Elixir strings: Polyweb or Nanoweb?

I agree that this something very subjective. I've only played for 8 years but, I can definitely hear the difference. I teach guitar lessons through the week with my taylor and when I put on any brand besides Elixer or D'addario EXP, without a doubt, the strings are dead in two weeks. Elixers will maintain a clear and fresh sound for, at minimum, two months.

Another thing that should be considered is the difference in what an acoustic should sound like to different players. If you fingerpick everything and you do a James Taylor tribute act, you should probably play phosphor bronze on an instrument with a cedar top or mohogany back and sides or something. Elixers will not work for you. For those of us who want brightness and clarity, especially for strumming and leads, we choose Elixer for that reason.

And I would argue that instruments discussed, like Morgan and Larivee, and for me Martin guitars have a lot more character and personality than Taylor. Maybe those instrument lose that with Elixer.
 
InTheFire said:
For those of us who want brightness and clarity, especially for strumming and leads, we choose Elixer for that reason.
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Elixirs have NO brightness or clarity. That is why I hate them. If you want brightness, the last thing you want to do is wrap your strings in plastic. Yuck.

And just by the way, James Taylor's Olsons have spruce tops with rosewood back and sides. (Jim Olson is a friend of mine). It is Phil Keaggy who started the cedar/rosewood Olson thing. Jim doesn’t make mahogany guitars.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Nano-knocking, Poly-whomping

I don't get to play as often as I would like. Some of my guitars sit for weeks without being played. I love Elixir strings because they sound and feel predictably the same no matter how much time passes between sessions. And I can keep the lubricants off my fretboard.

It's not that I am a bad player or have a bad ear. To me, the quality of tone comes much less from the compostion of strings and much more from the build of the instrument and the techniques of the player. I can get all the variations of tone I want from Elixirs - and maybe a little EQ here and there.

That being said, I DO understand that the stylistic demands of different players demand different tools. If your style involves making frequent use of that clean phosphor bronze chime -- and there is nothing like it -- Elixirs are not for you. But Elixirs DO have their own panoply of tones. Maybe, because of my time constraints, I've adapted my style to them. Hey, I'm happy with that!

I play both electric and acoustic and use Elixirs on both.
 
Elixers ... they are very good strings, they do wear better. Setting sound aside for a moment, I don't think that they last that much longer. If you play professionally you are gonna have to replace them every 25 or 30 hours minimum.
I usually use Dean Markley strings. They sound good and wear well.
I usually buy strings at George's Music in L. Southampton Pa. They have excellent deals on strings ... even Elixirs if you are so inclined.
 
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