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Location: Longwood, FL | Someone was raving to me awhile back about how awesome elixir strings are...I went out and bought some yesterday.
I have a Celebrity...and I have to say...I really dislike them. I've been trying to do my research this morning, and now I am thoroughly confused. People either seem to love them or hate them, and I don't know if I just need to give them a chance or what. I know this topic has been so overdone, but if I could just bring it up one more time...I'm so tempted right now to just go buy a pack of D'adarios and let the experiment be over, but if the sound really does change after a few days...who knows.
However, a friend and I are playing at an open mic night later this week before I leave (with the guitar) to Germany for three weeks. So any help/advice would be appreciated, thanks so much... :)
sara d. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Sara, don't laugh and welcome! You got the love/hate thing right. I do prefer the DAddarios and the Adamas strings. For me - the Elixirs rub raw.
Have a wonderful tour in Germany and keep us posted.
Peace |
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Location: NJ | Elixirs are like Howard Stern . . . you either love 'em or hate 'em. I happen to love Howard and hate Elixirs.
I may have missed something in the veritable plethora of posts/threads on this subject, but I honestly (and may be wrong) don't remember anyone saying that Elixirs' sound got "better with age" . . . they just sounded "good" (if you like/want that particular sound) and do so LONGER.
I personally like the sound of D'Add PhosBronz. They sound great and turn to shit rapidly (at least when I play 'em). Elixirs (again, to me), sound like shit and stay that way until I can't take it anymore. I always opt for the former . . . |
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Location: SoCal | Cliff and I are opposites on this. I hate Howard Stern and like Elixirs. Can't say I love them, but I like them a lot.
Reasons:
1. They do last a long time. I can go thru a set of non coated strings in a week. I hate changing strings. Elixirs last me 3-4 months. They look ugly before they sound ugly.
2. To my ear, Elixirs tend to sound like most other strings after about a week of playing. They sound like something that's lost the crispness, and are now getting to the warm spot. I don't know how else to describe it.
3. Even tho' Elixirs cost more, they save me money (hey, it's important -- I have a wife, 2 kids, 2 dogs, and a mortgage I can't afford!). They cost twice as much and last three times as long.
Strings are a very personal thing. There's no overall right or wrong answer, just what's right or wrong for each individual player. The best we can do is not just say I like 'em or I hate 'em, but try to articulate why.
Whatever the hell articulate means. |
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Location: So. Cal. | From a pure "sound" point of view, I'd still prefer the Adamas 1818 for ALL of my steel string O's and Martins. However, the Elixirs do stay in very good shape for a very long time. The Elixirs do not have the bright crunchy bite that I like about the Adamas strings. However, I have a set of Elixirs on the M-42 for a few months now, and it's still sound like the first day I put on it. The resonant response is excellent. The bottom line is, I'd put on a new set of Adamas for a gig, and leave the rest of the bunch here with Elixirs. |
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Location: NJ | but . . . . WAS there a post from someone (or IS there some validity to) that the Elixir "sound" changes (improves?) after time?
I think that's the question that Sara's asking . . .
I get the impression that she's not overtly with the sound of 'em NEW . . . . do they get better??
Hey, Moody!! . . . . . . . . "BabaBooeey!!" :p |
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Location: SoCal | Boy, is Michael taking the middle ground here or what??
Actually, what he's saying makes a lot of sense. It depends upon what your needs are for each instrument. |
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Location: NJ | . . . but whaddif ya' only got ONE???? |
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Location: Madison, Wisconsin | To me, they sound like any other strings that have been on the guitar for 3 or 4 weeks. In other words, DEAD. I like the sound of Phosphor Bronze strings after a day or so on the guitar. I've been buying from an on-line store, Stringthis.com and buing in bulk so I can change strings every 2 weeks or so. |
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Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | I bought some EXP strings, which are coated for longevity, so I assume they're similar to Elixirs. I'd never tried anything like them before; the salesman said not to expect that bright sound you get from a new set of uncoated Phosphor Bronzes, and that they sound like strings that have been played for about a week. He did say that they would keep that same sound for a long time.
