.
Important Factors When Choosing Acoustic Guitar Strings for Country Music
Here is a small guide to help you shop for your new set of acoustic guitar strings for country music.
Gauge
Acoustic guitar string gauges refer to the thickness of the string. Acoustic guitars are mostly strung with gauges ranging from .010 to .40. For example, if you’re looking for a set of medium light acoustic guitar strings, then you may have to choose between gauges between 12-54 or 10-56. Gauges may vary from set to set.
The best gauge is the one that allows you to play comfortably and get a good sound projection from your acoustic guitar. Of course, this factor is highly personal, so you ideally should experiment with different sets before making up your mind. For beginners looking for their first set, we recommend lighter gauge strings, as they are easier to play.
Material
Acoustic guitar strings are made of various materials. The most popular ones are phosphor bronze and stainless steel. Phosphor bronze is an alloy that is made of copper, zinc, and tin. It is a very popular choice because it sounds good and doesn’t rust. On the other hand, stainless steel has a much mellower tone than phosphor bronze.
Phosphor Bronze
Phosphor bronze strings have a warm tone with good projection. It is less expensive than stainless steel strings so it may be a good option for beginners to try out.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel strings have a brighter tone than phosphor bronze strings, but they are much more expensive. They are very durable and don’t rust.
Other materials such as nickel-silver, titanium, and tungsten are also used to make acoustic guitar strings. The most popular ones are nickel-silver and titanium because they have a bright sound with good projection. Tungsten is a very brittle material that is mainly used in electric guitar strings and is not recommended for acoustic guitars because it breaks easily under high tension. Titanium has a warmer tone than nickel silver and is also more expensive than stainless steel.
Coated vs Uncoated
Coated strings have a smooth surface and a bright tone, while uncoated have a more natural feel and sound. Coated strings are usually made out of phosphor bronze because phosphor bronze is more durable. Uncoated strings are made of stainless steel or nickel-silver which is less durable than phosphor bronze but has a more natural feel to it.
Being a factor that is highly personal to each guitarist, we recommend that you try different sets in order to find the perfect one.
Price
Acoustic guitar strings can be found in virtually any price range, from $5 to $100. If you’re a beginner, stick with an affordable high-quality product and you’re all set.
Also Read:
Frequently Asked Questions
What Guitar Do Most Country Singers Use?
Are Coated Strings Better than Uncoated Strings?
How do I Make my Strings Last Longer?
Is a Thicker Gauge String Set Better than a Light Gauge?
Can I Use Electric Guitar Strings on my Acoustic Guitar?
Verdict
As you can see, there are lots of acoustic guitar strings that are excellent for playing traditional American styles of music. All in all, we recommend a set that sounds bright and balanced across the whole frequency spectrum: in our opinion and based on what we saw on the list, bronze is your best bet.
Whether you go with thicker strings or light strings is a matter of preference. Just keep in mind that the first will give you more tone, while the latter will give you more playability. It is also a great idea to take into account your playing behavior to decide whether or not getting a coated set is worth it: it will give you much better durability, but will also be more expensive.
How to Buy
You can find the link to each product on their respective titles on the list. Remember to research extensively since there are tons of other acoustic guitar strings that weren’t reviewed in this article but provide excellent quality. Also, make sure to check out our related articles. Thank you for reading!
Ian Sniesko is an experienced music producer and musician who loves to share his knowledge about the best audio equipment for making and enjoying great music. For the past 6 years, Ian has written extensively about the audio equipment industry and has contributed to many of the top music magazines.