String Showdown: Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze vs Elixir 80/20 Polyweb Acoustic Guitar Strings

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String Showdown: Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze vs Elixir 80/20 Polyweb Acoustic Guitar Strings

Рет қаралды 24,437

4 жыл бұрын

Elixir phosphor bronze nanoweb vs Elixir 80/20 poly web
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Hey whats its Jeremy and welcome to the showdown where today we are listening to the differences between Elixir’s Phosphor Bronze nanoweb coated strings and Elixirs 80/20 Polyweb coated strings.
Ive explained in other videos how the 80/20 strings are 80% copper and 20% zinc. This lends itself to have a bright attack but it then warms up with a bump in the bottom end. Phosphor bronze is 92% copper, 8% tin and trace amounts of phosphorus. I thought Phosphor Bronze was a little bit more even on the tonal spectrum.
Not only is the metallic composition of the guitar strings different but the coating is a little bit different too. the polyweb coating from elixir was their first coating but then after a period of time they developed their nano web coated strings which is just a thinner coating. The nanoweb coating feels a bit more like an uncoated string where you can feel the texture of the windings more on your fingertips. This coating offers a different feel but more importantly it protects the gaps between the windings of the strings from things that can normally damage guitar strings such as humidity, oils and sweat. This is nice because it will extend the life of the string but eventually the coating will wear down.
Ive explained in previous videos that everything is mic’d the same exact way as to treat this as an experiment but the best way to hear the differences are through headphones. With that being said let’s keep listening. I’ll be back after a few more examples.
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Пікірлер: 52

@Guod990 4 жыл бұрын

Seriously fantastic content man! As a new guitarist myself, I really appreciate the detail you put in this comparison and many of your other videos! Keep up the great work!!

@JTravlos 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@mikefinnegan1366 3 жыл бұрын

My setup: Taylor 114 Grand Auditorium (.012 - .053) After using 80/20 bronze NANOWEB (not POLYWEB) for years, I decided to give the Phosphor bronze NANOWEB a try….for my ear the Phosphor bronze sound noticeably “better” than the 80/20’s but are more finicky to tune perfectly….if the Phosphor bronze are not tuned perfectly I hear it….but, when carefully tuned, the individual notes within the chords seem to have a little more “voice” and give the chords a richness that the 80/20’s don’t

2 жыл бұрын

Excellent video, my friend! For many years I have been looking for a way to make my guitar sound less bright, and you just showed me how. Swapping the Phosphor Bronze Nanoweb for an 80/20 Polyweb. I really dug the sound you got out of it.

@JTravlos 2 жыл бұрын

Great, thanks! I was hoping these videos could shed some light on the subject.

@rymac4372 3 жыл бұрын

I use polyweb .13-.56 on both my gs mini and martin Djr. Those strings seem to bring out a deep sound in 3/4 guitars that I cant get enough of.

@sigmapotato9229 3 жыл бұрын

Extremely useful review, except for: 1 - Your attacking is extremely harsh, both with your fingers and the pick, which causes a lot of note distortion. 2- Try to incorporate more open chords instead of exotic chords, when you are reviewing the sound of a guitar or a specific pack of guitar stings.

@johnviolette5511 4 жыл бұрын

I have a 2013 Taylor 314ce. Came with elixir nano pb’s and I used them for a long time. Recently started a string journey and I found I like the way Martin Monels tame the brightness of the Taylor. But I like the feel of the Elixir nano pb’s. I will have to check out the nano bronze video to see if they will be more Monel sounding.

@JTravlos 4 жыл бұрын

I should add these to the list of strings to "showdown"

@worldwide1376 2 жыл бұрын

Just what I was looking for, thank you, for the comparison. To me, the Nanoweb has more sustain, airiness, and resolution.

@chillbeans1462 3 жыл бұрын

Very underrated video, great job! 👍

@Usasuperpower 3 жыл бұрын

Love phosphor bronze!!! My absolute best even sound with a touch of brightness

@sdmwoodworking 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this comparison, answering a question I've pondered every time I've changed strings over these past few years. I'll stick with the blue-label strings because I like the sound in the lower range, but I could use a video about why, after I've been playing for nearly 60 years, you sound so much better than I do. So it goes, I guess, and thanks again.

@JTravlos 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! And thanks for the compliment. Keep at it!

@cousinyak1803 2 жыл бұрын

For me It'd be phosphorus bronze all the way weather it's poly or nanoweb. Great video!

@JTravlos 2 жыл бұрын

Im usually a PB fan too. I do, however, have 80/20s in my amazon shopping cart for my mahogony taylor gs mini. Its such a dark sounding guitar I hope to brighten it up a bit.

