Best acoustic guitar strings for playing outdoors in a humid climate

[mcphert1]

Hi, everyone from Australia. I have a Taylor 314CE acoustic and i use the recommended Elixir nanoweb coated strings with it (.012 gauge). I like them and they used to last around two months before discolouring and losing their sparkle. But lately I have started busking in a humid climate and find that I and my fingers get quite sweaty. My Elixirs now lose their sparkle very quickly and the strings themselves go a dark colour between the bridge and the nut but retain their colour between the nut and the tuners. So the contrast can easily be seen. (I wipe my strings after each use).

My question to the forum is can you recommend strings that will last longer in a humid climate and better stand up to sweaty hands playing them? I'm wondering if I even need a coated string given they don't last long at all and maybe all I need is a cheaper uncoated string changed more often.

Your comments would be appreciated as I really want my strings to last longer. Thanks from Mike.

[Wade Hampton]

mcphert, coated Elixir strings are difficult to surpass when it comes to playing in humid climates, so perhaps a different approach is called for. I've found that uncoated nickel alloy strings hold up longer than any other uncoated strings, so those are something you might try.

John Pearse makes nickel strings for acoustic guitar; those are called John Pearse Pure Nickels. Martin has Martin Retro Monels (Monel is a nickel alloy,) and D'Addario makes what they call Nickel-Bronze strings. I've used all three of these sets on various guitars, and they're all a bit different from each other, but still inhabit more or less the same tonal universe, if that makes any sense.

The D'Addario Nickel-Bronze strings are fairly expensive, about the same price as Elixirs, but the John Pearse Pure Nickels and Martin Retro Monels cost about the same as those companies' regular alloy strings. So you might look into those.

Personally, I'm not wild about the sound of nickel strings on most of my guitars, but on some instruments they sound just right. In any event, I think nickel alloy strings would be worth experimenting with for you.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[StringFive]

Elixir Polyweb

[Orfeas]

Hey Mike.

I lived for 8 years in FL, and still have my second home in Sanibel,FL, with a boat canal in the back yard. Humidity year around is high, but in the summer is extremely high. I love playing outdoors in the back yard, and I tested some strings coated and non-coated. I generally did not like Elixirs. SCGC strings last me longer, and before testing the SCGC I was using plain Martin SP Lights, but I was changing them every other week or even less depends on how many hours I was playing. If you want to keep them slightly longer try cleaning them by twisting a small piece of cotton cloth around the string and run it from saddle to nut every time you've done playing.

[Tico]

Inflatable rubber ones tolerate humidity well.

[Pitar]

Nylon: The all weather interceptors of strings.

[mcphert1]

Thank you all for your replies. I will try some of those string suggestions and see how they compare to the Elixirs.

[PiousDevil]

Nickel is resistant to corrosion. Maybe Monels would work well for the purpose?