COATED GUITAR STRINGS - Should YOU switch? Top 3 things to consider
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- Опубліковано 7 жов 2024
- #coatedguitarstrings #elixirstrings #guitardiscoveries
One of the most important discoveries yet! Are you still using UNCOATED guitar strings. Here are the 3 top reasons to switch.
Robert has played hundreds of new and aging sets of coated and uncoated guitar strings side-by-side for over 20 years. Now, he shares the origins of coated strings and explains why you should make a permanent switch. He pulls out his 1976 Nippon Gakki Yamaha FG-151 with months-old Cleartone coated strings to play David Crosby's Guinnevere.
Robert Cassard shares guitars, gear and tips to make you a better musician.
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Hi, my name is Robert Cassard. I'm a lifelong guitar player, singer-songwriter, producer, and music fanatic. I create Guitar and Recording Discoveries videos with a simple goal: to make YOU a better, happier, more confident musician!
In 2018, after more than 40 years as a pro musician, I started sharing my experiences through easy-to-understand UA-cam videos - giving you shortcuts to de-mystify playing, singing and recording.
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Very true. I've been happiest with Elixir Nanoweb (usually phosphor bronze). Saves money and time and they sound very good for a long time. I hate changing guitar strings. Although, it's still good to clean and oil the fingerboard from time to time, which keeps any strings cleaner. But usually every couple of months is often enough. Great video!
I come back to Elixir Nanoweb most often, too. My next video is about my 3 favorite coated string brands and when I use each one.
couple months? I'm oiling my fretboard once or twice a year maybe, if needed.
This was an excellent video and summation. Thanks!
Thanks, Tim. I appreciate you checking out my videos!
Absolutely agree with you on coated strings....I can destroy a set of normal strings in one day.....I switched when elixers first came out and have never looked back....I have found that the coated D addarios sound GREAT on my J35 ( you may want to try those on your beautiful J50).....My Martin doesn't seem to care which coated strings I use on it but the D addario strings don't seem to last as long on it (weird I know). I have also recently started using fingerpicks instead of thumpick and bare fingers.....this does seem to be a factor in my case at least....in a little less string life....Im disabled and no longer play out so I just play for my own enjoyment.....I still love hearing a lush acoustic sound from my guitars....
I’ve used Elixirs and EXPs on the Gibby, Gibby! Love the sound of the EXPs. Very uncoated sounding. But they never last quite as long for me. Not a huge difference, so I’m fine with either.
Great info. Elixir strings are the best. Particularly I never liked brightness of the sound. I use Elixir Polyweb11-52 for my guitar and they sound great. Good video!
Thank you, Tidus. I'm glad you found Elixir Strings. I change my strings SO much less often by using them.
The real hero of that jam was the microphone picking up everything so clearly
Thanks, Almo. The guitar is mostly the fantastic stereo sound of the Zoom H1. Incredible and under $100! The vocal is a Blue Yeti Pro, through the XLR connections.
I’ve been using elixir nanoweb strings for a while ever since I went to guitar center with my Martin that had uncoated strings to get a setup and the guy there recommended elixirs to me. The uncoated strings I had on it were so dead sounding even though they hadn’t even been on for very long.
Some purists knock Elixirs saying the coating is too thick and changes the tone. In my experience that's only true for about 30-60 minutes. After that, the Elixirs (or D'Addario EXPs or Cleartones) will kick almost any uncoated strings' butt! (Weird metaphor, but you get the idea...)
Thanks for this review. I've been really thinking about switching into Coated strings mainly Elixir. I have several ones that I've tried most of them are none coated and of course much cheaper. I thought it would save me money if I can buy 2 at least for the price of one coated Elixir. However since I got a Taylor guitar and it came with a coated Elixir string and it's almost been a year now since I got it I thought the sound is still good unlike the other ones I had it gets dull soon. Granted I don't use my Taylor that much than the other guitars I have but still the strings look good. Feels like the colors hasn't fade yet or hasn't corroded yet.
I've tried Stringjoy, Dr Dragon Skin, Ernie Ball, GHS and D'Addario I thought the EXP was good too though but finally I'm switching to Coated Elixir!
