Echoinox Welcomes Elixir Strings! Various types and Gauges in Stock now!

"My momma used to say, life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get"  - as quoted by Forrest Gump.

While that can be said about life in general, it definitely does not apply to Elixir Strings. With Elixir strings, you ALWAYS know what you are gonna get: Great tone, Long-lasting strings and Premium Quality for your buck.

There are a few well-known options for guitar strings out there (ain't gonna name them), but offer Elixirs to anyone and they will snap them up in a jiffy. If you are going to buy guitar strings as a birthday present, you simply won't go wrong getting him/her a set of Elixirs. I could go on raving about them, but that's not what this post is all about.

We are extremely excited to bring to you Elixir's Acoustic and Electric guitar strings at an affordable price, and here is the line up:

What makes Elixir Strings so awesome

Elixir is well known for its Polyweb coated steel strings, succeeded by the incredible success of the newer Nanoweb technology strings. Earlier this year, the company released the Optiweb line of coated electric guitar strings, giving us all a pleasant headache as to which type of strings to choose for our guitars.

"Why even bother coating strings? They will eventually rust anyway!" Alright grumpy, hold that thought and read on.

1) Extended lifespan

Of the strings. Not so much of your lifespan. But if it helps contact me immediately.

From frequent playing and practice and whatever stuff that you handle right before you grabbed your fretboard, your fingers are inevitably the primary source of contamination that results in the corrosion of your guitar strings.

This also results in the "deadening" of your tone. A deadened tone sounds scratchy and lifeless, unlike those fresh from the pack brimming with vitality and brightness. While corrosion and wear is an unpreventable part of guitar strings, one can extend the lifespan of your strings by using coated ones.

2) Economical 

On average, Elixir strings last 2-3 months without the need to change if played 1-2 hours daily. Regular strings (ain't gonna name them) on the other hand last 2-3 weeks at most under the same conditions, albeit costing about half of Elixir strings. Do the math and you'll find yourself saving much more with Elixir, atop of the time you saved restringing every fortnight. Oh and not forgetting each pack comes with Echo Tokens!

3) Less Squeaks

Though I am sometimes a fan of the squeaky sound that comes with sliding up and down the fretboard, too much squeaking is simply disastrous and irritable. From what I know, most people prefer the smoother feel of coated strings, as it allows for slick, fast and comfortable playing.

Electric Guitar Strings (and its different coatings)

With the spectrum of coatings (Polyweb, Nanoweb, Optiweb) that Elixir provides, it is easy to get caught in the web (pun intended) of confusion when trying to pick the ideal electric or acoustic guitar strings. Here are short descriptions of some of the different coatings that will hopefully, aid you in making a more informed decision for your next purchase:

1. Polyweb

Elixir's revolutionary Polyweb coating technology features a polymer coating on the string that provides a slick and smooth feel. Apart from that, the coating also provides a slightly warmer sound that may or may not be to your liking.

2. Nanoweb

Next in line after the Polyweb, Nanoweb features an ultra thin layer of coating, to offer the most natural feel that closely resembles an uncoated string. The result is a slightly brighter tone as compared to the Polyweb coating.

3. Optiweb

Elixir's latest release, features an even thinner, lightweight coating that renders the feel of the coated string to almost that of a non-coated one. For players who prefer the feel of uncoated strings to enjoy a natural and better playability, Optiweb offers the best of both worlds: The unadulterated tone of an uncoated string and the longevity of a coated string.

Elixir electric guitar strings are available in Super Light (9-43) or Light (10-46) gauge. If you are into lots of string bending, lighter gauges would suit you well. If not, use heavier string gauges for better sustain and rich tone. Of course, if you have really strong fingers.... Then as what Stevie Ray Vaughan said: “I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard, and floor it."

Acoustic Guitar 

1. 80/20 Bronze

Made out of 80% copper and 20% zinc, Elixir's 80/20 Bronze coated strings offer a bright and crisp sound for your playing. The string colours are a notably bright yellowish gold as compared to the phosphor bronze counterpart. Elixir's 80/20 Bronze strings are available with Polyweb or Nanoweb coating, which preserves the life of the strings by reducing corrosion that comes from the sweat/oil/gunk from your fingers through frequent playing.

2. Phosphor Bronze

With anti-rust plated steel strings featuring a steel core wrapped with phosphor bronze and coated in Elixir's trademark Nanoweb coating, you can expect better playability and reduced string squeak from this pack. Phosphor bronze yields a slightly warmer, mellow and rich sound, and is noted for its darker, bronze coloured strings as compared to the 80/20 sets.

Elixir acoustic guitar strings are available in extra light (10-46) and light (12-53) gauge. Extra light for those of you who are more delicate with your touch, or find strings too hard to press for your liking. Light for more sustain and richness for your tone! 

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My personal take: 

Trying out my the Electric Optiweb Light (10s) for the first time last week, I was immediately impressed by the natural touch of the strings. I would have never known that they were coated if I were put in a blindfold test.

Playability-wise, the strings sounded insanely good, as do all Elixirs, and I'm looking forward to not changing my strings for the next 6 months (I play about 4 times per week on average). I am not exactly a fussy player when it comes whether strings should or should not feel coated, but what does matter to me is the longevity of the strings, and Elixir certainly does guarantee that. Polyweb, Nanoweb, Optiweb, I'd take them anytime!

Sherwin

Echoinox Writer