Why I NEVER Use ELIXIR Coated Guitar Strings 

POSTSCRIPT NOTES! PLEASE READ BEFORE COMMENTING... Wow! Lots of comments overnight on this one. I like that! People are passionate about their strings, clearly. I'll try to answer a few of the comments here in a sticky comment, rather than repeating myself a lot. First, different people clearly have different chemicals and pH in their sweat and hand oils. I know this to be true because I can play a set of regular, uncoated strings for a year or more, especially on electric, without them demanding to be changed. My friend, Kevin, can pick up my guitar and play it ONE TIME and within a couple hours, the strings will be completely dead and rusted where he played. Crazy but true! So I totally understand others are not going to experience the same cost/benefit analysis as someone like me. Also, some people play differently, with a more aggressive style than others. My buddy, for instance, plays heavy blues and uses that G string a LOT for bending and aggressive vibrato. It's an element of that style of music and one CANNOT play that style without damaging these strings in one gig. It just isn't going to happen. I share some similarities in my playing with my friend, so these strings are OUT for me on that basis as well. Others might play more of a flatpicking, folk style, or stick to rhythm with cowboy chords mainly, so for this style, it's more likely to experience coating fraying in the area where one picks with a plectrum before seeing the kind of wear on these strings. Many of you have noticed I do not normally use a plectrum, so I never have the problem of coated strings fraying in the picking area above the sound hole. As always, to each his own. Everyone should use what works for THEM. What works for me isn't necessarily what will work for YOU. This is why celebrity endorsements generally, and especially when it comes to strings, do not impress me. Good advice from experienced individuals who have been playing a long time can be helpful, but they're still likely to only be able to tell you what works for THEM, not what will work for you. That is why the title of this video is "Why *I* Never Use ELIXIR Coated Guitar Strings". ;) Thanks for watching, y'all. Love the comments! PS: These strings were not fakes either, as many have suggested. They were purchased through Sweetwater.

answer: get a new pack strings i only use elixirs and this has never happened. this is just negligence with string changes.

I've been playing since 1974. I started using Elixiir Strings for acoustic, about a year ago. Absolutely the best strings I've ever seen.

Simply replace the old Elixirs with new Elixirs. Problem solved. I've been using them for years and they last about 5 times longer than regular strings. Sure they fray- when they get old just like any brand will have issues when they get old.

Been using Elixirs for years- change em approx 2-3x per year. Stage work, non-coated, practise serveral hours per day, NEVER any issues with Elixirs. Yep, fan of them. Great feel too.

Those frets are in horrible shape. Those strings should not be re-used after going through the trouble of modding a guitar. Blaming Elixir is not to be taken lightly, because two other folks have more to do with this condition. The owner of that guitar, and the guy that did not change the strings after working on it. Incredible.

...You call yourself a "guitologist" and don't know enough to recognize worn out strings?...

I've played and toured with Elixir's for over ten years and love them. I try new ones but I always come back to Elixirs.

I have been using Elixirs since 2005. I've had a set of Elixir on a 1970 Martin D-41. I bought it in 1971 and it has been my go-to instrument. Currently, the strings on it are about 1.5 years old and sound great, even in performance. Many of my friends who have played it on stage or just at a jam, can't understand why they sound as good as they do after hours of playing. These were introduced to me when I had a neck reset. They were recommended by the Martin Trained local tech, and I have never looked back. My hands sweat ACID and IO would kill a set of GHS Pro Formula, D'addario, and Martin Branded strings. 17 years experience, the freaking pandemic, Lockdown at home, I was playing for myself, so I didn't care how old they were, I didn't have money to buy ANY strings, so I just used my last set. They still sound great. The strings on THAT guitar are beyond old! Give him a set of D'addario coated strings, N EW strings! I respect your comment about Elixir strings, but I have no such experience!@

file and polish the frets goddammit! No wonder the coating cracks on those sharp and uneven frets.

I used Elixir strings on my acoustic guitars until I started to notice that my "body chemistry" broke them down really fast. I don't, and haven't, had that issue with D'Addario strings.

