The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > RECORD

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 01-02-2016, 07:17 PM
Trevor B. Trevor B. is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Posts: 1,077
Default Coated vs Uncoated strings for recording.

Does anyone here on the forum have experience with Elixir's Nanoweb and Polyweb strings. I'm particularly interested in impressions with regard to the claim that these coatings reduce the squeaks caused by portamentos on wound strings.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-02-2016, 08:29 PM
rick-slo's Avatar
rick-slo rick-slo is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Posts: 17,170
Default

They reduce squeaks. No question about that. Buy some and try them out.
__________________
Derek Coombs
Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs
Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs

"Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."

Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love
To be that we hold so dear
A voice from heavens above
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-02-2016, 09:02 PM
Bob Womack's Avatar
Bob Womack Bob Womack is offline
Guitar Gourmet
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Between Clever and Stupid
Posts: 26,989
Default

I run them on some of my session guitars because I don't want to restring before each session. I play them until the coating starts fraying over the area where I pick. I keep one particular guitar in the studio with me (I'm also an engineer) and it wears nanowebs.

Bob
__________________
"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' "
Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring

THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-03-2016, 02:12 AM
Doug Young's Avatar
Doug Young Doug Young is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Mountain View, CA
Posts: 9,878
Default

They definitely reduce squeaks, especially the polywebs. The nanowebs a little less so. I dont care for the sound of polywebs, but thats personal, some like them and get a good sound from them. I generally just use uncoated strings, but if a tune is especially sqeaky and i cant fix it with practice, I may try nanowebs - which sound fine to my ear - and in an extreme case, polys, for recording. For me, one issue is that the reduced sqeaking seems temporary - if i play with them very long, i get used to them, get sloppy, and am back to sqeaking. For me they work best if i am used to playing with uncoated and am doing my best to not sqeak, then switching to coated just for a recording may give me a little extra boost in the not-squeaking department.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-03-2016, 03:44 AM
sam.spoons sam.spoons is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Manchester UK
Posts: 761
Default

I use Nanowebs or D'Addario EXP coated nearly all the time. I'm not a fan of 'super bright' acoustic tones and these give me a 'just played in' sound which lasts well. I don't seem to have a problem with squeaks though, even with uncoated strings (I'm trying a set of Martin 80/20s on the Eastwood just now).
__________________
Brian Eastwood Custom Acoustic (1981)
Rob Aylward 'Petit Bouche' Selmer Style (2010)
Emerald X7 OS Artisan (2014)
Mountain D45 (mid '80s)
Brian Eastwood ES175/L5
Gibson Les Paul Custom (1975)
Brian Eastwood '61 Strat
Bitsa Strat with P90s (my main electric)
The Loar F5 Mandolin,
Samick A4 Mandolin
Epiphone Mandobird
Brian Eastwood '51 P Bass
NS Design Wav EUB
Giordano EUB
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-03-2016, 10:39 AM
Ty Ford Ty Ford is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 1,357
Default

Cleartone strings under the Martin Lifespan banner came on my Martin Baritone. They claim to be less damping than the ones mentioned here but also protective. I have never made any string squeak tests, but they do seem to last longer.

http://www.cleartonestrings.com/cleartone-challenge/

Regards,

Ty Ford
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-03-2016, 11:13 AM
Trevor B. Trevor B. is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Posts: 1,077
Default

Thanks for the responses. The advise to "Buy some and try them out" was already written into my "To Do" list for the this coming week.
Recently I've been using D'Addario EXP14 Coated 80/20 Bronze strings and find the basses bear a striking similarity to suspension bridge cables (personal thing, I know). I like the sound but hate the action and find the wound G string problematic as well. Most of my playing is done on nylon strings so 3rd string portamentos are used extensively. I'm prepared to make adjustments but if the Elixir Nanowebs or Polywebs can help reduce the squeaks without sacrificing tone so much the better.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-03-2016, 11:35 AM
DesolationAngel DesolationAngel is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: A small island off the coast of a bigger island off the coast of a giant continent
Posts: 1,716
Default

Depending on the guitar, you might want to try a set of Thomastik Plectrums (the AC111 light set). They are roundwound-flat-flat-flat-plain-plain. They won't tickle the soundboard of a dread but on smaller guitars they do a nice job and they are quiet.
__________________
Martin
BC, Canada
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 01-03-2016, 04:18 PM
Trevor B. Trevor B. is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Posts: 1,077
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DesolationAngel View Post
Depending on the guitar, you might want to try a set of Thomastik Plectrums (the AC111 light set). They are roundwound-flat-flat-flat-plain-plain. They won't tickle the soundboard of a dread but on smaller guitars they do a nice job and they are quiet.
Hey Martin, I see you're north of the 49th Parallel and although I'm south of it, we still share the distinction of living in Canada. In my neck of the woods Long & McQuade apparently carry the Thomastik-Infeld line but are currently out of stock. Twelfth Fret in Toronto also lists Thomastik strings on the website but shows "No posts for this item" when I click on it. Where do you purchase your Thomastik strings?