I prefer the brighter sound of the uncoated, but the coated ones aren't too bad, and I'm not recording - just composing and practising - so they suit my purposes. |
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Location: NJ | Michael
I heard you are now trying the dean markley strings?
any comments? |
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Location: Charlotte NC | I first tried Elixir Polywebs, and was not a big fan. They were just too slick feeling and did not have enough brightness for me. I really like the newer Nanoweb coated ones now though. They have a lighter coating, feel more like uncoated strings, sound great IMO, and seem to last and last. The stock strings on my LX were great too, but seemed to burn out pretty quickly.
In summary for me: Elixir Polyweb = Thumbs down.
Elixir Nanoweb = Thumbs up! |
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Location: Longwood, FL | thanks so much guys!
yeah, i was really curious about the validity of the wait-a-week-or-two claim...i think i will give it a week but also pick up some adamas or daddarios before i leave, maybe borrow a friend's guitar for the open-mic night...i really like this board, thanks again :D
sara d. |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | OK here's my experience. I put a set of elxrs on my collings and it sounded dead. After a month it started to sound better and after 2 months they were fine. I don't wear out strings quickly and these lasted about 6 months. Normally I get a month from a set. All that said I don't like elixers. They feel smoover, no question but I like the sound of the Ad 1818 or D'ad j16 better.
I've said this before and will repeat, elixers on slide guitars are great. Really quiets the slide noise. I have a set on my Weissenborn and wouldn't use anything else there. However on my Nationals I go the 1818/J16 route since I mostly play fretted stuff. |
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Location: Midland, MI | I've been quiet for a while, so I'll chime in (and in doing so, sound the death knell for this thread...hahaha).
When I bought my O, it had an old, crusty set of what I think were phosphor-bronze strings. They sounded warm and lush (to me). The salesman had thrown in a set of Elixir polywebs, though. So, off with the old strings and on with the new. I didn't like them. They just didn't/don't sound warm to me. Here's my take on Polywebs:
Pros:
* Very slippery; easy on the calluses, not so much string noise when sliding
* They sound the same six weeks after I put them on as the day I strung them up
Cons:
* I have effectively worn the coating through in the usual positions (uh, ok, cowboy chords are fun) ;) and it looks terrible
* I have worn through the coating in the (finger)picking area as well. Now I have poly-fur hanging from the strings. Which probably reduces sustain (or accelerates decay, you choose), but what do I know.
* I now wonder if I'll tear up my fingers going back to uncoated strings. :)
Oh, and the first and second strings (plain, not wound) were shiny white-silver when new. They've turned a funky gunmetal blue color where I normally play. Just a cosmetic thing, though.
Do I love them? No. Do I hate them? No. Would I buy another set? No, probably not. Besides those coppery looking phosphor-bronze jobs just go so much better with the natural top on my O. :)
YMMV. HTH. HAND.
:cool: |
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Location: Longwood, FL | haha, death knell, w00t...
yeah, i tried to "break them in" some more, and i can already see the little poly-fuzz on the strings...it's ridiculous, hasn't even been 24 hours.
went by sam ash today and explained all of this to the nice people...and was eventually persuaded to go with martins. the people there said they should have a nice warm sound...heheh i'm going to restring later tonight. :p although i do always know i can trust the adamas and d'addarios.
sara d. |
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Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | Elixer nano-web strings are by far the best strings I have ever used. The poly-web Elixers do not have the nice bright sound of the nano-webs. I like them because they last a long time and sound great. I keep after the local stores to stock them as they sell out here rather quickly. |
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Location: Texas | I do not like Elixir strings.
In fact, I don't like Phosphor Bronze strings and have not used them for years.
I have been using the D'Addario Nickel Wound Jazz sets, EJ20 and EJ21 and they sound great on all my acoustic steel string guitars.
I kill a set of Phosphor Bronze strings in less than an hour. After 20 minutes the brightness that they had turn into a dead string with no tone.
With the Nickel Wound you don't have that sharp brightness, but the string lasts a lot longer sounding very good, with a definive tone, not to mention they feel great, look nice and don't turn green in your hands.
Many guitarists like Norman Blake, Tony Rice and Mike Marshall, among many others are using Nickel Wound strings exclusively on their acoustic guitars these days.
