Elixir Guitar Strings – Are They Good? [REVIEW]

elixir guitar strings review

If you’re thinking about getting the Elixir guitar strings and you’re not exactly sure if they’re good or not, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right place! In today’s in-depth review, I’m going to take a close look on these popular strings. They’re quite expensive, but are they actually worth it?

The truth is that Elixir manufactures some of the best sounding guitar strings in the world. They’re absolute leaders in that field. No matter whether you’re playing on an acoustic or an electric guitar, choosing Elixir strings is a safe choice.

Let’s dive deeper with research to find out what exactly makes these strings so good and so popular among the players all around the world. There will also be a few sound demos included, so you’ll be able to hear how they sound. Hopefully, this guide will help you understand if these strings will be a good fit for you!

Pros & Cons Of Elixir Strings

Just like any other strings available on the market, guitar strings made by Elixir have their own pros and cons. Don’t worry though – their cons aren’t that relevant!

Pros

  • Amazing Tone
  • Long Life
  • Great Feel
  • High Durability
  • Perfect For Every Genre

Cons

  • They’re Quite Expensive

As you can see, Elixir strings have a lot of great advantages. They sound awesome, they’re long-lasting and they really comfortable. This is really important, because it allows you to practice for several hours without getting tired.

What’s more, they’re suitable for pretty much every genre.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a metal player and you like to shred or if you prefer fingerstyle playing on an acoustic guitar. You can be sure that Elixir strings will significantly improve your tone.

On the other hand, they’re significantly more expensive than strings made by other brands such as Ernie Ball, Dunlop, D’Addario or Fender. But to be honest, that’s the only thing I don’t like about these strings.

Overall, I’m positive that the advantages of these strings outweigh their disadvantages. There’s just not much to complain about! If you want to sound as best as possible, spending a few extra dollars is a must.

Trusted By The Best

As I mentioned before, Elixir guitar strings are often used by a lot of professional musicians all around the world. There’s a high chance that your favorite guitar players actually use them as well!

Some of the professional guitarists who are officially supported by Elixir include:

  • Marcus King
  • Newton Faulkner
  • Phil Keaggy
  • Wayne Sermon (Imagine Dragons)
  • Sungha Jung
  • Marc Seal
  • Alex De Grassi
  • and many, many more!

As you can see, strings by this brand are used by a lot of well-known guitarists of all genres. It doesn’t really matter whether you’re a blues, country, folk, grunge or metal player – you can be sure that Elixir strings will make you sound much better.

If you want to see the full list of artists supported by Elixir, you can check it out on their official website.

Elixir Nanoweb Strings

Elixir Nanoweb Strings

Elixir Strings with the Nanoweb coating are one of the most popular strings manufactured by this brand. They sound great and they’re very easy on the fingers.

This particular model is wrapped with 80/20 bronze wrap wire. Their sound can be described as really bright and crisp, so they’re perfect for anyone who wants to effectively cut through the mix.

The Nanoweb coating significantly improves the life duration of these strings and it protects against the corrosion. Honestly, that’s a massive advantage! The difference between the coated and uncoated strings is very clear.

Overall, I’m positive that the vast majority of guitar players will be satisfied with the quality of these Nanoweb strings. Although they’re quite expensive, they’re definitely worth the money.

Here’s a quick sound demo.

Elixir Polyweb Strings

Elixir Polyweb Strings

Elixir Polyweb Strings are also extremely popular just like the Nanoweb guitar strings, but they sound slightly different. While Nanoweb strings sound bright and crisp, the Polyweb strings sound much warmer.

That kind of warmth can be effectively used for fingerstyle playing, so if that’s your kind of vibe – you should definitely choose these strings for your acoustic guitar. However, the Polyweb strings still have a remarkable and clear mid-range presence.

Just like the previous strings, they tend to be quite expensive, but they’re worth every cent. I’m personally using these strings on a daily basis and I don’t feel the need to try any other acoustic strings. They’re perfect!

Here’s a quick sound demo and comparison with the Nanoweb strings – feel free to check it out below.

Elixir Optiweb Strings

Elixir Optiweb Strings

Elixir Optiweb guitar strings are designed for electric guitars and they’re also extremely popular among the guitarists all around the world. They’re particularly loved by the intermediate and professional players!

What makes them so cool? Well, they feel very natural and they make playing way more comfortable. They also have a very nice and crisp sound. Of course, they’re also suitable for all genres of music!

Just like the Nanoweb and Polyweb strings, the Optiweb strings are also protected against the corrosion. As a result, they’re really long-lasting, so they should serve you for many months to come! They usually last twice as long as any other strings available on the market.

Here’s a quick video about the Optiweb strings – feel free to check it out below.

Elixir Bass Strings

bass strings

What,’s important, Elixir also manufactures some of the best strings that are currently available on the market! This particular set of nickel-plated steel strings is also very popular among the bass players all around the world.

The sound of these strings can be described as rich and clear. They have a very heavy mid-range presence, which is also a huge advantage.

What’s important, these Elixirs feature the Nanoweb technology which significantly protects them against the corrosion and expands their life duration. On average, they usually last two or three times longer than any other bass strings!

The only disadvantage of these strings is the high price – just like all the other Elixirs mentioned above, they’re quite expensive. However, they’re definitely worth every cent. Your bass will definitely sound better with that set!

Here’s the video review of these bass strings.

Elixir vs Ernie Ball Strings

A lot of guitarists who are discouraged by the high price of Elixir strings decide to get the Ernie Ball strings instead. But is it actually a good choice?

The truth is that it’s difficult to pick a clear winner of that battle. Both of these brands have their own admirers. Personally, I’d say that Elixir strings are way better and they last much longer than any strings by Ernie Ball.

My opinion about the tone is really subjective, so you don’t have to agree with me on that one. But the long-lasting life of Elixir strings is a fact and no one can deny that. The Nanoweb, Polyweb and Optiweb coating technology significantly improves the life duration of Elixir strings.

However, I totally understand that so many people decide to stick to Ernie Ball strings instead. In the end, they’re much cheaper and they still sound pretty good!

Here’s a really good video that compares the sound of Ernie Ball and Elixir strings – feel free to check it out below.

FAQ

Where are Elixir guitar strings made?

Elixir strings are manufactured in the USA.

Are expensive guitar strings better?

Most of the time, expensive guitar strings are better than cheap strings. It’s still possible to find really good budget strings, but they’re usually not as long-lasting as the Elixirs.

Where can I find out more about Elixir?

If you want to learn more about Elixir, you should definitely check out their official website.

Summary

As you can see, Elixir strings sound absolutely amazing. Although they’re quite expensive in comparison with strings by other brands such as Ernie Ball or D’Addario, they’re definitely worth every cent. I’m sure that if you decide to get a set of these strings, you won’t be disappointed!

What do you think of Elixir strings? Have you ever tried them or do you think that they’re overrated? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for checking out today’s review, hopefully it was helpful. If you enjoyed this article and you’re searching for more gear recommendations, you may also like:

Dave
Dave

Hey! I'm Dave and I'm the founder of Best Guitars Now. Thanks for checking out my blog - hopefully you found what you were looking for!

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