any way to get the finish off of elixers

[peaveyuser]

well yah thats basically it, I'd like to hear the actual string, the coating makes it too bright for my taste.

[BenWC87]

I would suggesting buying non-coated strings so that you don't pay $80 for a coating that you're not using, and the coating shouldn't be what makes them bright.

[KeithPas]

Those strings stay bright becasue the coating stops the grime from your fingers from killing the string.

[peaveyuser]

ughhh no they came with my BTB and I can't stand the sound but am too cheap to buy new strings yet. I know the actual string is good but that damn coating ticks me off, I don't care if it will last longer with it.

And simply put the strings won't die down a bit it's like a new string all the time.


Put it this way I was gonna switch the elixers on my BTB with the slinky's on my Peavey (since my peavey is a bit low in the first place and my BTB is way too bright for me at the moment) so I switched the E string and my BTB sounded much better, I actually liked it and could find a decent tone, with that string of course. Then I proceeded to switch them all, but the G-string elixer was too short for my Peavey , I then switched em back, so I still have that bright sound on my BTB.

Too bad the peavey sounded pretty good with that elixer on it too.

[Nick man]

The coating actually makes them darker than they would be without it, but stay with the new tone longer so that they are brighter once they are used than they would be.

[KeithPas]

The coating is not making the string brighter.

[peaveyuser]

Fine thats the problem the coating isn't letting the strings die down a bit, but thats what I want.

[TrevorOfDoom]

i've been told that they use SIT strings under the coating.

[GreyBeard]

I seriously doubt you could get the coating off without destroying the strings in the process. Sorry, I don't have any suggestions that will help.

[KeithPas]

You could try boiling them that might loosen the coating up. Seriously though, check ebay, you can get cheap strings for aaround $10.00 a set and under of the cheap brands.

[Dave Muscato]

Originally Posted by TrevorOfDoom

i've been told that they use SIT strings under the coating.

They do. If you don't like the coating, don't buy Elixirs. That's what makes them Elixirs! lol

[peaveyuser]

hmmm would nail polish remover work? If I were to use that would it affect the nickel?

[ducatiman]

yup, buy DR lo-riders.

its a teflon coating, are you a chemist?
trash 'em and get non coated, if they're not for you.

[peaveyuser]

ehhhh well since I'll have to get new strings I guess experimenting wouldn't hurt, i'll try to shave em off some how.


Stupid Elixers

[pjwalsh]

I'm with you on the brightness of Elixirs but then I use TI Jazz flats.

There are no easily available solvents that will dissolve the Elixir coating and boiling water will definitely not touch it. You could burn the coating off with an open flame (btw do not breathe the fumes from this) but then would likely destroy the strings. If you don't like Elixirs brightness then just buy a set of plain old nickel round wounds.

[Mustafa Umut Sa]

may be acetone or alcohol help , you can cut a piece of string and conduct an experiment , you can go to their patents and learn more. they say , this is nanotechnology and it makes everything more complex if they used nanoparticles of metal or ceramics . The better way is to conduct a experiment with very old elixirs.
i looked to the internet and i learned this is polymer. polymers generally cant stand againts ultraviolet and may be you can experiment with black light. do not expose yourself to uv , especially your eyes , it destroys living organisms.
brightness , if sound bright , i dont surprised. polymer instruments , parts , tops , strings always sound brighter.
you can look to the ovation guitars patents , you see there , they use wood polyester laminate at the guitar top. by this way you can hear the most weird sound from a guitar with polymer.
this is a lesson for people , polymers and instruments dont go good together.

Best ,

Mustafa Umut Sarac

[Mustafa Umut Sa]

This is message part 2. you can find first message before this.
I looked to the internet and i found a patent regarding elixir type polymer coating.
It says to use hydrophobic polymer coatings. it makes hand wetness do not stand on the string , it makes water stand high and small on the coating , it makes evapration easier.
Good news , hydrophobic polymers are polyurethane based plastics and they generally cant stand againts black light or ultraviolet.
We are crossing to the winter and you cant use sun as a pu coating remover but i think long exposures to black light - you find them in night clubs , it makes paints shine - will remove the pu. you can buy black light like a fluorescent light.
pu is comes in foam form in constructing business and they coat the chicken poultries or ice factories to cut excess heat of sun or protect from the winter.
pu is the largest use polymer in the world and they generally use it to generate furnitures from the mold with foams.
good side of the story , if you dont protect pu poultry coating from the sun , it turns to dust , it is cancerogen.
Elixir technology , only a simple idea .
And if you dont want to use wood at your classical guitar , best solution is to use pu hard foam and carbon cloth.
I think if you want to coat your 10 dollars strings with a polymer , i think , the best of all is cellulose , wood polymer. I think you cant never close to the wood sound than that.
You can buy pu and coat your 10 dollars strings with it without paying 80 to the set !

Best ,

Mustafa Umut Sarac

Istanbul

[fenderhutz]

My brain hurts after the last two posts.

[peaveyuser]

hmmm black light is pretty much outta the question, too hard ta get my hands on, might as well get new strings.


What I will try is alchohol and burning.


Thanks for the help

[peaveyuser]

Oh sweet looks like I found sumthin

wd-40, followed by 400 grit snadpaper, looks like the finish is coming off