I don't think it's that people are "passionate" about strings. I think it's more about how illogical your whole video is. First off.....you're not telling us how old that set of elixers is. Are they a couple weeks old? A month? 3 months? 6 months? How much playing time on them? Not really reasonable to suggest, for example, that a set of 3 month old heavily played elixers should be expected to be in great condition. Wouldn't you say? Second, Why would you be putting a used set of strings onto a guitar after doing work on it? Seems strange. Is the guy that cheap? Strings need to be changed. Just because some people tolerate rusted or worn out strings doesn't mean that's a reflection of the quality of the brand itself. Maybe it's user expectations being ridiculously out of line? "A car should be able to do 300 000 miles with absolutely no maintenance or oil changes whatsoever. If it doesn't, it must be a terrible car company" Third, You didn't tell us if they are poly or nano. That does make a difference. The nano's are much better for this kind of problem. And again...that's assuming the problem on these strings is a legit defect, which judging by the look...is probably not the case. I'm guessing it's that user expectation thing again. "just put the old set back on".....lol... Fourth, You put the non coated string on...play it...then admit there is some buzzing from that one too.....lol. OK so maybe the coating is having an effect but maybe the guitar needs to be set up better regardless? If buzzing is a concern for the player that is. As for cost benefit....yeah....that's a personal thing. I agree with what you said for the most part. Although I'd say if you're playing a set of strings for "a year or more", they may not look like they need changing but they most certainly will sound like it. A year of playing at any reasonable amount will deaden the strings. One more time.....unrealistic user expectations. Coated or uncoated. Just because a set of strings looks OK doesn't mean they are OK. Basically people just need to stop being cheap bastards and change their strings.

this guy took off strings to mod a guitar and then put the same strings back on?

I’ve got an acoustic w elixirs that are at least 4 years old and aren’t fraying like that. Been using elixirs for 20 years. One mishap like this won’t change my mind. None of my guitars have this issue

Simple case of replacing them. I use only Elxir and have never had a problem with them.

I've used elixr strings for about 7 years now on pretty much all my electric and acoustic guitars (over 30 between my dad and I). I can honestly say I've never had this issue or an issue like this at any point. I know people bitch about coated strings but I never realised it was about issues such as this.

The thing with guitar strings is different strings react differently for everyone. For instance I like Ernie Ball, Gibson and Rotosound strings, but I don't generally like D'Addario (apart from their NYXLs) or Elixir strings because they seem to wear out on me very quickly. I know a lot of people who actually find it's the opposite way around for them and find that D'Addario and Elixirs last them months, and yet last time I used Elixirs, I had worn through the coating within a week. What I've learned from my personal experiences is there is no definitive right or wrong answer to guitar strings because it all just depends on the individual player.

Not sure it's the strings fault on this one. Those frets look pretty terrible. The need crowning at least. You didn't mention how old the elixirs are. If they've reached the end of their life, then you'd expect them to react strangely... Don't know. I've used Elixirs before and they sound great, last well, and are stable. I'm thinking the problems may be down to the normal things. Wear and tear. Anyway, just my 2 cents worth. Keep up the channel mate. I love watching the circuit diagnosis stuff. Interesting.

Been using elixirs for years and I have never seen them fray like that before. How old are those strings!

I was a-frayed this would happen. OH! BOOM! I'm here all week folks, thanks for coming out! Jack ~'()'~ Canada

I love my mine! They help give that wonderful Tone and feel my Taylor came with from the factory.

i don't like elixirs either.. but honestly, as a fellow technician, I have NEVER removed strings then tried to put them back on. it's not worth the hassle most the time and they never seem to sound right after being reapplied. just put fresh strings on. even if they're a little expensive (like elixirs, jesus christ) your tone will thank you.

If ever you take strings off, put new ones back on. No problems then.

Clearly a manufacturing defect/bad batch and should be returned. In the warm, humid climate of Brisbane, the coated Elixirs cope with sweat and skin grease and do not rust or break down the coating. They maintain their full tones multiple times longer than non coated making them good value for money. Have not tried D'Addario as their coated strings appear more expensive here.

Would never use anything but elixir strings. Simply replace them. They sound better than any other strings!

Try polishing the nasty flat topped frets before you blame the strings ...

