Question For Elixir Users

[catfish]

Originally Posted by BluesKing777

Elixirs can be hard to find around here (southern Australia). I use to order online from Elderly but they won’t sell them to me anymore - US trade policy to support our local sheriff.

Did you ever try to order them from Strings and Beyond? They ship Elixirs overseas -- I doubt they have a policy not to ship to Australia, but who knows.

[zeeway]

Elixirs for me also - much easier on my fingers, and I like the sound better than D’Addarios. But everyone hears a bit differently...some people like chocolate and some like vanilla.

I change mine after about six weeks, and I have noticed the difference in sound quality is significant, but not as dramatic, as it used to be with whatever random brand I used twenty years ago...but it could be because in the old days, I may have gone six months between string changes...

[BrunoBlack]

I use Elixir Nano strings on some guitars, but also play D’Addario EXP & XT, SCGC and D’Addario EJ strings right alongside each other. I don’t have a problem with the different string textures. Nano strings don’t seem slippery. They feel smooth and last a long time. Other strings are a little more grippy and make more string noise, but sometimes they give the tone I’m looking for. Feel is not an issue for me.

[VJP5]

I find that the Elixir PBs generate the least amount of string squeak when playing fingerstyle. I'm sure it's the make up of my fingers (oils, skin thickness, sweat, etc) but that's been my experience.

I really like the John Pearse PB med/lights but after 2 weeks, the squeaking is really distracting. If I had a guitar strictly for strumming, these would be the strings.

Since I have one guitar that needs to do both, the Elixirs (PB HD Lights) win.

[tinnitus]

Are you using Polywebs or Nanowebs? The Polys have a rep for a smoother, slicker feel. Nanos might provide you with more tactile feedback.

I do know that when I was using both kinds of Elixirs, I had guitars that got played a lot, and then set aside a lot - sometimes for a year or two. Point is, they still sounded much better after dozens of hours of hard playing (and neglect) than fresh Earthwoods did after I destroyed them in an hour or two.

I noticed, too, that worn Polywebs seemed to produce more "dandruff" (worn coating flaking off) than their Nano counterparts. Both strings continued to sound good, even worn out like that.

Back to my first thought... If you're using Polywebs, maybe try a set of Nanowebs (of the same gauge, so you're comparing apples to apples).

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

I can't use Elixir strings.
Just too slippery for me.
I'm thinking it must be a skin thing.

Got me wondering ... what do Elixir string users feel when they play other brands and types of strings?

Do you find them coarse and grippy, scratchy and noisey?

Hi Bb
But as a whole, I do NOT find other strings grabby, scratchy or noisy. I play Elixirs for the extended life, not noise reduction. In fact I don't find them any less noisy.

I use Elixir nano-web (thinner coating than the Polyweb) which do not feel slippery to me. I have to be careful when doing some fingerings not to just brush them lightly or I'll make noise with them I don't make playing plain/non-coated strings.

But, if I need plain Jane strings (non-coated) the D'Addario plain strings feel just fine. Their coated strings screech with me playing them, whereas others get along with them fine.

In fact I cannot think of a brand of plain strings ,other than Black Diamond back in the 1960s which didn't have a very polished exterior.

[jonfields45]

I use Elixirs exclusively these days.

I think you would get past the slippery feeling in a few weeks of play.

I use the nano coated strings as a compromise between best tone and least squeak.

[DukeX]

I've tried a lot of other strings on my guitars over the years (including other coated strings), but I keep coming back to Elixirs. I like the longevity, the consistent sound, less noise. Mostly I use PB Nanos.

[BluesKing777]

Originally Posted by catfish

Did you ever try to order them from Strings and Beyond? They ship Elixirs overseas -- I doubt they have a policy not to ship to Australia, but who knows.

I have used them before a couple of times and the delivery over here went wrong, can’t recall why. I checked their site and it appears they will send the Elixirs. I am not sure how they can ship them while Elderly isn’t allowed to any more? With delivery, exchange rate etc, they will be about $AU28 per packet. If I drive to a city shop, and if they have them in stock of course, I get them from the boss for $20 a packet...less if I bought 10 packs! (Plus fuel, wear and tear and a little freeway fear!). Lucky the Elixirs last me so long!


BluesKing777.

[krisls]

For years my go to strings were Dad PB Custom lights, used them on everything and if I bought a new guitar that had 'coated' strings on I never gave them a chance, straight off and on went the Dads.

A few years back for no reason I can recall except maybe enablers in places such as this I went on a bit of a try and see. The ones I almost stuck with were the Pearse Silk n Bronze. Nice strings. Tried a few others including Elixirs... and eventually stuck there. The Nano 80/20 Custom lights.

