Elixirs Strings --are Condom strings

[Walesy]

Fair points and all well and good if you have a friend with a studio

I've not been in a studio in many years but last time I did it wan't cheap I would have thought that these days a little recording set up for a laptop would be fairly cheap?

Anyhow, we're veering way off topic here! Back to condoms and Tommy Emmanuel

[Ross A]

I would have thought that these days a little recording set up for a laptop would be fairly cheap?

Anyhow, we're veering way off topic here! Back to condoms and Tommy Emmanuel

I have a little Lexicon Alpha USB thingy that plugs into my computer. I plug my guitar into it, and record the sounds with the Cubase software that came with it. I can also plug a Mic into it at the same time. It's pretty simply, and whilst not professional quality, can get some pretty good results.

Maybe someone should ask Tommy what brand of Condom he would recommend?

[MIKE 450]

It easy to open a myspace music account- just make sure it's music--then simply upload your songs/tunes onto the player on your page. There's always someone about who's into recording, I pay my mate £50 for 2 or 3 hours recording.

Don't go to a top recording studio there way to expensive,try to keep the whole thing simple. Practice one song/tune until you can play it in your sleep, don't play anything but that one tune you wish to record.

When I go into the studio my aim is to record one song that I know back to front. So there's five minute's if you like--but even if I record it perfectly I'll still do it again and pick the best one.

It's not until you go home with your demo and listen to it a hundread times- will you finally know how to record it properly. I always play the demo's and never record them properly I love that organic sound MAN!LOL --I can't stand perfect processed stuff it all seems to sound the same.

Two friends of mine went to the west coast of Ireland for a week of songwriting thinking they'd be inspired --they got wasted every day and night and came home with six silly songs. Then with there heads still up there backsides they spent a fortune recording there new songs.

The trip to the west coast plus the recording bill came to about £3000--when they invited me round to listen to it --it was BAD realy bad--they both complained the expensive studio had sucked the life out of there songs Man!

There's a saying in the recording world "you can't polish a turd" there songs where terrible. I suggested what I've said above about one song at a time keep it simple and have fun- I also told them to drink after work not while your at work.

[Walesy]

I would have thought that these days a little recording set up for a laptop would be fairly cheap?

Anyhow, we're veering way off topic here! Back to condoms and Tommy Emmanuel

I have a little Lexicon Alpha USB thingy that plugs into my computer. I plug my guitar into it, and record the sounds with the Cubase software that came with it. I can also plug a Mic into it at the same time. It's pretty simply, and whilst not professional quality, can get some pretty good results.

Maybe someone should ask Tommy what brand of Condom he would recommend?

Cheers for that mate! Just had a peek on ebay and the Lexicon is £90! can't be bad for that money, assuming it's fairly foolproof to use

[MIKE 450]

I was speaking to Gareth Pearson recently about strings!
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Hi Gareth, we meet a couple of times first time was in the Waterfront Hall Belfast when you backed up TE then again when you played the John Hewwit Bar.

I was speaking to Tommy lately who said he did not like Elixir strings he called them condom strings' I'm writing about strings on Avalon guitar forum and wondered which string you use and why.

I was the guy you told to cut he's finger nails off--thanks it works!
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Hey Michael,

Yes i remember you. how are things? I hope all is well!

I can see where Tommy's coming from seeing as i dont really get on with them either! Personally for me, Elixir strings are WAY to fast! Although, I know alot of guitar makes like to put Elixirs on their guitars while distributing mainly because they dont "die or go dead" easily in tone. So thats probably a plus!
But set that aside, I like to use Dean Markley 12-54 or even more so D'addario 12.53 due to there "bite" so to speak

Hope this intrests you!

Take care buddy!

GP

p.s Glad you made the right move

[MIKE 450]

Here's a little note I got from a great guitarist the other day!





Feb 28 2009 2:26 PM

Comment Back - Send Message - Block User


Hi Michael, nice to hear from you! I use the coated Elixir's, polyweb coating (the original thick coating) 12 guage. The guage suits my fingerstyle playing, i can be quite heavy handed. Unfortunately my hands sweat while I am playing and it seems to be quite corrosive as I can kill the tone of a good set of martins in an afternoon! i mean completely dead!!! With the Elexirs I can get 3 -4 weeks out of a set, apparently some people can get 2 - 4 months out of a set. Lucky B......S! So it's mostly a practical and economical thing rather than the tone. The elixir keeps its tone for me while the coating lasts. Hope this is useful mate.

