Time for more Elixir microscope pics! ("After" Edition)

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Well @misterg showed you what Elixir strings look like in their new pristine condoms (here), so now we must fire up the microscope once again to look at the same strings at end-of-life, after 5 weeks of idiotic thrashing by my good self.

You know how Elixir get to look a bit furry in places? Check it out:

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Now let's see what the little shiny bits where you press the string onto the fret look like:

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Side view, showing flattening of the string:

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More pics here.
I'm just a Maserati in a world of Kias.
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Comments

  • stickyfiddlestickyfiddle Frets: 26746
    In before the "bleh" comments...

    I don't care how they look; they sound great for 6 months+ on my guitars and I won't use anything else :)
    The Assumptions - UAE party band for all your rock & soul desires
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  • They are lasting me about 5 weeks (around 4 hours per week rehearsal and gigging, wiped with cloth after each play), before there are great swathes of missing coating with tarnishing, loss of sustain and depth. The most I have had is 7 weeks....so I am thinking that uncoated strings will probably last me just as long if I look after them. I like the slidey feeling though!
    I'm just a Maserati in a world of Kias.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71952
    Bleh :).

    Perfectly illustrates everything I hate about Elixirs even better than the original condom pics do.

    Apart from the horrible tone and greasy feel, which you can't actually see...

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • digitalscreamdigitalscream Frets: 26451
    edited October 2013
    In before the "bleh" comments...

    I don't care how they look; they sound great for 6 months+ on my guitars and I won't use anything else :)
    Aye, this. Who cares what they look like under a microscope in the context of real-life use?

    That said, cool pics :)
    <space for hire>
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  • Yes, I posted more as a "look at stuff under a microscope!" rather than a "I've got scientific evidence that Elixirs are worse than a Goretex jacket with a hole in it!". :)
    I'm just a Maserati in a world of Kias.
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    It'd be interesting to see what normal strings look like after a similar period of similar use.

    I imagine they're caked in grot.
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71952
    Sporky said:
    It'd be interesting to see what normal strings look like after a similar period of similar use.

    I imagine they're caked in grot.
    The same but without the horrible frayed bits, if you keep them clean.

    But they'd be just as dead if they had the flat spots over the frets, that's what kills strings for me. They do at least sound good up to that point though ;).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    ICBM said:

    But they'd be just as dead if they had the flat spots over the frets, that's what kills strings for me. They do at least sound good up to that point though
    Got to agree there - Elixirs do indeed sound great. :)
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71952
    Sporky said:
    Got to agree there - Elixirs do indeed sound great. :)
    English comprehension fail ;).

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • Sporky said:
    It'd be interesting to see what normal strings look like after a similar period of similar use.

    I imagine they're caked in grot.

    Only one way to find out! I will present the findings of the Grot analysis in due course.
    I'm just a Maserati in a world of Kias.
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27569
    ICBM said:
    Sporky said:
    Got to agree there - Elixirs do indeed sound great. :)
    English comprehension fail ;).
    You sunk my funnyship. :(
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71952
    Sporky said:
    You sunk my funnyship. :(
    Oops. Are you sure you didn't get some of that furry crap tangled round the prop though?

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • martinwmartinw Frets: 2149
    tFB Trader

    All the fuss about fret and fingerboard materials, long tenons, paper-in-oil NOS caps, buffers, true bypass, JRC4558 chips, hide glue, nitrocellulose lacquer, top-wrapping, screwed-down tailpieces.....

    :D

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  • CloudNineCloudNine Frets: 4254
    When I tried Elixir's on an acoustic, I literally could not do even the slightest bend. Fingers just slid straight off the string, which made me wonder how anyone uses them... Yeah yeah, I realise my piss poor technique is probably to blame..
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