Yes they felt a little slick and strange at first but as someone else said you get used to that pretty quickly and they do last pretty well. Also they seem to be less squeaky than anything else through a PA. Most regular strings do feel slightly coarser to me now.

As for Strings n Beyond, that's where I did my experimental ordering. Good place... But.. No they will not ship Elixirs to Australia. Ive tried and there is a disclaimer on there somewhere to that effect. You could go the shipping agent route and do an indirect order. But with postage etc you can usually get the 3 pack specials locally at pretty close to the same money. Buy a few and you're good to go for a year.

So that's me an Elixir user now, might even put them on the electric I rarely play these days.

Kris

[catfish]

Originally Posted by krisls

As for Strings n Beyond, that's where I did my experimental ordering. Good place... But.. No they will not ship Elixirs to Australia. Ive tried and there is a disclaimer on there somewhere to that effect.

Possibly they have specific restriction to ship to Australia, but I bought a 3-pack Elixirs from them just last November, when they had free shipping overseas.

I did not use Elixirs yet, cannot comment on slippery issue. I did not use ANY coated strings in my life, this will be the first time with Elixirs.

[jseth]

I am definitely an "Elixir guy"! I have them on my Gibson 345, and I like them a lot, plus they last a rally long time on my electric guitar (which I don't play all that much anymore).

I use the Nanoweb phosphor bronze strings (12-53) on both my Mark Angus F-40 (German spruce over maple) and my Goodall Grand Concert (redwood over mahogany), and they fit both guitars very well, even with the different sonic profile of each instrument.

I use the Nanoweb phosphor bronze on my 12 string, too... I have to have Strings and Beyond make up sets for me, because Elixir doesn't market a 12 string set with 12's... not in the phosphor bronze.

I've been playing acoustic guitar for 60 years or so... in all that time, I always tried to find ways to minimize that "squeak", and to find ways to add to the longevity of my strings. The Nanoweb Elixirs accomplish both of these aspects without any histrionics or added steps (like washing my hands EVERYTIME before I play or taking steps to ensure that my skin has enough oil on it to help my fingertips "slide" over the strings easily...).

Elixirs just plain DELIVER for me... they last so long, it's a joke to compare them to any other strings in that regard... I typically get 4-6 months from a 6 string set and I've gone up to 18 months (EIGHTEEN MONTHS!) with a set on my 12 string without loss of tone, playability or stability to hold tune... I've actually had a set of the Elixir electric strings on my Gibson for SEVEN years! I'm almost embarrassed to admit that!

Uncoated strings certainly feel different, but I used them for 40 years before the Elixirs, so I remember pretty fast. I do get a bit more volume and a slightly different "tonal profile" from, say, John Pearse phosphor bronze strings, but the difference is not worth the $$, not to me.

If I pay attention and time it right, I can usually get Elixirs for <$10 a set; wait for the "three-for-two" sale and combine that with a 10% discount from Strings and Beyond and I'm looking at around $9 a set... I wouldn't buy a "case" of Elixirs like I used to with D'Addario or DR strings... they last so long and are so consistent that all I need is a couple sets a year for each guitar and I'm good.

I never did try the Polyweb strings... until recently. I'm doing a "Trail Test" for Elixir right now and the strings they gave me are Polywebs. I must say, I have conflicted thoughts about these strings... they didn't seem "so bad" when I first put them on, but quickly devolved into a muted, no overtone, dark sound that I haven't been able to get close to... we'll see how the rest of the month goes, but, after a week with these Polyweb strings, I feel that it will be difficult to keep them on for the 28 days they want me to test them...

So, yeah... I'm a fan of Elixir strings...

[Brucebubs]

Interesting responses, thank you everyone.

For the record, I don't 'hate' Elixirs I simply established they don't work for me and moved on ... but I find it hard to make alternative string suggestions/recommendations to long term Elixir users given how they feel to me ... which got me wondering if it goes both ways and Elixir users find all other strings too different and difficult to use.

[Wellington]

Poly web are way more slippery than nano, but yes I feel like non elixir strings feel very rough and squeaky, I don’t mind it though, I use other strings sometimes but I do prefer elixir cause they don’t squeek so loud and I Dave a lot of money over time because they last so friggin long and still sound good. 4 months easy, if it’sa guitar I don’t play much it can be on a year. Non coated strings I change after like 3 weeks cause they’re dead and gross feeling. I’m a huge coated fan, and specifically Elixir for the last 15 years but I’ve been trying other coated brands the last couple years too. Elixir is still my go to. On my new Folk guitar though I feel a more traditional string suits it better. For my dad a pack of elixir several years ago for Christmas, he’d used regular strings for 30-40 years prior, he’s never gone back from the Elixirs after that haha