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Elixir new stainless steel nanoweb coated - anyone tried them?


tonyclaret
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[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1352405084' post='1862730']
I live for the clank! And I like the strings to have some resistance because of my aggressive attack... But I've been tempted to try lighter gauges so that I don't have to play super hard all the time, and to make fast twiddly bits less of a chore!
[/quote]

Give it a try. I play all sorts now (mainly fusion instrumental soul funk.. lol) but used the same setup playing with 'Part III: The Onslaught' (guess what style we played) and I always cut through the mix with massive clarity but the notes had a lot of weight and depth too. [url="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/85432/USB%203/Canti"]This MP3[/url] gives you some idea of my clean sound.

What's your setup?

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[quote name='ped' timestamp='1352416751' post='1862929']
Give it a try. I play all sorts now (mainly fusion instrumental soul funk.. lol) but used the same setup playing with 'Part III: The Onslaught' (guess what style we played) and I always cut through the mix with massive clarity but the notes had a lot of weight and depth too. [url="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/85432/USB%203/Canti"]This MP3[/url] gives you some idea of my clean sound.

What's your setup?
[/quote]

That link didn't work for me unfortunately!

In the cover band I'm using my Peavey 4 tuned to Eb (or drop C#) with 45 - 105 strings and a fairly low action. Sounds nice and aggressive but I usually turn the lows down a little on my amp!

Oh, I string through the body as well so that they feel tighter without having to have an even thicker gauge ;)

Edited by chrismuzz
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[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1352417955' post='1862948']
I like that! Nice and full, I guess the skinny strings = thin tone thing is a total myth! Nice playing too, that's one filthy bassline ;)
[/quote]

lol thanks. Yes, I think so - let the amp do the work and leave yourself plenty of options with your right hand. I must admit, when getting really 'into it' in the metal band the strings could sometimes feel a bit flimsy, but this helped me hone my right hand sensitivity even more, I think. I wouldn't change back, now.

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It can't hurt! My incoming bass doesn't have the option to string through the body so I'll be able to see what it feels like with less compliance! I like fiddling with things like string gauges, action, strap height... it's much cheaper than swapping out pedals, amps and basses ;)

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I've never noticed much difference with string-thru bodies to be honest. What do you have arriving in the post?

Yes it's way cheaper and really satisfying to get spot on! I find an essential ingredient in 'clank' is very little neck relief. I don't have a truss rod but mine is built with basically zero which means I can clack away if I like. I've had basses by the same company which were built later which had more relief, set up for the tastes of a wider audience I guess, and found them lacking the same feel and responsiveness.

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Okay...just loaded my Lakland with the stainless strings and on first impressions they feel exactly like the nickel strings. Absolutely no difference whatsoever, which is a relief.

Tone wise...they don't sound that different to the nickel strings. A tad bit brighter, but not grossly. That is a bit of a surprise. I honestly thought these strings would take my head off, but they don't which I am quite pleased about. I do think that I might have to live with these strings for a while to get a better idea how they perform next to the nickel strings when it comes to tone. I change the nickel strings when the coating starts to come off because the tone starts to fall off much like any other nickel string and I don't like the feel of the coating when it starts to come apart. However, the stainless strings may gain an advantage at this stage by staying a bit brighter even when the coating starts to fall off and all the grime and sweat starts to gather on the string. Stainless strings are generally easier to maintain to prolong life than nickel as long as you wipe them down after you play. My nickel strings will often last for about 6-8 weeks with constant playing before the coating degradation becomes so bad it starts to expose the string to the elements and start sounding like flats. Thats pretty bloody good, so I will time the lifetime of this set I have put on my Lakland (which gets the most play out of all my basses) and see if it can outrun the nickel strings.

Under my fingers the response and tension is not notably different with normal finger playing. I think they might have a bit more resistance, but it might all be in my head. The tricky thing for me is that this Lakland I am using is the only 35" scale bass I have and I can't compare it to another bass loaded with nickel strings. I will have to wait until I change the strings on either my Thumb or J which both current have the nickel loaded to get a better comparison.

It's hard to think of anything else. They feel exactly the same, a bit brighter (as expected)...guess I will have to give them a beating for a while to see how they perform.

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Thanks for that, very interesting. Do you play with a pick? I've never experienced the coating coming off (but have seen evidence of that on other basses) because I play like a wimp. Do you remember the first version of the strings, I think they called them polyweb, where the coating came off more easily?

I literally don't sweat on stage for some reason so I can make a pack last aaaages, I can't remember when I last changed them! I should be bred with a bassist who can actually play to create the 'ULTIMATE LIVE BASSIST'

Cheers
ped

P.s do they have a silk wrap or are they 'naked'

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I play with a pick when I am asked, but finger style preferably. The coating comes off where I pick with my fingers and general wear and tear all over the fingerboard. Baring in mind, this is after 6-8 weeks of constant use which I still think is pretty good.

Yes, I remember the polyweb strings very well. I stopped using them and switched to D'Addarios for a while until Elixir changed the coating because they flaked really bad. With the nanoweb strings the coating doesn't dry up like the polyweb coating and are still quite usable when the coating starts degrades.

The stainless strings are also naked just like the nickels.

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[quote name='ped' timestamp='1352447889' post='1863062']
I've never noticed much difference with string-thru bodies to be honest. What do you have arriving in the post?

Yes it's way cheaper and really satisfying to get spot on! I find an essential ingredient in 'clank' is very little neck relief. I don't have a truss rod but mine is built with basically zero which means I can clack away if I like. I've had basses by the same company which were built later which had more relief, set up for the tastes of a wider audience I guess, and found them lacking the same feel and responsiveness.
[/quote]

Another Peavey... Zodiac DE Sorpio! Should be arriving today! :D

Yeah I have a very tiny amount of relief too, just enough so that I don't get buzz when I play with a more 'reasonable' right hand technique ;)


[quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1352480569' post='1863688']
The stainless strings are also naked just like the nickels.
[/quote]

Goood, I like naked strings ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I strung my bass up with these last night... LOVE them! Very satisfied with the brightness, and the smooth feel is very nice. but not so smooth that my fingers slip and slide all over the place. If they keep their tone til the end of the year they'll be well worth the money to me!

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  • 2 weeks later...

[quote name='Kingbassist' timestamp='1354617878' post='1888031']
Hoping they'll start doing a Super-Light set of Stainless Steel 5's... I prefer 40-60-75-95-125 but they don't do those gauges in stainless steel..
[/quote]

If they catch on I'm sure they will.. I hope so!! I need them to do a .032 in steel for my 6 string too!

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