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olejason « Much better than expected »
Published on 10/19/15 at 05:57
Best value:
Correct
Audience:
Advanced Users
My only past experience with Elixirs was many years ago. While the sound was good, I was never thrilled with the feel of the strings. I was skeptical but optimistic about the new formula for these strings but I was excited to give them another go.
FEEL:
Out of the box the strings do exhibit the same "Elixir feel" of old. The coating feels a little slick and slightly unnatural. I wanted to wait a few weeks to write this review because I suspected the strings would start to feel more natural as they broke in... and I was right. After three weeks of playing the strings, they don't feel any different than uncoated SS bass strings.
SOUND:
Once broken in, the strings sound about as you'd expect stainless strings to sound. They're definitely not super bright like a few strings offered by other manufacturers but they are brighter than nickels. Fundamentals are strong and overtones are present enough to work for a variety of modern bass styles. These strings are GREAT for modern jazz. I used the strings on several gigs over the last few weeks, mostly jazz and folk rock. In the context of jazz they worked wonderfully for both rhythm and soloing. While stainless strings wouldn't be my first choice for the folk rock gig I was pleasantly surprised at how they performed in the context of the mix. They sounded big and full but every note was also completely audible. No thuddy plunky sounding lines! While I didn't test them in context, I think the strings would also work well for metal and modern funk.
CONCLUSION:
Overall I'm very pleased with the strings and I think Elixir has nailed it with the new formula. I would advise new users to be patient and give them time to break in. The great thing about coated strings is the longevity they provide. After a few weeks of hard playing they still sound new. My usual SS strings will begin to change significantly after a few weeks of being played so this was a pleasant surprise.
FEEL:
Out of the box the strings do exhibit the same "Elixir feel" of old. The coating feels a little slick and slightly unnatural. I wanted to wait a few weeks to write this review because I suspected the strings would start to feel more natural as they broke in... and I was right. After three weeks of playing the strings, they don't feel any different than uncoated SS bass strings.
SOUND:
Once broken in, the strings sound about as you'd expect stainless strings to sound. They're definitely not super bright like a few strings offered by other manufacturers but they are brighter than nickels. Fundamentals are strong and overtones are present enough to work for a variety of modern bass styles. These strings are GREAT for modern jazz. I used the strings on several gigs over the last few weeks, mostly jazz and folk rock. In the context of jazz they worked wonderfully for both rhythm and soloing. While stainless strings wouldn't be my first choice for the folk rock gig I was pleasantly surprised at how they performed in the context of the mix. They sounded big and full but every note was also completely audible. No thuddy plunky sounding lines! While I didn't test them in context, I think the strings would also work well for metal and modern funk.
CONCLUSION:
Overall I'm very pleased with the strings and I think Elixir has nailed it with the new formula. I would advise new users to be patient and give them time to break in. The great thing about coated strings is the longevity they provide. After a few weeks of hard playing they still sound new. My usual SS strings will begin to change significantly after a few weeks of being played so this was a pleasant surprise.
