Worst Strings EVER!

[@CrushingAxes]

You need a Gibson in order for this strings to work Glleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnn 😂😂🤣🤣

[@myopicautisticmetal9035]

I noticed that nearly 100% of Rig Rundowns by premier guitar lately have been nothing but show us your Les Paul sessions.

[@216trixie]

@@myopicautisticmetal9035 because they rule.

[@216trixie]

I think Gibson might be taking a free rent in some of your heads.

[@educesar77]

@Vibhav Rajkrishan now add a golden klon centaur pedal and that’s how you unlock the holy tone

[@theoutlawtorn]

Buuuuuuuuuuu maaan😂😂😂😂

[@steventsunami9506]

Gold plating is a great solution for folks with nickel allergies. Stainless steel strings can help with that too but they eat your frets faster, where as the gold is softer and won't eat frets. It's a niche' market but 17% of Americans have some degree of nickel allergy.

[@willer3399]

Stainless steel frets will fix the issue with the wear and someone with a nickel allergy should use them.

[@kalidesu]

@@willer3399 That would require a very expensive re-fret and guitar redressing of the frets. The Gold plated strings have a place for people with allergies.

[@TheNocturnalEvil]

@@willer3399 JJL Guitars use titanium carbide frets. I can bet that guitar eats even steel strings like a mofo. Edit: I mistyped, they use tungsten carbide frets in their guitars.

[@willer3399]

@@kalidesu My point is, if your frets are nickel, and you are allergic to nickel, they will have to be replaced.

[@A.J.99]

How about the polymer coated strings, like Elixir? The coating supposed to prevent the skin contact with nickel plating.

I actually really liked the sound of those Optima strings (chewier/fuller mids, rolled off top end) but I'm also the kind of guy who rolls off tone knobs on tubescreamers... The springy part though, I couldn't be bothered!

[@funsmart]

Yes, I closed my eyes, and the gold sounded much better to me, even with repeat listening. I was expecting to agree with Glenn that gold was a ripoff gimmick, but my ears were telling me that the sound of gold is golden.

[@EbonyPope]

Wouldn't fuller mids and less top end mean good for jazzy stuff? I think it really depends on the genre. It might not be for metal but bluesy or jazzy music would fit I think. Liked the sound too.

[@bestregardsband6912]

@@EbonyPope - probably better for stainless steel frets

[@Blue-cf5jd]

The gold stuff kinda sounds better for me too tee bee h, like a little more "alive", and I was expecting very little to no change

[@ensoniq2k]

I also never noticed anything bad about the sound, if anything I love the sound of my LP. The gold looks great with the rest of the gold hardware and the LP bridge makes installing them pretty easy.

[@diarrhea_splatter]

Funny enough, I met one guy who could only use gold coated strings, because regular guitar strings reacted to his skin and would break out in weird hives.

[@nicholasmullins3693]

I know some people have nickel allergies, but would he be able to use regular stainless steel strings?

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

Stainless is defintely and option!

[@dbackscott]

I also know someone who reacts the same way to nickel. I play with stainless steel strings on my bass, and I love them.

[@evowire]

SS are an option, but I use Ernie Ball Cobalts. They are Ni free. I also have a nickel sensitivity.

[@axilleas]

@@evowire funny you should say that, I recommended these to a friend with nickel allergy. Well, what'd you know, turns out he has a cobalt allergy, as well...

[@Dragonfyre137]

To be frank, I tried the optimas once back in the days and they actually did have a longer durability and retained their tone far longer than regular nickel-plated strings, which become dull and loose their treble after 3 to 4 weeks in my hands. The Optimas remained fresh for 3 to 4 months, so in my book it's definitely worth the money. However, I didn't stick to the Optimas in the end, essentially because their selection of string gauges and sets (no 7 string sets) was too limited. Using Elixirs now and not regretting it. Far better selection and similar durability. Other than that, I actually prefered the sound of the Optimas over the nickel plated strings, but I also prefer a mid-heavy sound. So that might be highly subjective.

[@salviadivinorum1762]

ditto Elixirs w that 'Ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating'

[@EbonyPope]

Hello Frank.

[@davidloflin3098]

Hey Glenn, a quick string-changing hack for that. Use the thin tube that comes on a can of keyboard cleaner, stick the tip of the string into the tube and guide it through the hole. Or buy better strings, there's that.

[@Peter-by3ox]

Awesome hack

[@damienalvarez2957]

Next can you test out nut and saddle upgrades? What happens if you go from plastic to bone or plastic to TUSQ? Or pot metal to aluminum? Would like to see if there’s a measurable effect.

[@di0__0ib]

I would really like to see this. but what a pain it would be to make that video.

[@ryananthony4840]

Yes!

[@hounsdjentlow3074]

This one right here please glen

[@tommilitello198]

Obviously on a fretted note it would be impossible for it to matter

[@koolin3613]

What effect do you think it makes aside from maybe tuning stability?

[@JustPlayingBass]

I'm really looking forward to seeing more of this series. Big grins hearing what people actually buy to make their lives "better" A good name for the series could be "Who drank the snake oil?"

[@howardmaryon]

If you drink the snake oil, do you get the s@#ts?

