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With D’Addario Learn & Earn, we share some interesting D'Addario facts, then ask you a few questions to test your knowledge. Every quiz you complete will get you 50 Player Circle points and that much closer to taking home D’Addario products.
The gauge of an acoustic set indicates how thick the strings within it are. Lower gauge numbers, such as 10-47, are “lighter” and easier to strum or bend. These tend to be a great option for beginners and players who like to move quickly across the fretboard. Higher gauge numbers, like 13-55 are “heavier,” which means more resistance when strumming and bending, but alternatively, greater resonance, because the strings ring out longer and have a fuller tone. The middle ground and most popular acoustic gauge is 12-53, which many players find to be right in the sweet spot.
We make acoustic sets with unique gauge combinations and specific purposes. There’s 12-56 Light Top/Medium Bottom for players who want to balance low-end response with flexibility for soloing. There’s also the 10-27 High Strung/Nashville Tuning set which is designed to offer a "jangly" 12-string effect when recording, layering, or double-tracking guitar. We even have a few sets made just for Resophonic guitars. We want to ensure that you can achieve the perfect sound for your instrument and style.
“Balanced Tension” sets are a unique combination of gauges that only D’Addario offers. In these sets, the tension of each string has been engineered to match, giving players a more consistent feeling across the entire set—like with our 12-52 Balanced Tension Nickel Bronze strings. We did the math so each string feels perfectly balanced and great to play.
Some of D’Addario sets are optimized specifically for different types of tuning. For example, our 13-56 True Medium Phosphor Bronze set is great for DADGAD tuning, giving you the right amount of tension and resonance for that open tuning style. These specialized sets make it easy to experiment with different tunings.
We also have sets for 12-string acoustic guitars, which span different gauges, including Extra Light, Light, Medium, and Medium Top/Heavy bottom, which cover most player preferences. Optimize your 12-string sound with the right gauge.
