Features:

  • Acoustic guitar strings constructed with phosphor bronze wrap wire
  • Played for a dynamic balance of rich, full-bodied tone and sparkling high-end clarity
  • Ultra-thin NANOWEB Coating provides a traditionally textured, “uncoated” feel
  • Our patented coating technology protects against common corrosion, extending tone life longer than any other brand’s coated or uncoated strings (Elixir Strings player survey)
  • Extra Light gauge: .010 .014 .023 .030 .039 .047
I haven't found anything better.

Simply put, these strings are awesome. I have been using them on my concert body, Yamaha FS720S guitar for about 2 years now, and have replaced the strings about six times. They are long lasting, and sound wonderful. I tried a set of D'Addario coated strings of similar style last December, just to make sure that I wasn't being blinded by brand loyalty. I wasn't, as I did not like the D'Addarios at all, and switched them out within a week to a set of Elixir Phosphor Bronze Light. I decided this past summer to try out a similar set of Ernie Ball coated strings. Same thing, except I waited until they needed to be change this time before I switched back to the Elixirs. The Phosphor Bronze has a nice bright tone on my guitar. The strings have good feel to them. As I'm sure most of you reading this review will already know, the lighter gauge strings do put less emphasis on the bass and more emphasis on the treble. I do like a fuller sound, but part of that is just the type of guitar I have. In short, I cannot recommend these strings highly enough. However, I will say this. Some guitars sound better with certain strings than others. It's just part of the personality of the guitar. That being said, these are certainly not the end all be all for guitar strings. But they are pretty darned good.

These are the best acoustic guitar strings you will ever buy

These are the best acoustic strings I have ever owned. I have had my Washburn guitar for about 25 years and was starting to hear a decrease in the quality of the sound, especially the resonance. After I slapped these strings on there, the guitar sounds better than it ever has. These things are amazing. Strings I have used before: Gryphon - local shop D'Addario Martin The Elixer strings crush them all. And they last a long time. Will buy over and over again forever!!

The durability of these strings plus good sound makes them a smart buy

I play guitar a lot, but I've only been playing a few years and I have limited exposure to strings. That said, I have a background in piano/keyboard and I've been playing music all my life. I've been through about a dozen different sets of strings on a few guitars I own. These run the gamut from inexpensive (Ernie Ball Earthwood) to standard (D'Addarios) to high end Elixirs and Cleartones. The Elixir Nanoweb is my second favorite I've used on both my Yamaha and Ovation A/E guitars with the Elixir Polyweb being my favorite thus far. Here's why: The coating does affect string sound and I noticed it for the first session or two of playing. After that, what stood out to me was that the strings never lost their tone. For weeks. Ernie Ball Earthwoods sound great when installed, but after a week of playing, I can feel and hear them start to deaden out. The Elixirs take a hit on day one and two, but they don't wear down for weeks at a time. Months even. To me, by the time I am on my fifth session of playing (in one-to-two hour sessions), the Elixirs start to surpass the others and they continue to shine at that level for quite a long time. In fact, degradation of sound was so minuscule on my last set that I never heard it. I changed out the strings when I began to see visible marks at the fret and pick area (assuming where the coating was starting to chip/wear). The change did make them sound better... I could tell after I put the new ones on that the old ones were worn, but it was minor. In short, you pay three times more for these strings, but you should get five times more life out of them. To me, choosing a $5-$6 set of strings instead is being penny wise and pound foolish.

Excellence!

Just installed a set of the HD Lights on an acoustic archtop...Wow! The difference was night and day from the original strings. Elixir of course is brand of choice when wanting a coated string. Some people say they can hear a difference in coated strings vs. uncoated. I never paid much attention, but these really tamed the jangle on this guitar. It was like a perfect match. The guitar was unbalanced with a lot of bottom and a top end jangle that bordered on earitating. The guitar, while stiffer playing, sounds like a much more expensive guitar. The change required nut slotting to accompany the larger string gauges. Keep that in mind...

