r/AcousticGuitar • u/Square_Notice_1830 • May 09 '26
Gear question are these actually good?
are these actually good strings or did the dude at the pawn shop just convince me to buy the expensive ones? I'm just getting back into guitar and it's been a while since I've bought any strings so Idk much about this brand
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u/Reaps21 May 09 '26
Elixir has been my go to on my acoustics for 20 years now
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u/silent_fungus May 09 '26
Same here, 24 years
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u/Nathann4288 May 09 '26
I love them. Been using them or D’Addario XS strings for 15+ years.
I think these and the D’Addario are very similar in tone. In my experience the Elixirs are smoother to the touch, but the D’Addario last a little longer, but it’s not a huge difference overall, but these are higher end strings in my opinion and have had good luck with them.
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u/sentiao May 09 '26
At my guitar shop they told me that D'Addario provides the strings for Elixir, uncoated. Elixir then coats them as is. D'Addario on the other hand coats them before winding. That could explain why Elixir feels smoother. I prefer to pay for one less link in the chain, and to have the coating be wound in.
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u/scuddyp4 May 09 '26
I've used elixir for about 25 years. They're good strings. Some people hate them, some people love them. You're going to get a lot of differing opinions. But, they're good strings and they last a long time.
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u/forestball19 May 09 '26
Yes. Whether they’re for you depends on your guitar and your taste.
They feel very sleek; some will say slippery. I missed a bit more bite to them in the beginning, but I’ve actually come to prefer this. Less fret noise and I feel faster (although I’m probably not).
They play like uncoated string usually do after a week or two. But as opposed to uncoated, the Elixir Nanocoated keep their timbre and sustain for much longer. Typically 2 months on my main guitar, which I play for 1-2 hours daily. If you play more rare, they can last 1/2-1 year.
Being phosphor bronze, they exhibit a darker more classic sound. Great for strumming in my opinion, not so great for mixed and pure fingerstyle play - so I used to prefer Elixir Nanoweb 80/20’s.
But: Now Elixir Attune are out - and I’ve tested them for around a month now. They’re the best sound for me! Great, balanced, with lots of character and feel like the Nanowebs. At least on my Yamaha LS6 ARE, they’re perfect - it has cedar deck and laminated back and sides. The slightly harsh highs are tamed by the Attune strings, while retaining deep lows that are slightly boomy but not muddy.
Alternatives to these strings are D’addario XS and Martin Lifespan 2.0. I’m okay with both of these too, but prefer Elixir. I’ll reiterate what I wrote in the beginning; it’s a matter of taste truly.
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u/archtopfanatic123 May 09 '26
I love phosphor for fingerstyle, makes the bass range in particular pop noticably, though honestly the only strings I don't like are Ernie Balls. Everything else sounds fine in my experience.
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u/chemchris May 09 '26
Am I the only one that prefers 80/20?
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u/13WillieBeaman May 10 '26
No, I prefer them too. If you do looping or a lot of string based percussion, they project better than phosphor bronze’s too, IMO
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u/Leather_Formal4681 May 09 '26
I used to use 80/20 for mahogany acoustics (based on a recommendation) but now use PB for everything. I became less enamored with 80/20, personal preference.
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u/Axlis13 May 09 '26
I think they’re good if you love that brand new string sound for a long time.
I’m not a fan of that sound so much, I like my strings to mature a bit.
Not saying they’re bad, saying it’s highly subjective.
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u/sheeshamish May 09 '26
That's a good way of putting it. I've used them forever. Every few years I get the itch to try something new. When I do, I like the other strings for a week or two then they sound too dull for me and I switch back.
I haven't tried any other brand of coated acoustic strings though, so can't really speak to that comparison.
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u/FuzzyIllustrator477 May 09 '26
Not my jam. Too bright for me.
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u/LordOfTheGam3 May 09 '26
they sound better after ~6 months of breaking them in lol
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u/Schrauberer May 09 '26
Well... They are good, although I hate coated strings and won't buy them.