I’m glad you’re giving Elixirs a try, Andrez. Come back and tell me how you feel after 6 months!
@@RobertCassard Sure!
I've been using Elixirs for 6yrs.. and never go back to other brands.. i have 10 guitars and strunged all elixir. on my guitars 6 to 8 mos will last.. thank God they invented Elixirs
Thanks for the comment, Jomyr. I agree...thank God for coated strings. I use Elixirs far more than any other string brand, too.
Not gonna spend over ten bucks for a set of strings, never. I buy bulk traditional strings. I like changing strings, I have worked on guitars for 40 years, so maybe thats why. If you have corrosive sweat, the trick is to wash your hands before playing and clean the strings with alcohol wipes before you put the guitar away. If you do this, your strings will last as long as the overpriced coated strings.
No coating is going to prevent wearing out due to stretching and normal use. Also, nothing beats a fresh set of strings.
That makes sense, J Hon. Never used alcohol to clean my strings, mostly because some vintage guitar finishes can get damaged by alcohol. Even with coated strings, I clean them with string lubricant each time after playing. I but strings in bulk and know a music dealer, so I get my Elixirs and EXPs for under $10 anyway...
coated strings last, for me, like maybe 10% longer. I don't know what it is with my sweat, but it just corrodes the shit out of anything I touch. Usually strings start turning black after my first long session with em lol. I will give them another shot though based on you saying the initial tone might wear off quick, like all strings, but it's tone after that should last longer... Uusally I just stick with my GHS boomers, they're so much cheaper... But yeah I'll give em another go.
Liked the review and shared comments thanks for that, even though some of them are quite exaggerated. For instance; you played gigs with 4 hrs duration per day?, come on.. have played for more than 20 years live and extremely rarely I've played more than 3 hrs.
Also, coated strings this days cost almost three times more than uncoated.
Thanks for the comment, M Valencia. The "exaggerated" gig I referred to was real. I played from 6 pm-11 pm (with two half-hour breaks) 5 nights a week. The gig was during my college years at a family restaurant called Holly's By Golly. They had multiple locations in Michigan, usually adjacent to Holiday Inns. I played at two Grand Rapids locations and one in Ypsilanti (near Ann Arbor). They wanted me to play "background music" from 6-8, then turn up the volume and become the entertainment from 8-11. In retrospect, it seems a bit ridiculous. Like you, since that gig, I've never been asked to play longer than 3 hours (at least not without passing the hat for overtime). You're right about the cost difference these days. With D'Aaddario strings, an uncoated acoustic set currently costs $4.50, 37.5% of a coated set ($12).
I liked coated string better because they don't get dirty and last much longer, but I've stopped using them on my acoustics because there's not enough friction which makes hammer on and pull off much harder. I also find they are much more stiff than regular strings. My last problem was my fingernails would scrape off the coating when fingerpicking.
Thanks so much for watching and sharing your insights, Dixie. I've never heard of issues with too little friction or greater stiffness - that's interesting. For me, the benefits of coated strings have far outweighed any drawbacks, but that's the beauty of these things. Each guitarist ultimately settles on the perfect strings for their needs and playing style.
Yes Robert, if you play Coated or uncoated strings, do not touch or play when your finger skin is sweat, otherwise it will damage the strings sounds and killing tone, then the strings become dirty and change sounds.
Of course, you’re correct, Michael. But in many cases, especially when playing live, hands get sweaty and begin to degrade strings. In these cases, coated strings last longer and sound more consistent.
@@michaelgao8621 yes! I wipe and lubricate strings with Fast Fret or another lubricant before and after every session
@@RobertCassard Ok Robert, I buy Daddario coated Exp16 with 3 sets $30 and Elixir Custom light $15, are you use Elixir Light Phosphor bronze&80/20 bronze 3 sets or just one?
@@michaelgao8621 I always buy in multiples (3 sets) or even in bulk to get the best price. With all my guitars, I know they’ll eventually get used!
PTFE (same as in coated pans) is very soft. I wonder why it does not immediately rub off by the frets?
