I tried coated strings for the first time about 6-8 months ago. What I found was for the first time ever, my fingers didn't eat through the strings in a fw hours of use. I now have guitars with strings that are months old and still looking and feeling good. I'm sold on them.
This is me too. Just that it was pretty early on for me. Elixir was the one that stuck, idk how but the other brands still ended up showing signs of losing it after a couple hours or days.
@@void_snwsame, been using elixir for 15 years. I try all the other brands from time to time but it’s always more subtle and wears quicker. Nanowebs are perfect, sound nice and bright but still feel smooth and slick.
+1 for me. I use Elixirs on all my guitars and basses - with the notable exception being my relatively new Taylor AD17e acoustic which came strung with a D'Addario XS set from the factory. I believe Taylor used to string their guitars with Elixirs but that changed to D'Addario XS a few years back for whatever reason. Have to say I'm enjoying XS set on the acoustic and am tempted to get some for one of my electrics to properly compare the feel vs Elixirs. One thing's for sure, I'm a coated string guy for life.
I've been using Elixir for 15+ years now and I never looked back, so much more convenient, the strings always feel great. Might give the XS a try one of those days
I’ve been using elixir strings for years. They are great. Never quite as lively right out of the box but they stay like new much longer than non coated strings
I didn't like coated strings at all because all I had tried were Elixers, which I hate. I can feel the coating. It's very obvious to me and I can't stand it. (on both electric and acoustic guitars). I tried D'Addario XT 's (which are coated) several years ago and have been using them since. Fantastic. The coating is super light and I'm told that the winding itself is what's coated. They feel ever so slightly different, but it doesn't bother me in the slightest. They sound great and have less of a drop off in the top end that occurs after a week or so with non coated XL's. I was very used to that drop off, and it was fine by me in the past, but the XT's last much longer in that "middle period" of a strings tonal life. I'd be interested in the XS, but I certainly don't need them.
I’ve also used Elixirs coated strings for many years both on my Strats and my Lowden acoustic and love them. I actually do find them lovely and bright when I first put them on too👍🏽
In my younger days of gigging 2-4 times a week I would change them every week. Now I gig about twice a month and change them about every 90 days. All I use is D'addario XL's
I am exactly the same as you regarding strings, generally only change them when I break a string. For guitars I play less regularly I've been intending to try coated strings for a while.
I generally wait till a string breaks then I change the set. it's probably on average is about 3-4 months for maybe 2-3 of my guitars. These coated strings are £17.99, that's a lot of money, I could get a few sets of regular XL strings for that price so the longevity argument isn't really valid. I might give them a go. I have them on my acoustic but haven't really worn them in yet. I always use D'addario.
Stringjoy Orbiters are the bread of life! They were the first strings to instill a "these are better!" reaction in me. I buy 3-packs with a custom gauge range. But I like super-duper light strings, so take that for what it's worth.
@@MyBestNameHere I use the Stringjoy Orbiters on 6-string guitars and the D'addario XS on my extended range guitars because Stringjoy does not offer more than 6-string sets for the Orbiters. They are all great strings.
I've tried D'addario and Elixir coated strings but my favorite are actually the Ernie Ball titanium reinforced coated strings. The Ernie Balls feel more like normal strings, last long, sound better to me and are more affordable than the other 2 brands. The D'addario and Elixirs have more high end roll off making them sound darker and the Ernie Balls still retain that high end quality that regular non-coated strings have.
Hi John coincidentally I was just reading The Guardian and they had a article today on forever chemicals and surprisingly guitar strings were an offender. I like them. Cheers Rob
I’ve been on Elixirs for years. I live in a sun tropical climate so normal strings corrode without even being played. I think tonally that coated strings stay in the sweet spot for ages. While they retain some brightness forever, the integrity of the note starts to fall apart after maybe a year and a half of regular playing. But if you have a fair get guitars, coated strings are a no brainer. You can be sure that they won’t corrode sitting in the rack and will be good to go when you need.
Another thing coated strings are good for is for guitars that you don't play a lot. Strings age even when not played; here in the northeast US, it can be pretty humid for about 1/3 of the year, and strings will corrode even when not played. Putting coated strings on a guitar you don't use much (in my case, a travel guitar and a "beater") keeps the strings in good shape for the times they get played. So even if the feel or tone of a coated set is not ideal for you, it may still make sense to put them on certain guitars. -Tom
I actually put these strings on my 335 this morning and immediately noticed that they sound mellower, like a set that’s been on for a few days. They feel fine though.
