Hi, I'm new to the guitar but have got myself a Sigma acoustic 000M18. It came with steel strings ( ex demo so don't know how old they are ).
My question, as a complete beginner and not being familiar with any brand names is, which make would be suitable for me ( fingers are just getting used to playing and still sore ! ) and also a good fit for this particular guitar. Or, does it not matter?? Are there any makes I should avoid?
Loving the lessons with Lisa. Thanks 
Originally Posted by: joannapoultneyHi, I'm new to the guitar but have got myself a Sigma acoustic 000M18. It came with steel strings ( ex demo so don't know how old they are ).
My question, as a complete beginner and not being familiar with any brand names is, which make would be suitable for me ( fingers are just getting used to playing and still sore ! ) and also a good fit for this particular guitar. Or, does it not matter?? Are there any makes I should avoid?
Loving the lessons with Lisa. Thanks
Strings are more like a favorite flavor; everyone has a favorite and it's always different between people. Advice you get on good strings is specific to the player.
With that said, any major brand is going to be a good string. Eventually you will learn what your preference is. Recently I bought Ernie Ball Earthwoods for my acoustic. I haven't put them on because I'll need to re-set up my guitar since I'm changing string guage.
That is a point to make, particularly as a beginner player; string guage: Acoustic guitars tend to come with heavier string guages than do electric guitars. For instance, your Sigma comes with D'Addario EXP16s from Sigma. I love D'Addario strings and have always used them on my electric guitars and my acoustic (the Ernie Ball's I got are just to try something new).
The 'guage' players reference when buying strings is reference to the lightest guage string of the set. For the EXP16s, the lightest guage string is a 12 guage. If someone asks what guage string you use, you'd say "12's". It's part of guitar lingo. For me, when I got the Ernie Ball Earthwoods, I got them as a 10. A very light guage string for an acoustic. Keep in mind that lighter guages are easier to play.
However, if you go to a lighter string, you need to have your guitar set up again as other adjustments need to be made for a string that has less neck tension due to its lighter guage. I'll be doing this on my acoustic when I get around to doing the swap.
So, for brands? That's a little bit of a Wild West deal, opinions are all over the place. D'Addario's a great strings.
It's a matter of trying. Not always a cheap way to go if you're changing guages but if you stay within the same guage, it can't hurt to try new brands. The strings are actually cheap so no reason to nice find your own flavor.
Might not be the best of advice but I bet most people change gauges without any further set up.
Basically because we stay round the first position at frets 1-4 and we aren't going to mess with the guitar.
Everything else is as Jeff says, down to preference, lighter gauge play easier on the fingers as we're beginning.
I went Martin 10-47s and I got some D'Addario 10-47s gifted so I'm reasonably stocked up.
If you have issues you can easily go back to your previous gauge or nearer to it.
One of the few things we can mess around with and not cause too many problems
Dave