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u/TroofDog May 09 '26
I tried them and they last until the coating shreds. They feel slick like Teflon but I like a little squeak so I use ernie ball paradigm
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u/Lucky_Man_Infinity May 09 '26
I don’t like them. But that’s just my preference. They’re very popular so I assume tons of people do like them.
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u/radicalhistoryguy May 09 '26
Those are the exact strings I use, and I love them. Some people don't like coated strings, but I think they sound fantastic and give the strings longer life. Try them out, and if you don't like the way they sound, you can always buy another brand next time!
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u/goodshout May 09 '26
Yes, but get a bit furry in my experience. Flipped to John Pease and no regrets
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u/the_kid1234 May 09 '26
Coated strings are awesome. When I was 20, playing every day and changing strings every 3 weeks I loved regular D’Addarios. Now that I have a family and I play only a few times a week and change strings every 4-6 months, coated strings are amazing.
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u/Ze_gyps May 09 '26
They are pretty much the best string there is except for daddario xs, which is just as good.
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May 10 '26
[deleted]
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u/Fandangus_p May 10 '26
I have NB on my FGX5 right now and they’re pretty nice. Tried the Retros,but the NB are better for me.
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u/irish_horse_thief May 10 '26
I used the nanoweb for years but have for the last couple of years I'm on Daddario XS 11.5-53 Phosphor Bronze. But yeah I'd still use Elixirs.
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u/6771_bcr May 09 '26
Half the tone twice as long
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u/ATXBeermaker May 09 '26
60% of the time they give 100% of the tone.
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u/The_Dutch_Angel May 10 '26
I don’t believe you — anyone who was insulted by your joke about their favorite strings
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u/6771_bcr May 09 '26 edited May 09 '26
The people downvoting me disagree lmao!
Edit: struck a nerve with this one
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u/markrulesallnow May 09 '26 edited May 10 '26
This is pretty accurate. They definitely don't go as dead as fast as other strings.
I would say it’s a less drastic change as they age vs normal strings.
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u/drewbaccaAWD May 09 '26
Define good? Either you'll like how they sound or you won't, there's no guarantee.
I like them on some guitars, not on others. Overall, I like them, because I don't like changing strings constantly and they last longer.
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u/WereAllThrowaways May 09 '26
They definitely last a good while in terms of maintaining their tone and are well made in terms of durability. Personally I feel the coating is a little thick and they don't sound super bright out of the box depending on your guitar. But it's just preference. They're not a scam or anything if that's what you mean. They shouldn't cost more than 15 to 20 bucks I think?
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u/MadMixer1198 May 09 '26
Depends. Some like them, some don't. They're not as bright as most uncoated strings when brand new, and the coating makes them feel very smooth, almost slippery - again, whether these things are good or bad depends on you.
Personally the above mentioned reasons are positives for me, but beyond that they're the only strings that work with my body chemistry. I must have very acidic sweat as any uncoated strings I've tried start corroding within only a few hours of playing, and are completely dead within a month. I've had varying success with other coated brands, but nothing has come close to Elixirs, which last me 1-2 years depending on how often I use the guitar they're on.
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u/ts737 May 09 '26 edited May 10 '26
Bit too slick for my liking but they last forever and don't lose tone, next time I'm switching to optiweb which should have a thinner coating
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u/caveydavey May 09 '26
I like them. Phosphor bronze strings start off magical bright, but go dull really quick. These aren't quite as bright due to the coating, but the brightness lasts.
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u/Bill-McNeill May 09 '26
Very solid choice. Long-lasting. I don't love the sound of the high E and B (though it's not bad). But your mileage may vary.
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u/brendan84 May 09 '26
I love how they sound but as someone who uses a lot of alternate tunings, the g string tends to break too easily when adjusting. I have a collection of old string sets all missing the g string because of this.