I absolutely love the feel of XS strings. I've been a nyxl user for a while but these just always feel smooth to the touch. I do think they aren't quite as bright and even though they're supposed to last longer, I notice dark spots and corrosion on the wound strings pretty early on. Doesn't affect the playability. I've had them last over a year easily
@@alec554 NYXLs seemingly last forever... They also sound slightly brighter. But since I'm just a guy in a room with a guitar, I honestly prefer the XS because they go easier on my fingers after hours of practice and they have a certain smoothness about them that I just love
Strings can make or break the guitars how it feels to play. My current favorites are Dadario XS strings because they don’t feel too oily when starting to sweat a bit.
Ive been a user of coated strings for years. I wont use any other strings. I change my strings very often. The second they "start" to sound dead i change them. My hands chew through strings fast too. I have very acidic hands. Normal strings usually last about 3-5 days before loosing their new string sound, but coated lasts me anywhere between 2-4 weeks. I do try to make them last longer by washing my hands before playing and wiping down my strings after playing which helps, but not as much as i would hope. My favorite strings by far is the StringJoy Orbiters 9-42. They dont feel as coated as others, but last around the same as Elixir or D'Addario. I personally like the coated feel though.
I'd be interested to see how you feel about flat wound strings eventually as well, assuming you haven't tried them already. They tend to last a lot longer without getting dull anyways and the feel is very interesting.
Coated strings are great .. for me. I love them especially on my acoustic guitars. New uncoated strings sound good for a day or so, then.. Coated strings last a lot longer but they don’t sound as bright when new but they do sound better in the longer term imo Each to their own.
I was an NYXL guy till I got a guitar that came with elixir’s last year, and I just could not kill those strings until almost 2 months. And I play every single day. Needless to say, I made the switch, and I’m happy. They come in the same gauges as the NYXLs too, so I didn’t need to adjust my setup.
I used the D'addario coated strings for over 20 years (I'm the type who avoids changing strings), and they really do last longer. I recently switched to Elixirs and they're even better, the biggest difference being they sound nice and bright with clean tones even after months of playing.
I don't play the guitar as frequently as I used to because of rusted strings, my sweat is quite acidic and I can destroy a set of guitar strings within a couple of days - after selling quite a few guitars, I'm down to 4 guitars and even on them, just the thought of changing strings puts me off playing. My favorite set of strings are D'addario normal set - now use 9's for about 20 years prior to that I was on 10's, have used Elixers in the past - they are ok - better than normal but not great, not available all the time and are quite expensive, are there more like me out there that are so lazy about changing strings that they put off playing guitar 🙂
I've been using elixirs for around 10 years and wouldn't go back for anything. Probably 1-2 years in between string changes and I don't remember the last time I broke a string.
I still use uncoated strings on my electrics as with all the bending and abuse they tend to start having slight intonation issues before corrosion becomes a major problem, but my acoustics all get coated strings. Recently bought an Auden acoustic which came with the D'addario coated strings on and was quite impressed, they're the closest sounding to uncoated strings I've experienced so far, so I may slowly change the rest of the herd to them as and when they need a change.
Been using coated strings since I started playing seriously well over a decade ago now. Cant recommend them enough. Not only do they last longer but by far the biggest plus is that your fingers slide along them so much smoother and quieter. Its especially noticeable on wound ones. You dont need so spray them with something like a weirdo. The only drawback I can think of is pickgrinds are less grindy. $25 a set rather than 10 or so for a regular set i suppose but they last twice as long so... Never had them feel sticky either but I also wash my hands before I play.
for the past 20yrs or so I've been using D'addario XL 11 - 49 (wound 3rd), and never needed to try anything else. I wipe them down before & after playing. I change strings about four-five times a year.
I used to use non-coated Ernie Ball's, those were great but humidity and sweat caused them to start corroding after about a month. I tried Elixir Nanowebs and I hated them, the coating was so thick it felt like playing plastic strings. I came across the XS's a few years ago, have them a shot and I've never looked back - best combination of feel, tone and life span for me.
@@evangelosevangelou the coated strings helped a lot with lasting longer in the humidity. I also started wiping down the strings and fretboard after sets, that also really helped them to not corrode too quickly
@@benjaminnaidoo9776 my problem is when i play a gig near to the sea my strings are higher,on all my guitars,and my guitars are very expensive!i tried a lot of strings but i didnt saw difference!maybe its the neck of all guitars that is to sensitive to huminity
@@evangelosevangelou if the problem is your action going out, that's an issue with your neck being sensitive to the weather. I don't think strings are going to fix that for you unfortunately.