Avoid Elixer strings at your own loss. Loss of tone, loss of length of remaining in proper tune, loss of playability and loss of length of string life overall. The Polyweb Elixer string coating is better than the Nanoweb but like any man made item it DOES have a 'lifespan',(your video did not mention how long those strings had been on the instrument before it arrived on your door, but just by looking at that string I'd say quite some time) and not even coated strings will last forever. I have no agenda, no affiliation with Elixer or any reason to promote these strings other than my own experience with them and they, in my opinion DO justify the slight extra cost with all the benefits I outlined earlier. It is a simple experiment (to purchase and use them) and a small price for one's own assessment of the item.

I COAT MY STRINGS WITH YACK FUR - SMOOTH, EASY TO PLAY, AND THEY LAST AT LEAST THRITY FIVE YEARS!

Never happened to me in 20 years with elixir

Your buddy needs to replace his strings more often. I have not experienced what you are. Sounds like good old fashion fret buzz to me. LOL.

This is a pretty silly video because it misinforms people. I've just run to check my one set of Polywebs, which I've been playing on hard for maybe three years. Not even a trace of fraying at the frets.

Love my elixirs, that set must have been used for years man, of course it’s gonna look like that

This video is pretty old, but I just wanted to point out (as others have done) that those frets are in bad shape. I'm not sure if someone spot leveled them and didn't recrown the frets, or if it's just uneven fret wear from vibrato on certain (common frets). Either way, a flat fret is going to generate buzz on its own because it has a wider contact point than a properly crowned fret. Not only that, but it throws your intonation off. If it is flat from uneven fret wear and not from a lazy fret job, then those lower frets are going to cause even more fret buzz: buzz at the flattened fret, and buzz at the next fret higher due to the lower height of the worn fret. Also, worn frets tend to tear of Polyweb strings as the surface of the fret is not smooth. Level those frets. Dress them. Then give them a good polish and a lot of those issues will go away with the Elixers. I've never heard the coating wearing off generate that much fret buzz as the coating doesn't have that much mass. It will throw off the resonance of the string slightly which may cause it oscillate funny and possibly buzz (but I have not personally experienced this). The fraying does cause some really odd overtones, though. When I used to use poly webs, I would change them once they started to feel "fuzzy" at the first sign of any fraying which was normally after a month. I play with wide vibrato (1-2 whole tone vibrato) and very wide bends (2-3 step bends) on electric and have never had them fray to that extent. Then again. I touch up my frets whenever any flat spots or uneven wear appears. I also keep them polished regularly using micromesh and/or Flitz at the first sign of tarnish.

Am I the only one who sees that you did all that work and put an old set of strings back on the guitar? If you can spring for a piezo pickup and the tech work to do it, put a new set of strings on it. Problem solved.

A toggle switch on an acoustic guitar with a piezo pickup is a very bad combination. Every time you switch it ON, the pickup would pick that "click" sound as well. And that is annoying. If you absolutely needed to add a cut-off switch a "push-to-on" switch would have been a better option. I could be wrong, but this setup didn't work for me.

I'm gonna have to vote for 'bad batch" also. I've used Elixir strings on my acoustics for the past 16 years. More specifically, #16027 Phosphor Bronze Nanoweb, in the Custom Light gauge. I've seen the coating wear out, if I've been too lazy to change my strings, but I've never seen them come apart. Sometimes I change my *new* strings after a hard gig, and other times, I may change them once a month. It just depends on how much I play, and what the environment is like at that particular point in time. If I ever take them off though, I put on a new set. It's as simple as that. Those frets look terrible. You can clearly see nicks and sharp edges, where the crown has been worn down from playing. Don't bash good strings because of a damaged instrument. Leveling and recrowning the frets, and a proper setup (nut, truss rod, AND, not only, a bridge adjustment) would solve the majority of your friend's issues. And, I can't help but add, if your friend can afford a $100+- pickup, have it installed, and can't afford to change the strings at the same time; and if you did the work, as a luthier (hobby or professional), and didn't replace the strings during the job, you both need to find something else to do with your time. I'm not saying Elixir strings are the best, and I'm not saying that everyone should use them. All I'm saying is that under normal conditions, I've never personally seen anyone have that type of failure with them. Repair the instrument back to its original condition, and you can use whatever strings you like, without issue. Or don't, that's between the two of you. Don't, however, give bad information because your friend "cheaped-out", and blamed the strings for a poor maintenance issue. There are a lot of beginner, and experienced, people that watch these videos, and now might not try these strings, that could have potentially fell in love with them. They personally helped me when I was just starting out, because regular strings killed my unseasoned fingers, and the coating on the Elixirs made playing easier. If it weren't for these strings, I may not have pursued this interest as much as I did, and I might have missed out on the joys of learning to play. People can take what I've said with a grain of salt. I'm not a professional, I just do it for the love of music. I'm sure though that a lot of people will agree with what I've said. I'm getting off of my soapbox now. If you've made it this far, thanks for reading this, and happy playing!

