By C. Reddy

As an acoustic performer who typically plays out 3 nights a week or more, I have always had an issue with string performance on my acoustics. My normal routine is to re-string for every performance as I am very particular about my sound and there is no substitute for the sound of new strings. Needless to say, this endeavor can be costly ~ and that’s not even taking into consideration the time and effort that goes into setting up for the next show. I’ve tried many coated strings in the past that have been advertised to have enhanced clarity, but I have been disappointed on most occasions. However, last month I was asked to review the new Ernie Ball Everlast Coated Acoustic Strings (used by such greats as Jimmy Page, Sir Paul McCarthy, and The Eagles) and I was pleasantly surprised to find the strings more comparable to the Martin SP13 gauge strings I typically use.

The benefit of coated strings is to provide the guitarist with longer lasting strings in order to reduce costs and time associated with the re-stringing process and to eliminate or reduce the moisture that can be an issue with string longevity. I put the new strings to the test at one of my Sunset Tiki Bar gigs at Nashoba Valley during a show in the hot sun. I was perspiring quite a bit as the temperature was a balmy 95 degrees and the humidity was 75%. The strings lasted quite well through the performance and I was surprised to find them in good shape for my gig the following day. The sound quality is much better with these coated strings as they come in Phosphor bronze, which I prefer over the typical bronze offering, and I was very pleased with their playability! If you are looking for a coated string to try for any number of reasons, I would definitely recommend the Ernie Ball Coated Strings. They come in gauges .013, .017, .026, .034, .046, and .056 and are perfect for rapid succession gigs with time constraints and for outdoor gigs where perspiration is an issue.

www.ernieball.com/products
www.chrisreddy.com