Serge
www.sergiolara.com ;) |
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Location: SoCal | Sounds like something interesting to try. |
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Location: Scotland | Elixir is a brand name created by the Gore-Tex company. http://www.gore.com/ They do not manufacture strings, they bulk purchase D'Addario strings and apply their proprietary polymer coating. I bought a couple of boxes of D'addario EXP's a while ago and I much prefer Elixir.
The diversity of the Gore company is incredible, guitar srtings are not their only musical venture, they are also involved in bagpipes.
I personally don't mind the sound of coated strings, to me they sound like strings that are played-in rather than dead and sound pretty consistent over several weeks. The Nanoweb Elixirs tend to fray less under agressive playing, fingerpicks & heavy flatpicks.
As a professional musician with a lot of instruments and body chemistry that can destroy a new set of strings in less than 20 minutes, I find the cost of coated strings, even as someone who can buy at trade price, to be prohibitive. I can bulk-buy regular strings, which sound better than coated strings for the short period they're on the guitar, for way less than the wholesale cost of coated, so I'd rather deal with the ball-ache of constant string-changing than have the tonal compromises of coated strings.
I've been sent a few samples of the Dean Markley "Alchemy" coated strings to try. I'm on tour over the next 3 weeks so I going to see how they hold up. I'll let you know.
I find nickel strings to be no more resistant than bronze to my nasty acidic sweat and I hate the tone, except on the one guitar on which I use a magnetic pickup, which of course makes nickel strings essential.
Stringlife liquid polymer coating is a reasonable alternative to coated strings. I've used this stuff for a few years now and it at least doubles the life of my strings. 40 minutes.......fuckin' whoopee.
www.stringlife.com |
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Location: NJ | HELPFUL HINT FROM HELOISE:
Dear Mr. Templeman;
If your ball hurt when changing string, perhaps it'd be best if wore PANTS when perform this task. (I'm sure that your neighbors would appreciate it, likewise). |
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Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Your "working" pretty late Cliff! |
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Location: Scotland | Looky here, if I'm prepared to go on stage without my pants, changing a few sets of strings is nothing. |
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Location: SoCal | The thought of you on stage without your pants just makes me want to heave every meal I've had for the last 6 months. Better that you go on stage with women's underwear on your head. |
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Location: Scotland | that'll be tomorrow night |
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Location: NJ | ". . go on stage without my pants, . . . . . nothing. . . "
. . . so I've heard, . . . my sympathies to Susan.
yes, "working" late . . . . . on some ^*%#$*&^%*&^# CD Cover Art . . . . . . . |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Make sure to post then pictures in the photo section for us all to enjoy. |
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Location: Scotland | Cliff, tenuous......... very tenuous and in fact a little lame. I have come to expect a much higher standard of abuse from you. I think you should go away and think very carefully about that last post and only come back when you can edit it to a satisfactory level of offensiveness. |
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Location: NJ | well then, how about this:
 |
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Location: NJ | . . . . don't fuck with me, Templeman . . . . . . . . |
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Location: Scotland | Cliff, you are the master, I bow to your greatness. From a discussion on coated strings to exposing me to the world as a gusset-sniffer in a handful of posts. In the words of the great bard........... C@*T |
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Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | Going BACK to the topic from this delightful(?) diversion.....
I, too, once put .010-.047 Polyweb Elixirs on the CC01 Celebrity I used to own...and I HATED them with a passion. Sounded terrible initially...I played them in, they still sounded terrible....I played them for a week, they never improved, and I finally couldn't take it anymore and removed them in favor of Martin SPs, which always sounded good on my CC01.
I usually use D'Addario Phosphor Bronzes on my Os, although I am going to try EXPs as I have had good results with the sets on the new Ovations I've bought. Nanoweb Elixirs may well be different and better than Polyweb, but I'm reluctant to try them when the D'Addarios work for sure.
Interesting from Paul T's note that Elixirs start out as D'Addarios.....