I'm surprised more guitarists haven't heard of naptha. It's great at cleaning guitar strings. It's found in most lighter fluids. I use it to clean my strings after I play and it makes quick work of sweat, grime and the black funk that plagues your strings.

Hi, Brad. I have been using the Nanowebs for years and have never seen this until my current set. I gig 2 to 3 times a week and change my strings once at the beginning of summer and once at the onset of winter. I play solo acoustic. My current guitar is a new Yamaha. I will be curious to see if this problem continues on this guitar (maybe the newer frets are sharper) or if Elixir made some changes in the manufacturing process or materials. I enjoy your videos!

Groovy Music Lessons' Scott Grove is the guitar guy that got me using Elixir "Polyweb" coated strings on my acoustic guitar. He plays about any kind of music one can ask for on guitar, but specializes in Country. I bring this up because he has a chemistry that ruins strings in 15 minutes and swears by Elixir Polyweb strings! Well, I went ahead and put a set of Polywebs on my guitar and I have to admit, I like them and for over a year, those strings look and play as if they were brand new! Being somewhat skeptical at first, I would periodically inspect the wear areas of the strings with a 16x loupe that I use in my rock hounding and the coating is holding up with minimal signs of wear. Scott did mention that heavy metal or grunge players would probably be hard on coated strings and not get the longevity out of them that they might with playing other types of music! I think your video shows that Scott was right about that. At any rate, I'll keep using Elixir Polyweb guitar strings and you guys can rock on cuz that is what its all about my friends, rockin on..............

I use Elixer strings on my Taylor GS series . I’ve had my strings start to fray but only after a lot of use. I just put on a new set. They really sound good on my guitar, but I’m open to using other strings as well. I try to stay open minded..

I like the Di Adario Bronze lights. Been using them for years. "Happiness is; an acoustic guitar with new strings".

I take back what I said, but just for the acoustic strings, bought 4 packs of elixir's, each g string frayed exactly like his in this video over a relatively short period of time, the electric guitar strings are a lot more stable and well made I guess, but yeah the acoustic ones I find are worse than uncoated d'addario's

Let's take a moment to appreciate the fact that he filmed this in ultra HD and was as succinct as possible

0:32 loose screw laying on the work bench. Makes me nervous.

Yo bro.I have been a Luthier for 40 years.from England and I,m totally with you on this.I have had people come to me with same old problem.I have also had to do total fret dress because of the damage they have done on some guitars.keep up good work.

Completely depends on what kind of playing style you have. Friend of mine bought brand new Elixer strings and broke 3 in one gig! I've bought a set and after more than 2 months they are starting to show enough wear for me to think about replacing them. I however, have quite a light touch. So yeah I get what you are saying but it does depends on the player. I've had D'addario's before but I'm sticking to the Elixers as they are nice and bright with good lows as well.

I use elixir strings, but for me it only frays (i assume 'fray' means peel off) at the picking area, not the fingerboard area.

I haven't found anything better than Elixir as of yet. And my strings have never frayed before. Weird. If you know of a better quality acoustic string brand, I would love to know. Thank you for your videos

