Theidlersdream Posted March 28, 2013 Share Posted March 28, 2013 I have finally got around to strapping a good set of strings onto my ib texan and it has turned a good sounding guitar into an absolute beauty. Due to the snow, it has taken a bit longer than expected for my elixir 11s (phosphor bronze) to arrive from eBay but oh my... were they worth the wait. The sound from the elastic bands that came on the IBT was by now means poor. The tones still came through but there was always something missing. The elixirs, however, have transformed the noise that comes out of that sexy wooden box. It now sounds like I have an orchestra inside my guitar, the sound is so full and chunky. The highs are shimmering and zingy (is zingy a word? I'm sure you know what I'm getting at) and the lows are full and warm. I recorded 'sitting here in silence on my own' both on the off the peg strings and then again on the elixirs... There is no comparison, it's like I've gone from playing guitar underwater to playing it in the Albert Hall. After almost five years of playing guitar, I am always still amazed by what a difference a new set of strings can make. The £13 expense makes the guitar sound many many times better and so is easily justified. If you are on stock strings, you are severely restricting the potential of your instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aoresteen Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 +1 New strings change the guitar! As the strings age you don't notice the decline UNTIL you change them. I buy my strings in bulk from JustStrings.com - not sure if they ship to the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarLight Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 I love elixirs, and have only ever tried the .12 gauge because I was afraid I might lose tone or thickness of sound. But perhaps I may try the .11 Elixirs sometime. Anyway they really do last and last with a very clean and clear tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 About 3 years ago, I switched over to Elixir Nano's on my main player. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. The OEMS, the best I can describe them is that they sounded like the echo in a VFW hall. About 2 years ago I planned to replace them with a new set, just because I figured a year was about the right time to replace, so I bought a new set. The replacements are still in the package and the 3 year old strings sound fantastic. They look like heck, but they still sound good. Lots of shimmer and zing at the top and boom at the bottom. If zingy isn't a word, it ought to be. Maybe this summer I'll re-string. Do strings go bad on the shelf? ... or rather guitar case 'glove' box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aoresteen Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 ... Do strings go bad on the shelf? ... or rather guitar case 'glove' box? Nah, they just age :) ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theidlersdream Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 +1 New strings change the guitar! As the strings age you don't notice the decline UNTIL you change them. I buy my strings in bulk from JustStrings.com - not sure if they ship to the UK. True, my strings are always battered before I get around to changing them so I always get a real contrast between old and new. There are some decent bulk buys on eBay in the UK, you can normally get a tripple pack (easily a years worth of strings for me) for around £30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theidlersdream Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 I love elixirs, and have only ever tried the .12 gauge because I was afraid I might lose tone or thickness of sound. But perhaps I may try the .11 Elixirs sometime. Anyway they really do last and last with a very clean and clear tone. I'm not sure why I go for 11s over 12s, it's just what I've always gone for really. I think that maybe 12s may be a bit better for finger picking in terms of volume and getting the notes to carry but 11s are more than adequate when strumming with a plec. I think the strings that I came on my guitar were 12s and I don't really notice much if any difference in how thick they feel, maybe the coating on the elixirs makes them feel a guage thicker?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theidlersdream Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 About 3 years ago, I switched over to Elixir Nano's on my main player. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. The OEMS, the best I can describe them is that they sounded like the echo in a VFW hall. About 2 years ago I planned to replace them with a new set, just because I figured a year was about the right time to replace, so I bought a new set. The replacements are still in the package and the 3 year old strings sound fantastic. They look like heck, but they still sound good. Lots of shimmer and zing at the top and boom at the bottom. If zingy isn't a word, it ought to be. Maybe this summer I'll re-string. Do strings go bad on the shelf? ... or rather guitar case 'glove' box? As mentioned above Tommy, if you think the old strings sound good (and you do get a certain rough charm from old, worn strings) wait until you do change them.... It's like a revelation ;) my friend, P90 on this forum, changed the strings on his epi hummingbird last week after just over a year and said he was almost flattened by the difference. I find that it's a couple of days after a re-string, when they have settled down that my guitars sound best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Nah, they just age :) ! Do you mean they 'open up'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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