Members Delmont Posted October 8, 2014 Members Share Posted October 8, 2014 Been mostly playing my Guild for about six months. But I pulled out the old Martin this week. The strings were beyond redemption, so I went to my local gear-ateria and got a set of high-end coated strings. Winced at the price, but figured, wotthehell. Threw 'em on - and the guitar sounded like it was full of socks. Gym socks. Bottom-of-the-locker, end-of-the-season, algae-encrusted, bio-hazard gym socks. They're a great brand (the strings, not the socks), so I was surprised. (I've used another company's coated strings and didn't like them.) Anyhow, I was almost ready to go get my money back. But then I gave the strings about ten hard strums - really slammed 'em - and the strings opened right up! Played a song, and the strings were doing the singing for me in no time. (Which is good, because I sing like I'm full of gym socks.) And now Mr. Martin sounds better than ever. So If you're trying coated strings, they need some breaking in. Not much, but don't let the first muffled grunts alarm you. Break 'em in and they'll deliver. Delwww.thefullertons.net( •)—::: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EdBega Posted October 8, 2014 Members Share Posted October 8, 2014 I would caution about using more than five hard twangs to open them that can cause the strings to open too much where-by the notes will combine and you risk getting H and higher new notes ... yrmv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Delmont Posted October 8, 2014 Author Members Share Posted October 8, 2014 I spend my life risking getting H. H happens. My living room now has a delicate sprinkling of Nanoweb dust over everything! I confess that I have been playing the new strings hard, but they're sounding pretty happy. I mean - would you dream of playing "Wake Up, Little Suzie" softly? Delhttp://www.thefullertons.net( •)—::: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted October 8, 2014 Members Share Posted October 8, 2014 An older curmudgeon than me once quipped as he was stringing up some EJ16s, while breathing through a Lucky, that he preferred not to suck tit through a nightie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted October 9, 2014 Members Share Posted October 9, 2014 I find that it takes about 30 minutes of playing to get Elixirs to sound their best. Currently using a set of Cleartones on one of my guitars and very impressed so far. They do what they say - coated performance without the coated sound or feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted October 9, 2014 Members Share Posted October 9, 2014 Elixirs only brand of coated strings I have used that actually do last longer and maintain sound. I live in hot humid salty aired beach in Thailand, a perfect test spot. Got a set on used Reverend (didn't know brand). They lasted 4-5 months. Most strings a month at best. I prefer nanoweb coating to rust coating that forms over night here. I tried them all til hit paydirt with Elixirs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Delmont Posted October 9, 2014 Author Members Share Posted October 9, 2014 Yup. The price tag on the Elixers gave me a nosebleed, but they sound great and will last a while - and yes, Koiwoi, they opened up more with a little more playing. Glad I got 'em. I tried another brand of coated strings once, and they sounded so bad I replaced G, D, A, and low E immediately. Never heard of Cleartones. Thanks for the tip, Emory! Delhttp://www.thefullertons.net( •)—::: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Etienne Rambert Posted October 9, 2014 Members Share Posted October 9, 2014 Elixirs only brand of coated strings I have used that actually do last longer and maintain sound. I live in hot humid salty aired beach in Thailand' date=' a perfect test spot. Got a set on used Reverend (didn't know brand). They lasted 4-5 months. Most strings a month at best. I prefer nanoweb coating to rust coating that forms over night here. I tried them all til hit paydirt with Elixirs.[/quote'] I live in a very similar climate not far from you. I agree Nano's are good strings. BUT...they come paper-wrapped. I don't like that. I buy my strings in the US in quantity and keep them for long periods. I wrap the Elixir boxes I buy in plastic myself for long-term storage. That's why my main string brand is D'Addario EXP's. They're plastic wrapped so they store better for long periods. And the drop-off in tone quality is not worth the difference in price IMO. Just wonderng -- what does a set of Nanos cost you in Thailand? I can't find them in my country - only D'Addario uncoated and Martins where I live. And I'm sure a lot are counterfeit. I spend my life risking getting H. H happens. My living room now has a delicate sprinkling of Nanoweb dust over everything! I confess that I have been playing the new strings hard, but they're sounding pretty happy. I mean - would you dream of playing "Wake Up, Little Suzie" softly? Del www.thefullertons.net ( •)—::: Nanowebs PB's are good strings. And Nanodust drives women wild. It's a secret. Sprinkle it around your pad. Watch them disrobe.It's like catnip to them. (Well, maybe I'm exaggerating about that. But maybe not.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emory Posted October 11, 2014 Members Share Posted October 11, 2014 "I buy my strings in the US in quantity and keep them for long periods. I wrap the Elixir boxes I buy in plastic myself for long-term storage.That's why my main string brand is D'Addario EXP's. They're plastic wrapped so they store better for long periods. And the drop-off in tone quality is not worth the difference in price IMO.Just wonderng -- what does a set of Nanos cost you in Thailand? I can't find them in my country - only D'Addario uncoated and Martins where I live. And I'm sure a lot are counterfeit." Sorry can't answer you regarding price, as I too buy strings in quantity in US (we are both financial geniuses). Some friends occasionally give me a set of strings as "thank you" for loaning guitar while they visit... hmm prices Gibson Masterbuilt premium PBs about $9, D'Addario EXL110 about $6. I suppose could extrapolate that..... Funny thing is that doesn't seem to make that much difference if wrapped in plastic (I just report, don't explain!). I got box of Ernie Ball slinky's and they had rust up and down length in spots of G-B-E, in spite of plastic wrap... a little emery cloth and okay, but ? Then have some Martins just std paper and no problem... I have used some sets of EXPs but not have the life of Elixirs. Maybe we have different salt here? Still looking for small bottle to mix a bit of WD40 with alcohol for daily string wipe down.... Which country do you hang in, if I may ask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted October 12, 2014 Members Share Posted October 12, 2014 Never heard of Cleartones. Thanks for the tip' date=' Emory![/quote'] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Delmont Posted October 20, 2014 Author Members Share Posted October 20, 2014 WD40?! It's a little corrosive on metal, so I'd worry about reactivity with wood, paint, and lacquer. Not a problem? Mineral oil sounds safer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted October 23, 2014 Members Share Posted October 23, 2014 I live in a very similar climate not far from you. I agree Nano's are good strings. BUT...they come paper-wrapped. I don't like that. I buy my strings in the US in quantity and keep them for long periods. I wrap the Elixir boxes I buy in plastic myself for long-term storage. That's why my main string brand is D'Addario EXP's. They're plastic wrapped so they store better for long periods. And the drop-off in tone quality is not worth the difference in price IMO. Just wonderng -- what does a set of Nanos cost you in Thailand? I can't find them in my country - only D'Addario uncoated and Martins where I live. And I'm sure a lot are counterfeit. Nanowebs PB's are good strings. And Nanodust drives women wild. It's a secret. Sprinkle it around your pad. Watch them disrobe.It's like catnip to them. (Well, maybe I'm exaggerating about that. But maybe not.) That's not Nanodust. That's Pixie Dust. Nanodust is Elixir dandruff. Nasty stuff is actually microscopic razor blades waiting to scratch your finish when you innocently wipe it off your guitar. Blot it from your guitar with a damp rag, don't wipe. I've been wanting to buy a fresh pack of them and see if the coating is flammable. If it is, it's detrimental to a lacquer finish as dust particulates. The coating probably hasn't reached full cure and is still out-gassing (if it's flammable). Hell, I'll say anything to discredit coated strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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