I don’t know, Pavel. I tend to see coating wear in the area where the pick crosses the strings, rarely over any frets.
Until you do an independent blind test with different types, brands and age of strings and identify accordingly then it's just your opinion and preference.
You’re totally right, Peter. My “blind” test is simply a set of long-term opinions and preferences generated by thousands of hours of playing and endless frustration when uncoated strings go dead a few hours after changing them. I’ve tested uncoated and coated back-to-back in the recording studio, but it was before I started doing these videos. Thanks for watching!
What pick is that?
It’s a Zookies thumbpick from Dunlop. It has an innovative angled tip: amzn.to/43mTYie
You might enjoy my video called the Great Thumbpick Challenge, where I compare multiple brands: ua-cam.com/video/PcGbvUgCjV4/v-deo.htmlsi=cVskjb8QQewshadn
Ok Robert, my Acoustic Guitar is Taylor 314ce Grand Auditorium and I either use Daddario EXP16 or Xt or Elixir Light, what’s your Guitar and what strings do you use?
I have multiple acoustic guitars and generally use Elixir 80/20 or Phosphor Nanoweb. My main acoustic is a 1964 Gibson J-50. The guitar in this video is a mid-70s Yamaha FG-151.
@@RobertCassard Ok Robert, I changed my Guitar to Taylor 214ce plus this year and I either use Daddario 3 sets Custom light coated Exp26 or Elixir Phosphor bronze light few times, what kind of Elixir 80/20 bronze/Phosphor bronze strings gauge you use in your Yamaha FG151?
@@michaelgao8621 I generally use Elixir 80/20 bronze Nanoweb Light Gauge.
@@RobertCassard Hi Robert, I found some strings that I never heard before last time, the manufacturer called Thomastik Infeld: Spectrum bronze and Plectrum bronze, plectrum a is kind of soft sounding coated strings.
Is that custom IEMs you have? What kind are they
Yes sir. I'm fortunate to have TWO sets of Ultimate Ears custom IEMs. I earned them in trade for playing at corporate events for UE about 10 years ago. One pair is UE 10s (2 drivers, flat frequency response). I use them for live shows and to check mixes because they don't accentuate the bass, and they're unflattering like NS-10s. (I'm told I share my love of the 10s with Gwen Stefani.) My other pair is UE 18s (3 drivers, gorgeous and flattering to almost any mix). I use them every day to experience all kinds of music in an immersive and enjoyable way.
Coated strings also wear the frets a whole lot less you will save your frets by switching i swear to god i have many guitars and one i use regular strings and some (more expensive ones) with coated strings and the frets with regular strings have all those deep grooves under the strings from playing and the ones with coated strings dont have fret wear the plastic coating does not wear against the fret as the plastic coating is softer then the metal fret i do not play any different between the guitars and this is the best reason to use them aside from that they hold more tension ( making better tonality) and they also stay in tune better because they are firmer
Wow, great point, CI. I hadn’t thought much about fret wear and how the coating reduces friction. Yet another reason to love coated strings. Thanks for watching and sharing your experience.
@@RobertCassard absolutely! I Love the channel thank you Robert!
@@creationinspired200 I appreciate you sharing YOUR wisdom, too.
What about polyweb?
Hey Nickster, I talk about Polyweb in my other video about best coated string brands...
Is that’s any evidence that coated strings cause any less fret wear?
I’ve never heard anyone talk about fret wear and coated strings (it would take a long-term study to prove). That said, it makes SENSE to me that strings with less friction on the fingers would also put less friction on the frets, especially for players who do a lot of bends.
His video on different coated strings - ua-cam.com/video/tIhMK4g6snQ/v-deo.html
Thanks for the cross-reference, Cameron.
Again awesome playing but the singing again is off-key? Must be my ears. Are you taking singing lessons? I am serious and honest. Problem with singing is that nobody will be honest- nobody will tell you. I am honest, focus on the singing a bit more.
Upon listening again, definitely not my best vocal performance. I think you’re right about certain notes. Hadn’t been planning to sing on this and hadn’t warmed up…always a recipe for pitchiness!