Roger |
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Location: Denton, Texas | I just played a gig with Elixer Nano's on my '81 Adamas II which have been on it for over a month (play the guitar every day) and the audience remarks were that it sounded great. I was plugged in to my Peavey Ecoustic amp only. The strings are fraying where I pick and feel fine for fingering. I'm relatively new to Elixer's and hear all the changes you are finding from initial sound, to the "new" bright sound for about two weeks , then a gradual mellowing out which hasn't peaked out yet on these. Man, I've got to say I like 'em..they seem to add a certain "character" to the Big Ovation Sound. |
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| Glad you posted this note. I am thinking of buying a set of these Nanoweb Elixirs for my bass? They are around $40 and I do not want to get strings I do not like and then have them last and last for a year or more? My delema is they have the correct gauge I am looking for and the other companies do not seem to have the choices I want? I was wondering if the coating helps with any of the finger squeak noises we all try to avoid but always get from time to time? For my Acoustics it is the Adamas strings I can really tell the difference in good or bad strings on my 12 string that thing sings with the Adamas's! Thanks Randy |
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Location: Charlotte NC | Their bass strings are about the same as their guitar strings. The Polywebs are slick and greasy smooth feeling, but a bit dull right off the bat. The Nanowebs feel more like uncoated strings and are almost as bright right out of the pack. They are both coated nickelwounds. Both last a lonnnnnnnnng time, although with either you will see some coating fuzz in the finger picking area after awhile. The E and A will dull down before the D and G though so if you leave them on for an extensive amount of time you may have a balance issue. I went back to SIT long scales for my G&L. You may want to check out Just Strings as they carry many different brands of bass strings in short scale and long scale of all guages, materials, roundwound and flatwound. |
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Location: Tampa, Florida | I like Elixirs. I am also enjoying the EXP's that are on my 1778T. |
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Location: Warrenton, Virginia | George pointed them out to me...and I put them on 1 week after I got my LX..which was in April...played 2 gigs with them...they are fogin up abit now...but still have lasted longer than anything I've used before...
so far...I like them... and plan to put another set on next week
thanks George!..... |
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Location: Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey | I've had an odd experience with coated strings, though I've never tried the elixer brand.
When I was gigging regularly in the last few years, I was making near weekly trips to the guitar shop for strings ( I put new sets on all strings prior to each show). They got in D'Adario coated strings free with the regular strings shipment, so he gave me about 6 sets to try for free, both 12 and 6 strings sets.
They were much "deader" than the EJ16 & Ej38s I usually use, but weren't aweful sound-wise. The problem I had was that they did not hold their tuning, nearly a week or so after putting them on. They behaved like strings that are SO old they don't tune well anymore. Tuning by ear was very difficult, and if I tuned with a tuner, they'd be out again by the end of a song. I tried several sets and had the same experience each time.
Maybe that's why they were free! No one else I've spoken to ever had this experience, so maybe I just had a bad batch or something. It was just weird, but I'm certainly not gonna spend $20+ a set to find out if it was a one batch thing-plus that fraying of the coating was B.S.
Johnny |
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Location: Central Oregon | I like 'em.
/\/\/ |
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Location: Las Cruces, NM | Guys and Gals
I kinda hate to mention this, Most of the sound comes from the players ability, I think Doc Watson could play on baling wire and sound like Doc Watson. Obsession with equipment is the last refuge of the picker who has reached his limit like the patriot who sleeps in the flag. Every astounding player I have known picked up any thing that was near by and suddenly made it sound like a million dollars after a short tuning session. I have jammed with some of the best Stuart Duncan, Jody Maphis, etc. and none gave a s--t about their strings, they borrowed an instrument from a person in the crowd and sounded as good as always. |
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Location: SoCal | yes, but some of us need all of the help we can get...kind of like always buying the newest, greatest putter in golf. also good for the economy.
a good sounding and pretty guitar, good strings, etc, can be inspiring and make us excel beyond our perceived abilities...at least after a little Brandy or Scotch. |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | A little story I heard from a recording engineer.....Chet Atkins was in the studio playing a guitar, And someone said to him "Chet, that guitar sounds REALLY GREAT!" Chester gets this annoyed look on his face, puts the guitar down and says "how does it sound NOW!" |
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Location: Warren,Pa. | AND ANOTHER THING... I use Elixer polywebs. I play my CL12string mostly, and the major factor for me is reduced string squeak on all those strings. I primarily play 2nd guitar in the worship team...always strong rhythm. I'm just a strummer anyway. I guess in my situation the other nuances are just not that important. I like the slippery feel. John <>{ |
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Location: Rocky River, Ohio | I like the Elixir strings...never tried the nanowebs though...my thing is if I get super busy (usually in the summer I don't play the guitar as often), the coating on the strings keep them from oxidizing. I might try the nanos next.
