Elixir Alternative for Crowdster Plus

[Shannon]

Ok, I know this may be a taboo question giving the, at least perceived, potential relationship between Tag and Elixir, but I am getting sick of buying packs of relatively expensive strings just to replace the G!

I know I'm not the only one with this issue (and it's not a TAG issue because my Taylor 414 does the same thing).

SO,
Is there any other string that you could recommend for the Crowdsters?

OR is this just a phenomena of the string gauge that we use? I know my lead guitarist tends to break D strings more often and he thinks it may be due to it being the first wound string in the set... which, of course, on a Crowdster, is the G... so I thought there might be some truth to that...


Anway, any suggestions? I don't want to lose any of the beautiful tone that I get, but it's getting ridiculous having to replace strings solely because the G breaks and I don't want to waste a whole pack of strings...

[tom]

you're welcome to try any strings you like.
one note. we had a guy who was b reaking strings every time he played the guitar, any guitar. he also wore out his 3rd fret in months:eek:
anyway. he started putting nut sauce on his saddle and is not breaking strings anymore. worth a try.

[noregretsguitar]

I had the same problem. I switched to DR Zebra strings. They are made for acoustic-electric guitars and cost a lot less. They sound great. Also, I've started using the GHS graph-all. I haven't had any problems since the changes.

[Shannon]

Cool thanks... I'll do some experimenting, I suppose.

You had a guy breaking strings every time he plays? Come on... I mean, I'm a gigantic man and I play like I mean it and I ONLY break the G string and I only break one every few weeks... Sounds like that dude is a hamfisted brute! (or a bass player :p )

I AM noticing a bit more fret wear around the "home" position than I expected to see with SS frets, but I don't know what exactly that would be contributed to since I played my Taylor just as frequently (if not more-so) before I got the Crowdy and I haven't noticed any significant fretwear on it non SS frets...

So what's this "nut sauce" stuff? Like a graphite lubricant for the strings where they meet the nut or something?

And if so, how does that effect string breakage? (NOTE I have ONLY broken the G in the nearly 2 years I've owned the guitar. Never any other string... and it ALWAYS breaks at the bridge... always.)

AND Elixir only sells singles of a FEW strings... and the .024 G happens to be one of them... HMMM... I wonder why?;)

[Reddy Kilowatt]

^Big Bends Nut Sauce is a lube. Not sure of the active ingredient, but if your Google isn't broke, I bet you can find it.

[tom]

elixir sells all their strings separately
http://www.juststrings.com/nanowebcoatingelixirguitarsinglestrings.html

the G has the smallest core so it's the most fragile. i know lots of folks with taylors who break them regularly, not that rare.
you must be pretty heavy handed if you're wearing the stainless, but i've seen it. you must not be playing the taylor much cause those frets are the softest out there.
strings break at the bridge because they get sawed rubbing side to side from pick pressure. the big bends nut sauce helps it slide instead of sawing.

[Shannon]

elixir sells all their strings separately
http://www.juststrings.com/nanowebcoatingelixirguitarsinglestrings.html

the G has the smallest core so it's the most fragile. i know lots of folks with taylors who break them regularly, not that rare.
you must be pretty heavy handed if you're wearing the stainless, but i've seen it. you must not be playing the taylor much cause those frets are the softest out there.
strings break at the bridge because they get sawed rubbing side to side from pick pressure. the big bends nut sauce helps it slide instead of sawing.

Yeah, they sell SINGLES of every string... but they sell 4 packs of a few... and this is one of them... But yeah, I break them (Elixir G's) on My Taylor too.. Though I have broken others on that guitar unlike the Crowdster, but probably because I tend to play it a bit harder)

So it's not a problem with the GUITAR (and clearly I never insinuated that it was)... and it's not an obvious problem with all brands of strings, but it sounds like an inherent weakness with G strings in GENERAL and it does make logical sense that it would be the weakest...

Either way, I don't have a problem with experimenting... Just figured I'd go to the source first...

Maybe I'll give that nut sauce a try, too... I just assumed "nut" meant it was for the nut... I know, dumb assumption, but I'm just a dumb musician...:D

Tell ya what...
You can look at the frets for yourself when I send it to ya...

And just to be clear... I played the Taylor equally as often since 04 until I got the Crowdster in 08... And Yeah, there is definitely SOME fretwear, but I guess I'm just surprised to see ANY wear on SS frets in less than 1/2 the amount of playing time... That's all I was saying.
I mean, I play (this guitar) 3-4 hours a week on average, so it does have some time on it...

Me "Heavy handed?" It IS an acoustic guitar, right?... and I'm a primarily acoustic player which is why I coughed up the dough for the best live acoustic instrument that money can buy... so yeah, I probably am more heavy handed than a guy who is used to playing extra lights on a Tele or a Strat, but that really shouldn't be too surprising should it?:p

I'm guessing you see more fret wear on Crowdsters than you do on any of the other guitars for that reason and for the simple fact that we use heavier gauge (more abrasive) strings.