I read your post script in the comments below first. I'm also one of those guys with a PH that utterly destroys strings in a very short amount of time. For 10 years, ( from 1991 through 2001 ) I was a member of an acoustic duo, and we gigged hard every week ( typical 4 hr, 4 set gigs ), usually 2 to 3 dates a week. My partner was the lead guitarist, as I held down the main rhythm & melody, as well as the majority of lead vocals, as we both harmonized vocals in the choruses. ( Classic rock tunes mostly.) We both use 12's on our acoustic guitars. Even though he often played using heavy blues type string bends ( and even slide guitar where applicable ), he could use the same set of strings for several gigs before replacing. ( We both used UN-coated Martin Marquis strings back then. ) But for me on the other hand, my strings would be trashed after only 1 gig. This was back when the coated Elixir's first came out & became all the rage. I tried them immediately & HATED them. Even though they were 12's, they felt like wimpy rubber bands when tuned to pitch. But nowadays, I am using the D'addario XS coated strings on 3 of 4 of my acoustics. I love their feel, sound, and they far outlast anything else made today. But even these XS strings can't withstand a high open E alternate tuning without breaking fairly soon. A high alternate open tuning like open E tuning is really hard on strings. ( You never "keep the guitar in open E tuning", you have to tune back down after performing a song that uses open E tuning, for obvious reasons...........and this constant re-tuning up & down is abusive to ANY string. ) This is why I use the un-coated GHS Americana strings on one of my acoustic guitars that I use for open E tuning. The GHS Americana strings sound fantastic, are reasonably durable, and they cost far less than any "coated string". Because even the uber-expensive coated strings break fairly soon when used for high open E tuning, I refuse to waste money on those for my guitar used often for open E.

When I first started playing the ELIXER strings saved my life in building my calculus

I used to work for a large guitar manufacturer and elixirs were ideal for their guitars. Even the cheapest models were over 1000, and they shipped them all over the country. They could hang on guitar shop walls, played by lots of customers, and still sound fresh after months.

This is not due to the strings...🤦‍♂️

they're my favourite strings - but on electric rather than acoustic. best tone, and they last a long time without diminishing.

Seriously? Elixers have to be some of the best strings out there right now

Likes: 1.2k Dislikes: 1.2k Comments: 1.2k *_perfectly balanced, as all thing should be_*

Scott Grove would be triggered

Speaking as a guitar restorer the issue here is simple.those strings are fake.Elixir strings do not lose their coating.They are specially made for electro acoustic guitars designed by Taylor. We have strung hundreds of them and are our go to string.I would suggest he sends the strings to Elixir in the states to get a second opinion before making wrong judgements.

no way the owner only used them for two practice sessions. That may have been what he told you lol

I used elixir bronze on my acoustic guitar a year ago, but I don't use it now. There are my reason why I don't use it again 1. Elixir bronze acoustic causes my left top finger become be yellow, looks dirty and it is difficult to escape 2. Its coating string on sound hole position is peel off caused pick friction, It is disturb to me 3. The tone durability is not better than string uncoated 4. The string looks good for 3 month, no rusty, but when I look the string that friction with fret I find that the coated is peel off and corroded.

Guitarmod deserves a new set of strings! Period

I have a Martin D-28 and a 000-28 and have used Elixirs for the last 9 years, never been a problem.

My elixir snapped trying to get it to standard tuning.

I've been playing religiously for 15 years and have used every string, even still try new ones every once in a while when they come out but Elixirs have never done me wrong.

You try to point out something you think people should know about. And you get slammed. That only proves the saying, no good deed goes unpunished

I am not one to promote or demote any brand or type of gear. Very rarely is that kind of advice fact based, more often than not it is preference and opinion, and no one can tell you what to like or dislike. But sometimes I will discover something that comes along and I feel the need to share my opinion so that others can avoid a lot of trial and error. And this time it is about a new string. On advice from a fellow guitarist, I tried the DiAddario NYXL strings. I like the feel and playability of light gauge strings (008-038) but the Ernie Ball and others just sound thin, weak and tinny. I tried the NYXL in 008-038 and found both solid, powerful sounding strings that are super easy to bend and chords are easier to get my fingers on. Again, that is my personal opinion, but I feel like most would agree. They're a little salty to buy ($12 a set) but will last as long as you want them to last.

Just change the strings and quit complaining. And "Down here it magicly stops buzzing." He is using strings from the 70's, DEAR LORD HELP US ALL.

I just bought a new acoustic with EXP coated D’Addario strings. Upon close inspection of the strings as I was adjusting the truss rod to get the neck straightened up and get rid of fret buzz, I saw small rust spots on them over the sound hole. When I can get to my local guitar store I’m going to buy my Ernie Ball strings.

Wow, why would anyone play a guitar with strings in this condition? What is wrong with you and your friend?