Here's the thing with coated strings. If your using something like FastFret on your roasted maple fretboard guitars, instead of generic lemon oil. Its gonna make them feel way to squishy under the fingers. Almost slippery. For me the "feel" is the most critical thing. Coated strings are all over the place.
I've been using the XS since they came out. I used to change every time I started seeing corrosion. Now I don't really ever see it, so I don't change near as often now. Only when they stop staying in tune.
I haven't tried on electrics yet, but I tried on acoustic and had to go back to regular strings. I felt like the grip wasn't the same and it was easier to miss on quick transitions up and down the neck. But that was my experience anyway lol.
I have not tried the D'Addario coated strings. But I have used Elixirs on my acoustic guitar. They sounded good longer (dullness took longer), and good intonation lasted longer too (my experience is that old strings might not intonate). The one negative I have experienced with the Elixirs is that they are more likely to squeak when sliding your fingers up or down the strings. But I didn't find it bothersome.
It’s funny, I tried coated strings in my acoustic (XS) … I really did not like the sound at all, I tried to persevere with them but ended up going back to my D’addario EJ 16 (lights). I didn’t expect such a difference with tone 😳
I know this isn’t really a lessons channel but I’d like to kindly request that you do at least one tutorial about those cascading scale pattern runs that you do whenever you’re soloing. Thanks.
I use daddario XT strings on all my “home” guitars, or guitars for functions, they stay fresh so much longer and sound perfectly fine. They feel a little more natural to XS than me, but not much in it. Daddario XL (uncoated) for live band stuff (I sweat a lot live so have to change them every couple of shows). Daddario NYXL for the studio (best sound/feel but £££).
Never liked Elixirs, Cleartones were always just "ok," the Ernie Ball Coated stuff was just ok, but these XS strings have been my favorite and my go to for the past year or so! The StringJoy Oribiters are really great for coated strings as well.
I play D'addario XL nickelwound regular light gauge 10 ...and like a lot ...might combine it with 11 for better tuning ...i use electric on acoustic guitar ...E lowest is replaced with some cheapest E string i could find in local store i put that one on not ernies ball, to give it a chance ...some chinese alice? ....and that one is nice too ...i didnt change the whole set ....no noticebl age on them after ...well, almost 2 years ....hmm how time flys by fast
My default strings for acoustics are coated daddarios. Havent bought any for ages, still have a small stock and several ns capo lites 😊 I have some harley benton coated strings still to try (after watching a Paul Davids video) but like you, I change when a string breaks or there is obvious corrosion. Flatwounds, never yet
I tried XS strings last year and the D string broke in the first set of a gig I was at. I checked the saddle didn't have a sharp point on it, it didn't, so I went back to my usual Rotosound string. I wasn't keen on the feel of them to be honest.
Coated is the only way to go for me. I only get about 4 hours or so of play time out of normal strings before they're completely dead. Coated lasts me 6 months or longer.
Ive used XL sence the Dave Mustaine add in Guitar Mag in the late 80sor early 90s, and only change if a break or corrosion is on them, never had an issue
You don't really hear people say they need strings like the ones used by the greats. I use regular old strings for 5 bucks a pack. Can't imagine posting 15 or 20 bucks a pack. That's nuts.
Should try them at least once. Its worth it. The smoothness is kind of like the difference between a sticky gloss neck and a clean satin neck. If you mostly play cowboy chords or just rhythm player it might not be a huge game changer but if you play lead and move around the fretboard a lot it makes everything silky smooth.Chord changes are super quiet too as it stops any rubbing sounds Treat yourself.
Always hated Elixirs . The way the felt and worst the way they Sounded but D’Addario XS changed that for me . Every now n again I go back to NYXL’s but D’Addario XS are Awesome
I just put those on my new Jag a couple days ago. I usually play with NYXLs, not sure if I like them any better. I usually like strings the most after they’ve been in for a few weeks
Depends on the strings, D'Addario XS and XT, Elixir Nano and Poly, Cleartone, and many others will be more smooth. DR Veritas isn't smooth for example.
I've tried Acoustic Guitar Coated Strings a few times over the years, revisiting them occasionally. They sounded ok, but felt extra slippery. They cut down on squeaky string shifts, and the strings last longer, but they're stupid expensive. I haven't tried them on Electric Guitar, where I rarely change strings unless one breaks, or they can no longer be intonated properly. I don't like the "new string" sound, and usually prefer the sound after 7-10 days.
I have friends that I can't let touch my guitar for a minute without getting it back with black strings. I myself however, I can leave strings on my nr1 for 11/2 year and they sound great. Not the new string zing but Def not dull or lifeless. Now if I would only have my friends talent...
