Q: I read yesterday’s Tech Tip about the factors that determine how tight a set of strings will feel on a guitar. My question is, are all strings the same tension?

A: An excellent question! The answer is, no, all strings are not created equal. Strings of the same gauge from different manufacturers — or even different types of strings from the same manufacturer — may indeed have different tensions. The tension of the string depends on its gauge, composition, and for wound strings, construction.

We’ve found that when you get a new guitar or bass, it’s worth it to invest a few bucks to buy a variety of sets of strings — different types, different gauges, different manufacturers — and to spend a few hours trying them all on the guitar to find which set sounds best and provides you with comfortable tension.