[@zaydacevedo9437]

To be completely fair tho they did provide a tone shift that in some players specific context may be desirable so its not like tone wood where there is actually no tangible difference. Maybe somone has a shrill rig that needs the high end tamed and to them these strings sound really good.

[@taimaishu-nao1922]

Random person: “you know what would go good with my made in America Gibson Les Paul ‘Gold Top’ with gold hardware? Some 24K gold strings. Gotta let everyone know I’m a gullible dumb*ss” Optima Gold: “Say no more.”

[@icestorm_rb9057]

My guess is that the loss in the treble/top-end of the gold-plated strings can be attributed to the properties of gold itself. It's either the gold plating is altering the way the strings vibrate, affecting the tonality and giving it the mid bump and high-shelf effect, the gold plating altering the way the magnetic field interacts with the pickups and strings, or some sort of combination of both.

[@RacerX888]

@@inzane1260 Dead right. soft dense metal does not vibrate easily. The strings have a "new" sound, but its also a duller sound. And playing for about 30 minutes will probably erode the gold where they touch the frets. Useless idea.

[@RhiannonTyler]

Even a pick would damage gold, maybe if you don’t use a pick and have plastic frets 🤷‍♀️

[@TrestonCal]

@@RacerX888 I tried a set of DR strings with the black coating and noticed how quickly the black chipped off. I wonder if these degrade at a similar rate. They had similar claims, but I think I was more shocked at the unwounds becoming chrome as I was stringing the guitar.

[@ledoynier3694]

@@RacerX888 don't worry about the density of gold. the coating may be only a few atoms thick. only that much is needed to give that golden sheen. And, often, a precoat of nickel is needed before gold deposition, so, people with nickel allergy may be in for a surprise, depending on what process they use for coating :)

[@kalreynolds5829]

It is heavier, which will lower the resonant frequency of the thing. Basically, it's going to be a little like using a heavier gauge string than you actually are, to some extent. But being so maleable, it's going to wear a lot more easily, so they are not going to protect your strings better, and since gold doesn't form a protective oxide, that's going to cause preferential oxidation of the string itself, while a nickel plated one will form basically nickel rust in the gaps of the smaller damage. Nickel is also ferromagnetic, meaning it interacts with pickups. Gold is not, so it shouldn't contribute to the magnetic properties of the string, but again, the linear density of the string is going to be higher, which will alter the acoustic properties of the string re tension, length etc.

[@mikeKidLazy]

Yes, definitely do more of these useless guitar gear videos. Thanks a lot for all the tremendous work you're putting into the channel, Glenn!

[@gytarmotor]

i liked the tone of the Optima way better but would use a lighter gage or at least try a set out. would love to hear them on a tune o matic bridge and a floyd

[@doublestrokeroll]

Yes wiping strings does make them last longer than if you don't, but I live in a place with consistent 60 to 80% humidity. I can put a fresh set of non coated strings (pick any brand you like...I have tried almost all of them) , put the guitar on the stand and not touch it, and the strings will start to pit in about 2 weeks. Playing and wiping they'll be rusty in 3 to 4. Playing with no wiping and it's about the same 2 weeks but they will be visibly rusty, not just pitted. The best I've used are Elixers. They just work. I've heard that the unwound strings don't get the coating but they must do something because it will be at least a month if minimally played before they show much of any corroding. Yes, they don't have that pop that fresh non coated strings have. If they'd actually last I'd use Ernie Ball's cause they sound great, but it's just too much trouble changing strings so often. Ernie Ball's coated strings flaked off like crazy the one time I tried them. Went back to Elixers. And yes...I've tried Thomastik Infelds. Elixers last longer.

[@mrcoatsworth429]

I understand the goal of these strings, even if they fail. Coated strings are really good if you have a bunch of guitars sitting around at home or your studio that you only play once every few weeks. Coated strings (I've used those D'Addario ones) will last half a year and feel as good as new. But if you play a lot, I don't know if it's worth it. But then again, if they last twice as long, you're creating half as much trash that's dumped in some landfill or the ocean.

[@zakkmylde1712]

I use the Earnie Ball Paradigm coated strings on most of my heavily played guitars, I play a lot and my favorites all have SS frets so having strings last longer than a month and a half is nice. I can keep the Paradigms on for like 3 or 4 months and they still feel great. They are also a little more durable and I beat strings up so that's a plus.

[@zacharysmithingell5460]

I was thinking about this re: coated strings and the landfill and I worry about microplastics -- not great for the environment, either, yes? I don't know what the best tradeoff is.

[@mrcoatsworth429]

@@zacharysmithingell5460 if it's not coated with a polymer there won't be any microplastics. And usually, strings are coated with some other metal. In terms of microplastics, the packaging is the bigger issue, which means that long-lasting strings are also better.

[@damon2k9]

Just can't get past how much better your playing has become!

[@snrchris]

Some people love these. I've worked in a music store for 20 years, and these things really do sell! Not my cup of tea, but hey, Brian May uses 'em...

[@jarrodhroberson]

Ford escort was best selling car in the world for a decade, does that mean it was the best car for all that time. Appeal to popularity fallacy much?

[@snrchris]

@@jarrodhroberson Not talking about my taste. I play Ernie Ball or GHS, both of which are popular because they're good. Just saying that people buy Optima. Usually it's because they have a Mary Kay strat or something and like the aesthetic. Not saying they are a good/better/best string at all. I've played them and they are fine, but not anything special.

