Best sounding "non-coated" acoustic strings?

[Hotrod Lincoln]

I love the tone of elixirs, but they are god awful expensive for me ($20 a pop) plus I'm leary of the coating because of fraying and stuff.

 

What are the closest thing to Elixirs,with the coating?

 

Martin SPs maybe?

[dwerlin]

I'm a D'Addario fan myself, I use their coated EXP16's on my acoustic, they sound and feel just like regular strings to me, but they last longer. Otherwise, I've also used their non-coated strings, I think they're EJ16's or something (whatever the phosphor bronze non-coated 12's are).

 

I stopped buying the non-coated ones because I was having to change them about once a week, and the EXP's felt exactly the same and last about 4 months or so in comparison.

[Hotrod Lincoln]

Originally posted by dwerlin I'm a D'Addario fan myself, I use their coated EXP16's on my acoustic, they sound and feel just like regular strings to me, but they last longer. Otherwise, I've also used their non-coated strings, I think they're EJ16's or something (whatever the phosphor bronze non-coated 12's are). I stopped buying the non-coated ones because I was having to change them about once a week, and the EXP's felt exactly the same and last about 4 months or so in comparison.

 

Maybe I'm just gonna have to try the coated strings

[dwerlin]

i highly doubt you'll be disappointed with the D'Addario EXP's

[Dave Keir]

Hi!

 

I've never got on with coated strings. Well, to be honest, I only tried them once! . I had to go wash my hands afterwards. The strings felt slippy and funny - hard to explain. The sound didn't seem to me to have the same lustre, either. A disappointment. Expensive disappointment.

 

Just me, I guess.

Cheers

[dwerlin]

Originally posted by Dave Keir Hi! I've never got on with coated strings. Well, to be honest, I only tried them once! . I had to go wash my hands afterwards. The strings felt slippy and funny - hard to explain. The sound didn't seem to me to have the same lustre, either. A disappointment. Expensive disappointment. Just me, I guess. Cheers

 

i agree with you 100% there with Elixir's, they feel very slippery and i don't like how they sound. however, D'Addario EXP's are a whole other ballgame.

[D-28]

I have tried Elixer, I thought the thick coated ones (poly?) actually sounded better than the nanos...but they just feel strange and sound funny to me.

Exp's are great. They sound good and last me twice as long as regular strings, they would probably last longer if I didn't play around with open tunings.

Just put a set of Cleartones on yesterday ( 13's ) and so far I like them the best!

I use GHS bronze and Martin phosphor-bronze and the Cleartones sound and feel like them more than the other coated strings. I'll see how long they last.

Cleartone claims the unwound strings are coated too, I can't tell by sight or sound (a good thing ) but time will tell because those strings "go" first.

If I like them as much a week from now as I do now, I'll stick with them because I like changing strings about as much as I like John Mayer.

[knockwood]

I hate coated strings. Personal thing. I had this friend who used coated strings and one day while playing his git in the park he was eaten by a... well, that's another thread. After a lot of trials of different p/b strings, I've ended up back with D'addario EJ16 for dreads and EJ26 (11/52) for small gits... and J74 for my mandolin... I play every day and change strings every three weeks. I could probably let it go a little longer. For whatever reason, DR p/b strings seem to live longer than the other uncoated p/b strings I've tried.

[guit30]

Martin 80/20s

Jim

PS-usually use Elixirs Polys, these are a bit warmer on my guitar

[DonK]

For the moment, I am not DonK. I am JT. Therefore:

 

Elixirs suck!!!

 

Seriously, I like Elixirs and used to use them a lot. Recently I've been using John Pearse Phosphor Bronze & Silk 510L and 610L's. These are pretty slinky strings that play easily and sound great. Don't confuse them with silk and steel strings; they're much more like a standard phosphor bronze set. Apart from them, I like regular JP phosphor bronze sets and Martin SP's.

[JasmineTea]

 

Originally posted by DonK Elixirs suck!!!

Indeed.

