Stainless Steel Strings? Perhaps Elixir?

[Notes_Norton]

In about a month, I'll be starting my 7th year playing at a marina on a deck over a salt water lagoon. This is the actual birthplace of the US Navy SEALS and all the stuff on the wall was left there by former SEALS when they come for their annual muster.

 

 

 

Anyway, in the salt water environment the unwound strings on my guitar start rusting almost immediately, so I was wondering about stainless steel strings. I read they wear the frets down faster and sound brighter.

 

Is the wear a lot or a little?

 

Will they resist rust?

 

Are the unwound strings on my D'Addario XL's already stainless (since they aren't wrapped) in which case all the other questions don't count, since the unwound strings start to rust first.

 

Also, I know that pure stainless steel isn't magnetic. You can't stick a magnet to a stainless steel refrigerator or knife blade, so are they really stainless.

 

So next I'm thinking about Elixirs.

 

Do they sound as bright as D'Addario XL's?

 

Do they resist corrosion?

 

Does anyone in a corrosive climate have any experience with both and can give a comparison?

 

My local Ma & Pa music store doesn't carry Stainless strings so I'd like the info before I order on-line.

 

Thanks.

Notes

[Ryan H]

I use Elixirs exclusively because my sweat eats regular strings in a day. With Elixirs I get a month or two out of each set, and I'm happy with that. I also like the feel of them...they're quite slick feeling. No squeaking or drag like I've felt with some strings. They almost feel wet.

 

I'd say their tone is comparable to D'Addario XL's, though perhaps they're a little softer sounding. Still just as bright, but the very high frequencies are rounded off a little more. I prefer it.

 

Hope this helps,

 

-Ryan

[Edlo]

In about a month, I'll be starting my 7th year playing at a marina on a deck over a salt water lagoon. This is the actual birthplace of the US Navy SEALS and all the stuff on the wall was left there by former SEALS when they come for their annual muster.

 

 

 

Anyway, in the salt water environment the unwound strings on my guitar start rusting almost immediately, so I was wondering about stainless steel strings. I read they wear the frets down faster and sound brighter.

 

Is the wear a lot or a little?

 

Will they resist rust?

 

Are the unwound strings on my D'Addario XL's already stainless (since they aren't wrapped) in which case all the other questions don't count, since the unwound strings start to rust first.

 

Also, I know that pure stainless steel isn't magnetic. You can't stick a magnet to a stainless steel refrigerator or knife blade, so are they really stainless.

 

So next I'm thinking about Elixirs.

 

Do they sound as bright as D'Addario XL's?

 

Do they resist corrosion?

 

Does anyone in a corrosive climate have any experience with both and can give a comparison?

 

My local Ma & Pa music store doesn't carry Stainless strings so I'd like the info before I order on-line.

 

Thanks.

Notes

I have been using Elixirs for the last 3 years, I love the feel and as mentioned it cuts down on the squeaks quite a bit. I get at least a month or more out of them. Give it a shot I think you'll like them.

[Jimi Mac]

In my own experience I think Elixirs put out some of the very best tone. The sound fantastic and are very sweet!

 

I've never put them thru their paces with salt water, but they are coated so I suspect they'll perform better than regular for sure...

 

There's also Ernie Ball Titanium Coated Slinky's... I've tried them and they hold up very well. They last forever, but they rob alot of tone from the output. They have a very limited scope/range of their tone, it's mostly middle it seems, but if you like it there, it'll go all day without fail... I actually found them to be more flexible when they break-in, even more flexible than standard strings. They seem brittle and tight right off when new, but as soon as they break in they actually seem more flexible than regular strings...

 

I don't think I've ever tried SS strings...

 

Good luck and good on ya!

[btoth76]

Hello!

 

Elixirs are great. Once I, - accidentally left a set on for year - on a guitar I don`t use that often. They were still in very good shape.

 

Normally, I could use them for 4-6 months on regularly played instruments.

 

However, the Rotosounds that cost half, can be good for 4-5 months too. (When I am not lazy to clean them after playing).

 

Stainless steel...my only concern is the softness of Gibson frets.

 

Cheers... Bence

[zigzag]

I don't know how they are coated, but if you're only looking for a coated string, why not D'Addario EXPs? When I used a coated string, that's what I used. Not that I could tell much of a difference, but I was convinced they sounded a little brighter than Elixirs.

