Elixir Guitar Strings

[bigald18]

Anyone have any experience with Elixir strings? Just ordered Phosphor Bronze Nanoweb strings light gauge for the new parlour (which is supposed to come with Elixir on it but have no idea what they're like. Have always shied away from coated strings because of shedding problems but I'm going to try.

[Grant Harding]

Usually takes about 20-30 hours of full on playing before there's any shedding, at which point they're ready to be changed.

 

Don't judge them until you've played them a bit all over (30 min to an hour). I suspect it's due to the frets wearing a tiny bit of coating off and creating better wire-to-fret contact.

 

Cleartone PB are awesome, last almost as long and sound a bit less coated, but they're pricey. Just in case you or the guitar don't bond with the Elixirs.

[Freeman Keller]

Al, if you go way back 8 or so years to my string test posting you might remember that I "tested" both Elixer Polyweb and Nanoweb strings in both 80/20 and phosphor bronze, posting clips of them and quite a few others. At that time many people didn't like Elixers and made all kinds of nasty comments about them. However, interestingly most of these people couldn't pick out the coated strings when offered that blind comparison test.

 

Polywebs were the first generation Elixer, they have a fairly thick Gore Tex coating, have a tendency to fray after a while. My feelings when I went back and froth between the sound clips of Polys and a good non coated string (Martin SP's) was that they sounded like well broken in non coated, that is a bit deader. You can definitely feel the heavy coating and there is noticeably less squeak.

 

Nanowebs have a thinner coating, it doesn't seem to flake off, they are not nearly as quiet (ie, they squeak just link a normal string) and in my humble opinion, I can't hear any difference between them and an uncoated string. I get 3 to 6 months of life out of them (compared to maybe a month with the SP's). they are about three times the cost at my local music store, however I think that is offset by the long life.

 

While I still experiment with strings - I've liked DR's and D'Addario's - I have pretty well settled on Elixer Nanoweb PB's on my acoustics - lights on the small bodies, mediums on the resonators, and whatever fits the tuning on my 12 strings.

 

I think they will be a good choice for your parlor, but only you can decide for sure. Let us know what you think.

[bigald18]

Thanks Freeman. that'swhat the git comes with so figured for once I'd use the same strings.

[Tony Burns]

Elixar PB's in Light are one of my favorites - Nanowebs have a bite less of a coating than the Polywebs - and they seem to last about the same

in longevity - Im betting youll love them - the only problem you may have might be with the ones that came on your guitar - and that depends on how long they have been on the guitar -age kills strings .

 

 

[bigald18]

Was counting on changing them immediately. I usually do. It's a discontinued model so the strings probably have been on a long time and gone flat. guitar supposed to be here on Tuesday.

thanks Tony.

[Emory]

I am very fond of Elixirs. The atmosphere of beach side Thailand is supreme test of what works and what doesn't. Everything corrodes here, sooner or later. I have tried all the brands of coated strings, and Elixirs only ones that need to be changed eventually due to going flat as opposed to blowing off due to rust.

[katopp]

I do prefer coated strings. Less hassle.

My personal favourites are EXP, but I've just put a set of PB Nanoweb 0.012 on a guitar and I think they are not too bad.

Martins coated are the only coated strings that I do not like as much as they need too much time to break in.

BTW Elixir Nanowebs seem to be heavier coated than EXP - they are signifcantly more quiet than EXP - but not as soapy ax the Polys.

[Etienne Rambert]

Anyone have any experience with Elixir strings? Just ordered Phosphor Bronze Nanoweb strings light gauge for the new parlour (which is supposed to come with Elixir on it but have no idea what they're like. Have always shied away from coated strings because of shedding problems but I'm going to try.

 

They"re the best AFAIC.

[Tony Burns]

yeah basically a good idea to put new strings on anything you buy new or used - kind think its funny when you see a hang tag on the instrument - that says something like " equipped with dadarrio strings ' when their completely dead out the box .

[Tony Burns]

Some strings are just better on certain guitars - theirs really no hard set rules -

i do wish that Elixars came sealed better -maybe in a seal tight package that keeps them

longer -i was given a set of them in the paper wrappers that were rusty from a friend - Their not a string id buy

ahead of time to use at a latter date -- i do think their a decent string - but so is Dadarrio exps and Martin SP's.

[Etienne Rambert]

I am very fond of Elixirs. The atmosphere of beach side Thailand is supreme test of what works and what doesn't. Everything corrodes here' date=' sooner or later. I have tried all the brands of coated strings, and Elixirs only ones that need to be changed eventually due to going flat as opposed to blowing off due to rust.[/quote']

 

 

Yeah, I lived in Vietnam for a long time. IMO, coated strings are a necessity in that hot, humid climate.

I love Nanowebs. The D'Addario EXP's are a better bargain though.