Elixir Stainless = Witchcraft

[CrimsonGhost]

Anyone else using Elixir stainless? Just wondering your thoughts and or if perhaps my situation is an anomaly?

I have tried pretty much every design, metal composition and brand over 30years and recently switched to elixer stainless and cant see ever going back to a regular string again. I have a set on my Valiant going on over 5 weeks and they are still as bright as new. It blows my mind how after many band practices and daily practice at home how long these things stay fresh.

Any regular SS or Nickel strings are usually dead in 4 days. I can smack the E after all this time and its still as alive and response as they were brand new.
The only thing I have noticed is there is some uneven discoloration on a few strings however this isn't affecting tone or feel. That's another thing. feel. Where stainless such as rotos are like cheese graters on fingers the elixirs are very smooth. The price is higher than other sets but would have gone through at least 3 sets of standard strings by now. These things are really great. It seems perhaps the older versions of Elixirs may have left some players a bad taste in their mouths how they got "hairy" after a while but this new coating doesn't have that issue. I swear there is some witchcraft involved here!

 

[Lava]

Big fan of Elixirs. I’m partial to the nickel.

 

[winston]

It seems perhaps the older versions of Elixirs may have left some players a bad taste in their mouths how they got "hairy" after a while but this new coating doesn't have that issue. I swear there is some witchcraft involved here!

Good to know, the only Elixirs I've ever played were on basses at music stores, and had disgustingly shredded coating.

 

[Muziekschuur]

I like dulled out strings on bass.

 

[logdrum]

Interesting. I don't like Elixirs at all. If I need coated strings I will get DR Dragonskins instead.

 

[CrimsonGhost]

Interesting. I don't like Elixirs at all. If I need coated strings I will get DR Dragonskins instead.

Hmm, I tried the new dragonskins as well and they were dead as a doornail right out of the pack like they were painted with rubber paint. These elixir stainless are more like a roto sound in it's "golden era" when they just calm down a bit.

 

[Pier_]

It blows my mind how after many band practices and daily practice at home how long these things stay fresh.

long time Elixir fan, I started using them on guitar back in 2001, suggested by a friend of mine, and loved the bright tone that lasted. when, in 2012, they changed the "formula", it was even better:

1) the coating (nanoweb) has more longevity. prior to 2012 it shredded in a few weeks

2) plain strings on guitar lost the coating to an anti-rust treatment which made them even better sounding and still long lasting. I have an old acoustic with an 11-52 set that has the brass strings all shredded by +10 years of playing, but the plain strings are still shiny. that also helps keeping the frets in good conditions, because the oxidation on the plain strings "bites" the frets.

the only thing I dislike on bass is the fact that the coating is not conductive, so if the bass isn't perfectly shielded and silent, touching the strings doesn't remove the background noise/hiss.
I only use them on super shielded basses like one with EMG pickups.

they are the only coated strings that really last because, as explained in their ads, they coat the finished string (they are probably D'Addario strings), so the gaps between the winding can't store dirt, sweat and dust.

other coated strings have the winding coated before, so the gaps are uncovered, and the only purpose is to avoid rust.

 

[Steve Slate]

Very happy with the SS on my JB 5!! Love the B string!!

 

[CrimsonGhost]

Very happy with the SS on my JB 5!! Love the B string!!

Ya their .135 seems great on my new ultra jazz v. Fit great with no nut work needed either woo.

 

[Ajsweet]

I love the articulation of SS. Way better than nickel coated.

But I pussied out , and I'm now using nickel rounds

 

[CrimsonGhost]

I love the articulation of SS. Way better than nickel coated.

But I pussied out , and I'm now using nickel rounds

I'll have to try those next. I haven't tired their nickel variety. I was worried they might not be as bright out of the box as the SS is more like a roto that just hit that golden stage.

 

[GlassToMouth]

TLDR. I love Elixirs, but want more stainless options. Pics at the bottom for attention.

Yes, I absolutely love Elixirs. For 30 years and beyond, I continue to love the sound of new string zing and sparkle. I would lose my desired tone within a week from pretty much every other string. I can get a couple months easily out of an every day bass.


I have one bass I will rotate with 45-105 stainless, or 40-95 nickels. I tend to favor the lightest gauge which isn't offered in steel. My other main bass requires a 38" winding length (35.5" scale) and again, the steels don't exist that I want. They don't offer the "extra long scale" in steel at all. So on both my favorite basses, I occasionally enjoy the 45-105 or 45-100 steels, but I wish they were offered in longer scale and lighter gauge options.

 

[v-12]

I just found this thread while looking for some other string options- I really liked the sound and feel of Elixirs, but they started shredding after a few months, and the E went fairly dead not long after that. For basses I play more often I will just go with an uncoated string and change them more often, but I may try Elixirs on basses that sit out and are played less often.