Great Smooth feeling for acoustics

I use these on an Ibanez acoustic that I have had for years, and the first time I got these strings it completely changed the tone and sound of the guitar to a much nicer one that I enjoyed playing more than any other strings I had used up to that point. I do have to say that I bought these on the recommendation of a close friend of mine and I wasn't expecting such a smooth silky slide feel but it wasn't that I disliked the feeling but most other strings I had used were more rough on the fingers. I would recommend these to anyone who is looking for great new strings to use, especially if they are looking to change up the current feel of their guitar.

They only strings I use

Elixir is the only brand of string I've used on my guitars for over 12 years. I originally used and loved the polyweb strings, but my newer guitar really wanted something a bit brighter and livelier. These phosphor bronze nanowebs definitely did the trick, and they still really don't need to be changed very often. The coating is thinner and less noticable than the original polyweb, and you can still enjoy the full benefits of a set of phosphor-bronze strings. You'll honestly get tired of the set before it really gives up on you, but sometimes you just want the feel of a fresh set of strings!

Strings sound great and last a long time

I first started buying these strings because my favorite guitarist, Antoine Dufour, uses (or used) them and recommended them. I don't change my strings nearly as often as many people recommend, mostly due to laziness, which is one of the main reason I've been using Elixir strings for years. They last so much longer than other brands, especially non-coated strings, that I don't have any problem leaving strings on for 6 months or longer. They definitely don't sound AS good after 6 months, but they're way better than other brands would be at that point. Granted, the amount I play varies throughout the year but I would assume that even a professional musician wouldn't need to change these strings nearly as often. I don't entirely know what the difference is between the phosphor bronze and other versions - I've looked it up before and didn't find a definitive answer. To the best of my knowledge I think the phosphor bronze strings create a brighter sound. I always love the way a new set of these strings sound. They can feel slightly slippery when they're new due to the coating, especially if you just washed your hands or something. It can make it a little harder to fret chords than if you were playing on normal strings, especially if you use heavier gauge strings or have higher action. Usually doesn't take me long to get used to it though.

Expensive, but these strings last out for months.

I haven't actually played these 12 - 53's, but the 13 - 53's I'm currently using have lasted out approximately 3 months on a regular basis and I play daily. I've also taken these strings beyond the pale, I believe, as I tighten them up to higher than standard tuning then slack them down so that the top and bottom were B tuning and then tightened them back up again all without them complaining very much or causing me to retune too frequently. I've pretty much settled in on these strings as being a comfortable fit for my finger pick style of playing. For me they seem to be less noisy than uncoated strings. After some period of playing, for months, the coating will appear to be raggedy, but this has little or no effect on tone or playability. Right now and or the past couple of years, these are my standard choice.

Best acoustic strings I’ve ever played.

These are my all time favorite acoustic guitar strings. Yes, they cost quite a bit more than other brands, but they do last a ridiculously long time. Even when the coating begins tp wear off, they still sound very good. I’ve occasionally gone several months on the same set. I prefer the brightness and depth in sound from the Nanowebs, though some people find them too slippery. You get used to it. The polywebs offer a darker, warmer sound, better suited (in my opinion) for strumming and aren’t as slippery, where the Nanos are better for fingerstyle. Putting these strings on a cheaper guitar will make it sound infinitely better (I have a $100 Johnson that sounds very nice). Putting them on a quality instrument (I also have a nice Taylor) will blow your mind.

"The Strings"

yea you have to pay a little more but these will give you more in return. the lifespan of these strings and the freshness is why these are my go-to strings for both acoustic and electric. you can pay your 4-5$ on the earnie balls or d'addarios or whatever but in 2-3 weeks your going to have gunk buildup, dull sound, and worn out strings. these aren't indestructable but i do feel that elixirs have a much higher quality and longer lasting product than the rest. even the other "coated string" sellers. ive used elixirs for approx 8 years and still never let down. elixirs can last and last

Full Reviews