elixir nanoweb (again, sorry)

[bremen]

I love the sound of a new Rotosound round (hate the feel, but nopainnogain as Sir Mark would have said) when stretched over a Precision and assaulted with a pick. Trouble is, it lasts about a week until each string assumes a separate identity; all dead, but differently dead.

 

Lots of love for the longevity of elixirs here, but will they sound as bright and clangorous as rotos? I'm scared to spend that much...

 

Thanks

[Hellzero]

Absolutely ... not.

[bremen]

Not what? As Entwistley as Rotos?

[Hellzero]

Ok, I'll type slowly. 🤣

 

The Elixir's will absolutely not sound like Rotosound RS 66's.

 

The Elixir's tend to tame everything and lack the zingy upper register typical tone of the RS 66's.

 

Was it slow enough? 🫣

[bremen]

So that's a maybe 🤔

[Hellzero]

Or not. 🫨

[bremen]

Think I'll go with "not", save 60 quid. Cheers!

[Lozz196]

Think Rotosounds that have had a days playing to dull down that completely new zing. Thats Elixirs out of the packet, and they stay like that for some 6+ months.

 

If you need that really bright new zing it’s worth trying Warwick Red Label steel rounds. I used to use Rotos but needed that new zing and got fed up with having to change strings so regularly, read that Warwick Reds were good so tried them, used to get 8 to 10 weeks out of them as oppose to the 3 weeks I got from Rotos.

[bremen]

Ah, that sounds do-able, I was exaggerating a little; few-days-old roto is good!

 

The main problem I have is the uneven ageing. Probably because I play most of my favourite notes on the A string, the G not receiving so much of my DNA. So if the coating keeps my manfilth out of the windings they might all grow old gracefully together.

[lemmywinks]

51 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Think Rotosounds that have had a days playing to dull down that completely new zing. Thats Elixirs out of the packet, and they stay like that for some 6+ months.

 

If you need that really bright new zing it’s worth trying Warwick Red Label steel rounds. I used to use Rotos but needed that new zing and got fed up with having to change strings so regularly, read that Warwick Reds were good so tried them, used to get 8 to 10 weeks out of them as oppose to the 3 weeks I got from Rotos.

 

Got Warwick Reds on my cheap Aria Jazz Dlx at the moment, if you like steels there's really no need to spend more. I used to love Elites but the last set I tried sounded way too clangy for a good while, then hit the sweet spot for about a week and just went dull after that, dunno if they've changed them.

[Skybone]

Definitely try some different Stainless Steel rounds, Warwick Red Steels are a great, low cost option, and they do last. Used them for a while.

 

At the moment, I'm using D'Addario Pro Steels on the Ric, as they just sound so much better than anything else I've tried on it.

 

Dunlop Steels are good, Elites Stadium Steels are good. All depends on your budget. Try a few different sets and find some you like.

[Hellzero]

You can try the Harley Benton stainless steel strings, closer sound to the RS 66's than the Warwick Red Label's for exactly the same price.

 

And they keep their zingy tone too long for me.

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hqs_bass_45_105.htm

[Lozz196]

That’s very interesting, I might well try a set of those

[bremen]

Well, that's a lot of conflicting opinions on the elixirs. Maybe I should just start washing.

 

I used to use Warwick reds, they didn't stay fresh much longer than rotos as I recall.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the Hardly Fentons. At that price I can afford to change them every time they go out of tune.

[Baloney Balderdash]

16 hours ago, Hellzero said:

Ok, I'll type slowly. 🤣

 

The Elixir's will absolutely not sound like Rotosound RS 66's.

 

The Elixir's tend to tame everything and lack the zingy upper register typical tone of the RS 66's.

 

Was it slow enough? 🫣

The Stainless Steel Elixir Nanoweb bass strings actually got quite a fair amount of zing (and lasting a very long time).

 

But more akin to fresh regular uncoated nickle-plated steel strings, than regular uncoated stainless steel strings.

 

Not anything like the Nickle-Plated Steel Elixir Nanoweb bass strings, which does have a very rounded, some would claim dull, sound.

 

But no, won't sound like roundwound stainless steel Rotosound strings, at least not as they do for the first week or so.

 

Edited June 18 by Baloney Balderdash

[Supernaut]

Try D'Addario ProSteels. Last longer than Rotos but have plenty of punch/brightness/clank. 

[fretmeister]

I'd vote for D'addario Prosteel as well. They certainly stay brighter for a lot longer than Rotos.

 

A word of caution about Dunlop Super Brights... they are not super bright. I really like them. Definitely my favourite roundwound but nowhere near as bright as D'addarios or Rotos despite the name.

 

Warwick steels are really bright and last well, but I do find them quite rough under the fingers. Mind you - I feel that way about Rotos too!

[bremen]

Thomann delivered...

 

So which ones first!

 

Edit: the Lo Riders on the Jazz. Highly delightful fingerstyle (predictive texts insists on finger Tyler there, whoever he is) and super aggressive with a pick. But this is all about longevity, let's see what they're like after a bit of abuse.

Edited August 13 by bremen

[bremen]

OK, a few weeks later and the lo riders have definitely lost their zing and sound pretty dead unamplified.

 

However, when the bass is plugged in and theres a band playing (in rehearsal or recorded) they sound proper rough and dirty when mashed with a pick. Sit well in the mix, too, big heavy dangerous sound on the monitors and still "there" on the Horrortones. Probably better in the mix at this age than when new, lovely as the solo sound was.