 

I suppose it is worth noting that Carvin strings their guitars with Elixirs from their factory.

['Scales]

I only use Elixirs now. I started using them when breaking strings and trying to eliminate rust weakening as a cause - no idea if that was the issue but stopped breaking strings in any case. These do not rust and the only reason I ever change them is (unfounded) fear of a breakage in a gig - but even then only after several months. I use polywebs which are a little thicker coated, but nanowebs are also great and to me feel exactly like a regular string whilst poly's are slightly different feeling but easy to get used to imo. On-line cost is about the same as regular strings would cost in store (though I know I should support local stores... if I do there's about a 50% premium, but it still is much cheaper overall as they last so long).

[Notes_Norton]

Thanks y'all.

 

So far lots of votes for coated strings, and none for stainless.

 

I definitely appreciate you sharing your experience with me.

 

Notes

[milod]

I'd be wary of stainless from concerns of fret wear regardless of guitar brand. Then again, that's an interesting question - and I'm not sure that the internal wire is stainless, nor the unwrapped strings.

 

I'm also an Elixir fan. I like the polywebs - the heavier coating - because it is a shade smoother. With lighter gauges and an unwrapped "G" string, that hasn't caused me any problems at all. I guess it might if one uses the bottom three wrapped strings at and above the 10th-12th fret.

 

There are other coated strings. I tried one or two brands and cut them off the guitar mostly because I learned that I prefer the shade-smoother-than-bare Elixirs.

 

As for the unwrapped strings... I'm guessing that with non-stainless steel knives, if you keep 'em clean, they shouldn't be a problem.

 

m

[Notes_Norton]

When I play at "Little Jim's" the strings last about 2 weeks. I should replace them every week. Even though I wipe them down when I'm done, 3 hours of playing in the salt environment gets to the strings.

 

It's a very fun gig for us. It's in the afternoon, so it mostly retired folks, and since there are neither dance nor dinner sets we get to play anything we want and don't have to worry about sequencing the songs. We have running gags that go on for months and months.

 

I like playing with new strings, they sound so bright, so every couple of weeks really isn't a problem until I think about how wasteful to the planet that is. More mining, more in the landfill, and so on.

 

My Parker guitars have hardened stainless steel frets, but I still don't want to wear them out.

 

It's looking like Elixirs have the best reputation.

 

Does anybody know what the unwound D'Addario XL strings are made out of? I wrote to D'Addario but they haven't answered my e-mail yet.

 

Thanks,

Notes

[zigzag]

You might consider calling customer service at JustStrings.com @ 800 822 3953 or e-them customerservice@juststrings.com

[capmaster]

...

 

Stainless steel...my only concern is the softness of Gibson frets.

 

Cheers... Bence

I think it's about Bob's Parkers here, but I don't see a problem in the Gibson fret wires themselves.

 

To my experience, several factors come into account. Since buzz is less annoying through humbucking pickups, people tend to set string action optimistically fast. Wider fret crowns mean lower surface pressure of the fretted string. Stainless steel strings are not significantly more abrasive as such but somewhat stiffer. Combined with fast action and fret wire width, most attacks will make the string bounce on top of the fret. Transduced through humbuckers or highly inductive single coils like P90s, players may even like the distinctively clicking attack. Nonetheless, it will wear down the frets.

 

String bendings will dramatically increase fret wear in general, and in particular when using strings either feeling stiff and with a tough surface. Optimistic action settings exacerbate it all here, too. Players tend to fret hard while moving their strings across the frets, wanting to overcome stiffness and buzz at the same time.

 

The fret wires used by Gibson are not the culprits but the victims in my opinion.

 

Anyway, I think that string action won't be a problem for you, Bob. Being a piezo addict myself, on Gibsons and Fenders as well, I guess the action settings on your Parkers will be reasonable for obtaining a clean acoustic tone. B)

[rct]

Does anybody know what the unwound D'Addario XL strings are made out of? I wrote to D'Addario but they haven't answered my e-mail yet.

 

I use Flatwound Chromes, I'll see if I can cipher up what those are made of when I get home.

 

rct

[Karloff]

a good friend of mine swears by Elixirs. theyre all he uses. I like the EB Cobalts, they sound nice, but I use plain ol' Slinky's

[Notes_Norton]

Thanks again.

