What's the difference between Nanoweb and Polyweb strings?

[Dr. Funkenstein]

Which sounds better? Lasts longer? Or is there a difference other than the name?

[riffmeister]

nanoweb is a thinner coating.

 

thinner coating = brighter tone.

[Dr. Funkenstein]

 

Originally posted by riffmeister nanoweb is a thinner coating. thinner coating = brighter tone.

 

 

Does brighter=better, or is it just a stylistic preference?

[Freeman Keller]

Riff is right, Nano's will have a little more string squeek and will feel more "normal". Remember too that Nano's come in both the traditional 80/20 alloy and the new PB - opinions vary about the tonal differences but I happen to prefer PB. Elixers only come in 80/20.

 

Tonal preferences are very much personal, and like any opinion, open to debate. My opinions, of course, are the correct ones

 

End of Elixer discussion......

[Sweb]

 

Originally posted by Dr. Funkenstein Does brighter=better, or is it just a stylistic preference?

 

 

Sir Dr.

 

Yes. It is a stylistic (opinion) preference depending upon what you want to hear when playing a particular piece. If your guitar has an inherently warmer sound, which can also be viewed as a duller sound, certain strings can bring out the lo-mid/treble notes and give a little more "brass" to the overall sound. Lighter gauge does this or, in the case of coated strings of different coating thicknesses, so can a thinner coating. Varying opinions abound about Elixers and what the coating does to strings. My lay-persons opinion is that the coating has an attenuating (dulling) effect upon the string's natural vibration (ring). I liken it to stretching a rubber band between two points and deflecting it like a guitar string. It vibrates. Now, slide a sleeve of some kind of polymer down the length of that stretched rubber band and deflect it again. It now has greater weight and the same amount of deflection will not get the same degree of vibration or duration. The difference between the Poly and Nano strings is the thickness of the coating - the Nano being thinner (less weight). A coating on anything is insulation. In this case coatings on strings can be viewed as vibration (sound) insulation. This point I'm illustrating is borne out by the difference between the sounds of Nano vs Poly strings. Less vibration induced into the soundboard of the guitar yields less sound from it. What the difference is between the loss of sound between coated and uncoated strings is the crux of the argument between those who do and don't like Elixers and to many the corrosion inhibiting qualities of a coated string are defeated by their inherent tonal losses.

[Dr. Funkenstein]

Thanks all for your input!

 

I just finished ordering my usual Martin SP's.

 

Why change a good thing, right?

[Sweb]

If they give you the sound you like great. I use lighter gauge uncoated strings on my Spruce over Rosewood 6 string to bring out the lo-mid/treble tones because Rosewood has a naturally warmer sound. A naturally bright sounding guitar will be warmed up by coated strings so there is an argument in favor of them. Maple back/sides produces a bright sound, for example, and a coated string or uncoated medium gauge string will attenuate some of it's brassiness giving it a warmer sound. I have a 12 string jumbo style body guitar with Spruce over Maple B/S and the brassiness can be ear-piercing. I keep coated light gauge strings on it to attenuate some of that and warm it up a bit. Uncoated medium strings on a 12 string will also do some dampening but there's the additional tension medium gauge strings impart across the soundboard that I don't want - plus the extra effort in playing. So, I use coated light gauge instead. It comes down to trial and error and choosing the string type/gauge that gives your guitar the sound you like for the least amount of tension across the soundboard.

[riffmeister]

 

Originally posted by Sweb Less vibration induced into the soundboard of the guitar yields less sound from it. What the difference is between the loss of sound between coated and uncoated strings is the crux of the argument between those who do and don't like Elixers...

 

 

The difference in overall volume between coated and uncoated strings is not noticeable, to my ears. There is some loss in high frequency content (coated = darker) which may or may not be a good thing, depending on what your ears want to hear from your guitar.

[riffmeister]

Originally posted by Dr. Funkenstein Thanks all for your input! I just finished ordering my usual Martin SP's. Why change a good thing, right?

 

Food for thought:

 

Do you like the sound of your guitar best with brand new fresh strings? Or do you like the sound of your guitar best after the strings have "worn in" a bit?

 

If you prefer the latter, then you might want to try coated strings sometime (Elixir P/B nanos would be a good choice...they are slightly darker than uncoated strings but not as dark as polywebs).