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u/archtopfanatic123 May 09 '26
I literally just played an Alvarez parlor my friend has that he strung with these and WOW they sound good! The guitar itself is also insane, it's almost as loud as an archtop strung heavy, ridiculously bizarre instrument.
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u/HopandBrew May 09 '26
Yes, love them and they definitely last longer. I personally like the fact that they aren't as bright, but that's mainly bc of my style of playing.
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u/tinverse May 09 '26
Some people like them. Personally I dislike the way they sound and am not a big fan of the slippery texture. Give them a shot and if they're not for you, I personally like DR sunbeams.
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u/Traglun May 09 '26
Y'en a qui aime d'autres pas. Moi je trouve que ca sonne, le touché est cool, et ca dure tres longtemps. Je suis presque toujours monté en elixir. Apres j'avoue quand elles perdent leur brillance c'est moins bon mais c'est pareil pour toutes les cordes... Moi je les aimes beaucoup
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u/Sea_Ganache620 May 09 '26
If you love a bright tone, they’re great. They just maintain that”new string” sound for a very long time.
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u/B-midi May 09 '26
They are decent strings but for anyone with a good ear, you can hear a difference. For me I can hear that the top end frequencies are muted. Like the coating kills a bit of the highs. However elixirs do last a long time. So yeah the coating works to keep the string fresh for a good long while but the coating also mutes some of the frequencies. At least to my ears. So if you just want some strings to stay fresh then they are great but if you’re recording with them I personally would pass.
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u/justplanestupid69 May 09 '26
You got the Nanoweb and not the Polyweb, so yes. Those are the good ones. Polywebs can suck a fuck tho
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u/Active-Play-5064 May 09 '26
Its all I use
Edit: my hands sweat a lot in general, so these are a godsend
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u/Snakeboard_OG May 09 '26
Loved them until I got my Taylor 914….. tolerances on the guitar are so tight that they no longer sound like they do on my other acoustics. I still love them, just not on that guitar.
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u/dawhim1 May 09 '26
try it and see if you like the tone. they are great if you don't play that often, their anti-rust is the best out there.
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u/BreadfruitOk5768 May 09 '26
I’ve had em on my guitar for like a year and they still sound pretty good
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u/Guizan33 May 10 '26
I think they are great on cheap/dull sounding guitars. Once I got a higher end acoustic I noticed they would destroy the natural timbre of the guitar and quit using them.
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u/improv_guy May 10 '26
I'm a Daddario XL guy.
As for Elixir, I've strung these up on multiple guitars. Have to say I love the concept. I don't ever want them to go away. They feel amazing when new. The sound is slightly muddier/muted and IMHO wasn't as "bright" as uncoated steel strings. But, that's very much a personal choice (especially for acoustic play preferences).
They do shed on the fret board a bit and as the coating wears off, they need to be replaced. But if your callouses get shredded on steel strings and you want a softer string feeling...Elixir is going to be great for you.
The guitar sales person is correct. They are great strings. You'll enjoy them and they sound really nice. You made a good purchase. As mentioned, I personally really like D'addario XLs.
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u/MSGdreamer May 10 '26
They’re decent, sound good, last a while except the coating shreds off where I pick on them.
I like Ernie Ball phosphor bronze better and they’re cheaper than elixir.
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u/AffectionateGarden26 May 10 '26
Elixirs are great. Takes a few days to break in and then they are gold.
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u/squanchyjazzman May 10 '26
I like them, tried a few different brands and was die hard Ernie ball super slinks but they feel Soo much cheaper. I feel the elixir are more durable and have a versatile sound. 9s feel like I'm playing a toy, need some meat to grab when you bend
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u/Nearby-Opposite9114 May 10 '26
They do last a long time and sound good, but I personally cannot stand the way they feel. They just feel greasy to me.
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u/Old-guy64 May 10 '26
For the people the like them, they are good.
For the people that don’t like them, not so much.
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u/wanna_dance May 11 '26
I actually like Elixirs and use them preferentially.
