Another Convert From Coated

[gjatkins]

I just had my guitar restrung with ghs non-coated strings and boy, what a difference in tone. I got a much better bass response and the high's were not as bright, but clear.

I'll never return to the coateds again. I've seen the light

[architectx]

That's what I said when I first took off Elixirs & put on D'addario uncoated strings. Thing is, a week later, I needed to change strings again. I've found the D'addario EXPs to be a happy medium between tone & long life. Still like the sound of the uncoated better, but I'd rather be playing than stringing.

[Jvet]

I used to like Poly's until I tried Newtone Masterclass 12-54 on my 514. Awesome tone and feel compared to others I have tried. I get about 3 weeks per set, playing approx. 2hrs per day. Definitely worth a try if you like uncoated strings.

Jimmy

[utah]

Yes....for a day or so, your uncoated strings will sound excellent. But, like someone said.....it is a short lived high, and you end up changing strings weekly, or bi-weekly.

In my mind, there are two main advantages to using Elixer Poly's.

1) you can change them far less frequently.
2) they are ( for me ) very playable. I like the slippery feeling.

Do I sacrifice tonal quality for this? Yes, of course...for a day or two. So...If I was a touring musician who had guitar techs who constantly put new strings on my guitar for each performance, I likely would use something different.

But, as someone who plays everyday for an hour or so and one night a week for 4 hours or so....I like to pick up the guitar and have it sound decent, and not have corroded strings on it. I do change my Elixers fairly often. Once a month or so....and I always have two or three extra sets lying around....so, it's not really a money thing. I just like how they play and that they stay that way for so long between changes.

In the end....if it's sound you want for that few days of bliss....well, uncoated I suppose is the way to go.

Just my two cents.

[gjatkins]

Thanks for the wisdom. I'll keep this in mind. I was told to wipe down the strings after I play and it might prolong the life of them. Any thoughts?

[architectx]

Wiping them down sure won't hurt. It is probably a good idea to be in the habit of washing your hands before you play as well - that will also help prolong the life.

String life obviously varies greatly from player to player. I never get more than about a week or two (averaging maybe 1.5 hours / day) on uncoated strings. My hands do sweat a fair amount, so I'm sure that kills the strings quicker than some folks.

String tone is obviously a personal preference thing, and some strings clearly sound good on some guitars but not on others. For me, the D'addario EXPs deliver better bass as well as more of an uncoated feel and tone than the Elixirs do.

[jam]

I've tried lots of strings and always come back to Martin Marquis. They just sound better on my guitar. I recently gave in and tried a set of Elixer Nanos. Everyone from my wife to my guitar teacher asked what the heck I had done to my guitar to make it sound that bad (really!). I kept them on for a month to see if they would settle down. They never did, so I went back to the Martins.

At $2.30 a set (catch them on sale from Musician's Friend), I don't have a problem changing them out often. I usually get anywhere from 2-5 weeks out of them. I don't have very acidic or sweaty hands, so they just last long for me.

Also, I can change strings out in about 15 minutes, so it's not an inconvenience for me to change them out.

I guess what I'm saying is, I don't feel the need to sacrifice tone because another brand of strings lasts longer. If you find strings that sound great on your guitar, you can live with the price, and don't mind changing them as often as your ear feels is necessary, well - use them.

(By the way, this isn't meant to be a slam on Elixers. I've played several other guitars - 614LTD, W14, 810 that sounded great with them. )

--jam

[jumbo lover]

I'll stick with Poly's. My hands are too acidic. I think my guitar sounds great with Elixirs and every time I have changed it has been for the worse. I also like the slick feel of Polywebs.

[sonicparke]

One thing I've always wondered about coated strings...

Don't the unwound strings go dead as well? Wouldn't you then have mixed deadness? I realize that the wound ones will collect more grime and go dead faster but I assume that you can only leave the unwounds on there so long until the go dead and you need to change them even if the coated wound ones sound fine.

Am I ignorant? Someone please shed some light on this for me.

[strummercat]

I just had my 710 restrung with D'addario EXP's. They sure help minimize the 'finger buzz' when sliding up and down the neck. Haven't had them on long enough to speak to the longevity of them, but I sold. I like the sound of them. And anything that can help me sound better, I'm all for.

[dano]

okay, I have to put in my two cents i guess

if you like the tone from uncoated strings, but have them die quickly, try GHS signature bronze.

they have a bronze plated core which doesn't oxidize or corrode as quickly and is more resistant to breaking. they also make a coated version of the same string.

For the average player, it is the core corroding from contact with moisture and oils that causes strings to die quicker.

Elixirs have a coating over the entire string including the core inside, but EXPs do not.

I did an experiment with elixir nanowebs, D'addario EXP and phosphor bronze and the GHS phosphors and signature bronze and infinity bronze (coated).

my string life without wiping them down after I play and with normal GHS Phos is about 2 weeks. When i wipe them down I get at least nother week. GHS signature bronze go about 3 weeks, with a fourth week if I wipe them down. Infinity bronze coated last a month-six weeks if I wipe them. I've also never had either of the bronze core strings break.
Elixirs last me 6 weeks with a change in the b and e strings around 3 weeks whether I wipe them or not, but I tend to break them because though they aren't worn out sound wise, they are structurally.
Daddario phos get about 1 week then they die, wipe em and I get 2-3 more days. EXPs feel and sound like regular Phos, but with less noise. I get about 3 weeks then they die. Wiping only gets about 5 more days. Also, I have tuning issues with EXPs.

conclusion, if I wipe them off after I'm done playing, I get usually around 20-25% more life. dollar for dollar, GHS wins my shootout.

on a side note, I find that the guitar has upper-end sypathetic harmonics with uncoated strings that disappear with either the EXPs or Elixirs, but GHS makes a coated string with the same bronze core that is somewhere in the middle.


a lot I know, but I just thought I'd share it!

dano

[alchu]

I'm in the "I hate coated strings" camp

I typically get 3-4 weeks out of my John Pearse 80/20s. Not 3-4 days. Maybe my sweat isn't as corrosive, I don't know. I have a suspicion that those who pay for their coated elixirs WANT ours to die in 3-4 days so they can justify the tone and cost

Now, if I owned 15+ guitars, it'd be a pain to restring them so often, but I own three. one steelstring, one electric and a classical whose strings last for months at a time.

[troubleman]

I keep converting back and forth. My fav string is John Pease Phosphor-bronze. They last about as long as any uncoated string I've tried and (to my ears) have a superior tone. That said, my perspiration can etch metal. I get no more than 8-10 hours of play-time out of non-coated strings; wipin' em down doesn't solve the problem. I can get 3 weeks out of a set of Elixir Nanowebs. They don't sound as good as the JPearse strings, but they are stable over time. Three weeks with Nanowebs vs two to three days with uncoateds? Unless I'm recording or doing something "tone-critical", I've been using coated strings. Its a mixture of being lazy about changing strings several times per week as well as being cost-effective.

peace,


jb