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Elixirs with a Pick?

gimmeagig

gimmeagig

Feb 25, 2004
2,891
1,197
Coeur D'Alene,Idaho
#1
Hi, I ordered a set of Elixir Nanoweb Nickel Round wounds for my P Bass with EMGs.They will probably be here tomorrow. But here is something I had not thought about. In the last couple of days I have been watching some Bobby Vega clips.I had not considered seriously to ever use a pick on bass in public LOL. But turns out that style comes to me pretty easily, probably because I also play guitar. Which is the reason why I stayed away from using a pick on bass for close to 40 years. But I'm enjoying it now and I want to incorporate it into my style.
The question: The Elixirs were pretty expensive and I don't want to shred the coating off in a couple of weeks. How do they hold up to a pick?
I use a Jim Dunlop H pick that feels best to me. I have a pretty firm attack.
I can still install the Elixirs on a different P Bass and keep my D'Addario Prosteels on this bass that I was originally use them on.
What do you guys recommend?
 
#3
I've worked with Bobby. He did some demo workshops for me when I was the product manager for Genz Benz. What a wonderful bassist. Back to your question, I don't think you'll have a problem with the coating "feathering" as long as you stay away from their poly-web strings. Keep in mind that guitarists use them.
 
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#4
gimmeagig said:
Hi, I ordered a set of Elixir Nanoweb Nickel Round wounds for my P Bass with EMGs.They will probably be here tomorrow. But here is something I had not thought about. In the last couple of days I have been watching some Bobby Vega clips.I had not considered seriously to ever use a pick on bass in public LOL. But turns out that style comes to me pretty easily, probably because I also play guitar. Which is the reason why I stayed away from using a pick on bass for close to 40 years. But I'm enjoying it now and I want to incorporate it into my style.
The question: The Elixirs were pretty expensive and I don't want to shred the coating off in a couple of weeks. How do they hold up to a pick?
I use a Jim Dunlop H pick that feels best to me. I have a pretty firm attack.
I can still install the Elixirs on a different P Bass and keep my D'Addario Prosteels on this bass that I was originally use them on.
What do you guys recommend?
Click to expand...

gimmeagig said:
Well, I’ve not played with elixirs on my bass, but I have a 20 year old set of Elixers on my Taylor dreadnaught that have held up well to picking. But let me add, I’ve not done any recording with it. My guess is unless the coating deteriorating causes sonic artifacts, I wouldn’t worry about this.
Click to expand...
 
#5
I use Elixir on guitars and one bass, the coating shreds a bit in the plucking/picking area, but it's not a problem at all.

on my guitars I change them when I start to feel a "stiffness" both in sound and feeling, after months of hard playing (I play guitar in a duo, with lots of gigs, both fingerpicking and pick).
on the bass where I use them, I still haven't change the set I put on three years ago :P it's not my main bass, but last year I used it intensively for months in many rehearsal, gigs and recording sessions.


gimmeagig said:
I can still install the Elixirs on a different P Bass and keep my D'Addario Prosteels on this bass that I was originally use them on.
Click to expand...

Elixir work better with totally shielded instruments, because the coating is not conductive, so if you have some ground hum, the type that disappears when you touch the strings, with Elixir it won't disappear.

I use them on my Manson JPJ signature with EMG pickups, and they are a great match. consider that the nickel wound are brighter than the stainless, because the Elixir stainless are more mid oriented.
I tried them on my Spector Euro4 LX (with EMG), and the stainless "choked" the brightness of the bass, so the nickel, if you are used to Prosteel, are a better choice, they keep more highs and a slightly more scooped sound.
 
#8
I have been using Elixirs for all my basses for the last 5-6 years, and I play 95 percent of the time with a pick (and I have quite a 'heavy' right hand) - no issues, no 'furry' or shredded coating (except a bit where the pick meets the string the most, but it's really a minor thing tbh). I know there was a time long ago when it might have happened, but this issue is no longer here
 
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