Ive been a proponent of daddario coated electric strings for a while now, but I'm starting to rethink because im starting to notice if the strings get hot either through direct sunlight or stored in the pack in a hot area, the coating melts a little bit and feels weird and kills the tone
Normal strings last 2 weeks at most for me, after that they sound terrible, feel and look terrible, etc. I've been using Elixir Optiweb for years now in all my guitars, I change the strings maybe a couple times per year at most, they look and feel like new always, and with the Optiweb I can't hear any difference compared to non coated one. I want to give a try to the XS casue they have a gauge that Elixir doesn't have, which is 9.5.
Suppose that coated strings cost twice as much as uncoated strings. However, they last three times (or more) as long, and retain that "new strings" feel and sound over that time. I once played a gig with three-month old strings that still sounded fresh. That is what tells me they are a worthy investment.
Been using Elixirs for years as I secret Alien molecular acid from my fingers. I tried XS strings but after one rehearsal and one gig they were black. So yeah a bit disappointed
I think I get why you're doing it, but I just want to weigh in on the change to putting the TrueFire talk over your improv-I really dislike it! Especially with these gear videos, I'm not always interested in the gear you're talking about, and the main reason I watch some of these videos is to hear you play. Hearing you build up the loop is part of the fun of that, so having that part talked over is a bit of a bummer. I'll keep watching regardless, but just wanted to weigh in. -Tom
I don't mind XS, I'd like them more if the smooth feeling didn't fade away so quick. Once I went to NYXL's I'm never using anything else again. I usually change my strings every 4-6 weeks.
Never tried. I just know I don’t like Ernie balls, I like d’dario, but my go to are GHS, but I usually have to order online for those, where GC has d’darios early available. Curious if these coated strings are worth it.
I think the "coated strings feel weird" is a hangover from when they started to gain popularity 20+ years ago with Elixirs. Which are the only coated string I have experience with & specifically on acoustic. In that circumstance they were very noticeable 20+ years ago, stuff would come off onto your fingers leave a weird film, but now that's not a thing. If anything on acoustics the coated strings make the guitar easier to play. No idea if that's an apples to apples anecdote for electric coated strings. Because similar to John I basically never need to change my strings until my fretboard looks very dry a year or so down the line.
I played XL for decades, recently started trying coated strings instead, tried the NYXL, tried the XS, then that very research made me realize maybe the steel is why there is already fret wear after just a year or two on my new guitars. Now I only play DR Pure Blues round core pure nickel. If the strings aren't harder than the frets, the frets won't wear visibly with just a few hundred hours' play. At least, that's the theory. The two new guitars since switching, after 3 and 4 months of play respectively, show no signs of fret wear so far.
I tried coated strings for the first time about 6-8 months ago. What I found was for the first time ever, my fingers didn't eat through the strings in a fw hours of use. I now have guitars with strings that are months old and still looking and feeling good. I'm sold on them.
This is me too. Just that it was pretty early on for me. Elixir was the one that stuck, idk how but the other brands still ended up showing signs of losing it after a couple hours or days.
@@void_snwsame, been using elixir for 15 years. I try all the other brands from time to time but it’s always more subtle and wears quicker. Nanowebs are perfect, sound nice and bright but still feel smooth and slick.
+1 for me. I use Elixirs on all my guitars and basses - with the notable exception being my relatively new Taylor AD17e acoustic which came strung with a D'Addario XS set from the factory. I believe Taylor used to string their guitars with Elixirs but that changed to D'Addario XS a few years back for whatever reason. Have to say I'm enjoying XS set on the acoustic and am tempted to get some for one of my electrics to properly compare the feel vs Elixirs. One thing's for sure, I'm a coated string guy for life.
I've been using Elixir for 15+ years now and I never looked back, so much more convenient, the strings always feel great. Might give the XS a try one of those days
I much prefer XS to Elixir, the only thing is they are glossy and slippery so depending on the guitar and finish it may be odd at first.
I’ve been using elixir strings for years. They are great. Never quite as lively right out of the box but they stay like new much longer than non coated strings
I didn't like coated strings at all because all I had tried were Elixers, which I hate. I can feel the coating. It's very obvious to me and I can't stand it. (on both electric and acoustic guitars). I tried D'Addario XT 's (which are coated) several years ago and have been using them since. Fantastic. The coating is super light and I'm told that the winding itself is what's coated. They feel ever so slightly different, but it doesn't bother me in the slightest. They sound great and have less of a drop off in the top end that occurs after a week or so with non coated XL's. I was very used to that drop off, and it was fine by me in the past, but the XT's last much longer in that "middle period" of a strings tonal life. I'd be interested in the XS, but I certainly don't need them.
