Electric Guitar Coated Strings - What is you're preference

andrewjbryson

So Ive really been digging the Elixir Nanoweb 10's lately.

But Im a little curious as to what other brands of Coated strings there are and how they compare.

Anybody have any comments on the following brands

D'addario EXP
Ernie Ball Titanium / Cobalt
ClearTone
RotoSound
Fender Coated?

ezietsman

I used a set of nanowebs on my Les Paul recently. I really liked them for about 2 weeks then the coating wore through and they rusted and were scratching my frets so they turned from really nice to really nasty very quickly. I was given this set but I won't buy them again to be honest. I like the brightness when they're new. They don't last 3-5 times longer. No ways.

Hasie

I put Ernie Ball Titanium strings on my LTD M-10 about 7 months ago. I still get good tone and output from them. Will buy them again.

ezietsman

7 months?

ajdebeer

i had no problem with elxir strings and got 2 old guitars also with them and that been 2 years no and still no show of rust yet and still very playable but new strings do sound better

Hasie

ez wrote: 7 months?

Yes. Why do you ask? Is it long/short for string life?

aubs1

Elixer Nanowebs ..... 9s and 10s. Period

Why? Mine do sound great, long enough ..... ?

I would like to try Cleartones, but have'nt gotten round to getting some yet.

ezietsman

Hasie wrote:
ez wrote: 7 months?
Yes. Why do you ask? Is it long/short for string life?

Do you play high gain music?

Hasie

ez wrote:
Hasie wrote:
ez wrote: 7 months?
Yes. Why do you ask? Is it long/short for string life?
Do you play high gain music?

Sometimes. Used to much more. I play on the clean channel now, most of the time. No pedals.

DaFiz

After years of Ernie Ball or d'Addario I fitted Elixirs as they gave me much value for munny on the acoustic guitar.
I'm sold on Nanowebs ?

ezietsman

Hasie wrote:
ez wrote:
Hasie wrote:
ez wrote: 7 months?
Yes. Why do you ask? Is it long/short for string life?
Do you play high gain music?
Sometimes. Used to much more. I play on the clean channel now, most of the time. No pedals.

I'm envious, my strings literally lose their shine after about 2 or 3 hours and become stiff and lifeless after about 2 weeks, even if I wipe them after every play.

Malkav

I don't use coated strings, but I was using Dean Markley Blue Steels for ages, which aren't coated but feel really smooth because of the cryogenic freezing thing, they last about a month and a bit for me, but then again I'm lucky to get more than a week and a half out of most strings, just shitty body chemistry I guess. Anyway I like the way the Blue Steels sound and all that, but they are so hard that they do eat through frets at a pretty alarming rate, so now I've switched over to the new Helix strings they do which I absolutely adore tone and feel wise, they're also slightly different to a regular string and feel super slick but are still pretty high tension so they totally do it to me.

Anyway sorry if that was a bit off topic, but they're pretty cool and they're "alternative" strings in that they have something going on that isn't just regular nickel steel ?

Neil-Nitro

Elixir nanoweb 10's here as well. 11's on acoustic. I've had a set on my tele for about 9 months now and they are not showing any sign of rust and still have tone. Not new string tone, but tone nonetheless.

Chocklit_Thunda

ez wrote: 7 months?

ezietsman

Chocklit_Thunda wrote:
ez wrote: 7 months?
?

Heathens.

serven

The last time my guitar was in for some minor work it also came back with elixir something 10s. It was terribly dull.

It's actually made me find strings I like (for the first time I've started playing I started caring what I use) - my Strat now has the Ernie ball slinky cobalt 10s which are to my ears a lot more crispy and brighter than anything else I've tried.

On my LTD Floyd Rose active EMG guitar (this was the one that the elixirs were so dull for me with), I used to use the Ernie ball slinky cobalt 11s, but now trying D'Addario NY XL 11s and so far so good, a lot better than the elixirs it had on.

Disclaimer: Not an expert, just my experience - and apparently it could be that I just had a dodgy set of elixirs or something.

Hasie

ez wrote:
Hasie wrote:
ez wrote:
Hasie wrote:
ez wrote: 7 months?
Yes. Why do you ask? Is it long/short for string life?
Do you play high gain music?
Sometimes. Used to much more. I play on the clean channel now, most of the time. No pedals.
I'm envious, my strings literally lose their shine after about 2 or 3 hours and become stiff and lifeless after about 2 weeks, even if I wipe them after every play.

I do not do string bends and vibrato yet. Still trying to hit the correct string on time, if you know what I mean.
So that might contribute to them lasting so long.

Rowen-M

Been using Ernie Ball Cobalts for a while now and I really dig them. Decided to check what the hype is all about with Elixir strings and fitted a set of nanoweb 10s on my Les Paul. I must admit they feel amazing. Much more silkier than the cobalts, which is probably due to the coating. Will check over the next couple of weeks how they compare to the cobalts in terms of longevity.

morph

I have Elixir on 5 of my guitars, I live less than 1/2km from the coast here in CT and everything else rusts shamelessly. My guitars hang on the wall in the man cave and are exposed to the elements. 5 months down the line and they are all still quite playable. I am certainly not a performing artist that is intimately tuned to my instruments, but after 40 years of playing I can tell when my strings are rusted and sticky. I play 3 of the guitars actively, 10 to 20 hours a week

I think these strings are ideal for players like me, where the guitars hang for long periods of time. For pro's who work the guitars much more and need to replace strings much more frequently, perhaps they are less effective.

DaFiz

Greg Perkins wrote: I think these strings are ideal for players like me, where the guitars hang for long periods of time. For pro's who work the guitars much more and need to replace strings much more frequently, perhaps they are less effective.

More than likely a very accurate analasys.
Pros changing strings with every performance might well choose uncoated strings,
while non professional players could fit coated strings and leave them on for months ?