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Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | Well, after hearing so much hipe about Elixer strings, I dug into my pocket and pulled out the 13 bucks needed to give them a whirl. I put the Mediums on my 1537, and I gotta say they sounded frigging OUTSTANDING. They felt a little odd, sort of oily under my fingers, due to the nanoweb coating, but that was easy to get over given the sound eminating from my guitar.
That was about two and half weeks ago. I play for just under an hour on average every other night. I played one 4 hour gig with an Olde Time band.
Over this span of time, it seems that my nacent strings have entered puberty, as they have sprouted hair. While begining to sport peach fuzz, I have also noticed a slight change in their voice as well.
I guess, like all parents, there is a part of me that hates to see them grow-up...especially when they were once so young sweet... and really expensive damnit. |
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Location: Midland, MI | Mine lasted about three weeks, but I don't gig...just play/practice at home. I call it polyfur. :)
BTW, I just put a set of Lights (polyweb, not nanoweb) on my 1868. Previously, I had extra-lights. So, I've gone from .010s to .012s. For whatever reason, I'm now freaked that the extra tension is going to spring my top...is this something I need worry about? |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | not to worry |
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| Mediums are the way to go! I personally have not gone over the standard 56-13's but I have had absolutly no problems with my Adamas 6er they are made for these strings!
I too am worried about tension and long term damage but I would think this may be for strings in the "heavy" category? And the sound is so much better with the mediums compared to the lights. and they do last a little longer for me?
I have my guitars on wall hangers now and I tune the E down to the D when I put them up for the night. don't know how much this helps but I do it anyway? Makes me feel better. So far it's the Adamas and Martin strings I like but I think everyone is making better strings now. Randy |
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Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by northcountry:
Mediums are the way to go!
Holy fiznuckle...just the change from .010 to .012 is wreaking havoc on my fretting hand, I can't image going to mediums!
It's amazing how much difference a couple hundredths makes. When I play my .009 strung electric it's amazing the bends I can pull off.
W2 (or anyone else that cares to answer)-
On some of the 'traditional' acoustic guitars, a 'belly bulge' behind the bridge is not uncommon, and actually I've heard some luthiers say it's expected...so long as it isn't pronounced. Something to do with not overbracing the top, allowing it to lift just a hair behind the bridge. What's the official line? Is the 'belly bulge' a GoodThing(tm)? A VeryBadThing(tm)? |
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Posts: 77
Location: Texas | Originally posted by cruster:
On some of the 'traditional' acoustic guitars, a 'belly bulge' behind the bridge is not uncommon ...
I have a belly bulge, unfortunately it is not located on the guitar. :)
-Gary K |
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Location: Scotland | Slight bellying of the top is normal & isn't a problem if the guitar has an adequate neck-set. If the top pulls and the neck-set is shallow you'll get premature action & break-angle problems |
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Location: Midland, MI | Ok, Paul. Define premature action and break-angle problems for those of us who barely qualify as laymen. :) |
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Location: Central Oregon | Where's my fuzz?
I have Elixir strings that have been on guitars for months (& played regularly). I've had them discolor slightly in places but I've never experienced any 'fuzz'. I've only used the Nanoweb, could that be the reason mine don't get fuzzy?
/\/\/ |
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Location: SE Michigan | I have been using nanoweb 12s on my Adamas CVT for awhile now. Havn't found anything that sounds as good or lasts as long. Also, I find that the Elixers stay in tune better. Am I nuts or do other people find certain string types hold tuning better? I tried some John Pearse strings awhile back and I had to tune after nearly every song, even after they were well broken in. Needless to say it doesn't matter how good the dam things sound if I am constantly out of tune.