I’ve also used Elixirs coated strings for many years both on my Strats and my Lowden acoustic and love them. I actually do find them lovely and bright when I first put them on too👍🏽
In my younger days of gigging 2-4 times a week I would change them every week. Now I gig about twice a month and change them about every 90 days. All I use is D'addario XL's
I am exactly the same as you regarding strings, generally only change them when I break a string. For guitars I play less regularly I've been intending to try coated strings for a while.
I generally wait till a string breaks then I change the set. it's probably on average is about 3-4 months for maybe 2-3 of my guitars. These coated strings are £17.99, that's a lot of money, I could get a few sets of regular XL strings for that price so the longevity argument isn't really valid. I might give them a go. I have them on my acoustic but haven't really worn them in yet. I always use D'addario.
The XS sets are fantastic...they are smoother for sure and last forever. Well worth a try. I use them and the Stringjoy coated model (Orbiters).
Stringjoy Orbiters are the bread of life! They were the first strings to instill a "these are better!" reaction in me. I buy 3-packs with a custom gauge range. But I like super-duper light strings, so take that for what it's worth.
@@MyBestNameHere I use the Stringjoy Orbiters on 6-string guitars and the D'addario XS on my extended range guitars because Stringjoy does not offer more than 6-string sets for the Orbiters. They are all great strings.
I've tried D'addario and Elixir coated strings but my favorite are actually the Ernie Ball titanium reinforced coated strings. The Ernie Balls feel more like normal strings, last long, sound better to me and are more affordable than the other 2 brands. The D'addario and Elixirs have more high end roll off making them sound darker and the Ernie Balls still retain that high end quality that regular non-coated strings have.
Hi John coincidentally I was just reading The Guardian and they had a article today on forever chemicals and surprisingly guitar strings were an offender.
I like them.
Cheers Rob
Sounds great and sweet , mate!
Cheapish strings + string cleaner = GOAT 🐐
I’ve been on Elixirs for years. I live in a sun tropical climate so normal strings corrode without even being played.
I think tonally that coated strings stay in the sweet spot for ages.
While they retain some brightness forever, the integrity of the note starts to fall apart after maybe a year and a half of regular playing.
But if you have a fair get guitars, coated strings are a no brainer.
You can be sure that they won’t corrode sitting in the rack and will be good to go when you need.
They are fantastic! Use them ten times longer than normal strings. Never brakes and sound good for months 👍
Another thing coated strings are good for is for guitars that you don't play a lot. Strings age even when not played; here in the northeast US, it can be pretty humid for about 1/3 of the year, and strings will corrode even when not played. Putting coated strings on a guitar you don't use much (in my case, a travel guitar and a "beater") keeps the strings in good shape for the times they get played. So even if the feel or tone of a coated set is not ideal for you, it may still make sense to put them on certain guitars. -Tom
I actually put these strings on my 335 this morning and immediately noticed that they sound mellower, like a set that’s been on for a few days. They feel fine though.
I absolutely love the feel of XS strings. I've been a nyxl user for a while but these just always feel smooth to the touch. I do think they aren't quite as bright and even though they're supposed to last longer, I notice dark spots and corrosion on the wound strings pretty early on. Doesn't affect the playability. I've had them last over a year easily
Do you prefer NYXLs or XS’s? I’ve been using NY’s and I’m satisfied but do you prefer the others?
@@alec554 NYXLs seemingly last forever... They also sound slightly brighter. But since I'm just a guy in a room with a guitar, I honestly prefer the XS because they go easier on my fingers after hours of practice and they have a certain smoothness about them that I just love
@@cbsaulren Thank you! Yeah the NYXLs do last forever. My guitar’s saddles broke before the strings did.
@@alec554 🤣🤣
Strings can make or break the guitars how it feels to play.
My current favorites are Dadario XS strings because they don’t feel too oily when starting to sweat a bit.
Ive been a user of coated strings for years. I wont use any other strings. I change my strings very often. The second they "start" to sound dead i change them. My hands chew through strings fast too. I have very acidic hands. Normal strings usually last about 3-5 days before loosing their new string sound, but coated lasts me anywhere between 2-4 weeks. I do try to make them last longer by washing my hands before playing and wiping down my strings after playing which helps, but not as much as i would hope. My favorite strings by far is the StringJoy Orbiters 9-42. They dont feel as coated as others, but last around the same as Elixir or D'Addario. I personally like the coated feel though.
I'd be interested to see how you feel about flat wound strings eventually as well, assuming you haven't tried them already. They tend to last a lot longer without getting dull anyways and the feel is very interesting.