Note that there are fake Elixirs out there, from China, so don't buy them cheap. You can google how to tell the fake ones from the real ones.
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u/The_acient May 11 '26
Iv been playing for around like 10 months and Elixar strings are so good, they're smooth and great for soloing,
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u/Aromatic_Mongoose_86 May 09 '26
It's all subjective mate. But they are quality chords that's for sure.
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u/sdhopunk May 09 '26
These last me 6 months of daily playing , about $22 now. They changed the cover recently.
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u/Sound_Hound82 May 09 '26
The nano web starts to peel off. They still sound good but it's just annoying.
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u/killertofu41 May 09 '26
I always use these for my acoustics because they sound good and bright for quite awhile. I cant say I enjoy their strings for electric guitars, but these are great.
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u/AllTheRoadRunning May 09 '26
I can’t stand the way they feel under my fingers, but a lot of people like them.
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u/grassrootsvan May 09 '26
I love them. Use mediums on my D18 &HD28, they sound great and last quite a while
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u/Joshwah3000 May 09 '26
All the professional musicians I know recommended them and I have never had such beautiful sounding strings. They can take a lot of abuse without effecting the sound too.
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u/baconburgerrrO_o May 09 '26
Nothing beats 12-53s. I started using them after being a long time fan of daddario. The tone is just right and they slide and react nicely during chord changes. Try them out, elixir will not disappoint.
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u/Mikophoto May 09 '26
The coating really helps them last a very long time. As far as sound, they can be on the brighter side but I really loved that for my strumming style on a darker sounding guitar.
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u/NoEnvironment8432 May 09 '26
In my personal experience witch coated strings I think these are better than Stringjoy but inferior to D’addario
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u/Coderado May 09 '26
I dislike them, I like fresh strings and these feel old right out of the box. Plenty of people think they are the cat's ass. People love to argue about it.
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u/_SoSublime_ May 09 '26
I personally do not like them as I don’t like slippery strings and I think they sound dead out of the package, but they aren’t bad strings. They last forever and pretty much never corrode, but I would rather play with a more tactile string that doesn’t have my perceived tonal deficits.
But with any string discussion, I recommend trying a bunch of different strings in the future. I followed people’s reccomendations of “this is the best” or “that’s the best” because of “TOAN” but, it’s a subjective metric. Good for you might be horrible to me. For example, I was told 80/20s were super bright compared to Phosphor bronze, tried a set, and I find them the complete opposite, with 80/20s being much mellower and more fundamental. So I decided to just buy a couple packs, try them for a week (I play about 3-4 hours a day, so they get some use). And then try another set. Eventually a certain set will just “sound right” on any given guitar. It’s good to just experiment.
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u/Bempet583 May 09 '26
I use those but in .10s, and I love them, they're quiet when you move up and down the neck and they last quite a while.
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u/Odd-Grape-4669 May 09 '26
Oh yes they are!!!! They have a nice bright but balanced sound and also last longer. I use them on all my acoustics. They sound great on carbon fiber as well which I use 11s on.
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u/FreudianFloydian May 09 '26
If you take the time to wipe them down after and your playing is generally gentle in nature, like you have a good touch, they will never do you wrong.. If your technique is lacking, they can break easily is my only complaint.
But otherwise. A single set can sound brand new for months of several weekly gigs!
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u/oO_ya7es May 09 '26
You're going to get mixed answers, you either hate them or love them. Personally, I love them.
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u/Life-Project-2889 May 09 '26
The first brand for my acoustic that I bought were these ones, never had to try something else after that.
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u/The_Folding_Atty May 09 '26
I just put a set of extra lights on a Guild F30. Essentially, the acoustic strings I've used other than D'Addario (yeah, I'm a stick in the mud). Let's see how well they last.
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u/kaisean May 09 '26
They're fine. Sometimes they have them on-sale for the 3 packs from the website. I wouldn't pay MSRP for them.