As far as the elixer fuzz thing goes, yes I get it too, but I also get "Elixer Dandruff" under the strings where a normal soundhole would be. I have to dust under my strings frequently. I bet you guys playing Legends and Balladeers with Elixers need to vacume them out every few string changes. |
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Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | I want to know why you ain't got fuzzy elixirs and I do. One might think it was due to flat picking, but it was actually the on the portion of the strings that are on the neck that started fuzzing first and not at the fret but under my fingers. I do have the biggest (read thick) and maybe roughest fingers of any guitar player I have ever met. Maybe that's it? Also, when playing olde time music guitarists are often religated to endless "A" and "D" chords, though the fuzz is most prominent at "Am". :confused: |
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Location: Upper Left USA | Put me down for the "Elixer Dandruff" as well. fingers and flat picks only. |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by cruster:
Ok, Paul. Define premature action and break-angle problems for those of us who barely qualify as laymen. :)
guitars should belly very slightly over time, if they don't it's usually because they're built too heavily. Manufacturers take this into account and set the neck at an angle to, rather than parallel to the top, which produces a healthy saddle-height and string break-angle. This break-angle is a major factor in the way the strings drive the top via the bridge and has a huge influence on tone & volume. As the top pulls over time the action goes up with it. The action can be adjusted at the saddle without losing the break-angle if the neck-set is correct (and lots of guitars, especially imports, have their necks set too shallow) This is why many older guitars need to have their necks re-set. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I hear ads on the radio all the time hyping herbal remedies for premature action. Dave |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by Standingovation:
I hear ads on the radio all the time hyping herbal remedies for premature action. Dave
I knew something like that was coming. ;)
FWIW, my polyfur develops in the Woody (or was it Moody?) 'money chord' area, and where I fingerpick. The last set developed a nice green patina where the coating wore off on the wound strings, too. Oh, and the plain strings went from shiny silver to almost black. Still, they sounded fine up until about a week ago when they just kind of gave out. I'm really surprised at how much difference the heavier strings make, as far as volume/tone. And how much harder I have to work at fretting them. :) |
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Location: Upper Left USA | We can safely define that as the "Woody" area if you like.
As for premature anything - I've only seen that applied to Ebay bidding! |
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Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | Light gauge nanoweb Elixirs sound very nice on my 1537. Also, Elixir makes an in-between medium/light gauge which has the 3 low strings in medium and the 3 high strings light. I have tried and liked those also, but they are not generally stocked in most stores. I have found both the polyweb and nanoweb to develop fuzz, but the strings still maintain about 80-90% of the new string sound for much longer than ordinary strings. One warning about Elixirs-once you get accustomed to the slippery feel, it's hard to go back to regular strings because they feel sticky. |
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Posts: 100
Location: Asheville, North Carolina | Hey reviving this old thread. Elixer Nanos on my new Elite LX sound very good. *Newtones* are my all time favorite, but don't last quite as long. I will comment that I find some guitars, even like models that sound better with one string or another. Case in point...two of my friends have the same model J-45 Gibson guitars...one sounds great with Elixers the other sounds not so great and better with D'Adarrios...and visa versa. So it pays to experiment with different strings on different guitars...Actually it doesn't pay but... :rolleyes:
I will reiterate, Elixers need to get several hours of play before the sound their best. Then they keep allot of solid tone for many hours. However, my Tacoma doesn't like them.
Anyone tried Newtones? My choice, but hard to get. Guitar Gallery sells out often. They are not suited to drop tunings very well though.
http://www.dwmee.34sp.com/ |
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Posts: 15678
Location: SoCal | This is an interesting discussion. I used Elixir Polys (mediums) on my 1537 for a long time. Now I'm using nano's on it for a slightly brighter sound. But I'm using light gauge poly's on my Glen Campbell Deluxe Balladeer, which is a very bright guitar to start with. The poly's aren't quite as bright as the nano's. The different strings bring out the best in both guitars. |
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Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | Elite, Are you referring to the British Newtone strings made by Malcolm Newton in Derbyshire? If so I guess they must be pretty expensive over there. They're good strings, but I know some people who stopped using them because they were eating through frets. You also have to remember to clip them after they're up to pitch or the wrap wire can get loose and they die instantly. |
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Posts: 1922
Location: Canton (Detroit), MI | cruster, if the .012s end up not sitting well with the shape your fingers are in, go for some .011"-.052" Custom Lights....Elixir sells them, I saw them at Motor City Guitar on Saturday. I worked up to .012s, starting at .010s, then .011s. Going from .010s to .012s would definitely be a big jump!
Roger |
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December 2004
Posts: 21
Location: Scotland | .13 med for me I guess....Ive tried lighter strings but "it dont seem right somehow" I like to bang out chords or pick strong, anything lighter than .13 just "rattle" , when I drop into an open tuning "I get even more fretbuzz if the strings are less than .13" ....OK maybe a lot has to do with your setup and guitar, I am refering to my Takamine EN-10 which is set-up well, but I do know of a friend that plays a Legend and would never condisder anything but "heavy Martin strings" the sound was great, but that may be his playing style and heavy but great time-ing.....! |
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Posts: 1380
Location: Central Oregon | Originally posted by Nils:
Where's my fuzz?
I have Elixir strings that have been on guitars for months (& played regularly). I've had them discolor slightly in places but I've never experienced any 'fuzz'. I've only used the Nanoweb, could that be the reason mine don't get fuzzy?
/\/\/
I finally saw fuzz a while back when I was changing strings. I think my lack of fuzz had something to do with cleaning my bi-funckles... :) |
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Elixers and Puberty