I’ve not used their acoustic strings but their electric strings have kept me happy for years and years

Elixirs are hand down the best strings I've ever bought. I've tried other coated strings that are on par, but there's no sense in changing to something that's exactly the same. They last significantly longer, they stay in tune, they don't break easily, they feel great in the hands and they're just a great product all around.

I’ve never had a problem with elixir so I don’t know what the customer was doing as I’ve never had fraying and I’ve used them years

Totally agree, my friend bought Elixirs and within a few weeks his strings began to fray. Elixirs (from what I've noticed) are shit. I easily fix the problem by buying D'addarios

For the last 10 years I have only used D"Addario phosphor bronze strings. Back then I was trying other brands including Elixer coated strings. My feeling was that the Elixer's sounded great but I would notice the coating getting a little sticky on my finger tips. I also felt that the Elixers were not quite as clear as the D'Addarios, I assume because they are coated. I admit the difference is very, very subtle. As I played more and improved my sound, it got to the point where I was changing my strings more often. Since the price of the Elixers was higher, another reason to stick to the DA'ddarios. I will try the D'Addarios again to see if I change my mind

LOL. Your buddy needs to get a new set of strings. Ain't none of them last for ever! Cheap?

Similar thing happens to uncoated strings when the windings get worn away down to the core, so I don't see problems. If you like the feel and sound of elixirs just replace them when they get worn out. All strings will wear out.

I used these strings when I first started playing because of the comfort. I had the exact same issues being illustrated here. I haven't used them in years

I don't even play guitar, but any engineer can see that the strings have rotated, displacing the worn spots on the string where it meets the fret. Once you take the strings off and you can't get them back into the same exact position, the fraying is going to be be apparent and disruptive.

I have customers that use them and they have this idea they will last for years. When I tell them the coating splits over a few months they act like I'm crazy. I don't care for Elixer/coated strings at all

*Damn those frets are sharper than my kitchen knives*

THE SOUND OF ELIXIR STRINGS ALONE BLOWS !

My elixir strings last me 3 weeks.

Pee-AY-zo, Brad. Jesus.

I’m like you, Brad. I have dry hands and not very acidic sweat, seemingly. I don’t usually use Elixirs, but had a set of Optiwebs on a Flying V for ages. Only changed them because the guitar needed a decent set up and fret polish. They were good.

I use them for years now and this never happened with me. Elixir strings and coated strings in general are a life saver for people with sweaty hands like me. Can't tell you how much it means not to have your strings turn into a rusty unplayable piece of crap in just a week. I'm also not rich or a touring player to change strings every week.

Its an Epiphone. It sounds pretty good, but they rarely polish the frets on their guitars at the factory before shipping. When you do some bending, especially with Elixers, the strings get beat up. Nice smooth frets dont affect Elixers.

because they suck. never liked them, rather change my strings then play that coated crap. they feel sturdy and i snapped one within a week so i changed back to d'dario.

So many comments about the strings.. Do those frets seriously look normal to all of you?? It looks like the frets were leveled and then never recrowned, and definitely not polished. Frets are supposed to have a crowned top to prevent string buzz. A smooth (polished) and properly crowned fret will not eat through the coating on Elixir strings. If there was a proper fret job done on this guitar, the action could be lowered and buzzing wouldn't come into play until they were lowered even more. I don't understand how someone who works on guitars just simply doesn't know any of this?? I really hope this guy has a poorly chosen hobby and isn't screwing up a ton of people's guitars while charging them loads of money. When a musician spends their hard-earned money on their instrument(s), they deserve to be able to get work done that improves the instruments playability, longevity, and quality. His "buddy" needs to find a professional to fix his frets and stay the fuck away from this guy in the future.

I use nanoweb strings for several reasons. I go a little overboard with my guitar maintenance routine by micropolishing my frets with supplies I get from a local builder near Toronto Mike Carparelli. He came from another former local builder Lado Guitars. I make my own answer to nut sauce which I make with graphite powder, vasoline and three in one oil. I haven't tried a PTFE variant yet because it hasn't been necessary. I use nanowebs because they work well with strat tremolos reducing nut wear, especially with the nut goop I make. With the frets polished I never see any fraying or chipping of the coating and I really beat the shit out of my main strat with heavy trem use and very pronounced vibrato. There are other pluses too but you know what they are. The other guitars I have I don't feel I need them on as much since they don't have to put up with the abuse as much. Fret jobs also seem to last a bit longer and since I have a tendency to wear out frets, I think it's a good thing. Yes these strings are bright sounding but I mostly play through an Orange head which is pretty dark to begin with. In short, if you have a well polished fret job you won't have that associated problem with the nanowebs as far as I can tell. The other coated types and brands not so much. I hope that helps a bit. Always a pleasure visiting and receiving your input Brad. Cheers.