My brother who is an accomplished player loves the EXP coated strings much better then the Elixirs. I was going to try them, but they only had mediums in stock at GC....
Does anybody sell coated Classical strings for the 3 wound strings?
thanks
ernie |
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Location: Yucaipa, California | Bailey,
I agree with you and I'm rather surprised nobody has mentioned "The Master's Touch" The Master's Touch
Public Domain
It was battered and scarred
and the auctioneer thought it scarcely worth his while
to waste much time on the Old Violin but he held it up with a smile.
"What am I bid Goodfolks?" he cried. "Who'll start the bidding for me?"
It was "a dollar... a dollar.... then two"... only two.
"Two dollars and who'll make it three?"
"Three dollars once - Three dollars twice - And going for three"
But No!...
From the room far back,
a gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow.
And wiping the dirt from that old violin...
and tightening the loosened strings...
You know, He played a melody pure 'n sweet, as the carillon angels sing.
Well, the music stopped,
and the auctioneer in a voice that was quiet and low...
Said: "What am I bid for the Old Violin?" And He held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars! Who'll make it two?
Two thousand! Who'll make it Three?"
It was "three thousand once"... "three thousand twice"...
and "Going for three!" said he.
Well, the people stared...
But some of them cried: "We do not quite understand!"
"What changed it's worth?"
Swift came the reply... "It was the Touch of the Master's Hand."
***
I love new strings and usually change them every 10 days or so www.webstrings.com has them for under $3.00/set)... but I don't like the slippery feel nor the $$$ of the Elixirs. |
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Location: SoCal | All of this just underscores a point I made earlier, that strings are a very personal matter. There is no right or wrong answer as to what string is best.
Both Bailey and Roger were correct. If you're a master it doesn't make any difference what kind of strings you use (but then why are there are the string ads with people like Tony Rice, pushing a particular type of string?) but for most of us (as Roger pointed out), we need all the help we can get.
By the way, somebody in this thread asked if somebody makes a coated string for classicals. Elixir does. I tried them and hated them. The wound strings were just too bright for the rest of the guitar. But that was for the way I play, using a pick with nylon strings. Somebody using fingers on their nylon strings might feel differently. |
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Location: Fayetteville, NC | I generally like the Phosphor Bronze Strings , But I also Like The EXP's that came with My 1858.
When I can Get them, That's what I buy.
Moody's right Though, There's No Right or Wrong here , Just personal Preference. |
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Posts: 365
Location: NC | Keeping strings on a guitar sounds like it can be costly..........you guys that say you go through a set in a few weeks to a month..............are you playing a few hours per day or what? I am new to the guitar world and have been playing 4 months or let me rephrase this..........learning to play. I practice about every day for 45mins.-1hour. Roughly 5 hours weekly on conservative side. How long at this rate should strings last? Do they come with a projected hour life? I know this sounds stupid but the newbie to the world of guitars wants to know. |
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Location: Yucaipa, California | EliteLX:
The life of strings is very much dependent on the guitarist. I have a friend who plays almost everyday and his strings last for months. I also play everyday (or try to) and my strings will last about 10 days. The difference? My hands are more acidic than his and my perspiration will deaden a set of strings far more quickly.
I lived for years with not changing my strings as often as I wanted to until I found
www.webstrings.com
... their strings are quite good and very inexpensive (less than $3.00/set).
Now I can afford to change my strings whenever they start to deaden and it doesn't break the bank!
You'll find that point where the strrings aren't bright anymore and that time will vary.
....Robbie Krieger of the Doors once said he never changed his strings unless he broke one and then changed only that one.... |
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Location: NC | Thanks for the info. on strings and lifespan. Mine are dulling in the 4 months I have been playing. |
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Elixir strings (sorry guys...)