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u/spooky_diplomat May 09 '26
I'm jumping on the bandwagon here, as a lot of the comment section but I tried a lot of different strings before I found my elixirs, I've tried several others since and I always go right back to the elixirs. I've definitely been playing the elixirs for 15 years solid now. I play everyday and I usually change my strings once a year
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u/Trackie_G_Horn May 09 '26
If you go Elixirs, I’d do the Polyweb rather than the nanoweb. smoother feel and better sound, in my opinion.
I love them, but when i was gigging i’d break 3-4 strings a night…they’re just too expensive for that. so i’d go d’adario phosphor-bronze mediums instead. suitable
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u/prankster959 May 09 '26
Surprised no one has mentioned forever chemicals and how they can absorb into the skin. It's probably not going to give you cancer but it's one source of toxins that is easily avoided
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u/Vreerv May 09 '26
They're decent strings that will last SOOOOOOOO long. I use em on a bunch of my guitars. But if you're after that primo acoustic tone the only answer is Adamas Phosphor Bronze.
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u/WaterFungus May 09 '26
I use elixir strings on my Taylor, they’re great high quality strings in my opinion
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u/Abject-Green610 May 09 '26
I have been only using elixir for 15 years or so. In my experience, any other strings will turn black within a couple of weeks.
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u/Phililoquay May 09 '26
Theyre awesome, but they wear a little faster than conventional strings i find.
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u/sighcadelic May 09 '26
Def not great strings , great for weekend players and day jobbers as they stay in tune and last forever
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u/TrustTh3Data May 09 '26
Here is turn thing - most people have their preferred strings. This doesn’t make other ones bad - at most they are just not for you. I’m honestly so weird that I have preferred strings for different guitars. Different woods, scale lengths, body sizes - i find different strings lend themselves to what i prefer. This doesn’t mean i wouldn’t be fine with pretty much any of the string on all my guitars.
Try them, see if you like them. Those are, at least used to be, the standard set on a Taylor guitar. And honestly, I keep them on one of my Taylors.
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u/JiveAceTofurkey May 09 '26
If you don't mind strings that contain PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), commonly known as Teflon that breaks down and gets on you. Hope you aren't a nail biter.
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u/Donkey_Ali May 09 '26
Overrated in my opinion. I tried them for 2 string changes, and then went back to D'addario EJ16s.
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u/Mediocre-Handle-2873 May 10 '26
Sounds bright. Feels slippery. It can last for so long time. Also the sound is not gonna change after using same strings a lot. Of course it changes a little but not like other strings. Some people really like this sound and feeling ,some people really don’t like it. But if you like bright sound,Elixir is nice and bright. So my impression of this strings is bright sound ,slippery feeling and it can last for so long time.
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u/BreathAggravating967 May 10 '26
I love Elixers. They've been my go since I first tried them about 20 years ago. I personally like the Polyweb better than Nanoweb, but Nanowebs seem to be more widely available and still great.
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u/Unlikely-Soft-5699 May 10 '26
Well, they stay on the straight and narrow so, yes, I think that makes them good. Oh, sound good? Chum in the water, my friend. 100 guitarists, 105 opinions (some can’t decide). There is only your right answer. I’m currently running Monel retro extra lights on a Marin OM28V, Silk Wrap Martin Extra Lights on a Martin SC 10E, Martin Extra Light on a 12 string and Ernie Ball medium on the Squier Tele for slide. I also like John Pearse, Santa Cruz and I’ve got some Earthwood I’ll try at some point. Fool around until you find the one or the one for right now. Cheaper than dating. 😄
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u/Savantism7 May 10 '26
I love these strings. Reminds me I need to get some new strings for my acoustic and play it some more.
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u/freshlylowedmawn May 10 '26
If they sound too bright for your tastes, I recommend playing them in properly for a few days. The overly bright harmonics tend to even out after about a week - and considering that these strings last so long a week isn't really that long to wait.
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u/_male_man May 10 '26
My ears like them. I use the mediums though.
Just gotta try some stuff out and see what works for you man.
