Elixir Strings Trial Part 3

Well, the trial is over. Sadly, this kind of trial I would like to have continue on. I’d be happy to take on more of these kinds of trials—the fun kind—vs. the kind I am usually dealt in life. But that is for another post.

Saturday marked the end of my four week string trial from Elixir Strings. Per their request, I had to tally up my time of playing the strings (15.5 hours in 4 weeks) and then remove them from the guitar, and mail back in their postage paid envelope. Last night I removed them and packaged everything up, and will mail them back to Elixir tomorrow and wait on my coupon for a new, FREE set of strings courtesy of Elixir for participating in the trial.

I really enjoyed these strings and the sound and feel held strong for the whole time I was playing them. I could immediately tell a difference in these trial strings to the Elixir Phosphor Bronze strings I had on my Larriveé C-10, but they still had that bright, punchy and beautiful sound that those strings give you.

Recently I participated in a “string challenge” where I had to guess another vendors strings that were on one of three identical Martin guitars. If I guessed right, I won a set of strings. One of the three guitars had Elixirs on it, the 2nd one had the brand they wanted you to guess, and the third was some other brand I was not sure of. I nailed the challenge right off—immediately figuring out which was the mystery brand, and which were the Elixirs, which left guitar #3 to be the strings to be guessed.

Martin SP LifeSpan strings were the ones they wanted you to guess correctly, and instead of one set, I got two free sets that night. The Martin Guitars rep was super nice and I told him I would be happy to try them. I think I got two free sets because I told him that not only was I a devoted “Taylor man” but that I had been playing Elixirs for 15 years.

Well last night, that was what I put on my Larriveé after removing the trial Elixirs. I must confess that sadly for Martin and Cleartone, who they are partnering up with in this endeavor, the LifeSpan strings cannot even compare to the sound of the Elixirs. The sound to me was like a set of strings that were on their last leg and this was 5 minutes after putting them on my guitar. Nowhere near the brightness, clarity and punch that I am used to. But, they were free.

So, for the next several weeks, I will live with the LifeSpans and give them a go. As for the trial set, I have no clue what Elixir were doing with the strings for this trial. It was just a request to play them for a month, check in twice and fill out a survey, remove and return. No other details were given. I can tell you though that I would be happy to be a part of any other string trial in the future and hope that they take me up on my offer to do so. It makes it fun for just an average Joe like me to be a part of something like that with a manufacturer I believe in and support.

Now if I could only get Taylor or PRS to send me prototype guitars and amps to play as a “trial” . . .