In general, the lighter the size (gauge), the easier they are to play.
The easier they are the play, the better your performance will be.
The better your performance, the better your recordings will be. (You can always make things sound different with adding plugins, effect, etc, in your DAW.
Lighter gauge strings will be easier for your fingers to play. So if you’re struggling to play certain chords, you really want to get lighter gauge strings.
Some people don’t like the sound of lighter gauges, but personally I like their sound more, over heavier gauges.
Here’s a quick comparison on lighter vs heavier gauge strings:
Light vs Heavy String Gauge
Lighter Gauges
- Pros: Easier to play (fingerstyle, fretting chords, bending, etc). Better for studio recording and precision playing.
- Cons: Less volume projection. Break easier. Less sustain.
Heavier Gauges
- Pros: Thicker tone / More Volume. Better for campfire jamming or somewhere you need a louder sound. Don’t break as easily.
- Cons: Harder to play (require more finger and hand strength).
Conclusion
Go with the 0.010″ Extra Light strings. Keep your learning experience fun and light, and go with the lighter gauge strings. Less errors means less raging, you don’t want to pull a Hendrix on your first time playing Yellow Submarine.
Many pro’s still choose to go with lighter gauge strings, you might find you like them the best!
So this is a situation where there’s potentially no trade-off between getting ‘beginner’ strings, and the ‘best sounding’ strings. If you don’t need your guitar to be as loud as possible, a thin gauge such as 0.010″ (Extra Light) is best!
Now want to know which exact strings to choose from? Check out our guide to the best acoustic guitar strings.