Elixir NPS (vs NYXL, XL, Slinkies, etc)

[funkle]

Howdy all

 

I’ve been trying out lots of strings lately. I could use the hive mind on this one. 
 

I love NYXL strings on pretty much everything. Been trying Elixir Stainless Steels also and find they sound fantastic on most basses also. And the feel is so much better than typical steels (I’ve used ProSteels, Swingbass 66s, Hi Beams, and Fat Beams in the past).
 

I’ve never tried the Elixir Nickel Plated Steel Coated strings. The videos I’ve found only of them are not that helpful either…
 

Can anyone tell me if the Elixir Nickels are as bright as e.g. D’Addario XLs, NYXLs, or EB Slinkies? Those would be useful points of reference. 
 

Thanks all. 
 

Pete

[Mudpup]

I've always found that, when new, Elixirs of any variety sound like 6 gig old versions of their nickel or stainless cousins. 

[Lozz196]

That’s probably the best description of Elixirs. I love them, not quite as bright out of the packet but stay that way for almost a year.

[funkle]

Do new Elixir Nickels sound like worn in NYXLs then, do you guys think? Or not quite that bright? 

[ped]

I will just chime in to say that I have been using Elixir nickels for years, on everything - I find them very fresh sounding and with a warmth that I didn't find in the steels, which I bought by accident once. I found the steels a bit less even and certainly there was an upper mid spike which I wasn't used to. 

[Supernaut]

If you like NYXLs, Dunlop Super Brights, SIT Foundations and DR Pure Blues are all very similar.
 

They're all smoother than NYXLs in my opinion. 

[funkle]

Pure Blues are good. I quite like the Rotosound Ultra Mag, very similar to Pure Blues. Never tried the Dunlops or SITs but will have them on my radar too. 

[Baloney Balderdash]

I have never tried the bass Elixir Nanoweb nickel-plated ones, only the guitar ones, cause I tune my main bass to G#, so I find the highest gauge Elixir guitar strings, gauge .080 fitting for that, I buy individual strings for a tension balanced set.

 

The Nanoweb guitar strings are rated considerably higher on the brightness scale than the bass ones, and described as "bright", whereas the the nickel-plated Nanoweb bass strings are described as "warm", so assume there must be a difference in how they are wound or coated compared to the nickel-plated guitar ones.

 

But for what it is worth new Elxir Nanoweb guitar strings sounds something like a week old or so regular XL D'Addario ones, and feels a lot smoother, then after about a week or so, with everyday playing, that new string zing will be reduced ever so slightly, maybe similar to 2 week or so old D'Addario strings, and stays that way for what seems forever.

 

I aim at changing strings every 3 months or so, with daily playing, and by that time I haven't noticed any decline from how they sound after a week or so of everyday playing.

 

By that time they do tend to have been sporadically miscolored, but that doesn't seem to affect the tone of them.  

 

From what I was told Stainless Steel Nanoweb bass strings are supposed to sound and feel more like fresh uncoated nickle-plated strings, and keep that fresh tone for what seems forever as well (they are rated considerably higher on the brightness scale too, and described as "bright"). 

 

Edited Thursday at 17:17 by Baloney Balderdash

[funkle]

I had heard that description of Elixir Steels as well @Baloney Balderdash, but it isn’t right.
 

The Elixir steels sound like other steel round wounds to me (just as if they’d worn in a little). And I’m well used to different steels.

[NancyJohnson]

I've been using Elixir Nanowebs for yonks - Nickels and Steels (whatever is cheaper at the time of purchase).  To be honest - and while using adjectives to describe a sound here - the differences are marginal.  I'd say that a new set of steels may come over as slightly more brighter/zingy than a new set of nickels BUT if you were to randomly mix the steels and nickels, I doubt you'd really be able to tell the difference.

 

The main thing is that the strings settle in and once they have, they don't really wear out like conventional strings and that's the main thing.  I've never had strings last so long (I would replace D'Addarios monthly).  I've had nickels on one of my Hamer's since October '23, still good.  I put a set of 45-130 nickels on a Lull (sitting down?) in June '21, and they've still excellent.  Steels on a Spector in July '24, still great.

[V2factoryman]

Can I just throw something in the mix here which is very much on topic, but also a bit off it? I've used Elixirs exclusively for years, both steel and nickel. Confession: I didn't realise they did both steel and nickel until this year! I put a set of medium/light steels on a new Vintera Telecaster and it sounds awful. Now I have the dilemma I don't know if it's the bass or the strings. I bought them from an Amazon supplier I'd used before, and they weren't dirt cheap, so not obvious fakes? But being fake would explain the poor sound? Bit lifeless, strong mids but poor top and bottom and no power? £45 or so is quite an expense, should I get some D'Addarios or something like that just to see if it's the strings? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[gjones]

35 minutes ago, V2factoryman said:

Can I just throw something in the mix here which is very much on topic, but also a bit off it? I've used Elixirs exclusively for years, both steel and nickel. Confession: I didn't realise they did both steel and nickel until this year! I put a set of medium/light steels on a new Vintera Telecaster and it sounds awful. Now I have the dilemma I don't know if it's the bass or the strings. I bought them from an Amazon supplier I'd used before, and they weren't dirt cheap, so not obvious fakes? But being fake would explain the poor sound? Bit lifeless, strong mids but poor top and bottom and no power? £45 or so is quite an expense, should I get some D'Addarios or something like that just to see if it's the strings? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

I got a set from Bass Direct for £35, as they have a sale on. They sound and feel great https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/elixir-electric-bass-nickel-plated-steel-with-nanoweb-coating/

[funkle]

Brilliant, I'll go order some now.

[MikanHannille]

Been using Elixir Stainless for like 2-3 years now coming from DR and Dunlops. I find that tone and feel wise, I still prefer Dunlop super bright but they go dead so quickly. Elixir on the other hand a veeeeery close second, tiny bit less bright than Dunlops but lasts waaaaaay longer. The one I have on my main bass now is more than a year old and it still feels and sounds almost like new. I find it more cost effective switching to Elixirs. Only caveat for me at the moment is I am struggling to find .125 B string. It is out of stock everywhere!

[V2factoryman]

Thanks Mikan, do you use steel or nickel Elixirs?