Longer lasting strings?

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I enjoy restringing my guitar as much as anyone

Actually, I do kinda enjoy the process...

But Ernie Ball strings sound horrible at first, then quickly sound like the best strings in the world... Then they wear out in a couple of weeks.

I really don't like the feel of elixirs, nor the tone really. Not bright and bitey enough for me.

So is there any such thing as a string that sounds great for hard rock and metal, but will last a couple of months? I've seen cobalt ones, but they're quite pricey for just an experiment...
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Comments

  • FezFez Frets: 499
    I like the Cobalt ones on my gigging strat only on the second set in two years.
    Another one to try is the Dunlop ones but like Rotosound they are harder on your frets.
    Don't touch that dial.
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  • I enjoy restringing my guitar as much as anyone

    Actually, I do kinda enjoy the process...

    When people dream of being famous and having the accompanying rocognition and money, I literally just dream of having someone to do string changes for me. 
    My muse is not a horse and art is not a race.
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  • I use Elixirs, so I have no positive advice for you. However, avoid Rotosound Nexus like the plague - only the wound strings are coated, and they feel like they're wrapped in cotton. Horrible things.
    <space for hire>
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  • JohnPerryJohnPerry Frets: 1616
    i went over to DR pure blues a year or two back and have never wanted anything else since. Great tone, for ages

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  • richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24793
    edited January 2014
    Love Elixir on acoustics but don't get on with them on electrics at all. D'Addarios are the best cheap(ish) solution for me. They seem to sound good for a much longer period than EBs and when they start to deteriorate they do so more slowly. EBs seem to 'go' very suddenly. Someone whose opinion I trust has recommended Dunlop's, though I've not tried them yet.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    edited January 2014
    DRs for me too.

    They also do a coated string (Dragon Skin) which I've tried the acoustic ones of and are the only coated strings I like… haven't tried the electric ones yet. I strongly dislike all other coated strings I've tried so it was quite a surprise that these were good.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • I've been trialling the dirt cheap Legacy strings. Bloody great for the money.
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  • mike_lmike_l Frets: 5700

    I like Dean Markley's, nothing special, but they hold tune almost perfectly, even with Floyds, and only require changing when the tuning (usually on the G) goes (depending on use 3-4 months for heavy use).

    Not yet had one go rusty either.........

     

    Ringleader of the Cambridge cartel, pedal champ and king of the dirt boxes (down to 21) 

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  • xSkarloeyxSkarloey Frets: 2962
    I don't use coated strings but I would recommend the standard Rotosounds. I like Picato too. I've also used the Strings Direct budget brand and they feel and sound good to me.

    I like strings that last too cause I've got a couple of guitars with vintage style Kluson tuners, and stringing them is always a fiddle for me. I love the look though so.put up.with them.
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  • timmysofttimmysoft Frets: 1962
    Get some interflon fin super. It's an industrial lube but it dries off easily leaving your strings Teflon coated. I've just got 10 weeks ( 15 rehearsals and 4 big gigs) from a set of EBs like this.
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  • ChrisMusicChrisMusic Frets: 1133
    edited January 2014
    Interesting post from @timmysoft, not tried the 'interflon fin super', so I'll check out where to get some and give it a go.

    I was going to suggest some additive, so in my case I have tried WD40 and Finger Ease (which is sold as a string lubricant), both of which significantly extended the life-span of string brightness, (maybe took a little of the edge of when new, not sure).  I presume it displaces all the finger gunk, dead skin cells, sweat etc which gets into the windings and kills the strings, also stops moisture from rusting / rotting the strings too.  Does change the feel though.  And I only used WD40 on a lacquered maple board FYI.  ( And I do actually like the smell of WD40 too, strange but true ! )  (edit: I should have added: they also quieten the squeak on acoustic strings)

    Elixirs work pretty well for me too, as long as you don't scrape the pick down them, which kills the coating, otherwise they last forever (nearly).

    Earnie Ball were always my string of choice though, so I am following this with interest.

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  • I like Elixirs. I probably like them slightly less than a more orthodox brand when brand new, but it's marginal and once they are played in slightly the difference in infinitesimal and far outweighed by the convenience of longer lasting strings.
    “To a man with a hammer every problem looks like a nail.”
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  • I'll definitely try Dr's. I'm probably on the side of 'sweaty palms' that makes strings age pretty quick. I also have a pretty aggressive pick attack, and I notice they wear out tonally rather than tuning or rust (the higher strings get horrendous overtones and the bass strings lose all of the brightness, yet still have a harsh top end).

    My picking is for tone, not habit, so I don't want it to change. But I pick hard enough that I have to tune the low d and g strings a little flat to account for it. Which makes sustaining chords a tricky business.
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  • thermionicthermionic Frets: 9502
    I've never liked Elixirs but I've been putting D'Addario EXPs on my acoustics for a while. The windings are coated before they're wound onto the core, so a different way of coating to the usual way. They seem to last somewhere in between uncoated strings and Elixirs. I haven't tried the electric equivalent (in fact I'm not aware whether they make them or not).
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  • d8md8m Frets: 2431
    I've just restrung with my first set of Elixirs so we shall see how things go.

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  • usedtobeusedtobe Frets: 3841
    I enjoy restringing my guitar, too.
     so if you fancy a reissue of a guitar they never made in a colour they never used then it probably isn't too overpriced.

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  • mike_lmike_l Frets: 5700

    All these wrong un's who like restringing.........

     

    Yep, I'm one of them too...

    :)

    Ringleader of the Cambridge cartel, pedal champ and king of the dirt boxes (down to 21) 

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  • mike_l;137359" said:
    All these wrong un's who like restringing......... Yep, I'm one of them too... :)
    I love making those dull frets shine with wire wool, and stretching the strings and wiping the fingerboard down...

    Idk
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11415
    I've never liked Elixirs but I've been putting D'Addario EXPs on my acoustics for a while. The windings are coated before they're wound onto the core, so a different way of coating to the usual way. They seem to last somewhere in between uncoated strings and Elixirs. I haven't tried the electric equivalent (in fact I'm not aware whether they make them or not).
    I never liked the original Elixirs.  I've just recently tried some of their Nanoweb ones which I think are made this way.  They are a definite improvement over the normal Elixirs.

    I've found different strings work on different guitars.  The (acoustic) guitar I've put the nanowebs on had something honky in the mid-range with my normal phosphor bronze strings, but I didn't want to go to normal bronze ones as they don't seem to last as long as phosphor bronze so I tried the nanowebs and have been pleasantly surprised.

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  • thermionicthermionic Frets: 9502
    I think the Nanoweb ones are coated in the same way, but that it's just a thinner coating. That's what I understood anyway, I could be wrong.

    I tried ordinary Elixirs and Nanowebs on my Taylor, but when I tried EXPs it was like gaining an extra bottom octave. I haven't tried uncoated strings on it though. Just checked Strings Direct - EXP electric sets are £9.99, definitely going to try them next.
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