Collection: Santa Cruz Strings

If you’re hunting for Santa Cruz acoustic guitar strings for sale, you’re after the feel and fidelity that made Santa Cruz Guitar Company famous—now bottled into strings. Designed to deliver balanced tension across the neck (so chords ring in tune and single notes bloom), Santa Cruz Parabolic Tension Strings are built for players who want piano-like intonation, even response, and touch-sensitive dynamics. At Chicago Music Exchange, we stock Low Tension and Mid Tension sets for dreadnought, OM/000, and small-body acoustics, plus used/overstock deals when available—each inspected and ready to play.

Why Players Choose Santa Cruz Acoustic Guitar Strings

• Parabolic Tension = real-world intonation: Custom gauges are engineered so each string carries its musical share of tension, reducing “wolfy” notes and sour thirds.
• Studio-grade balance: Phosphor bronze windings voice the low end without mud, preserve honest mids, and keep highs sweet—not glassy.
• Dynamic, touch-responsive feel: These sets track light fingerstyle and hold together under heavy flatpicking, cleaning up with your right-hand nuance.
• Designed by a builder, not just a string brand: SCGC built these to make their guitars sound truer; the same logic benefits any high-quality acoustic.

Models & Styles (Most-Requested Sets)

Phosphor Bronze (Uncoated feel)

• Low Tension (popular for OM/000, fingerstyle, drop tunings):
• Typical feel: ~.012–.054 (balanced, easy fretting, bigger sustain)

Why: Effortless left hand, richer overtones, great for long gigs and extended techniques

Mid Tension (great for dreadnought/bluegrass/strummers):

• Typical feel: ~.013–.056 (authoritative fundamentals, controlled punch)
• Why: More headroom under the pick, tighter low end, stronger projection

Not sure which to choose? If you mostly fingerpick, try Low Tension. If you flatpick/strum hard or front a loud ensemble, start with Mid Tension.

Specs That Shape the Sound

• Alloy: Premium phosphor bronze for warmth, clarity, and longer tonal life than 80/20.
• Core/Wind: Carefully specified core-to-wrap ratios for even tension across the set.
• Gauging philosophy: “Parabolic” gauges trade arbitrary numbers for musical equilibrium—chords intonate sweeter, partial capos behave, and open tunings ring true.
• Feel: Uncoated, lively under the fingers; breaks in quickly without the dull “new string glare.”

Who Uses Santa Cruz Acoustic Guitar Strings (and Why)

You’ll find Santa Cruz strings with boutique acoustic players, session pros, touring singer-songwriters, bluegrass flatpickers, and studio engineers who value balanced intonation and mix-ready fundamentals. They’re favored when the guitar needs to sit in a track without EQ gymnastics—Americana, folk, indie, worship, and acoustic pop all benefit from the sets’ even response and reliable pitch.

How Santa Cruz Strings Came to Be (The Origin Story)

Santa Cruz Guitar Company (SCGC) is known for building tap-tuned, lightly braced acoustics with exceptional balance. To preserve that voice beyond the workbench, SCGC created Parabolic Tension strings: sets that complement the guitar’s top and air resonance instead of fighting them. The result isn’t just another gauge pack—it’s a system that translates the luthier’s intent to your right hand and the microphone.

Price Points & Value

• Single sets: Typically $18–$25 depending on tension and pack format
• Multi-packs / bundles: Periodic savings when in stock
• Used/overstock: Occasional discounted listings at CME

If you rotate strings regularly and need consistent session-ready intonation, Santa Cruz offers premium value per take.

Quick Chooser: Match Your Guitar & Style

• Fingerstyle / altered tunings / smaller bodies (00/000/OM): Low Tension for elasticity and sustain
• Flatpicking / heavy strumming / dreadnoughts & jumbos: Mid Tension for punch and headroom
• Singer-songwriter (mixed techniques): Start Low Tension; bump to Mid if you need more projection on stage
• Bright guitars: Low Tension adds bloom; phosphor bronze smooths the top
• Dark guitars: Mid Tension firms up the lows and articulation

Why Buy Santa Cruz Strings from Chicago Music Exchange

Chicago Music Exchange is the #1 destination for boutique acoustic gear—new, used, and custom. Trusted by touring artists, collectors, and enthusiasts worldwide.

• Fresh inventory, climate-controlled storage, and fast shipping
• Real-world guidance: we’ll match tension to your guitar, style, and tuning habits
• Multi-brand comparison (Martin, D’Addario, Elixir, Thomastik, etc.) to help you pick with confidence