[@gelatinspiders]

If ii had the money of Brian May I would too. Probably doesn’t matter how they sound because he’s using brighter single coils and not playing in high gain metal tones so he can get away with it.

[@ensoniq2k]

They look really gread on a gold hardware Les Paul so there's that.

[@gelatinspiders]

@@ensoniq2k yeah they do look pretty cool

[@AnonymSuperhero]

The Optima strings have two advantages despite all that BS marketing: 1. They are perfect for people with nickel allergies who can't use regular strings (including coated ones) and 2. they look amazing, especially on black guitars. I have friends who like them (not metal tho) but I'll stick with the NYXL or Pyramid ones

[@TrueLink1]

So far what I'm hearing is a big shift in the low end and lower mids, and a bit less top end. Typically when other instruments have parts made from gold (like flutes and their head joints, or violin e strings for instance) the tone is definitely a rounder fuller sound with less top end, so it lines up fairly well with gold's "supposed" acoustical sound difference. I think for metal it's definitely not what you're ideally looking for, but if you're stuck with a cheap amp or cab that's giving you an extremely harsh ice picky tone, it could help calm that down a little bit. Would it be more effective than just buying an EQ pedal or saving up for a better amp rig? Probably not. But hey, at least gold does something consistent across the board tone wise.

[@neglectfulsausage7689]

the same is true of the gold plated cables for connecting guitar. it adds roundness.

[@jarrodhroberson]

Yeah it robs koolaide drinkers pockets consistently regardless of instrument

[@rrolf71]

I would rather blame the "finest laboratory steel" - each steel has different tensile properties, and also may have different ferromagnetic quality. The first would dictate the level of high harmonics in the vibrations, the latter - how they are translated to electric signal. The gold plating is very thin and rather negligible in effect.

[@ryano.5149]

@@neglectfulsausage7689 That's hilarious! lol In a cable? No it does not.

[@manny75586]

The gold sounded a lot richer and fatter. Probably not strings I'd get for metal. Cutting the brightness is kinda at odds with adding tons of gain in a metal context. But on my semi-hollow for Jazz or recording cleans? They'd work great...but they sound extremely similar to Elixirs...which are cheaper. A person with a nickel allergy would definitely appreciate those though.

[@andresilvasophisma]

So we can conclude that strings can actually change your sound after all?

[@hunter00143]

Gimmick strings like these sure, but your everyday Ernie ball or dadarrio idk?

[@ClintsCrypt]

More UGG videos please! Optima makes Optima Gold strings for Brian May (Queen). I have put them on my two guitars that have gold colored hardware. But I don't think they are anything exceptional. It is strictly for looks. I prefer Elixir Optiweb strings, which also last a long time.

[@darkwinter6028]

NOT USELESS!!!1! It provides that “rock star” bling-bling look, which as you know is absolutely CRITICAL for scoring groupies! 😜

[@michaelfjmusic]

"iT hELpS mE pLaY BeTtEr!!!!!!!"

[@Brandon8211]

I actually bought a set of these just for shits and gigs, yes they are expensive, but I actually quite like them. never had any issues with them slipping out of tune

[@austinbw2668]

I'd love to see you try a e-bow with some high gain tones iv been thinking about trying it because it's such a weird peace of gear

[@waruta69]

I really enjoy the fearless gear reviews. Perhaps you should take a look at the Valvebucker Pick up system, which appears to be an active pick up amplified by a couple of tubes in the preamp system. As someone who builds guitars and preamps myself, this seemed like a ridiculously expensive replacement for something that already works just fine.

[@antonkovalenko364]

Over $2k for gen.2? Holy hell.

[@Hajtosek]

I would love to see your opinion on NYXL, Cobalt and the D'Addario coated strings...

[@FSdarkkilla]

I personally love NYXL. Will not go back to any other as long as they're on the market. So also would like to see that...

[@Hajtosek]

@@FSdarkkilla So do I. They should be similarly priced (10-15€ a pack locally here). I started using the coated high end thing from d'addario because the sweat.

[@russdesaulniers3112]

Scott Grove has an interesting theory that strings last longer on guitars with maple fingerboards, because rosewood has pores that collects and holds finger gunk, which gets picked back up and transmitted back to the strings, making them go dead faster.

[@charleskp947]

there's quite a big difference in sound/volume there actually. Optima Golds sound way "bigger". Lots more low mids + output

[@RequiemWraith]

More output, but seemed a lot muddier to me

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

The tone shifted, that's for sure. Not in a way that improved the sound, unfortunately!

[@educesar77]

If you take a look at the clean comparison, you can see Glenn played slightly closer to the neck and seemed a little more heavy handed in the beginning of the chord. That might be a part of what changed the tone too. You can definitely make the same strings sound brighter and louder by changing small variables like that.

[@charleskp947]

@@SpectreSoundStudios yeah i mean.... i could find a case for the more mid forward sound, but it's probably not in a metal context

[@TyphonKrazilec]

I agree about the wiping of the guitar before and after playing. But, some people, like me, have very corrosive sweat and can dull a set of strings in, litterally, one hour. I use optimas since the 90's, I love the fact that they remain bright (soundwise) longer than most of the other strings. I do not use "coated strings" because they sound dull, even when brand new. I do not say "buy optimas", I just say that they work for me. by the way, I've never had coiled optimas like yours. Cheers ;)

[@comand0Metalero1]

Well these are the strings that Brian May has used forever. I tried them myself and liked them for that sort of soft rock/rock and roll style. Not for metal tho

[@electricwhiteboy]

Yup, I was amazed that I could hear the tone was slightly similar to his in the examples. Though obviously there are far more important factors in tone chasing his sound.

