Ever tried the Elixir Optiweb Strings?

[Napthol]

I love the way a brand new set of strings sound. I love the brightness and crispness of the sound. Been using GHS Boomers now for quite a while and have been happy with them. But of course the brightness doesn't last. I practice a lot so I have to change strings once or twice a month.

So I'm going to try some Elixir Optiweb Strings. Supposedly, these I think are designed to sound a little crisper than their Nanoweb or Polyweb strings.

Has anyone here tried them?

 

[ehdwuld]

The last set of Elixir Strings I used,
were an acoustic set

They sounded as dead as the strings I was replacing

I wish you luck

And report back
Inlove the idea of long lasting strings

But I haven't had good experiences with that brand

 

[jeremy]

i havent tried the optiweb, but i use the nanoweb on my acoustics. i seldom play my acoustics, so i use coated strings. i think a good set of non-coated do sound better, but the elixers sound ok way longer.

 

[GuitarStv]

I like the nanoweb elixirs slightly better, but the optiweb are close enough to the nanoweb that it's no big deal if I have to get them instead. FWIW, I use elixirs on everything.

 

[Mincer]

I've never tried coated strings that sound like brand new uncoated strings. It is always a compromise- longer life (for some people) while sacrificing a little brightness.

 

[jeremy]

i agree its a compromise. i dont use coated on my electrics, but i play, at least a few of them, every week. my acoustics will go months between being out of the case so coated makes sense to me there. otherwise id be putting a new set of strings on every time i picked one up

 

[GuitarDoc]

I haven't tried the Optiweb but I have tried several other coated strings. The first thing I didn't like was the tone. They sound so dull and muted...ALL of them. The second thing is that they just don't feel right, kinda slippery.

But the whole thing is about tone. Why compromise?! Why get strings that don't sound good just so they'll last longer not sounding good?! I have strings that sound better than any coated strings even after being on guitars for over a year.

 

[GuitarStv]

The optiweb strings don't feel slippery at all. They are very close in feel to fresh uncoated strings.

(FWIW, I prefer the tone of Elixirs to most uncoated strings I've tried.)

 

[Napthol]

I received three sets so they are sitting in my box of parts. I'll try a set at some point and I will post back the results.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Some people like vanilla, some like chocolate (I actually like both). Some people like their tone control turned down, some like it all the way up and then some. I like a bright, crisp articulate tone...that's why I don't like coated strings.

 

[Mincer]

No matter what the coating is, it tends to flake off very quickly for me, like in 2-3 days. Maybe my skin is acidic, I don't know.

 

[GuitarStv]

I like a bright, crisp articulate tone...that's why I don't like coated strings.

I've never understood this sentiment. Talyors use Elixir strings pretty much across the board in shops. They don't sound particularly dull and inarticulate to me.

There are very dark sounding coated strings (the original Elixir polywebs were pretty dark, and I've played some extremely dark DRs), and there are bright sounding coated strings (Martin's coated strings are pretty bright, as are the Elixir Optiweb strings).

 

[Napthol]

That's why I bought a few sets of the Optiweb. I heard they were more crisp (which is what I interpret as being more bright and fresh).

 

[Mincer]

That's why I bought a few sets of the Optiweb. I heard they were more crisp (which is what I interpret as being more bright and fresh).

Let us know how it goes. Some people really love coated strings, and some really hate them.