I've been an avid Elixir Nano user for years. Maybe it's time that I dabble a bit into other strings. However, I've been stuck with Elixirs because I've got "acid hands" and can literally kill a fresh set of any uncoated, nickel string in less than 4 hours! This is no joke. But, I'm also too lazy to do the denatured alcohol thing after every gig.
As I was going through my closet a few days ago, I found an old, unused set of Ken Smith TCRM's (stainless taper core: 44-63-84-106). At first I was about to throw them away. I thought that my hands would just eat them right up. But I had a show the next day and my Thumb NT had Elixirs on it that were about 2 years old! The Elixirs looked and felt like hay-bailing wire that's been left outside forever. Anyway, I gave the Smith's a chance and threw them on the Warwick.
I was pleasantly surprised! Not only did they sound great at the gig, but they didn't die! It's now three days later and they still sound brand new. I didn't wipe the strings down and I've put about 10 total hours on these strings.
Of course, they felt a bit rougher than a nickel string. But they felt much smoother/softer than most other stainless strings that I've tried. These strings are great! I'm curious to see if there are any other strings out there that fit this criteria and/or:
1. Stainless roundwounds
2. Medium Bright (almost harsh highs, but not)
3. Found in 45-65-80-100 gauge sets
4. A physical softness to the string that's close to that of a nickel string
4. Readily available at some shops and internet sites
5. Under $27.00 per set
So, am I dreaming here? Because of my long relationship with Elixirs, I'm pretty much dumb to the qualities of other strings. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