[@luukderuijter1332]

Intonation is affected by the kind of string as a guitar string isn't perfectly flexible and thus the actual end node doesn't fall exactly on the end of the string (i.e. the bridge/nut). If you change the type of string you are using, or even the gauge, it might be worth checking if your intonation is still soud. There's probably no audible difference if you switch between 10's and 11's but there's probably a noticable difference between 13's and 08's

[@JamesFerrerosa]

I love these strings by the feel and the sound they give. Perfect for me might suck for others but "Difficult to string" just because its curved lol! com'on man, all you have to do is put a little effort and youll be fine

[@EbonyPope]

Wouldn't also be more mids and less treble good for clean stuff? Maybe blues or even jazz?

[@jeremylove6594]

@@EbonyPope that's what the knows on the amp are for.

[@eigenstatezero]

I bought those for a build with gold hardware for the completion of estethics. 4 years ago, still on actually, sounds ok. Not worth the price from a quality-standpoint but I don't think they suck.

[@ancientalien815]

Its insane how different they sound.

[@CaseyJust]

Glenn I would love for you to do a video on Stringjoy guitar strings. They don’t make any claims about tone but they do allow you to order guitars strings in custom gauges. They have a string tension calculator on their website so you can see much heavier or lighter each string will be if you were to change it. The goal is to get as balanced or unbalanced (e. g. heavy bottom-light top) as you want them to be for your setup. Stringjoy offers what they consider balanced string sets that are a bit different than what everyone else is offering.I’ve been ordering custom string sets from StringJoy for my guitars I leave in alternate tunings and I’m quite pleased. I would be interested what you think to play a balanced gauge for both standard and dropped tuning.

[@Turboy65]

Yes, strings can be different in intonation from one set to another. The more high quality strings such as D'Addario or Ernie Balls will be very consistent in intonation. Since most of us usually use high quality strings we don't see string related intonation problems very often. Unless they're very old and very worn out.

[@1972LittleC]

5:00 Didn't you wish you'd use a les paul or sg with a stop tail piece? Well, I heard a difference between the strings, but not what I expected; normally the old and used strings are a bit duller in sound... (and I used good headphones and I'm going deaf, so....) But the gold strings sound louder for some reason? (edit; Hey, I'm not the only one thinking it's weird...) Anyway, I'm keeping it with my D'Addario XL 10-52's

[@Notpetedoherty]

Love the new series glenn. A friend of mine gave me a pack once. Put them on my 70’s schecter strat. They lasted ages but felt shit to play and didn’t stay in tune 😂

[@Fudmottin]

D'Addario Guitar Strings - NYXL Electric Guitar. $34USD from Amazon in a 3 pack (I go with 9-42 gauge). Sound great and cheap enough to change as often as you like. Gold plated strings seem as stupid as Monster Cable. Now there was a product that deserved ripping a new one. Not even an oscilloscope could tell Monster Cable from any other properly grounded and insulated interconnect or speaker wire. Now if you have gold plated tuners, knobs, pickups, etc on your guitar, then gold plated strings would go with the look. Nothing wrong with that so long as you're doing it just for the looks. As for the people complaining about nickel allergies, I didn't know that was a thing. SS should be fine. Gold is soft, especially 24k, and the coating is THIN. Like atoms thin if it is electroplated. Not sure how much that would help you and it's gonna wear off pretty quickly. ETA: On the clean tones, the conventional strings were so much better! I did not expect to hear any differences. Now if I can hear differences through KZbin playing on laptop speakers, there's difference! I didn't notice it on the distortion. But it jumped out on the clean. That's why I like to hear the clean tone. Clean lets you hear what's going on! The clean tone is also fundamental to the distorted tones. ETA2: The gold plating itself should not make a difference. A bit of back of the envelope work tells me that 1g of gold should be enough for several thousand strings. Hence there would be no added mass to change the fundamentals. SO I surmise that what's going on is the underlying string itself is a POS. If they started with fundamentally good, strong strings, then they should have been fine. Mind you, I'm not a guitar hero. I just know a little bit of physics and not enough chemistry to know the actual gold plating process used.

[@JohnSmith-ki2eq]

I do hear a "VERY SLIGHT" difference between the two sets of strings but not enough to warrant the higher price and I wouldn't say that one particularly sounded "better" than the other... just slightly different.

[@aguy5274]

I think that the gold strings sound a bit brighter but that could also be because his old strings were old.

[@emilholmgrenmusic]

Weirdly, there is a change in the mids with the gold plated strings that I like. Wouldn't gold plating wear off really fast, seeing how soft gold is?

[@drdandalf]

GLEEEEENNNNNN!!!!! I would like to see this series concept for drums! I feel like drummers, such as myself, are suckers for shiny and colorful things, even if we are likely to break it with our sheer brute strength. "Ohhhh shiny!" *BANG BANG BANG* "Oh nooo it broke.... Ill buy another!"