Coated strings are great .. for me. I love them especially on my acoustic guitars. New uncoated strings sound good for a day or so, then..
Coated strings last a lot longer but they don’t sound as bright when new but they do sound better in the longer term imo
Each to their own.
I was an NYXL guy till I got a guitar that came with elixir’s last year, and I just could not kill those strings until almost 2 months. And I play every single day. Needless to say, I made the switch, and I’m happy. They come in the same gauges as the NYXLs too, so I didn’t need to adjust my setup.
I used the D'addario coated strings for over 20 years (I'm the type who avoids changing strings), and they really do last longer. I recently switched to Elixirs and they're even better, the biggest difference being they sound nice and bright with clean tones even after months of playing.
I don't play the guitar as frequently as I used to because of rusted strings, my sweat is quite acidic and I can destroy a set of guitar strings within a couple of days - after selling quite a few guitars, I'm down to 4 guitars and even on them, just the thought of changing strings puts me off playing. My favorite set of strings are D'addario normal set - now use 9's for about 20 years prior to that I was on 10's, have used Elixers in the past - they are ok - better than normal but not great, not available all the time and are quite expensive, are there more like me out there that are so lazy about changing strings that they put off playing guitar 🙂
I've been using elixirs for around 10 years and wouldn't go back for anything. Probably 1-2 years in between string changes and I don't remember the last time I broke a string.
I still use uncoated strings on my electrics as with all the bending and abuse they tend to start having slight intonation issues before corrosion becomes a major problem, but my acoustics all get coated strings. Recently bought an Auden acoustic which came with the D'addario coated strings on and was quite impressed, they're the closest sounding to uncoated strings I've experienced so far, so I may slowly change the rest of the herd to them as and when they need a change.
Seems we can’t have anything fun, guilt-free … 🙄😏
I swear by elixir, my finger sweat ruins normal strings in about 3 weeks but those things sound great and last probably over 6 months.
Been using coated strings since I started playing seriously well over a decade ago now. Cant recommend them enough. Not only do they last longer but by far the biggest plus is that your fingers slide along them so much smoother and quieter.
Its especially noticeable on wound ones. You dont need so spray them with something like a weirdo. The only drawback I can think of is pickgrinds are less grindy. $25 a set rather than 10 or so for a regular set i suppose but they last twice as long so... Never had them feel sticky either but I also wash my hands before I play.
Someone at Guitar Center introduced me to Daddario XS a couple months ago and now I’m hooked. This is after playing Ernie Ball for over a decade.
for the past 20yrs or so I've been using D'addario XL 11 - 49 (wound 3rd), and never needed to try anything else. I wipe them down before & after playing. I change strings about four-five times a year.
I hate changing strings…….so use Elixers on all my guitars. I love them.
I live in the Caribbean, Ernie Balls last a week, will try Elixir and D’Addarios.
I used to use non-coated Ernie Ball's, those were great but humidity and sweat caused them to start corroding after about a month. I tried Elixir Nanowebs and I hated them, the coating was so thick it felt like playing plastic strings. I came across the XS's a few years ago, have them a shot and I've never looked back - best combination of feel, tone and life span for me.
What about huminity?did you notice diference?
@@evangelosevangelou the coated strings helped a lot with lasting longer in the humidity. I also started wiping down the strings and fretboard after sets, that also really helped them to not corrode too quickly
@@benjaminnaidoo9776 my problem is when i play a gig near to the sea my strings are higher,on all my guitars,and my guitars are very expensive!i tried a lot of strings but i didnt saw difference!maybe its the neck of all guitars that is to sensitive to huminity
@@evangelosevangelou if the problem is your action going out, that's an issue with your neck being sensitive to the weather. I don't think strings are going to fix that for you unfortunately.
If you have dry hands they don’t matter.
Here's the thing with coated strings. If your using something like FastFret on your roasted maple fretboard guitars, instead of generic lemon oil. Its gonna make them feel way to squishy under the fingers. Almost slippery. For me the "feel" is the most critical thing. Coated strings are all over the place.
I've been using the XS since they came out. I used to change every time I started seeing corrosion. Now I don't really ever see it, so I don't change near as often now. Only when they stop staying in tune.
I haven't tried on electrics yet, but I tried on acoustic and had to go back to regular strings. I felt like the grip wasn't the same and it was easier to miss on quick transitions up and down the neck. But that was my experience anyway lol.
I have not tried the D'Addario coated strings. But I have used Elixirs on my acoustic guitar. They sounded good longer (dullness took longer), and good intonation lasted longer too (my experience is that old strings might not intonate). The one negative I have experienced with the Elixirs is that they are more likely to squeak when sliding your fingers up or down the strings. But I didn't find it bothersome.
