Anyone using Elixir mediums?

[Caleb]

I've been buying the bulk Martin strings for years from www.stringthis.com but for some reason found myself in a shop yesterday buying some Elxirs.   I swore off Elixirs years ago due to the price, but I put a pencil to it yesterday, and if they do indeed last 3 or 4 times as long as regular strings, it's not a bad deal. 

One thing I noticed though is that the Elixir mediums seem to be a good bit more slinky than the Martins.  What's weird is they're the same guage.  After I put them on yesterday I actually went back to the trash bin to make sure they were not lights.....they just don't feel like mediums at all.  They seem to have took away some of the "ooomph" that I really like about my guitar and made things sound a bit muddy.  But for $15, they're going to stay on there till they wear out!   Anyone else noticed this with Elixirs?

But, all this got me to thinking:  For years now I've pretty much only played 2 or 3 different kinds of strings.  This is completely silly considering the huge amount of variety out there.  The next time I need strings I'm going to purposely by some strings that I've never tried before.  In all my guitar playing years, I've never used GHS, Dean Markley, DR, Black Diamond, or many others for that matter.  It may be fun to do some experimenting. 

[Blue in VT]

Be carefull its a slippery slope out there...way too many options....I found that I had to keep notes on strings I tried and what I liked/disliked about each to keep them all straight.

As far as the Elixirs go...give them a few days to settle...I always find that the Elixir nano Pbs I use take a week or so to really sound their best.



Blue

[imwjl]

Be carefull its a slippery slope out there...way too many options....I found that I had to keep notes on strings I tried and what I liked/disliked about each to keep them all straight.

As far as the Elixirs go...give them a few days to settle...I always find that the Elixir nano Pbs I use take a week or so to really sound their best.



Blue

Also a slippery slope if you have different types of guitars. I've learned for example that I like low tension strings like the DR Sunbeam and Rare on my small cutaway, but stiffer D'Addarios on my dreads.

[canoe65]

I've been using Elixir strings now for about five years, but I have been using Elixir Polyweb 'Light' or 'Custom Light' gauge strings.

As a matter of fact, when I bought my L-03, I had the store technicians remove the Cleartone Lights and replace them with Elixir Nanoweb Light gauge strings (i.e., they were out of stock on the Ploywebs) before I left the shop with my new guitar.

I REALLY do like the sound and feel of Elixir acoustic strings on my Larrivée.   

[brandon]

have any of you who use elixers ever had a problem with the G string, no dirty jokes now  , breaking on a regular basis?

personally i use the d'addario exp's for that very reason.

[canoe65]

I have had no problems with my Elixir Light gauge G string breaking, however, the G string and /or the B string are the two strings that seem to stray off tune more, especially with new (or newer) strings on my L-03.   

[Blue in VT]

I've heard a lot about this issue but never had it myself...of couse the only pick I use is the kind that fits on my thumb and it rarely makes it up to the G string...



Blue

[jeremy3220]

  They seem to have took away some of the "ooomph" that I really like about my guitar and made things sound a bit muddy.  But for $15, they're going to stay on there till they wear out!   Anyone else noticed this with Elixirs?

Yeh, I think Elixers sound weak, scooped, and sterile compared to most strings.

For something different you should try Eric Shcoenbeg's Soloist strings. They sound richer and fuller than anything else I've tried.

[Caleb]

Yeh, I think Elixers sound weak, scooped, and sterile compared to most strings.

For something different you should try Eric Shcoenbeg's Soloist strings. They sound richer and fuller than anything else I've tried.

I've never heard of these.  Where can they be found?

[Denis]

I know many people love them but I've never liked any coated strings.  I've always found the, as creature stated, take away some of the ooomph.  I feel like they are held back by the coating...the only ones I ever came close to liking were the D'Addario EXP's. 

Than being said, I used to teach and had a student that would play my guitar for 5 minutes and the strings would be all grungy and dead.  He's got that type of skin that excretes more than the usual amount of sweat/acids/oils..etc whatever.  For people like that, I think the advent of coated strings must be a godsend! 

[Caleb]

The more I play on these strings (Elixir mediums), the more I think they actually put some lights in a mediums package by mistake. My guitar performs nowhere near the way it does normally, and I've got strings slapping and flopping all over the place.  I like the, but I don't think they're mediums. 

[jeremy3220]

I've never heard of these.  Where can they be found?

om28.com

you gotta call to order though. I just ordered a dozen a day or two ago.

[Caleb]

om28.com

you gotta call to order though. I just ordered a dozen a day or two ago.

Interesting.   Thanks for the tip, but I wonder how they'll work on a dread?  They seem to be made specifically for OM-style guitars?  I guess they'd sound good on anything if they're good strings though. Are these your main string now?

[jeremy3220]

Interesting.   Thanks for the tip, but I wonder how they'll work on a dread?  They seem to be made specifically for OM-style guitars?  I guess they'd sound good on anything if they're good strings though. Are these your main string now?

yeh, they're my main string, not just because of the sound but the med-light guage is perfect for the SC. I don't know how they sound on a dread since I don't own one. I think the reason they work so well on OM's is because OM's tend to have a more cutting(more treble faster response) sound (than dreads) and these strings are richer and less tinsley sounding which makes them better for solo work, IMO. Of course the strings will have the same effect on a dread, so if thats the sound you want go for it.

[DaveyO]

I love Elixers.I use them on both my dreads.
Regular strings dont last very long with me and the Elixers feel better on my fingers.
I use lights and they last at least 5 or 6 months.
I dont like to change strings often anyways.
Dave

[Blue in VT]

I love Elixers.I use them on both my dreads.
Regular strings dont last very long with me and the Elixers feel better on my fingers.
I use lights and they last at least 5 or 6 months.
I dont like to change strings often anyways.
Dave

Blue

[Caleb]

5 or 6 months?  That's crazy.  I can't imagine a string lasting that long, but if they do, they are certainly worth the price if that's the case.

[patti]

I use the elixir on my 12 just because I'm lazy and it does not see the same amount of use. On my L I've been trying Newtone's. Worth a try if your heading out into the water.

http://www.newtonestrings.com/

[dgrose]

The more I play on these strings (Elixir mediums), the more I think they actually put some lights in a mediums package by mistake. My guitar performs nowhere near the way it does normally, and I've got strings slapping and flopping all over the place.  I like the, but I don't think they're mediums. 

I find the Elixir mediums feel light-ish too - but I don't mind. I only use them on two of my guitars right now and may revert back to lights on everything.
Did you get Polyweb or Nanoweb Elixirs. The coating is thicker and heavier on the Poly's - and there's definitely a "feel' difference as well.

dg

[Caleb]

I got the Nanos. 

Strings and the way the affect the guitar is a strange thing.  Some days I pick up the Larrivee equipped with the Elixirs and hate the sound.  Then other days I think they're growing on me.  My guitar goes through many stages of tone as the strings age.  I'm sure most folks' guitars here do the same thing.  It's just something you hear after you've played the same guitar for many years. 

Another strange thing.  For years I used EJ16 lights on the Larrivee. I LOVED the sound.  Then one day out of the blue I hated the tone.  Not just disliked it, but hated it.  I got bold and slapped on some mediums and immediately knew what all the fuss was about.  I've never liked light or lightish strings since then very much.