[@manupbritain5232]

Shira Kashi Oak sticks. This is where tonewood matters.

[@InsomniacMatt]

A small problem with gold plated strings is gold is NON MAGNETIC, so any non magnetic metal would not sound very good with a MAGNETIC pickup, like what's in electric guitars and basses.

[@darkwinter6028]

Oh - and on that theme, I have in my proud possession a couple of TOSLINK optical cables with… you guessed it: gold-plated connectors. On a cable that’s NOT electrical. Yup. So, why’d I buy them? Well, not for getting groupie-transmitted-infections… actually they were the cheapest thing on Amazon in the length I needed.

[@sebguyader]

I tried a set of Optima bass strings, I although I don't really buy the gold thing (I really don't care) I tried them and actually really liked their tone, and this tone was quite specific. But they are quite hard to find in stores, so never purchased another set. Oh and the bass I used wasn't a basic bass, it was a Lakland 55-94.

[@Dgarig665]

I'm somewhat confused, a soft metal not known for its resonant qualities, gold wouldn't seem like a good choice for guitar strings in the first place.

[@MOTORHEADGASKET]

Yeah me too. And i don't think the coiling can be good for tuning stabillity

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

As per the title, it’s pretty useless!

[@MoakS11]

there are audiophile grade cable with gold contact... and brass instrument that arw gold plated. So it means that gold means better qudio, so here coomes the gold strings...

[@IkeHowell]

i would love to see you do a vid on colored DR strings🤣 as always, excellent shit glenn. i love how blunt and transparent you always are❤️

[@LilView]

Definitely a huge tonal difference. Im surprised. The gold is sounds much more open sounding, But I prefer the nickel strings. The chugging sounds tighter.

[@MurdochGuitar]

I do hear a difference between the 2 sets. I wonder if it's just the difference between fresh vs dead strings 🤔

[@ErickC]

Wouldn't you generally hear the opposite result if the nickel strings were dead? Nickel strings tend to *lose* treble as they age. A test versus fresh nickel strings would probably make the gold-plated ones seem *worse* by comparison.

[@MurdochGuitar]

I don't care enough to bother.

[@anandgarde13]

Without knowing how long you waited between restringing and recording, the gold plated strings constantly needing retuning may be due to the fact that they were just installed and were still getting stretched. I usually have to give my newly restrung guitars a few hours before they start holding tune. The shift in tone was pretty interesting. Though, something to consider is that the nickel coated strings were old and may have dulled out, while fresh new strings are usually extra bright and twangy. Maybe a side to side comparison between a fresh set of regular nickel coated strings like Ernie Balls or D'Addarios and a fresh set of these gold strings would be a better comparison.

[@georgekay372]

With how hard I play, the gold would be worn down after five minutes lol If you want actual good strings, check out Elixir. They’re more expensive but they’re heavily coated so they last a lot longer than regular strings. I like them because they feel a lot smoother due to the coating. Been using them for a decade and can’t stand the feeling of regular strings anymore.

[@SoundForgeStudio]

When Glenn says he gonna try some guitar gimmick stuff ,and you know he's gonna get mad and let.you know how useless and dumf it is ...Is it just me or does anyone else look forward to see what and how annoyed he gets over things.. lol

[@ericdpeerik3928]

No, no, no.... I saw the title, I knew there would be yelling. I'm totally in!

[@michaelfjmusic]

Same!!!!

[@BrianSteedman]

Elixir Nanowebs are the go-to for long-lasting strings. Have you heard of those? Check them out. Would love to know your thoughts Glenn.

[@vermontextreme]

Just a technical note on gold: it is one of the softest and most pliable metals. Using them in an application where tension and stress is constant would not be at all suitable. Let’s just keep that in mind when having tuning issues. But hey, at least they don’t tarnish or rust! 😂

[@AMSQUIRELALONDE]

It’s just coated in gold, the string themselves aren’t gold

[@vermontextreme]

I’ve worked in the textile industry for a long time; family business and such. A lot of plating was happening. It was usually done over cheaper metals not only to make them look better but to protect the wearer from getting tarnish stains from the cheap metals underneath. Chances are the metals used to create the strings are not as high quality as they would lead us to believe. Just saying the finest laboratory steel is marketing. Show me the specs.

[@AMSQUIRELALONDE]

@@vermontextreme check out their website and see if they disclose that info

[@IcedForce]

I actually have a friend who needs to use these, not only does he have nickel allergy so it's couple hundreds on top of every guitar he buys to get them refretted but also chrome allergy so even stainless steel (usually iron, carbon and chromium) isn't a solution. So everything must be either brass, plastic or gold plated (silver often includes nickel and when there's just few factories in the world making strings you can bet just before those pure steel strings there was either stainless or nickel plated strings going and you have traces of nickel or chrome in them), fuck that. Gold plating otherwise is often a good thing to spot scams. The plating itself is just couple atoms thick and even for big things like mic covers the amount of gold used is worth maybe at best a dollar. As in out of my memory gold plating a car would have costed around few thousands of dollars "only" (not millions but not a pocket change), so something like "gold plated connectors" and twice the pricetag is pretty much a scam. Even "better conductivity" is pretty much a scam because your connector will be soldered with most likely tin and there goes the advantage gained with that micron thick gold.