Don't coated strings have PFAS forever chemicals on them?
Been using Elixir 10s for a long time. Just switched to their 9s. I only play uncoated strings when I buy a new guitar.
It’s funny, I tried coated strings in my acoustic (XS) … I really did not like the sound at all, I tried to persevere with them but ended up going back to my D’addario EJ 16 (lights). I didn’t expect such a difference with tone 😳
I use XS on many guitars, some I prefer a different feel.
I only use these. I got used to feel (and actually prefer them), and they are still in new condition after a year of using
I know this isn’t really a lessons channel but I’d like to kindly request that you do at least one tutorial about those cascading scale pattern runs that you do whenever you’re soloing. Thanks.
I haven’t tried them but never felt I needed them as my daddario NYXL have been great.
I only use elixirs, I love the feel and they always feel smooth, I hate the feel of rough worn strings! I never want to use normal strings again!!
Oh and they should have LESS friction cause it's smoother and slidier :)
I use daddario XT strings on all my “home” guitars, or guitars for functions, they stay fresh so much longer and sound perfectly fine. They feel a little more natural to XS than me, but not much in it.
Daddario XL (uncoated) for live band stuff (I sweat a lot live so have to change them every couple of shows).
Daddario NYXL for the studio (best sound/feel but £££).
Never liked Elixirs, Cleartones were always just "ok," the Ernie Ball Coated stuff was just ok, but these XS strings have been my favorite and my go to for the past year or so! The StringJoy Oribiters are really great for coated strings as well.
Me too. I dont get the change every week thing
I play D'addario XL nickelwound regular light gauge 10 ...and like a lot ...might combine it with 11 for better tuning ...i use electric on acoustic guitar ...E lowest is replaced with some cheapest E string i could find in local store i put that one on not ernies ball, to give it a chance ...some chinese alice? ....and that one is nice too ...i didnt change the whole set ....no noticebl age on them after ...well, almost 2 years ....hmm how time flys by fast
My default strings for acoustics are coated daddarios. Havent bought any for ages, still have a small stock and several ns capo lites 😊
I have some harley benton coated strings still to try (after watching a Paul Davids video) but like you, I change when a string breaks or there is obvious corrosion.
Flatwounds, never yet
I tried XS strings last year and the D string broke in the first set of a gig I was at. I checked the saddle didn't have a sharp point on it, it didn't, so I went back to my usual Rotosound string. I wasn't keen on the feel of them to be honest.
Coated is the only way to go for me. I only get about 4 hours or so of play time out of normal strings before they're completely dead. Coated lasts me 6 months or longer.
Ive used XL sence the Dave Mustaine add in Guitar Mag in the late 80sor early 90s, and only change if a break or corrosion is on them, never had an issue
Plus 1 on Elixirs the ones with most coating polyweb there fast smooth & sound great imho
Fast Fret and Elixir strings for months and months - not gigging nowadays though - and when I was I used a set of slinky every gig
If you have a few guitars so some don’t get played frequently they are a god send!
You don't really hear people say they need strings like the ones used by the greats.
I use regular old strings for 5 bucks a pack. Can't imagine posting 15 or 20 bucks a pack. That's nuts.
Should try them at least once. Its worth it. The smoothness is kind of like the difference between a sticky gloss neck and a clean satin neck. If you mostly play cowboy chords or just rhythm player it might not be a huge game changer but if you play lead and move around the fretboard a lot it makes everything silky smooth.Chord changes are super quiet too as it stops any rubbing sounds Treat yourself.
Always hated Elixirs . The way the felt and worst the way they Sounded but D’Addario XS changed that for me .
Every now n again I go back to NYXL’s but D’Addario XS are Awesome
I just put those on my new Jag a couple days ago. I usually play with NYXLs, not sure if I like them any better. I usually like strings the most after they’ve been in for a few weeks
try pure nickel i love them
Coated feels smoother to me for some reason
... ... it's because... they're coated. 🤔
@@jnh73🤯
Depends on the strings, D'Addario XS and XT, Elixir Nano and Poly, Cleartone, and many others will be more smooth. DR Veritas isn't smooth for example.
I've tried Acoustic Guitar Coated Strings a few times over the years, revisiting them occasionally. They sounded ok, but felt extra slippery. They cut down on squeaky string shifts, and the strings last longer, but they're stupid expensive. I haven't tried them on Electric Guitar, where I rarely change strings unless one breaks, or they can no longer be intonated properly. I don't like the "new string" sound, and usually prefer the sound after 7-10 days.
