Coated strings...Why the dislike?

[N+1]

I find that I've changed during the last few years. During that time I have been 'Taylorised' - starting out as a Martin Man, and being gradually Transformed into Taylor. When buying my Taylors, I'm chosen them after trying lots of alternatives, and falling in love with a particular sound and feel of a particular guitar. That sound and feel includes the Elixirs it was fitted with. And since that sound and feel is why I bought the guitar, that's the sound and feel I want to preserve. So I restring with Elixirs as a matter of course.

The additional bonus is that I don't have to renew the strings very often, so for me personally, using Elixirs is just win-win, really.

[5thumbz]

I've used Elixirs for 20+ years and never had an issue with strings breaking. If that is a real issue for some people the cause may be in the guitar set up or indeed playing style. Of course there is always the chance of a duff set of strings but that has to be the exception.

Tone wise I find that Elixirs are a good compromise. They are not as rich as a new set of uncoated strings but for me, uncoated strings lose that richness pretty quickly and then Elixirs sound better to my ears.

I have a quite a few guitars and I don't really have the time to keep changing strings on them all. Elixirs work well in that respect though I can see how it makes sense for people who play out regularly with a giging guitar to use non-coated and change regularly.

Each to their own!

[Jabberwocky]

Because they sound coated...

They don't degrade in tone as quickly as non-coated strings but that is about the only good thing about them. Consistent from day one if you like consistently coated string sound.

I don't mind the Polywebs. They work on some guitars that may be too bright. They work well on archtop guitars when you want a warm woody response. They sound somewhat like flatwounds. I don't like the Nanowebs. Whilst the Polywebs have a character that you either grok or don't grok, the Nanowebs sound like coated strings trying to sound like uncoated strings and just failing. The Polywebs are rich in even-order harmonics to me ears...They just sound even-ordered, so there.

Taylors are voiced with Elixir Polywebs in mind, I suspect. That may explain why Taylors sound bright with any other strings than Elixir Polywebs. Not a bad thing when you like Taylor AND Elixir and not wanting to try anything else.

I hate it when they start flaking and leaving dandruff all over your guitar. I get the hypochondriac feeling that the dandruff is getting in me lungs, too. Can't be good to have all that stuff stuck in your bronchial tubes.

So, yeah, just like IKEA stuff, somewhere along the line in your guitar playing adventure, you will try the Elixirs at least once. And in certain playing conditions perhaps Elixirs are all that work. I don't know anyone who has not tried Elixir at least once. Just looking over my guitars, I found 8 of them* strung up with Elixir Nanowebs at the moment. They came that way from the maker. And they are not Taylors.

* Semi-hollow electrics from Seventy-seven Guitars, Japan.

PS In my opinion, the "dislike" comes from the feel, the fact that they flake, and the cost. Also, the somewhat nebulous origins of the Elixirs. They are long suspected to be bog standard D'Addario strings that Goretex coated and rebranded as Elixir.

[KarenB]

The chemicals--for my body and the earth.

[fitness1]

What I've always said since the beginning....

The coated strings reduce the clarity and dynamics of the wounds strings. There's just no way you can put a coating on something and expect it to resonate the same way.

They sound 80% as good for 4 times longer. Like putting regular gas in a Ferrari.

My ears are still good enough that I can hear the difference right away - many times even in recordings.

[wborisenok]

I've been in the coated strings camp since Elixirs first became a thing - I more preferred the feel than the tone - but lately I've been reading about the tonal differences between coated and uncoated so yesterday I ordered 6 packs of John Pearse strings. The vendor I just bought my 312ce 12-fret from also strongly and unabashedly backs JP strings so I thought I'd give them a try.

[RockerDuck]

When I used to gig 6 nights a week and carried 4 guitars, I had to sit down and restring weekly. Cleartone was a God send, so is Elixer. I don't mind the compromise because the longevity is, well, long. I now have close to 20 guitars and they all get coated strings. Some guitars will never get new strings again. I've saved alot of money using coated strings, and the audience don't care.

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

For me it's the tone. While Elixir made a MAJOR improvement when they introduced the Nanoweb version of their strings, with a thinner coating than their original Polywebs have, that ...coating still has an audible impact on the sound that I don't care for. It basically inhibits some of the upper partials.

Which may explain why Taylor guitars all come with Elixirs?

For me, there are other strings that sound as good or better, last as long (I have a non-acidic pH) and are half the price.

[Mycroft]

I never liked the Elixir Polywebs. They sound muffled to me, with no character. Same with the Cleartones and EXPs. I also found the difference in resistance to be a bit off putting.

I mostly fall back on John Pearse strings, 80/20s on the Rosewood family instruments, Phosphor Bronze on everything else. I don't really like the new string "sizzle," but get a long arc after they are worn in a bit until suddenly they go dead. Since I have several guitars that I rotate as a regular player, I will pull one out, replace the dead strings that it was laid to rest with, and play her for 2-3 months. When they go dead, back it goes into the case and I pull out something else.

In my book, Elixir made a giant stride with the Nanos. Once the sizzle is past, they get to 90+ percent of the tone of the Pearse strings. And they do last far longer. While with the regular player, I want that last bit of performance, I regularly use the Nanowebs on instruments that I do not play all that often. Just the other day I had a hearing that required a round trip on a ferry. I took my Larrivee Parlour because I can play it sitting in the drivers seat whilst in the ferry line, and on the boat. The Nanos have been on that guitar for at least a couple of years, and still sounded good.

So, for me, it comes down to not liking the tone enough to choose the coated strings over non-coated, except in certain circumstances. OMMV

[RustyAxe]

• They cost three times as much as uncoated
• They don't last any longer, in my experience
• Most sound "used" (to my ear) right out of the package
• I don't like the "feel" under my fingers
• I don't have corrosive hands
• Did I mention, they cost a lot more than the uncoated I've been using for decades

[reeve21]

Because I don't like the way they sound or feel. Strings seem to last me a very long time, so the longevity does not outweigh the downside.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

Which may explain why Taylor guitars all come with Elixirs?

For me, there are other strings that sound as good or better, last as long (I have a non-acidic pH) and are half the price.

I think that you will actually find that most builders like the idea that the coated strings will sound at least decent far longer than an uncoated string while the guitar is hanging in a store, waiting on a buyer.

I've never had an uncoated set last as long as a coated one will. Particularly in a fairly humid clime like I live in. And I also have a non-acidic sweat.

I still prefer the uncoated set for personal use, however.

[jdto]

Originally Posted by Antaren

The chemicals--for my body and the earth.

Everything you can breathe, see, ingest or touch is made up of chemicals. All matter, including us, is made of chemicals.

[Jasper64]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

I prefer Elixir strings for both the tone and the feel...on every guitar I have owned, since 1997.

It's all I will touch.

I haven't had any complaints about my sound, regarding either my recorded/CD work or in-concert.

The slightly slippery feel (less on the Nanos, more on the Polys) is a vast benefit after a very slight adjustment period. Way easier to slide up or down into (or out of) a note, and way less string-squeak to deal with, overall. Of course, technique is important regarding string squeak, and one should always try to minimize extraneous sounds while playing music, regardless of string choice.

Well said Larry... I love Elixir strings!

[Larry Pattis]

Originally Posted by jdto

Everything you can breathe, see, ingest or touch is made up of chemicals. All matter, including us, is made of chemicals.

Not to mention that PTFE is extremely inert.

The same material Elixir uses to coat their strings has been used for *decades* as artificial vein and arteries...

Seriously.