Nano coated strings

[The_Sentry]

IT's sort of related, and I know there's other products out there, but a general question....

 

Recently, I took a friend's 12 string and fixed it up for her. The strings I ended up putting on it was a set of Exilers. (hope I'm spelling that right.)

 

I noticed that they were nano-coated. And the reason I got those was because of a suspicion she probably wouldn't change her strings in a couple of years.

 

Does anyone use nano coated strings on their electrics? Do they last longer? And does anyone know what those nano-bots will do long term once they strart to work under your skin?

[theDeuce]

I use 'em and love 'em on Electric and Acoustic guitars for the same reason, no hurry to change strings on a 12 string I don't play that often.

 

If we find out nano-bots are collecting in our bodies I'll drop 'em quick!

[Demigawd]

I had a set of DR Extra Life strings on one of mine, they have a very thin plastic ( or plastic like) coating on them. Personally I don't like them the coating wore off in less than a week of playing. I'm not sure about other companies but I would expect the same since the coatings are so thin.

[ef_in_fla]

And does anyone know what those nano-bots will do long term once they strart to work under your skin?

 

It's Elixirs, and I'm pretty sure those nanobots will cure any nasty STDs us rock star types end up with.

[evol04gt]

elixers have NOTHING on a set of CLEARTONES... i have them on my acoustics are are phenominal.... they font shred and fray like elixers

[smd24fan]

I use nothing but Elixir Nanoweb strings on all of my guitars and love them. I have nine guitars in all, and I hate changing strings! If I share the playing on all of my guitars, I don't have to change strings for months on end and the tone stays great on my guitars. True, they are quite expensive. But, they are worth the money. With traditional strings, I would be changing them at least 4 times as often.

[28v6r]

Amen to that Bro!!

 

Elixirs are cool .. No doubt about it!:(

[Notes_Norton]

Many years ago, I experimented with plastic covered reeds, until I noticed (1) if I put them on my tongue while assembling the sax (like I do wood reeds), they made my tongue a little numb and (2) when the plastic flaked off, I figured I must be absorbing whatever it is that made my tongue numb.

 

Since then I've shied away from coated things that I figured would enter my body unless I knew them to be harmless.

 

So what are those strings coated with anyway? Is it perfectly safe? Even with callouses, skin is very porous, and I play the guitar every day for from one to 4 hours.

 

Insights and incites by Notes

[snookelputz]

I didn't like the feel of the coated wires at all, the slide and stop was all kinds of different and screwed me up constantly. I do use a set of those cryogenic treated strings on a Martin DR (a seldomly played but quite nice guitar). Even after a couple of years, all they need is a light wipe down to get the surface whatever off and they sound and play quite nicely. Very well rounded, ringing treble, but without the 2stroke overtones. They don't care for slide, though.

[theDeuce]

I didn't like the feel of the coated wires at all' date=' the slide and stop was all kinds of different and screwed me up constantly.

[/quote']

 

You're right about the different feel. I do not like Poly-Web Elixirs for the same reasons, but really like the Nano-Web Elixirs.

 

BTW, isn't Elixir's coating made by Gore-Tex? and isn't Glide dental floss made by Gore-Tex? Now that's the fast way to get the nano-bots in your blood stream!

[smd24fan]

 

You're right about the different feel. I do not like Poly-Web Elixirs for the same reasons' date=' but really like the Nano-Web Elixirs.

 

BTW, isn't Elixir's coating made by Gore-Tex? and isn't Glide dental floss made by Gore-Tex? Now that's the fast way to get the nano-bots in your blood stream!

 

 

 

 

[/quote']

 

Actually, they are made by a company called W.L. Gore. I work in the engineering industry, and W.L. Gore makes some of the finest cables for RF testing that you can buy anywhere. The quality definitely carries over from the parent company. Elixir recently started making instrument cables too, and they are of tremendous quality as well. I recently purchased a 15' cable to use to plug into my amp, and it actually made a difference in the sound quality. The cable is very durable and the connectors are the best I have seen. Like their strings, the Elixir cables are pricey too. Am I ranting?? Just wanted to share my experience with all of you...

[Notes_Norton]

But does anyone know just what the coating is made of? Is it petroleum based like the furniture oil I use on the neck? Is it teflon based like the oil I use on the Kluson tuners of my Gibson and the moving part on my saxophone? Is it something else entirely?

 

I am not paranoid of any coating, I just like to know what it is before I start coming into daily contact with it.

 

Notes

[Demigawd]

Probably a Teflon coating, from what I read the guy that started that company did a lot of work with Teflon at Dupont. That is just a guess though.

[Notes_Norton]

I wrote to Elixir and here is their reply:

 

Our Nanoweb® Coating and Polyweb® Coating consists of high molecular weight polymers. High molecular polymers are not water soluble and have no chance of crossing the skin even during aggressive rubbing of fingers across the material. Let me know if there are any questions or concerns.

 

Thanks and Regards

 

Elixir® Strings

 

The worst thing I found by googling and trusting only reputable sources...

 

According to the EPA:

 

b(1). Insoluble: non-water swellable. Although exempt from reporting by the 1995 PMN rule amendments under the polymer exemption criteria, the Agency has concerns for this class of HMW polymers. This concern is based on a study, designated TSCA 8(e)-0668, which reported irreversible lung damage linked with inhalation of respirable particles of water-insoluble polymers (toner used in copy machines) of MW 70,000 or greater.

 

So it seems that playing a guitar with insoluble polymer coatings has a very low risk of being detrimental to your health, much lower than working a copy machine.

 

I did read an article somewhere that they dull the sound of the strings, does anybody have any experience with that?

 

Just curious...

 

Notes

[Dave]

I can only speak from the experience of using coated strings on my acoustic. They are bright, full of tone, and last longer than standard 80/20 bronze strings. I really like them on an acoustic. I haven't yet tried them on my electrics. I'm reading this thread with interest.