In Asia, strings dont last cos they rust from the humidity
I have friends that I can't let touch my guitar for a minute without getting it back with black strings. I myself however, I can leave strings on my nr1 for 11/2 year and they sound great. Not the new string zing but Def not dull or lifeless. Now if I would only have my friends talent...
Yeah, I’m kinda forced to use coated strings cause for some dumb reason, my hands are always moised
I have to use coated strings on my gigging acoustics because my sweat kills ordinary strings. I’ve just switched back to these from Elixir
I've been usingo Elixir for a year. MUCH better, my stringd rust instantly, now they last much longer. It also helps a lot with fret wear
I dont change strings until intonation drifts or if I'm gonna record something.
Ive been a proponent of daddario coated electric strings for a while now, but I'm starting to rethink because im starting to notice if the strings get hot either through direct sunlight or stored in the pack in a hot area, the coating melts a little bit and feels weird and kills the tone
I change my string when they start having intonation problems or they are getting too crusty to feel good.
Have you ever tried Ernie Ball Cobalt flat wound strings? They claim high frequency is enhanced.
Normal strings last 2 weeks at most for me, after that they sound terrible, feel and look terrible, etc. I've been using Elixir Optiweb for years now in all my guitars, I change the strings maybe a couple times per year at most, they look and feel like new always, and with the Optiweb I can't hear any difference compared to non coated one. I want to give a try to the XS casue they have a gauge that Elixir doesn't have, which is 9.5.
How do these compare to Ernie Ball Paradigms?
Spent $15, broke a string within a few days. Wasted $15. I’ll stick to cheap strings for that reason.
What’s the neck pup on that tele?
You best play them before you Gig them would be my Advice. I have only used coated a couple times, I do not Sweat profusely,
Do I have the world’s most corrosive sweat? My strings get rusty by the saddles after 2-3 weeks
Suppose that coated strings cost twice as much as uncoated strings. However, they last three times (or more) as long, and retain that "new strings" feel and sound over that time. I once played a gig with three-month old strings that still sounded fresh. That is what tells me they are a worthy investment.
Your talking Accousitc guitar new string sound?
That’s a lot of supposing
depends on how much u sweat
Been using Elixirs for years as I secret Alien molecular acid from my fingers. I tried XS strings but after one rehearsal and one gig they were black. So yeah a bit disappointed
The XS strings are great. Don't use anything else!
Elixir optiweb > Daddario XS. Not even close
I think I get why you're doing it, but I just want to weigh in on the change to putting the TrueFire talk over your improv-I really dislike it! Especially with these gear videos, I'm not always interested in the gear you're talking about, and the main reason I watch some of these videos is to hear you play. Hearing you build up the loop is part of the fun of that, so having that part talked over is a bit of a bummer. I'll keep watching regardless, but just wanted to weigh in. -Tom
Didn’t you get coated strings after cranking hog mid set that one time
I learned nothing from this video..
I don't mind XS, I'd like them more if the smooth feeling didn't fade away so quick. Once I went to NYXL's I'm never using anything else again. I usually change my strings every 4-6 weeks.
Never tried. I just know I don’t like Ernie balls, I like d’dario, but my go to are GHS, but I usually have to order online for those, where GC has d’darios early available. Curious if these coated strings are worth it.
XS are the best electric and acoustic strings I’ve ever played. Pricey but worth it.
At last someone who pronounces D'Addario correctly: Dah-dah-reeoh! 👍
I don't change strings ofter at all because I actually prefer flat wounds....softer, quieter...and they're $20 a set !
I think the "coated strings feel weird" is a hangover from when they started to gain popularity 20+ years ago with Elixirs. Which are the only coated string I have experience with & specifically on acoustic. In that circumstance they were very noticeable 20+ years ago, stuff would come off onto your fingers leave a weird film, but now that's not a thing. If anything on acoustics the coated strings make the guitar easier to play. No idea if that's an apples to apples anecdote for electric coated strings. Because similar to John I basically never need to change my strings until my fretboard looks very dry a year or so down the line.
I played XL for decades, recently started trying coated strings instead, tried the NYXL, tried the XS, then that very research made me realize maybe the steel is why there is already fret wear after just a year or two on my new guitars. Now I only play DR Pure Blues round core pure nickel. If the strings aren't harder than the frets, the frets won't wear visibly with just a few hundred hours' play. At least, that's the theory. The two new guitars since switching, after 3 and 4 months of play respectively, show no signs of fret wear so far.
Just ordered some Black Ice picks to sample; my go to's are Ultex 1.0's.
I just changed over to these strings yestetday! They feel great