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  #1  
Old 09-01-2011, 07:28 AM
holderp holderp is offline
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Default Short Lived String Experiment

Back in April i got my new 814ce and it came with Elixers of course. Before the Taylor, I had been a religious D'Addario EJ16 user on my Alvarez. For grins and giggles I put those on the Taylor when the original Elixers were done. Un-plugged they sounded good and warm. Plugged in they sounded very different. I have in-ear monitors when playing at church. The EJ16's sounded muddy compared to the Elixers; they didn't seem to cut as much and had lost that Taylor sparkle. Our regular sound guy was on vacation and wondered if his fill in had changed the EQ. A week later I put Elixer's back on and all is well.

I'd just thought I'd share my thoughts on my $6.00 experiment.
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  #2  
Old 09-01-2011, 07:38 AM
briggleman briggleman is offline
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I too, have tried that experiment, a few times I might add. I seem to always go back to the Elixers. I did not experience the muddy sound you described with the D'Addario's but the tone was different, and not bad but they broke easily for me so I have not tried them again. I then tried Ernie Ball acoustic lights and really did not like them at all on the Taylor, they came off the next day. I have them on a Carvin 850t and they sound great, but not on the Taylor GA8e.
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Old 09-01-2011, 07:46 AM
Battleman Battleman is offline
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In the end I find myself back to Elixers as well.

Solo
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Old 09-01-2011, 08:10 AM
e8n e8n is offline
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I'd gone away from Elixirs for several years on all of my guitars. When I bought my 714 I just couldn't get any other strings to sound quite right on it. I put Elixirs back on and poof the great sound that I fell in love with was back. I've since changed all my guitars back to Elixirs and am quite pleased with the sound. I guess the guitars were designed with them in mind and that is something we all need to keep in mind.

-Dave
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Old 09-01-2011, 08:18 AM
Joe M Joe M is offline
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I don't mean to hijack this thread but, I was talking to a knowledgeable salesguy at one of my local shops and was told that the Taylor rep had told him that the only reason that Taylor strings their guitars with Elixers is that they want them to sound good for a long time when they're hanging on a shop's wall. Not because the guitars were made with the Elixers in mind. Anybody else heard anything like this??
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Old 09-01-2011, 08:35 AM
PorkPieGuy PorkPieGuy is offline
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Every time I have bought something OTHER than Elixers, I have regretted it. I've tried many others, but didn't like any of them. The only switch I've made is from poly to PB nanos. I went from poly to nanos one time when my music store was out of poly. I tried nanos and never went back. The last time I had my dred set up, I told the guy to put on Elixer Nanos. He put on Elixer Nano PB (I didn't notice until I got home). I noticed that the color of the strings themselves was a little different, but I also noticed the warming effect it had on my tone. Never gone back.
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Old 09-01-2011, 08:37 AM
ggj ggj is offline
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Perhaps Taylor strings its guitars with Elixers because it believes that its guitars sound best with Elixers!!! And what is wrong with the strings sounding great for a longer period of time? I for one prefer playing my guitar to constantly restringing it. I am baffled by this constant desire to purchase a Taylor (which you presumably "loved" when you tested it) and then almost immediately begin to change the set up, the strings, etc. in search of something better. I doubt Taylor manufactures its guitars without thought as to tone, playability etc. and then hopes the new owner can figure out how to change the guitar to make the guitar sound good.

Enjoy messing with the setup etc. and I will enjoy playing mine. To eahc his own.
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Old 09-01-2011, 08:58 AM
DennisG DennisG is offline
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I like Elixers a lot, but I still experiment with other strings. My favorite has to be DR Rare. No other string, including Elixers, gives my 814 that bottom-end growl and individual string definition.
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Old 09-01-2011, 11:29 AM
Scriptor Scriptor is offline
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I like Elixir's ... for tone surely but just as much for their feel ... I've tried other strings but have come back to Elixir's every time ... I've found some strings that sound as good but never found any, coated or uncoated, that felt as good ... I do a lot of sliding up and down the neck and Elixir's just feel smoother to me ... it's kind of like getting used to the feel of the Taylor neck, hard to go back to something else ...
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Old 09-01-2011, 11:57 AM
Jarlaxle Jarlaxle is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DennisG View Post
I like Elixers a lot, but I still experiment with other strings. My favorite has to be DR Rare. No other string, including Elixers, gives my 814 that bottom-end growl and individual string definition.
Planning to pick up a pack of Rare's to put on this weekend.
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Old 09-01-2011, 12:16 PM
Andromeda Andromeda is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe M View Post
I don't mean to hijack this thread but, I was talking to a knowledgeable salesguy at one of my local shops and was told that the Taylor rep had told him that the only reason that Taylor strings their guitars with Elixers is that they want them to sound good for a long time when they're hanging on a shop's wall. Not because the guitars were made with the Elixers in mind. Anybody else heard anything like this??
I have heard the same thing. I have experimented with other coated strings and I find other strings sound good on my Taylor not just elixirs.
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Old 09-01-2011, 12:22 PM
dmbandnick dmbandnick is offline
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Man I think I may be with you on this. I've always been a huge D'Addario EXP16 and EXP17 fan! Got them on ALL of my acoustics.

I was restringing my Yamaha country jumbo this weekend and realized the only set of mediums i had left were a set of Elixirs. They'd been sitting around for at least two years. So I tossed them on. Absolutely blew my mind on how much it improved the sound quality of the jumbo. This made me think, "if it made my lower end Yamaha sound that good, what will it do to my Taylors?"

Some great points on here.

I think I may have to give them a try again.
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Old 09-01-2011, 12:41 PM
barefooter barefooter is offline
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Thus far I have only used the Elixirs on my 814. I've been tempted to try something else, but I am satisfied with what I hear from the guitar with them on it.

I've experimented with various brands on my Alvarez AJ60SC. Some sounded good at the beginning, but quickly seemed to lose their tone qualities. When I restrung her a month or so ago, I went back to Elixirs there.

I have other strings on other instruments adn am satisfied.

Each person will have their own personal preference. That is why we have so much great music before us in many styles and sounds
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Old 09-01-2011, 12:49 PM
drock2k1 drock2k1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe M View Post
I don't mean to hijack this thread but, I was talking to a knowledgeable salesguy at one of my local shops and was told that the Taylor rep had told him that the only reason that Taylor strings their guitars with Elixers is that they want them to sound good for a long time when they're hanging on a shop's wall. Not because the guitars were made with the Elixers in mind. Anybody else heard anything like this??
That isn't necessarily the only reason, but it is one of the biggest reasons. They didn't a Taylor that had been sitting on the wall for 6 moths to sound like garbage because of nasty strings. It doesn't move instruments too well.
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Old 09-01-2011, 01:16 PM
holderp holderp is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe M View Post
I don't mean to hijack this thread but, I was talking to a knowledgeable salesguy at one of my local shops and was told that the Taylor rep had told him that the only reason that Taylor strings their guitars with Elixers is that they want them to sound good for a long time when they're hanging on a shop's wall. Not because the guitars were made with the Elixers in mind. Anybody else heard anything like this??
I've been told this also. I've also been told they optimize the voicing of their guitars for the Elixers. I guess it would be like a store using CFS's because they're efficient. But they optimize the colors of their displays to look better under the CFL's. Who knows
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