nickel-plated steel vs. stainless steel strings

[Drache713]

I know stainless steel wrap strings last longer, have a brighter tone, sustain longer, etc. But they also eat frets faster from what I hear. Can anybody help me choose between nickel-plated steel strings or stainless steel strings?

[microdmitry]

I use whatever feels right. If frets wear out you can replace them.

[JESTER700]

Or you can get a refret with stainless frets...

[The_Grindfiend]

I prefer steel strings.

[power freak]

I prefer pure nickel strings no nickel steel for me I prefer the sound of pure nickel it sounds warmer and sweeter. But I just bought a set of flatwounds and absolutely love them They improve your technique because they are as hard as hell to bend (BTW I am no Jazz or Blues player!! Whenever I say I use those type of strings everyone expects a bluesist I play Vai, Satch, Van Halen, Vinnie Moore and Ozzy type stuff all on 11 gauge strings )

[phlame]

Elixer nanowebs, nickel wrapped in polymer=great tone long life. what else could you ask for?

[danneva]

I will give you some details about these strings so you could choose the right string for you.

Nickel-plated strings are probably the most common type of electric string in use today. The winding on the thicker strings is made of nickel-plated steel. The steel that the string is made of is great for the magnets in the pickups to “pick up” while the nickel-plating helps to balance out the bright sound of the steel. The nickel also helps to keep the string smooth and protects it from corrosion. Nickel is a bit softer than steel so nickel or nickel-plated strings won’t wear your frets out as quickly as stainless steel strings will. Stainless steel strings are the brightest and sharpest sounding of all electric guitar strings. They also last a long time and stay bright due to stainless steels inherits ability to resist corrosion. Stainless steel does not feel quite a bit different than other electric strings. Some players say that it feels a little dryer than or just not as slick as nickel or nickel-plated strings. Stainless steel is a pretty hard metal so it can wear your frets out quicker than nickel strings but if you want a brighter sound it is the way to go.

But I’m using stainless steel string than nickel since I have nickel allergies. It is better to feel dryness than to have blisters and rashes using nickel.