 

It's the non-wound strings I have the most problem with. They seem to corrode the most, and from what I have read, it doesn't seem like the stainless steel strings will make a big difference there

 

The unwound strings are generally made from 430 SS alloy which has magnetic properties but corrodes.

 

I might try the Elixirs and the EXP strings.

 

I read a comment somewhere else that only the wound strings are coated, if that's the case, there is no reason for those either.

 

In Florida, on the Atlantic coast, everything rusts -- but I really like the warm climate. I bought DR strings (in the paper wraps) a number of years ago, and the strings corroded in their cases. That's when I switched to plastic wrapped D'Addarios. They can live in my guitar case for a couple of months without rusting.

 

Notes

 

Notes

[Ryan H]

I read a comment somewhere else that only the wound strings are coated, if that's the case, there is no reason for those either.

 

I know that in the Elixir's case, they use some kind of anti-rust plating on the unwound strings.

 

-Ryan

[capmaster]

I know that in the Elixir's case, they use some kind of anti-rust plating on the unwound strings.

 

-Ryan

Definitely. The plain ones are nanoweb coated as well.

[capmaster]

...

The unwound strings are generally made from 430 SS alloy which has magnetic properties but corrodes.

...

 

Notes

Researched on it which made me doubt. 430 SS would lack tensile strength, just featuring 483 N/mm². Typical spring steels take the fivefold. Due to the required tension, steel strings can be manufactured out of high-grade spring steel only.

 

Just calculated that the .011" E1st I use is at about 1385 N/mm² when tuned correctly to 329.63 Hz at 24.75" scale length. 25.5" will call for 1470 N/mm². Since the densities vary just a little, and at a given density and a given scale the diameter defines the mass, these values approximately apply to any E1st.

[Notes_Norton]

Researched on it which made me doubt. 430 SS would lack tensile strength, just featuring 483 N/mm².<...>

 

That's what D'Addario told me - 430SS

 

I wrote to Elixir about the unwound strings and they haven't responded.

 

D'Addario says they use a tin coating on their unwound EXPs.

 

I'm getting an education here :)

[zigzag]

According to Wikipedia, even though Tin has oxidizable states, it is not easily oxidizable and is often used to coat other metals to prevent corrosion. Tin is a very resonant metal, but I don't understand magnetism well enough to report how magnetic Tin is or how well it transmits electromagnetic signals to pickups.

[capmaster]

That's what D'Addario told me - 430SS

 

I wrote to Elixir about the unwound strings and they haven't responded.

 

D'Addario says they use a tin coating on their unwound EXPs.

 

I'm getting an education here :)

 

All of the Elixir plains I ever got hold of were coated. Hum, buzz and static clicks due to electrical isolation clearly revealed this.

 

I'm pretty sure D'Addario refers to plating and wound wire, not the core wire.

 

When about specs of musical spring steel, here's a link to the American Standard ASTM A 228/A 228M:

 

ftp://nwmcog.org/SBDC/AAR/ASTM%20A%20228.pdf

[Notes_Norton]

Reply from Elixir:

 

As you know, sets are made up of wound and plain steel strings. In addition

to the NANOWEB® and POLYWEB® Coatings that protect all wound strings,

Elixir Plain Steel Strings feature an innovative Anti-Rust Plating that

prevents rust and corrosion and extends the life of plain steel strings.

 

Just what the innovative plating is was not revealed.

 

Notes

[Ryan H]

Reply from Elixir:

 

As you know, sets are made up of wound and plain steel strings. In addition

to the NANOWEB® and POLYWEB® Coatings that protect all wound strings,

Elixir Plain Steel Strings feature an innovative Anti-Rust Plating that

prevents rust and corrosion and extends the life of plain steel strings.

 

Just what the innovative plating is was not revealed.

 

Notes

 

Isn't it obvious? It's made of Anti-Rust! It's the rust equivalent of Antimatter! :P

 

-Ryan

[milod]

Ryan....

 

<grin>

 

m

[capmaster]

Isn't it obvious? It's made of Anti-Rust! It's the rust equivalent of Antimatter! :P

 

-Ryan

To my knowledge it is PTFE what makes them hazardous waste after use.