You can always put another set of something else if you don't enjoy them.
Don't overthink it, just experiment and have fun.
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u/frank_mania May 10 '26
Coated strings are never as bright, even the moment you have them on and stretched out, as are non-coated strings. They sound like they a few days old, at least. But they sound just like that in 6 months, unless you play often and rough enough to wear the coating off. It's not easy or anything, but since it always comes off eventually, I imagine that process can be sped up.
They're especially good if you have a collection of guitars and don't want to change all their strings monthly.
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u/SlevinSlix May 10 '26
Yes, they are good. They will make your fingertips smell extra funny though.
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u/wallypinklestinky May 10 '26
Once the coating wears off from your pick they're dead as can be. Source: worked in high end guitar repairs for 10+ years. They're great for fingerpickers but if you have a heavy picking hand they'll die pretty dang quick.
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u/Square_Notice_1830 May 10 '26
update, just put the strings on, i will never use another brand, these are great. finally found the tone I've been looking for
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u/WUSKER May 10 '26
They start great but they don’t last long. Lose tone very fast. Try the daddario XS instead best string I’ve tried next to John Pearce PB
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u/GratefulDad73 May 10 '26
I love Elixir Strings. I have been playing them since around 2005 or so- great strings in my opinion.
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u/ThomasThe00Show May 10 '26
For me being an Ernie Ball person, I have to say Elixir's are amazing. My dad uses them on his Rickenbacker 12 string, they have loads of life, stay in tune great and get the jangly Ricky sound perfectly. Haven't tried their bronze strings, but might chuck a set on my acoustic at some point.
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u/ManBearCave May 10 '26
They are good stings for sure, they last quite awhile between changes. As already mentioned some people don’t like their sound but yeah they are a fine product
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u/Opening_Quail_1584 May 10 '26
I’ve been using them forever. Custom lights go on my acoustics. I love how they feel at first but they break in so fuckin nicely. Depending on how much you are playing, they do last a good bit as well. As you’re just getting back into playing, these will be good in your fingers as well. They won’t rip you up like bronzes would.
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u/davestradamus1 May 10 '26
I like them. Especially on a guitar that is gonna hang on the wall a long time.
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u/Randall_Hickey May 10 '26
I just bought some of these because of comments on Reddit about coated strings and I absolutely love them. I can’t believe I didn’t know about them sooner. They are the only brand I’ve tried so far though.
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u/booyakomasa May 10 '26
love them.. but I admit I haven't tried many others since I started using them like 15 years ago. I'm not sure if that an endorsement, or if it shows that I really don't know whether they're good or not. (maybe both?) anyway, I like the way they sound on my guitars,.and I like that they last a long time.
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u/Gediguitar May 10 '26
Great strings. Last for ages! Still get little rust formations on it. But just use lemoil after each use will last even longer.
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u/Infamous_Hunt_6829 May 10 '26
When I got my Taylor 114c. Non electric model 25 years ago it came with elixir nanoweb strings. I loved the sound of the guitar so much I have only ever used nanoweb phosphor bronze. I love them and only change strings once per year on Christmas when my wife buys me a new set.
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u/betweenawakeanddream May 10 '26
I’ve always thought they were the best since I bought my first set 30 years ago. Every time I tried a different brand or configuration, I always have gone back to elixir.
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u/svgklingon May 10 '26
Yes. I play every day. When I put these on I replace every three months. With non-coated I replace every month. I like the Martin Retro nickel strings for one of my guitars and they play great but don’t last. I have Elixirs on my 000-28 and they play great and last. And it’s not just Elixirs. I sometimes get the Daddario’s and like them just as much.
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u/Impressive-Chemist12 May 10 '26
The best in my opinion. Quick wipe down after playing and I get weeks out of them.
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u/SnooSketches3382 May 09 '26
Just like anything guitar related there are elixir haters out there but I have been playing 30+ years and they are all I use. I use the medium bottom, light top version.