What kind of guitar strings should i buy for an acoustic?

Question

I recently bought a guitar off of ebay (I'm a beginner, didn't want an expensive one) and I've been learning how to play for about a month now. I've read everywhere that it's normal for your fingers to hurt so i didn't think anything of it until about a week or so ago when i figured i might have the wrong guage strings. When I try to play a chord of any type i have to press really hard to eliminate a buzzing sound, but when i play my friend's guitar playing is extremely easy and it doesn't hurt my fingers that much.

When i bought the guitar the guy selling it said it was a good beginners guitar and said he had just replaced all the strings with "PB Light 12's." Can someone tell me what exactly that is and if its a good string for beginners? Also if theyre not can someone tell which kind of strings i need to get and also provide a site where i can order them from? (Im living in japan and dont speak japanese that well so i wouldnt be able to go to a store and communicate with them what exactly i need). Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

If your guitar has an "adjustable truss" start by taking the instrument to a shop have them lower the action (puts the strings closer to the frets). The truss is a rod that runs through the guitar's neck.

The strings on it sound like the right kind for  a beginning guitarist.

(phosphor bronze, light, 12 gauge)

phosphor bronze refers to what the strings are wound with, 12 guage refers to the thickness of your bottom string.

Soak your finger tips in brine (salt water) till the calluses harden.

Answer 2

If you have to press down really hard to get the strings to sound clearly, but find that its much easier to play your friend's guitar, then its likely that the strings on your guitar are a little bit too high off the fingerboard.

Fortunately, this is easily adjusted. Take your guitar to a qualified repair person and ask them to lower the action and set the guitar up for you.  They will adjust the truss rod inside the neck and make whatever other adjustments are needed to bring the strings closer to the fingerboard so that its easier to press the strings down -- but not so close that the strings buzz against the frets when you strum.

Strings for beginners are the same as strings for anybody else.  The ones you have on your guitar are fine.

If your guitar is built for steel strings (as yours apparently is) don't bother trying to put nylon strings on it as some posters have suggested. It will sound like c**p.  Get used to the metal strings, you'll develop callouses soon enough, and once you get your guitar properly set up you won't have as much trouble playing it.  

Answer 3

You want to use nylon and wire wrapped strings on an acoustic guitar.; If your really hard core you'll use cat gut. Moth

Answer 4

Well, I'm not a pro at the guitar myself, but I prefer nylon strings on my acoustic.  They're softer and don't hurt as much as steel.  I think its a good start for building your calluses.  As for the buzzing sound, if you don't press down hard enough on the string it'll buzz. Try applying more pressure.

Answer 5

Are there any local guitar players you can talk to?  That would help tremendously.

Learn the Japanese sentence for "Help me, please.  Fix my guitar" and just give it to a person at a large music store.  Even with language barriers, guitar players around the world will understand.  They should be able to take the guitar, tell you to come back in two days, and everything that can be fixed, will be fixed.  It shouldn't cost more than $50 (???yen???) to make everything right.

Good luck