 

[HaphAsSard]

I really liked the sound and feel of Elixirs, but they started shredding after a few months, and the E went fairly dead not long after that.

How long ago was that?

 

[CrimsonGhost]

I just found this thread while looking for some other string options- I really liked the sound and feel of Elixirs, but they started shredding after a few months, and the E went fairly dead not long after that. For basses I play more often I will just go with an uncoated string and change them more often, but I may try Elixirs on basses that sit out and are played less often.

Those were the old version of elixirs which were fully coated and know to get "hairy" after a while the new nano coated, the coating is more in between the windings to keep out the grime which makes strings go dead. The current line does not do this.

Thought the same thing and in general have always been turned off by coated strings since they always sounded dead out of the pack with coating coming off in minutes like the DR coated strings which imo are terrible.

My current set of nano coated ss Elixirs have been on my Valiant since October with a lot of hours, band practice etc and they sound as fresh as they were the day I put them on the bass which is totally insane. I would have gone through many many sets of coated strings by now that would only last maybe 2 weeks before the E would fart out and be dead in response and tone. Give them a shot if you have the means! Oh also their customer support is excellent as well.

I'm not affiliated or anything with the brand here just blown away with how great they sound and the rediculous longevity and they don't feel like running your fingers over files.

 

[v-12]

How long ago was that?

Those were the old version of elixirs which were fully coated and know to get "hairy" after a while the new nano coated, the coating is more in between the windings to keep out the grime which makes strings go dead. The current line does not do this.

The flaking was on a set I received for Christmas last year, and they were the definitely nano coated. I don’t know when I put them on or exactly or when they started flaking or when the E went dead, but I know I ordered their replacement in July and they were long overdue to be replaced by then.

I only play with a pick so that may be a part of it, but I was not happy with the longevity.

 

[CrimsonGhost]

The flaking was on a set I received for Christmas last year, and they were the definitely nano coated. I don’t know when I put them on or exactly or when they started flaking or when the E went dead, but I know I ordered their replacement in July and they were long overdue to be replaced by then.

I only play with a pick so that may be a part of it, but I was not happy with the longevity.

Wow that's wild. Never expierienced that and also play with a pick as well. The elixers I have dont really have much of a coating on the outside windings like say the Dr black strings do. And I play with both fingers and ultex picks.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Wow that's wild. Never expierienced that and also play with a pick as well. The elixers I have dont really have much of a coating on the outside windings like say the Dr black strings do. And I play with both fingers and ultex picks.

You seem to be of the understanding that they somehow fill the gaps with material, leaving the windings uncoated. They do not. The Elixir coating is stocking-shaped, same as it ever was, and there is definitely coating on the crowns of the windings. Of course, what's visible is the in-between section hanging between each crown: it does not go all the way down the gap though.
DR Black Beauties have visible coating of the winding by virtue of them being, well, black: funnily enough, they, and the rest of the competition (with very few exceptions), coat the wrap wire prior to winding, as opposed to the entire finished string, so when such a coating of this type is not coloured it is invisible.

 

[danznokaze]

I used nickel Elixir many times pre 2012, and yes they always gave us hairy spike fun on the whole thing, but I can say yes they last really long especially the bright end, with some discoloration (blackened spots), and it feels rough on hands even brand new and the tension is a little bit not my taste for normal gauge 45-130, the only size available in my country that time. IMO the feels on hand similar to Rotosound nickel.

That's the reason I stopped using Elixir for more than a decade, Around that time my preference for recording was Ernie Ball MM Nickel, it has the most balanced feeling for me, but the downside was super short life. It will be completely dead in one month top, even though I am a dry skinned hand guy so my strings last way longer than most of my fellow bassists, especially who have oily and sweaty hands.

But just last October, I just randomly bought Elixir sets, Nickel and SS both of them, and my preference now is 40-125 gauge also hard to find, so I dare my self to install 45-130 on both my basses (Bacchus handmade Japan and Ibanez SR premium, all 34" )
To my surprise, the new generation Elixir really amazes me. Even using regular string gauge, the tensions are super good on hand.
And the surface also really smooth on both nickel and SS, the brightness is as expected from what I expect on nickel and SS. The low end is enough for me, not so boomy but also even on all strings, the slides feel really "expensive" (I dunno how to say it)
My friend had one installed on his bass way way earlier than me, and it's still really good like a brand new after 6 months weekly usage. And, no more spiky hairy strands on newest Elixir lines after 6 months usage, I can assure you that.

Probably there are still some old stocks on some shops, me personally don't really know how to spot the difference between the old ones and the new ones.

My conclusion is, go buy and use them, either nickel or SS are superb. For now, I can't find any equal challenges from other brands which can match the new Elixir lineups, from both aspects the long-lasting life and the feel on hands (I already tried many brands from EB, roto, Magma, DR, Labella, Daddario XL & NYXL, GHS, Fender, SIT, Orphee, Ibanez, etc)