Coated Strings?

[mjtripper]

Coated strings SUCK!

Well...for some scenarios. Roger Sadowsky wrote this which was published by BASS PLAYER with guts:
http://btpub.boyd-printing.com/publicat ... 18550&p=98
.
.
.

He failed to mention this is a non-issue with active pickups since that ground wire is disconnected. That is kind of a big omission since he is claiming foul play on full disclosure and all. I use elixir nano-webs and found them to be the best solution for me. Also as somebody else mentinoed the anti-rust plains are back into full production.

 

[tjon]

I use Elixirs. No problems and last a lot longer.

 

[blackba]

I put them on guitars that I don't gig with and rarely play. I like DR's coating better than any of the others that I've tried.

That to me is a good idea. I have never tried coated strings, but I am thinking of getting some for my 12 string ric, 12 string acoustic, and 6 string acoustic. I will check out the DRs.

One thing in this thread that would be nice if people would specify if they are talking about acoustic strings or electric strings, some posts I got the type by the gauge. From reading the forums is seems that coated acoustic strings seem to be more popular than coated electric strings.

 

[SodaJerk]

I use the Elixirs. I can't feel any difference between them and Ernie Balls, other than I don't have to change them as often, which is good, as I too sweat out of my hands alot, and my strings look rusty after one 3 hour band practice.

 

[tripstan]

For me Elixirs are too slipery and start to flake fast if you play hard, I can feel the coating on them to muich too . I recommend trying Cleartones if you can. I really digg'em. They are coated but don't feel like it. I bounce between those and D'addario EXP's.

 

[Helldunkel]

To me, the best coated strings are without any doubt Cleartone which I also highly recommend

http://www.cleartonestrings.com/products.asp

Cleartone Strings feature the patented and awarding winning Cleartone Coating. Designed primarily for coating sensitive electronics and hard drive platters (where tolerances for precision are extremely high), the Cleartone Coating repels moisture and resists corrosion without dampening tone or feeling slimy. At one micron thin, it's the thinnest coating in the industry and only available from Cleartone Strings.

So you hate coated strings? We know why.

Coated strings you've played in the past use tone killing layers of material. The coating gets in between the winds and inhibit vibration. Instead, Cleartones feature the thinnest coating in the industry. At one micron, they feel and sound like traditional strings but with the added benefit of 3-5X string life. In fact, Cleartones were tested to be up to 36% louder than the leading coated string brand according to an independent sound lab.

 

[Anonymous]

i bought a pair of those green DRs for my bsb jem, and just HATED them after the first hour. dull, lame and the shit wears off if you have higher than normal levels of corrosive sweat.

i use dean markely blue steels...any gauge... will last you 3 months as long as you clean them after you play em.

over and out!

 

[Code001]

Just a random thing I noticed regarding string wear - I've actually experienced longer string life on my stainless fret guitars than nickel fret one. Same brand strings, same playing time. It's kinda strange, but it was an interesting observation. A friend reported something similar when I mentioned it to him, as well. As far as coated strings go, the nanoweb strings are nice, but they're a little stiffer. The coating also flakes a bit. The polywebs have a bit too much coating for my tastes. I think D'Addarios have the best sound-per-price ratio, and I feel they sound a bit better than Elixirs overall. However, they definitely don't last as long.

 

[guitarnerdswe]

I personally don't use coated strings at all any more, not even on acoustics. I break strings before they get old anyway.

 

[rupe]

I put them on guitars that I don't gig with and rarely play. I like DR's coating better than any of the others that I've tried.

That to me is a good idea. I have never tried coated strings, but I am thinking of getting some for my 12 string ric, 12 string acoustic, and 6 string acoustic. I will check out the DRs.

One thing in this thread that would be nice if people would specify if they are talking about acoustic strings or electric strings, some posts I got the type by the gauge. From reading the forums is seems that coated acoustic strings seem to be more popular than coated electric strings.