For everyone who thinks about getting elixir strings: The ones who last longer are the polyweb strings. At one point they changed the coating to the worse...later changed it back. Then there was a period where they only coated the wound strings...and changed it back after they pissed off customers. The flaking is weird. I never had that before. But i get suggestions for strings all the time...those black packaged d'addario that should be sooo great. The Cleartones that have some kind of molecular treatment (very thin...so if it doesn't form a new oxide surface, it makes no sense to me...but i may try them in the future. @the guitologist: That chickenpicking around 4:58...is it from a particular song? sounds great.

this never happened to my nanowebs. the only area i ever get fraying is where i pick, and it's a complete non-issue there

Yeah I've had the same problem with Elixir strings it's annoying so I use martin titanium core strings.

I'm no luthier but I am pretty sure when you take strings all the way off you must replace them. Once strings are locked in place and have stretched that affects the intonation. And clearly we can see the the press marks on the strings are no longer aligned with the frets. But I am with tons of other responses, i have never had this issues with Elixirs, but I practice once a week and play out 2-4 times a week so I go through some strings . And even though they are Elixirs, I still replace them about every 3rd show. The coating protects them merely from my sweat...non coated strings are rusted the next morning at the bridge no matter how much i wipe them down.

Lol elixir strings are advertised at under the video

Im surprised new strings were not part of the gig. I would not have done it without replacing them.

For acoustic saddles you should take a 1/4 inch thick piece of plexiglass and press it behind the saddle and trace that line on the new saddle. That gives you the correct radius and string height when making a new saddle from scratch

From what I have heard about Elixir Polyweb and Nanoweb strings from some other RU-vid channels these strings were most likely Nanowebs. The claims were that the Polyweb strings are better than Nanoweb. Nanoweb strings reportedly have problems with the coating starting coming off while the Polyweb strings don't have that problem.

Did I hear that right: "I put the strings back on..." You reused a set of strings? I have never done that. When I take a string off, a new one goes on. Chances are that the release in tension and then re-tension is what perturbed the coating.

The problem is you put the "strings back on". The strings were already stretched then you took them off. The strings like most things that stretch relaxed and tried to go back to their original length. They were then put back on and stretched again. This will cause the coating to do exactly what we see in the video. It would be like wrapping plastic wrap around a piece of rubber thats been stretched then allowing the rubber to go back to its original form. The plastic wrap will tear and bunch up. Obviously the elixir coating wont bunch up but it will tear.

I doubt anybody could use a pack of uncoated strings for a year without having any problem like you claim. I know you want to prove a point because of the negative feedback on your video but it’s physically impossible. Anyhow, nice playing bud!

I got the same issue .... with average acoustic strings .... without any coat .... I moded my Epi Acoustic so the strings are louder with long sustain ... some friends call it the "acoustic-electric" guitar. The issue is the same as you pointed out here .... but with the wrapping wire on the G string. All the string "separates" the wrapping wire in segments just like the fretboard ... after a week .... no matter what I do, the issue is the same, you can feel with your nail under the string those cuts in the G string. I have to change it because of the BIG annoying buzz. I tried to change to a flat string, but the bridge is not filed for flat G string. This issue is because of augmented vibrations that G string can't stand. Frets are ok, no edgy frets all along the fretboard. This is something that ONLY happened AFTER my mod. When I bought it, everything was ok. After 5 years ... G string was ok. One more thing: When I play single notes or I bend notes 1/2 ... 1 ... 1 1/2 up .... my guitar sounds like an electric guitar .... like if had delay on it, looooong sustain man, and there's no preamp or gadgets on it .... pure acoustic tone ..... with electric guitar sustain. Hope to upload a video soon so you can hear it. Cheers !