Thanks,
Trevor
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 01-03-2016, 04:36 PM
DesolationAngel DesolationAngel is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: A small island off the coast of a bigger island off the coast of a giant continent
Posts: 1,716
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor B. View Post
Where do you purchase your Thomastik strings?
Ahoy, there... I've actually bought most sets of mine from the main L&M in Vancouver... I've also bought some mail order.
__________________
Martin
BC, Canada
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 01-21-2016, 09:30 PM
jammer99 jammer99 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 7
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor B. View Post
Hey Martin, I see you're north of the 49th Parallel and although I'm south of it, we still share the distinction of living in Canada. In my neck of the woods Long & McQuade apparently carry the Thomastik-Infeld line but are currently out of stock. Twelfth Fret in Toronto also lists Thomastik strings on the website but shows "No posts for this item" when I click on it. Where do you purchase your Thomastik strings?

Thanks,
Trevor
You might try here: http://cosmomusic.ca/guitars-and-amp...d=7660&cat=563

Shipping is free if purchasing more than $99. Couple of sets of strings and you're set!
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-22-2016, 05:39 PM
ljguitar's Avatar
ljguitar ljguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: wyoming
Posts: 42,556
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Trevor B. View Post
Thanks for the responses. The advise to "Buy some and try them out" was already written into my "To Do" list for the this coming week.
Recently I've been using D'Addario EXP14 Coated 80/20 Bronze strings and find the basses bear a striking similarity to suspension bridge cables (personal thing, I know). I like the sound but hate the action and find the wound G string problematic as well. Most of my playing is done on nylon strings so 3rd string portamentos are used extensively. I'm prepared to make adjustments but if the Elixir Nanowebs or Polywebs can help reduce the squeaks without sacrificing tone so much the better.
Hi TrevorB

I bet just switching to either a non-coated string or to Elixir will take care of a lot of the squeak on portamento playing. D'Addario EXP are the noisiest strings in the world for chirping, and slide hammers (portamento slides).

Let us know what you discover, please…




__________________

Baby #1.1
Baby #1.2
Baby #02
Baby #03
Baby #04
Baby #05

Larry's songs...

…Just because you've argued someone into silence doesn't mean you have convinced them…
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 01-24-2016, 04:13 PM
Racerbob Racerbob is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Canon City, colorado
Posts: 1,087
Default

D'Addario makes Flat wounds in Medium and Light which are the quietest strings I have ever played. And I HATE string noise, to me all that squeaking and nail sound is a noise, not a note.

They aren't coated and are listed as "semi-Bright" tone, which is fine with me. They are used a lot for recording due to being so quiet. Some guitars like them, some don't. All depends on the guitar. I prefer them to Polyweb, which are to my ear noticeably quieter than the Nanoweb.

That's three choices depending on the tone you get or want.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 01-24-2016, 05:55 PM
ljguitar's Avatar
ljguitar ljguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: wyoming
Posts: 42,556
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Racerbob View Post
…I HATE string noise, to me all that squeaking and nail sound is a noise, not a note.
Hi R-bob

Likewise. And something which makes things worse is when I post music, or put it on a CDr or thumb-drive and people play it on an old car system, their boom-box stereo in the living room (from the 1980s), or on their laptop speakers, the squeak is even more pronounced than through a decent high end system.

Some string squeak is inevitable, even very natural and tolerable when I play live, but on recordings, it can really become edgy very quickly.



__________________

Baby #1.1
Baby #1.2
Baby #02
Baby #03
Baby #04
Baby #05

Larry's songs...

…Just because you've argued someone into silence doesn't mean you have convinced them…
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 01-24-2016, 10:27 PM
Trevor B. Trevor B. is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Mississauga, Ontario
Posts: 1,077
Default

Hello jammer, Larry and Racerbob,
Thanks for the input. Much appreciated. I put a set of D'Addario Phosphor Bronze EJ16-3D on my main steel string and have noticed less squeaking and nail noise than with the EXP 16s. I have a set of Elixir Polywebs that I'm going to give a trial run and will pick up a set of the Thomastik this week as well. I'll post an update shortly.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > RECORD

Tags
coated strings, squeaks, steel strings

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=