Electric Guitar Strings

What strings should I use on a hollow body or semi-hollow guitar?

Quick Answer

A semi-hollow guitar takes the same strings as a solid body, so .010–.046 or .011–.050 roundwounds are a good starting point. Fully hollow archtops often take heavier sets, .011–.050 to .012–.052, and flatwounds are a common choice for jazz. Our S1150, PN1150 and F1150 cover those options.

Semi-hollow guitars with a center block behave much like solid bodies. Fully hollow archtops have a floating bridge and a top that responds to the strings, so a slightly heavier gauge can help drive the top.

How to choose:

  • Semi-hollow for rock, blues or pop: .010–.046 or .011–.050 roundwounds.
  • Warmer, vintage voice: pure nickel.
  • Jazz on a full archtop: flatwounds in .011–.050 or .012–.052.
  • Feedback at high volume: that's mostly about the guitar and amp, not the strings.

On a floating bridge, change one string at a time so the bridge stays put. Big gauge changes may need the bridge height and intonation adjusted.

S.I.T. options:

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