I should have specified electric, but my answer is essentially the same for acoustics except that I notice a bigger tonal difference. I use Martin SPs for acoustic performance which are a very bright, present string. When I go to coated strings, even when brand new, they really pale in comparison. I really only use them acoustically when taking one on vacation or to an outdoor party/jam/etc.

 

[Motorpud]

I used to swear by elixirs but I started noticing they have a certain treble cutting quality that I didn't like with certain guitars or amps. It can make them sound a little muddy to me if I'm not using them in conjunction with a bright amp/guitar. On the flip side, that same quality makes them great for helping to tame an overly bright rig.

I didn't like the EB coated but I was using the D'addario EXPs on my acoustics at one point and they were pretty good and lasted a pretty long time.

Also hate GHS strings. They break so easy it's one of the only strings I've actually broken DURING a string change

 

[Zachman]

Hey guys,

Who here uses coated strings? And which brand?

I have really extreme acid sweat and can often kill a fresh set of non-coated strings in one evening. So i have been looking at coated strings since it would be great to not have to constantly re-string my main guitar.

I tried Elixir 10-46 last year and found that i didn't like them. Extremely slippery feel which i hated, and their 10-46's felt more like 11's to me. They definitely felt heavier than the Rotosound and D'addario 10-46 i had been using before.
However, i strung the guitar up with the Elixirs last August and believe it or not they are still on the guitar and still shiny too. It's not been gigged since stringing it up with the Elixirs, but i have used it a lot at home though.

I recently tried Ernie Ball Cobalts. They sound absolutely killer but they don't last quite as long as coated strings do.. They have outlasted any other non-coated string for me though, so they're definitely an improvement over nickel plated strings for me.

I spoke to somebody who works in a local guitar store here and he recommended GHS Coated Boomers. He said that even though they are coated.. They actually feel like a normal non-coated string (none of that Elixir style slippery-ness). They apparently last as long as Elixirs. Anyone tried them?

Any recommendations/suggestions would be much appreciated!!

Cheers!
Dan

Dan,

Not a fan of coated strings, and I have acid sweat too. But I have found that if I use some Purell hand sanitizer before I play, it neutralizes the acid in my sweat, and my strings last WAY longer now. I wipe down the guitar after playing too. Worth a shot... and a heck of a lot cheaper than coated strings. Best of luck. Ultimately, when I was gigging a lot, new strings for each show to avoid breaking strings. I bend the shit out of them... LOL

 

[2tallmusic]

Played some sets of Black Diamonds coated - not bad, but as of today I prefer the pure nickel flavour. Pure nickel lasts as well a bit longer than the regular nickelplated strings and it is still nearly half the price compared to the coated stuff. In the end this is a question of taste.

 

[MrDan666]

Thanks for all the suggestions and info guys! I appreciate it!

I think i might try out the Cleartone strings next and see what i think, as they sound ideal. But i'll have to try out the Elixir 9-42's also, because i only tried Elixir 10-46 before. Since the 9's are lower tension than 10's, i might not notice the slippery-ness as much when bending.

Also the hand sanitizer sounds like a great idea, don't know why i hadn't thought of that already!!

 

[Zachman]

Thanks for all the suggestions and info guys! I appreciate it!

I think i might try out the Cleartone strings next and see what i think, as they sound ideal. But i'll have to try out the Elixir 9-42's also, because i only tried Elixir 10-46 before. Since the 9's are lower tension than 10's, i might not notice the slippery-ness as much when bending.

Also the hand sanitizer sounds like a great idea, don't know why i hadn't thought of that already!!

 

[Motorpud]

Thanks for all the suggestions and info guys! I appreciate it!

I think i might try out the Cleartone strings next and see what i think, as they sound ideal. But i'll have to try out the Elixir 9-42's also, because i only tried Elixir 10-46 before. Since the 9's are lower tension than 10's, i might not notice the slippery-ness as much when bending.

Also the hand sanitizer sounds like a great idea, don't know why i hadn't thought of that already!!

If its the unwound strings that are the problem I think they have a hybrid set too that's 9-46 that way you can keep your bigger strings on the top. That's what I usually use.