Anyway
Thanks again for the info!
I just put a set of John Pearse Strings on it (I just happened to have a set for my Yairi) so I'll give em a try and report back... They're ridiculously cheap, but of course, they're not coated... but they sure are bright so far...

I have a feeling I'll end up back on Elixirs because I've gotten so used to the feel, but I guess it can't hurt to play around with other options.

Peace..

Shannon

[Jimmy-Sekshun8]

you're welcome to try any strings you like.
one note. we had a guy who was b reaking strings every time he played the guitar, any guitar. he also wore out his 3rd fret in months:eek:
anyway. he started putting nut sauce on his saddle and is not breaking strings anymore. worth a try.


If I may quote the Supreme Commander after my experience with Nut Sauce and praising it as the one guitar accessory no serious player should be without:

"Nut Sauce is the sauce."

[tom]

i suspect crowdster frets wear faster because they are smaller and the strings are bigger. if you feel like you have to play harder that would also contribute.
the best advise i ever got about playing acoustic live is that you should have your monitor louder than you really want it so you will intentionally play lighter. not only will you play better, thinking more about what you play rather than "am i loud enough", but any piezo equipped guitar will sound better played more delicately.

[marzzz]

If I may quote the Supreme Commander after my experience with Nut Sauce and praising it as the one guitar accessory no serious player should be without:

"Nut Sauce is the sauce."
+1

Solved all the tuning problems of my HDTC with vintage trem.

[pipedwho]

the best advise i ever got about playing acoustic live is that you should have your monitor louder than you really want it so you will intentionally play lighter. not only will you play better, thinking more about what you play rather than "am i loud enough", but any piezo equipped guitar will sound better played more delicately.
A big massive +1 to all of this.

[Big Harry]

Elixir , hmm.....
It's not easy with them , but it is much more painful without them .

Since I am Floyd and Edge Pro user (heavy user ,btw :) ) over a years , I noticed regularly breakage of 1st E string in the new strings set .After two or even three breaks , there is no more breaks until that very the same string is in tune .

When set becomes old , D or even A string tend to snap off on the bridge .
Its happens on all of my three tremolo guitars ,including my beautiful :p new TAG .

In the last three months I am using Big Bend Nut Sauce , and its feel better ,much better.
I am breaking the E string only once with the new set ,and after that only in extreme situations , say when doing heavy three step bend on the 15th fret plus pull up/down Floyd arm as much as I can in the same time :eek: .

Anyway , after trying allmost any brand one can find in the string world , I always made a resolution : " go back to Elixir forever , don't try any other brand ! " :cool:
They stay in the tune as no any other brand
They don't corode as other brands , thus very pleasant feel under fingers
They last "forever"
And on the end , they are the best string ever for heavy Floyd user , what is the most important thing for me .

[Shannon]

i suspect crowdster frets wear faster because they are smaller and the strings are bigger. if you feel like you have to play harder that would also contribute.
the best advise i ever got about playing acoustic live is that you should have your monitor louder than you really want it so you will intentionally play lighter. not only will you play better, thinking more about what you play rather than "am i loud enough", but any piezo equipped guitar will sound better played more delicately.

AWESOME!

That's great advice... Thanks...
I honestly never thought to "psych myself out" by turning the guitar up in the monitor mix... I'll give it a try... Because I actually think that might be a subconscious reason to play harder even when I don't realize I'm doing it...

Great point!
Thanks, Tom...


I'm guessing the acoustic needs to be a bit louder in the FOH as well since I'll naturally be playing lighter, no?

[tom]

the foh guy will make you as loud as he/she sees fit, same as always. the difference is that you can lay back a bit when you play and really focus on what you're playing and how it fits the song, not beat it harder so you can hear yourself. there's a big difference. the crowdster makes it easy because you can make it loud as you want without worrying about feedback.

[Pietro]

FOr a while I was breaking LOADS of G strings on my Crowdster. Turns out there was a problem with some runs of strings.

I called (don't email, call) Elixir.

They sent me a bunch of extra Gs for my trouble and a couple sets of strings, too.

[Shannon]

the foh guy will make you as loud as he/she sees fit, same as always. the difference is that you can lay back a bit when you play and really focus on what you're playing and how it fits the song, not beat it harder so you can hear yourself. there's a big difference. the crowdster makes it easy because you can make it loud as you want without worrying about feedback.

Well, unfortunately, I'm currently at a relatively young, small church right now, so guess who has to mix front of house?
That's right... Me and the Lead Guitarist..
We DO have a guy behind the board on Sundays, but he's relatively inexperienced at this point, so we have to "guide" him... I'll just tell him to keep an ear on the acoustic level this week and I'll bump it a bit before rehearsal on Sunday...

I'm excited about being able to "lay back" on it a little bit now... because I think you're probably right... the more I think about it, the more I think that I might subconsciously be playing harder simply to hear the crowdster in the mix. It takes some time to unlearn bad habits... and obviously, I've played "regular" acoustic guitars primarily for so many years until getting the Crowdster that I've probably learned some bad habits that get magnified when playing the Crowdster since it's 100% piezo unlike the guitars that I had been used to playing for years.