[@MikoOhneHose]

I think some people are allergic to nickel, so this might not be a completely useless product. I read about people on Thomann stating those strings helped them in that scenario. Tried them once like 6 years ago and they didn't really last longer than my favorites (Elixir). Stayed in tune though, that was fine.

[@ThePrestoPrestissimo]

Stainless, Cobalt, Cobalt, Coated, Monel Steel

[@educesar77]

If that was their intent, it should be on the top of their marketing claims. Instead, they used the usual “tone buzzwords”, I wonder why…

[@givemeajackson]

in my experience, which encompasses basically any coated string on the market, nothing holds a candle to elixir in terms of longevity

[@themaschi]

@@ThePrestoPrestissimo have tryed cobalt strings...... Hate them, the instrument is my least used since they are on. Gonna rip em of soon.

[@anandgarde13]

@@themaschi Ernie Ball Cobalts are my favorite strings.

[@SgtPnkks]

I've always been "whichever one is the cheapest in stock at the shop I'm in"... So almost always the basic daddario or ernie ball Except for my thunderbird... Always rotosound, love the sound and feel, also the red silks look damn sexy on that headstock

[@kgunn2005]

Here's a good idea: Let's add a layer super soft metal on top of the steel. That won't dampen the sound at all!

[@jpdenk]

Good video! I do hear a bit of a difference, but the Optima plated strings are steel rather than nickel strings, that may explain the difference in sound. Gold isn’t magnetic, so unless it affects the way the underlying string vibrates, it can’t possibly make a difference. 😊

[@tommydstudios2094]

Dude, you can put nylon strings on your guitar and they will still work great. It doesn't have to be magnetic to disturb the magnetic field. Any movement will create the vibration necessary.

[@MrInitialMan]

Since gold is a pretty soft metal, I'm not surprised at the tuning issues.

[@vonStahlhelm]

Its a gold coating. The coating has nothing to do with the tuning issues. If a coating would influence the tuning stability, you would have a hard time to get Elixir's in tune, because plastic is even much more softer as gold.

[@MetalMan1245]

Wow, one of the few things Glenn has tested that actually did make a noticeable difference (albeit in my context not even a huge one) but it was actually worse, amazing.

[@MrJakeTerror]

Damn shame about the strings, was hoping they would be at the very least a serviceable novelty, but this video has proven otherwise. With that being said, I'd like to see your approach on brass hardware in this series. Keep up the good work!

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

They suck and blow at the same time.

[@69mosshead]

@@SpectreSoundStudios Our bassist uses these....... I'll say no more🤣

[@HauntedGuitarMan]

brass blocks make your floyd sound much thicker. ive done it twice now. switched out the metal one for a brass block. i was amazed. on a korean floyd. i made a active guitar passive and it turned super thin sounding until i changed block. i might make a video showing different sounds but i would have to redo it for the sake of vid. just saying i would prove it for the non believers. anywho my 2 cents on that zeeeeeeeeee

[@MickH60]

@@SpectreSoundStudios Well if you can get them to cook and mow the lawns they're marrying material !!!!

[@kingjbone1]

@@69mosshead Ain't no damn bassist paying for strings, let alone these.

[@sigurjonoligunnarsson]

Great video Glenn please do more like these. Who thought putting a NON MAGNETIC metal on an ELECTRIC guitar string was a good idea? As far as I know gold is not magnetic. Nickel is (from what I can find), magnetic. Maybe the lack in top end is the result of having less magnetic metal moving in the magnetic field of the pickups. You are amazing keep it up! Edit: Typo

[@tespiteng]

Gold ones sound so much better imho. It's not the gold strings that suck, it's the review itself 😂

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

Please see a doctor about your ears…. It’s nothing you want to take chances with!!!

[@tespiteng]

@@SpectreSoundStudios Yeah, right 😂 Please stop contaminating KZbin with your so-called reviews. Your keto face and potbelly is enough already.. 😘

[@therealmess6658]

Weird how much of a difference you could actually hear. Definitely more than I was expecting. Wonder if the gold interacts with the pups in some slightly different way. The only reason I would ever consider them would be for purely looks on a gimmicky gold and black guitar or something because of the tuning stability tho.

[@popkorn256]

Thanks Glenn for testing the gold-plated strings. I wanted to give them a try for fun but I don't have to (waste my money) now, thanks to you :)

[@A.J.99]

Great video, Glenn! You've busted those BS-makers! Even the school-boys know gold is a pretty soft metal. So use it for string plating is totally stupid idea. Gold plated strings are not for guitar players, but for guitar snobs.

[@mrcoatsworth429]

Fun fact: If all the gold on earth was melted down and shaped into a cube, that cube's sides would be around 17 m each.

[@MonsterJuiced]

17 miles or 17 meters? specifics man they matter because meters doesn't sound very big at all

[@othinus]

@@MonsterJuiced Most probably meters. As miles are abreviated as mi.

[@mrcoatsworth429]

@@MonsterJuiced SI base unit for length: metre (m).

[@MonsterJuiced]

@@mrcoatsworth429 Alright then, I don't believe you lol 17 meters isn't much and we haven't mined all the gold surely

[@mrcoatsworth429]

@@MonsterJuiced The estimated amount of gold that's not mined yet is included in this calculation. That's how rare gold is. You can do the calculation yourself if you don't believe me.

