New Acoustic Guitar - String advice needed

[Peter Pan]

Hey - my first post in this section!
I have been playing the classical guitar for 40 years (since aged 7 would you believe!) and always hankered after an acoustic. I can't believe how much the cost of guitars has come down (or I have earned more!) and took the plunge today on a cheapo 6 string electro-acoustic here:

http://www.staggmusic.com/products/products_detail.php?langue=uk&oneid=324

Cost was £119 and it has a nice bright sound to it, fits nicely and a lot smaller than my chunky classical guitar. I know from my experience with classicals that strings count for a lot and wondered if anyone has any advice for a decent set. I am assuming that the instrument prob70 comes with a cheap set of strings too.

I nearly bought a little 20W amp to go with it and now deciding I had but it was an impulse purchase as the shop was closing so didn't find out much more.

Really enjoying it so far and kept me away from watching Top Gear (not that it would have taken much).

PP

[Morley]

Elixir nanoweb phosphor bronze. They cost more but will last much longer in terms of brightness. I have had a set on my accoustic for a couple of years and they still sound like new.
Otherwise Ernie Ball Earthwood. They do coated too but i havent used them.

[Peter Pan]

Elixir nanoweb phosphor bronze. They cost more but will last much longer in terms of brightness. I have had a set on my accoustic for a couple of years and they still sound like new.
Otherwise Ernie Ball Earthwood. They do coated too but i havent used them.

Thnks Steve - will Google them. Scuse naivety, but what are 'coated' strings? Like the nylons I have on my classical?

[Sharpie]

I use D'Addario and occasionally Martin. I don't use coated strings so can't comment on those.
You will need to choose the string gauge, string sets come in different thicknesses. I would suggest using 12s, the 12 refers to the top "E".

[Peter Pan]

I use D'Addario and occasionally Martin. I don't use coated strings so can't comment on those.
You will need to choose the string gauge, string sets come in different thicknesses. I would suggest using 12s, the 12 refers to the top "E".

Hmm - I think I have used D'Addario classical strings in the past.
I found these 12s:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/DAddario-EJ16-Phosphor-012--053-Acoustic/dp/B000EEJ8CS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298935074&sr=8-1

And these 'coated' ones (read the review and not really the wiser as to whether they are better or not - longevity won't be an issue):
http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=D'Addario+strings&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=8498059623585640810&sa=X&ei=_SxsTZi1BdSChQfCl_3yDg&ved=0CEwQ8wIwBg#

They don't seem that expensive so I guess I could try a few and see how I get on. Just stringing them is a pain. Should I hire a roadie?

[Morley]

I have only used Elixir coated so can only comment on them.
Acoustic and electric guitar strings have a brightness to them which is dulled by use as greeb from your fingers gets into the windings. In time the tone gets duller and you will need to change the strings.
Elixir strings are micro Coates thus the windings are protected from greeb.
The loss of brightness is very slight (not so on the coated bass strings which are 40 quid and rubbish) and they stay that way for their life.
At least they do with me.

[GrahamB]

There's nothing worse than greeb on your G-string.

[Peter Pan]

Thanks SM. Never knew I had Greeb but will certainly keep quiet about it now!

[Morley]

Well, what strings did you get?