Elixir Guitar Strings

[22fretmaple]

Hey Guys

i just purchased 2 sets of elixir guitar strings for the first time (1 electric, 1 acoustic) and i was wondering since they are i guess "made" for anti-rust i want to know still:

Do i still need to wipe them down? Anyone had any experience with these strings who have either wiped them down or not after playing and can give me feedback on the results.

Thanks guys

[Tim]

I have used them on an electric and after playing I just wipe them with a cloth. Looks to work ok.

Since there is that membrane around the string dirt and moisture can't penetrate, but I guess if you didn't wipe at all there could be some grime buildup on the strings. Don't know if that would affect sound much though, since it's only superficial and comes off easy if it's a problem.

But I'm still on my first set of Elixirs, don't even remember when I put them on, but then I don't play very much.

[ooten2]

I use Elixirs all the time on my Fender guitars. I have never needed to wipe them down, and they stay bright for quite awhile.

I wash my hands before playing, and I've never had a problem with sweaty hands and strings corroding. I know other people who, no matter how clean the hands are, have problems with gunky strings. Guess it depends on the person.

[thedoctor]

I think it depends on the person playing, to some extent. I bought a Guild Starfire 6 and played it for abot 2 months before I loaned it to our (then) lead player. The next morning, it looked like a 1972 Vega! Corrosion on the bridge, pegs and strings. Why not just always wipe em? That "membrane" is between the core and the wrap isn't it? Wipe em and don't look back.

[GregP]

Wipe'em. Just don't use weird chemicals to do it.

The plain strings are still... well, plain.

[22fretmaple]

Thanks guys

I guess it makes sense to wipe them down just incase - but this time atleast if i forget to i won't have topay a sacrifice like normal strings!

Thanks again....

[Jivin]

I remember when I bought my new acoustic they had a set of Elixirs on, and I still have them on like.... well ages later (3+ months)

Don't get me wrong, they should be changed, but they are still playable.

Great strings!

- Dan

[Daniel Sorbera]

You should wipe them down anyways. The plain strings are still plain and not coated in anything. I have VERY corrosive body chemistry and I burn through "regular" strings in about a week and elixers in about a month or two depending on how much I play. I like elixers on acoustics but I dont like them on electrics.

[Devon Headen]

I only use them on acoustic. They really do last a lot longer. I don't think they sound very good on certain high end guitars (Martins from my experience sound really bad with elixirs) but others sound good (Taylors). I usually chew through most of the coating where I strum in about a week. It still sounds really good for a long time, but it doesn't look so hot with stuff hanging off the strings.

[crafty]

They sound great on my Taylor, which I might change the strings on once or twice a year, but I hate them for electrics. They're just too slippery, even with that new thinner coating on them.

DR Hi-Beams for the electrics, baby.

[GregP]

I looooove the slipperiness. I don't bend the wound strings very often, and when I do they're always reinforced, so I'm still groovy for bends and all.

Greg

[kh15]

i cant stand those stings i have played them on a friends prs and then just dont fell like a nice fresh pair of nickles and i personally dont see the point of a long lasting string i guess if its that much of a pain their good but every other week i take 10 minutes out of my life and change strings and with the proper care you could push 3 months out of a nickle string that is if you wipe it down after you play, you dont play with dirty hands, and you wipe them with a alchol pad every couple plays but thats just my .02$ whateva floats ya boat mate

Edited April 23, 2005 by kh15

[GregP]

I actually LIKE the ritual of changing strings. Mmmm.... fresh strings....

I like the feel, though. That's a subjective thing, and I'm allowed to. On top of that, I sweat battery acid, so I kill strings very quickly. Elixirs less quickly.

Ultimately, though, it's expensive to change strings very often, and I'm skint. Yes, you pay more for a pack of Elixirs, but my experience has been that they're still cheaper for me in the long-run.

Greg

[Jivin]

I actually coat my own strings with a polymer coating made by DR... and I find it helps and its cheaper than buying elixirs. It might not be quite as good, but I will keep doing it

I usually just use D'Addario 10-46's or sometimes Boomers... but soon I am going to order a whole bunch of strings from the states (DR Hi-Beams, Dean Markley Blue Steels, GHS B52's) and put them each on one of my guitars and test them all Then once I decide what I like the best I will settle on one brand and just buy in bulk from the states.

Up until recently I have never really bothered thinking about it... I just bought DAddario's cause they were at the music shop... but I am keen to try some new brands now. The whole cryogenically frozen thing with the Dean Markley Blue Steel's sounds so cool

- Dan

[thedoctor]

I was done on this topic till the cryo-thing came up. Case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. We build the tanks and controls for cryo-treating tool steel parts and bits. I always thought of it as reverse-heat-treating and a bit of smoke and mirrors. If the customer is willing to pay for a $3000.00 tank and controls, who am I to argue? However, a customer of ours PAID us to run a blind-test batch of forged steel parts and wire in OUR shop under OUR control. The results from the testing lab came back stating that the components treated BY US had a 50% lower failure rate than the parts treated by our customer and outlasted the untreated parts 5 to 1! We do NOT treat parts here. We just make the tanks. I believe that a company that makes guitar strings on a regular basis works out a precise treatment procedure, they can probly make a decent improvement on the durability of the product. In the back of my mind, however, I have niggling little issues with the claims for improved sustain, output, etc. Never tried any but I was tempted to throw a couple of DeAddario bass sets in with the batch.

[Curtis P]

I use GHS boomers on my electric, i have used the same strings on my washburn for approximetly 6 months now, and they still sound new, and i play every day for approximetly 2-3 hours a day, i take good care of my strings, lol

Curtis

[JoJo T. Magnifficent]

ive mostly been using earnie balls, but im thinkin bout changing, caue they dont seem to react well to GHS fast fret, mind you i only put it on once a week or so, but they tend to build up a layer of dirt and skin etc.

On a slight tangent, does anyone know some good steel wound eletric strings? cause ive developed a slight allergy to nickle that can flare up sometimes

PM me is probly best, as to no hijack the thread. Cheers.

[Jivin]

Just quickly... maybe try:

http://www.stringitup.com/f-3350r.html

or

http://www.stringitup.com/ghsbnlligrou.html

?

- Dan