[@Jan-Sokolowski]

Does anyone knows strings with better anti-rust protection than Elixir?

[@michaelfjmusic]

1:20 "one of the most precious metals" Do they mean to say that it's extremely important and in limited supply? If so, why waste it on damn guitar strings? You know, one of the most disposable products in existence? EDIT: They say that changing the material can also improve intonation???!?!? That's seriously one of the stupidest things I've ever heard!!!

[@ryanwilson5936]

Humanity CAN create gold in a lab. Mostly for plating purposes and extremely sensitive precision electronics.

[@mrcoatsworth429]

"Precious" usually refers to the metals in a certain group in the periodic table of elements that are very inert. Besides gold, platinum and iridium are also precious metals.

[@SumoRabbitOfDoom]

Many years ago, I bought a set of these just to match the gold hardware on a new guitar. I didn't buy them again. They looked great when I put them on, but within a few minutes of playing, the gold just wore off and the strings turned dark everywhere that I'd been playing. Saying that, I have a similar problem with regular strings. I'm cursed with sweaty paws which destroy guitar strings and hardware. Ernie Balls are the worst I've ever tried and are turning black by the time I've got them in tune. The various coated strings aren't much better. D'Addarios have been the best, so far, and I can play them for a few hours before they become dull and lifeless. I've used several string cleaning/lubricating products, with varying success. Point is, try things out to find what works for you, rather than being sucked in by the marketing BS.

[@delludyri8231]

GLENN! Clearly there is no difference in tone when you're playing a riff that was written on regular strings. Trust me I have developed my own tone with these gold plated strings that I have used for my prog-math-deathcore-grind-techno-death metal masterpiece album.

[@ensoniq2k]

I've been using them because they look neat on my gold hardware LP. Didn't ever expect them to do any kind of magic. With the LP bridge they're way easier to install.

[@metalman75]

I agree I use Slinky's and down my own comparison a few years back. Slinky's not only sounded better they lasted longer than the Optima Gold. As for strings not lasting if you have this problem your not changing them often enough. Strings should be changed every 6 weeks if you play daily my gig guitars strings get changed both for every gig. or every 6 weeks on my regularly played guitars. Playing guitar was never supposed to be cheap only the guitarists are. So many buy good guitars then only expect to change strings when they break.

[@GearDriverRocks]

If strings have corrosion they can vibrate unevenly to the point where it can affect the intonation… So in that sense, strings can affect intonation… I’m not impressed with the gold plated strings though… Pickups are magnetic so it’s not surprising coating strings with gold would make the plain steel strings sound deader.. Not for me…

[@jamesbridgman5223]

I love your videos! You never disappoint. Whenever I need a laugh, this is where I come. Title should be how to string your guitar with a Slinky. Keep'em coming.

[@KelticKabukiGirl]

Just get D'addario NYXLs 11-56 I use for C Standard. Never break, stay new for a year or more. The way to keep strings clean, new, and fresh. Use some FAST FRET in between playing and the oils will keep the Metal from oxidizing and keep them clean. Remember those Metal Strings from around 1990 that were "So Metal" (lead) they left your fingers black with lead dust? I wonder if they made me drop an IQ point....

[@richardlangly4635]

Whew, that intro blew the cobwebs away!

[@cesarbh87]

Hey Glen!!!!!! Have you seen this EXTREME BUDGET hack for Gibson tuning stability? They just screw a Fender string tree in the top screw hole of the truss rod cover (they don't even have to remove the truss rod cover or make an extra screw hole), that way the 4th and 3rd strings are straightened out by the string tree. Kind of a super cheap String Butler

[@eliaskapravelos7171]

I might be in the minority but through my studio monitors (treated room) I prefer the gold ones, bear in mind I love darker guitar tones. Definitely not worth the extra money though, I'll stick to low-passing.

[@A.J.99]

If you like the new strings which sound like the old ones, it's much easier to get the same tone by rolling back the tone knob.

[@eliaskapravelos7171]

@@A.J.99 I play death metal, never use a tone knob, I just go for a Morbid Angel kinda low mid heavy tone instead.

[@briandevlin269]

I begin all of these videos with a strong sense of compassion for Glenn's Compressor's VU meters

[@MikeLute]

I got one set of these optima strings for my guitar modding project. It started at the beginning of the pandemic when I wanted to get some new pickups for an dust collecting guitar and I only could get the gold version of the P90 pickup. So, I retrofitted the stock hardware on my Gibson LP Studio worn red with golden hardware and why not add gold plated strings , too?

[@intheroomguitar3311]

Glen man give the g12 v type celestions a shot they are killer. They are great for someone on a budget is tried them based on price and was amazed at the tone clean and od. They chug hard and tight with my limited knowledge on how to set up a tone would love to hear your thoughts on them.

[@nofurtherthought4772]

Hey Glenn, long time viewer first time commenter. I have purchased these about a year and a half ago for a hollow body guitar and so far they are holding up pretty well, maybe they might potentially be complete garbage for guitars with a vibrato bridge or string through body design. As for the corrosion resistance, i can say yes they absolutely do not build up corrosion. I have over 20 guitars and basses and only tried them out on one guitar and one bass, both being tune o matic bridges so i really can't speak for any other bridge type.