 

 

Originally posted by DonK Recently I've been using John Pearse Phosphor Bronze & Silk 510L and 610L's. These are pretty slinky strings that play easily and sound great. Don't confuse them with silk and steel strings; they're much more like a standard phosphor bronze set.

Sounds interesting. What do you pay for a set?

[DonK]

 

Originally posted by JasmineTea Sounds interesting. What do you pay for a set?

 

 

I get 'em from JustStrings.com for just under $8 a set. A bit pricey, but to me they're worth it.

[nip]

Originally posted by IMA Rockstar I love the tone of elixirs, but they are god awful expensive for me ($20 a pop) plus I'm leary of the coating because of fraying and stuff. What are the closest thing to Elixirs,with the coating? Martin SPs maybe?

 

$20, my goodness. Where do you shop strings?

 

Try these:

 

www.stringsandbeyond.com

 

 

Among non-coated Martin are the best so far I tested.

[babablowfish]

I have settled on Martin SP Phosphor Bronze mediums exclusively - I buy them by the dozen.

The problem of their wearing out/dulling down quickly can be ameliorated by using ghs FastFret - just wipe it on and wipe it off with a soft cotton cloth and it takes the corrosion off and brightens the srings back up. This significantly extends their useful life.

[Hotrod Lincoln]

Originally posted by nip $20, my goodness. Where do you shop strings?

 

In Canada

[theGOOCH]

I haven't had my Nanowebs "fray" I have heard that polywebs can flake off but I've never tried them. I've found a lot of the negative things you hear about Elixirs are from people who haven't tried them and are speculating what could happen with them (not to say everyone who tries them will like them) As for the "slipperiness" I noticed a slight difference when I first put them on, but it wasn't a negative for me. I'm not sure I'd describe it as slipperiness, but they had a sort of different feel. After a couple days I didn't even notice anymore

 

I also have to agree that the longevity of Elixirs (at least the nanos which I use) seems to more than make up for the initial cost. If you really keep an eye out you can occasionally find them on sale for $9.99 online. MF had a super deal on them a few weeks ago (6.99 with free shipping) but I wouldn't expect that price to come around again soon.

 

I hear a lot about juststrings.com, but I haven't noticed their prices being anything special. Do they run good sales sometimes?

[JasmineTea]

Originally posted by DonK I get 'em from JustStrings.com for just under $8 a set. A bit pricey, but to me they're worth it.

Cool, I'll do a little shopping around.

[johbren]

I like John Pearse. Martin finger style and regular sp are great. The best strings ive tried are Newtone but they are pricey. Best cheapest strings ive tried are called addamas

[nip]

Originally posted by IMA Rockstar In Canada

 

I keep forgetting that internet is a global world;)

[JasmineTea]

 

Originally posted by theGOOCH I've found a lot of the negative things you hear about Elixirs are from people who haven't tried them and are speculating what could happen with them

And some of us have tried them.

 

 

Originally posted by theGOOCH I hear a lot about juststrings.com, but I haven't noticed their prices being anything special. Do they run good sales sometimes?

Before my pc crashed I had a folder full of links to different online strings. I'd rename the link with the price and brand I was using at the time, made string shopping easy. They all have specials now and then. One place had Martin Marquis for $2.99 for a while. You just gotta shop around.

[Dave W.]

DR Sunbeams, PB round core, though I have a set of their Extra coated's on right now. Jury is still out until I go back to the Sunbeams again and see how much of a difference there is. The Extra's have a ultra thin coating similar to the Nanowebs, they are PB, but on hex cores. The B & high E are coated and I don't care for that.

[Carvinendorser]

DR rare's are pretty good IMO. I have some GHS sigs, I think Doyle Dykes? They're pretty nice also. Mainly I try to get Dr rares though.

[Dave W.]

 

Originally posted by Carvinendorser DR rare's are pretty good IMO. I have some GHS sigs, I think Doyle Dykes? They're pretty nice also. Mainly I try to get Dr rares though.

 

 

If you haven't tried the Sunbeams, you should give them a shot. I played the Rare's for years before discovering the Sunbeams. No 2 guitars or players are alike, but the difference to me was like night and day.