Iain Forbes

[MIKE 450]

Hi Michael!
Thanks for dropping by. I've tried coated strings now and then but always ended up coming back to my favourite brand: DR strings - "Rare" .12 gauge.
I'm an endorser for them - but through conviction. I'd been using their strings for 10 years before the endorser deal came about.

hope that helps,

all the best,
Ian.

This was another message I got from the great man himself Ian Melrose.I must admit I've never heard of DR strings. But out of all the guitarist I've spokein to It seems like half are coated and half are plain.

Thus this is the end of my string probe, I am now bored with the subject. Having said that it was interesting and thanks to all who took part in this thread--if anyone does find the HOLY GRAIL of strings let me know.

[Lentin]

Mike,
I sent you a private some days ago.

[simonayrton]

I know there is all this talk about Elixir's but what about the D'addario coated strings, the EXP's. Do people have the same love/hate relationship with them?

I have to admit I have tried Elixir's a few times but I find them a bit too bright for me. I like the sound of strings after they have settled in a bit. I find the D'addario's seem to settle down a bit quicker than Elixir's and hold their tone form that point for a decent time.

Just chucking my two-penneth in!!

[singlereed]

My first experience with the EXPs are the ones on my new S32 and I am very happy with them a couple of weeks from new. I like D'addario strings anyway and these seem to play pretty much the same except they have held their zing a lot longer. I haven't tried any other long-lasting strings.

[Walesy]

Also worth mentioning, is that as we all have different styles of playing different strings will appeal to us - I play using my fingertips, never with a plectrum or long nails - so maybe that has an impact on why I like the 'brightness' from Elixirs. If you play with a pick or long nails maybe they wil sound too bright? There are lots of factors to consider

I saw this little clip on Youtube recently and thought of you Mike, maybe you've seen it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxP9wUp8 ... re=related

[MIKE 450]

Oh yes Walesy indeed--I have seen this clip--well done for posting it.
You Know! The thing that hasn't been said and I forgot mention is --if I use coated strings I'll wear them out at the soundhole with either plectrum or thumb pick ---and yes I use heavy guage plecs.

The whole thing about coated strings lasting longer is an exspensive joke to me---I will punish any strings on my guitar weither I'm busking on the street or playing to three men and a jack russell at a small gig. I'm thinking 8 hours max for any strings then there off.

Buy a packet of Rizla cigarette paper's and do what guitarist's have been doing for years --CLEAN your strings after you practice at home --and throw them into the bin after a gig or mybe two gigs depending on how mental you play.

That's why Tommy Emannuel can change strings during the break,because the man's realy playing with all he's heart and soul--look at his guitar you'd think he found it on skip.---he can however play beautiful mellow tunes --but when your giging as I do from time to time I just love to open up with PINBALL WIZZARD turned up to 11 thats what works in nosey Irish pubs--and it won't matter to the punter's what string your using.

Thanks Walesy for your post now everyone can hear the best acoustic guitarist in THE WORLD tell us he uses cheap MARTINS ha ha ha-- I love that bit in the video "martins"

[singlereed]

Well at last my EXPs are getting a bit tired and need to be replaced - they have had a good innings, though. I have found I get rather a lot of finger noise (i.e. squeaks) when I play, sliding from one note to the next etc and I don't think I usually get this much noise with ordinary strings. I like the idea of coated strings as I prefer a bright zingy sound and just wondered if anyone else has tried other brands which are less noisy in this regard? I have ordered a set of Rotosound Nexus and will let you know how I get on, but any other recommendations?

[MIKE 450]

Sometimes pressing down to hard on the strings can result in finger noise--I know some strings are bad but most do the job--when you get to know a tune realy well there is often less finger noise.

Please don't buy expensive strings it's just a marketing thing--99% of playing good guitar is in your hands --not the strings.

When buying Elexir's your fooling yourself into thinking-I don't need to clean them now--they sound brighter--all strings sound bright when you first put them on--just clean the strings after playing.

As I've said before on this topic--what did we do before Elexir's--how did Bob Dylan ever make it without them--EH!

[Lentin]

Who's Bob Dylan?