[@mcinen67]

The gold plated sound way more better than the nickel ones, in my opinion. But I use the nickel ones regulary in my guitar.

[@vksolanki]

I used to use these strings and really liked them. I stopped because I couldn't find them locally anymore.

[@rogerlewis2618]

I actually kinda liked the gold strings on the clean test.

[@finnadunk]

Martin put out some titanium core strings. they were $50 a pack. needles to say not one pack sold and they are on clearance for $15 now

[@tristanavakian]

The OGs sound fuller to me. Like a “loudness” button. And the highs are rolled off a little. I heard the switch, even without looking - I could tell the tone of the OG’s was superior. My ears are calibrated differently I suppose - I’m primarily a lead guitarist who relies on legato… not a fan of transients. Ideally my hammer-ons and pull offs are indistinguishable from the picked notes. Brian May boosts treble from the beginning of the chain - a metal coin - right to the end: from there it goes on to single coil pickups, then through 35db of treble boost into a Vox (which has the tone stack ripped out - you can’t just cut treble). So the transients can get ugly if you’re not careful. And there’s the answer to your question “who is stupid enough to buy these?” Brian’s not stupid - notably, he’s an astrophysicist - and he has a custom set of OG’s with his name and face on it. I’m not particularly stupid either. I’m a professional guitarist of over 35 years standing with platinum credits. And among other things, I play Queen’s music professionally, up to 75 dates a year worldwide in theatres and arenas. Anything that is less likely to break in front of 10,000 people is welcome. The slinky effect doesn’t bother me: the guitar has a top-loading tailpiece. So even though they’re more than twice as expensive as the Elixirs I currently favour, I’m tempted to try them. Your video actually convinced me that they may be worth it. Thanks for taking the time to make it.

[@AceOfRock]

Years ago I switched from nickelplated strings to stainless steel. That, combined with an old kitchen towel to wipe ‘em down after playing made my strings last for months without going dull. That said, 24kt goldplated strings for only €13 is total BS. The layer of gold is so thin, it will wear out in days

[@stoneysdead689]

Last time I changed my strings I somehow put the B string on the bottom and the E string where the B goes- had to take them off and restring them- I almost never got them through the holes man. I had already wrapped them around the tunning posts so- they were coiled up tight on the end. But I finally got them through and managed to string it properly- trying out pure nickel strings instead of nickel coated- they do sound warmer. They're also 10s though and my last set was 9s so, maybe that has something to do with the tone change as well. They feel funny I know that- and I'm having to rework my bends because I'm so used to 9s I'm under bending everything now. I was over bending 9s, that's why I changed. It is better about when I bang on it, in drop D- 9s will bend out of tune every time and sound like shit. 10s are better but you still have to chill a little, especially in lower tunings.

[@Microang]

If you want strings with super crisp high end, get D'addario strings, they have so much treble you need to play them in to sound normal...

[@maxmoon2254]

Glllleeeeeeeen I enjoy your content and appreciate your remorseless in-your-face approach to gear and musicians. Are you calling it “Useless Guitar Gear” because that’s always your conclusion or those are the only reviews you post ? Just wondering.

[@electricwhiteboy]

Only guy I've heard of using these is Brian May. That mid range bump and rolling off the high end might have an exceptionally niche application for his set up and sound. I doubt even a Queen tribute band would bother with these as there are far, far, far, more important elements to his ultra specific tone.

[@kalreynolds5829]

Pretty sure they don't last longer. Gold is more malleable than nickel, and more prone to being damaged. The coating is going to last less time, and reach the point where the damage to the coating and the string impacts sound far sooner. It's also going to cause the steel in the string to oxidise quicker once this happens due to "preferential oxidation" where the gold will act as a catalyst to rust. There's also very little reason to use 24 carat gold if you're just coating for protection. That's just for the flex. If you A/B'd them to me blind I'd guess that the gold ones were the old strings and the nickels were the new ones. The golds sound mostly the same, just slightly muddier, not sure if it's the intonation and tuning/stabilisation issues, or just the way they are.

[@konos-p8842]

"This is a slinky, not as guitar string." Gold.

[@nascargas]

I listen to classic and hard rock. To me...I kind of enjoyed the sound...there is actually a different sound to them. I agree the top end disappears. But there is a classic vibe here that would work in classic rock. Probably paired with two other guitars...say Skynyrd like. It doesnt work for metal though. And Im quite certain the same tones can be achieved with a quality tone knob. Another attribute not widely used in metal. I like Ernie Ball Cobalt strings. To me they are snappier than super slinkys. But its a tactile thing for me. Perhaps they make me snap the strings harder when I play. But they would seem to also be a lot cheaper than gold plated cant stay in tune strings. And I can use my tone knob to get the tones those seem to make without the extra money. Great review. You saved me money. Thats never a bad thing.

[@dylanbotha9052]

Hey Glen, just out of interest, what are your preferred strings and gauges? I am currently playing with Elixer 11-52 on 1 of my guitars and Super Slinky 9-42 on another. Obviously each to their own preference. Thank you for all your videos its really helped me so much and taught me quite a lot!!

[@regalesq.3687]

Will you ever do a review/shootout of small Cab IR loader pedals like the Joyo Cab Box

[@SpectreSoundStudios]

Hmm... I'll try to put it on the list!