@ChrisChinAva 4 жыл бұрын

Been using poly webs they’re just for me all-around playability. Nanoweb as backup why not. I have a 414ce Ovangkol since it was introduced. Can’t remember what year was it.

@theoldmanontheroad4721 3 жыл бұрын

I hope I am hearing this right, but it sounds like the Polyweb is slightly muted from the coating where the nanoweb is a bit brighter. Thanks for the review

@JTravlos 3 жыл бұрын

That is what I thought too but I cant figure out if it was all inside my head.

@jefflundgren762 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the Great comparison 👍

@cowboy7x 3 жыл бұрын

Useful video. But don't have such a lag between takes of the types of strings when you play. Edit the video sounds closer together. But I'm sticking with Polyweb.

@boyinblue6883 2 жыл бұрын

So useful 💙 thanks for ur video It actually helped me alot

@JTravlos 2 жыл бұрын

Glad it helped!

@hossamhaddad7 3 жыл бұрын

Polyweb much better and nicer and warm sound I like them a lot and I already have them on my Fender acoustic guitar size 12/53 80/20 and I still use them since before Covid-19 start because I live close to San Francisco and there is no too much humidity and I don’t have chance to change them because they don’t have them at the guitar center all of them is gone.

@JTravlos 3 жыл бұрын

Yea, both last a really long time but I do find humidity can lessen the lifespan on them. I am on the east coast with high humidity but I still get good milage out of the strings. Thanks for checking out the video!

@hossamhaddad7 3 жыл бұрын

@@JTravlos Lol 😂 I like that ( milage )term you are using for the strings it’s funny 😄.

@Andy1x 2 жыл бұрын

Have you always used the 12s? With the Poly, have you experimented with 11s or other gauges too? If so, what were your findings? Thanks Husam.

@vincestorm5389 Жыл бұрын

Cool vid, nicely presented, very helpful, thanks dude

@JTravlos Жыл бұрын

thanks!

@fitoperezproductions 4 жыл бұрын

Just picked up the Yamaha FGX5. It comes with Nano 80/20's and I picked up a phosphor bronze pack. I'll switch them out in a few weeks and see what sounds better live. Good comparison though! The 80/20's seemed much warmer to my ears.

@briandonnelly3052 6 ай бұрын

I bought a set of Polyweb 12-56'es to try out; now, I wish I'd bought a set of Nanoweb. Live & learn.

@JTravlos 6 ай бұрын

Oh I think its good to eventually try everything out. Thanks for watching!

@stiggystigmarnason9077 Ай бұрын

I bought an expensive builders edition taylor years ago and was always disappointed with the sound when recorded, live I didn't notice. The sound was too tinny and the mids were far too saturated. It's only recently i've realised that it's down to these nanowebs. I bought a 70's vega guitar, which is basically a martin D-18 with vega on the headstock.. it went from sounding amazing to absolute trash with the nanowebs on. I also realised how much higher tension the nanowebs are than a normal string which is not as nice to play and you lose a lot of the feel compared to a normal string. Even 'played in' the nanowebs are clicky and tinny when playing fingerstyle and I find they sustain far too long when strummed which saturates a mix on anything other than a solo guitar piece. I put the old vega strings on my taylor and it immediately sounded better. Despite using the elixers for over a decade (and not realising the difference strings can make) I will never touch these nanowebs ever again. Yes it's nice that they last ages but the benefits end there.

@bwloawesome 4 жыл бұрын

What kind of guitar are these being played on? (More specifically: solid top, solid top back and sides, etc.) You know what I can't help but wonder? What if you were to put the strings being compared on a guitar that had all laminated wood? That way, the wood characteristics are less likely to influences the tonal qualities of the strings.

@JTravlos 4 жыл бұрын

It is always the same guitar for all my videos. Taylor 812ce indian rosewood back and sides with a spruce top. But I do see your point with using a laminate guitar and also a lot of people do use laminate guitar guitars. The only laminate guitar I own is a taylor gs mini but I just dont enjoy playing that guitar like I do the 812ce. These videos are tedious to make and using the taylor 812 adds the joy back into making these videos.

@chris61981 4 жыл бұрын

It's great but please try ernie ball everlast bronze vs elixir bronze nanoweb

@churchofsighandthology 2 жыл бұрын

I've been using Earthwood phosphor strings for a while now because they sound sooo good for recording. When they're brand new that is. They decay pretty quickly, despite using fast-fret. Its ok for the studio since a lot of work usually gets done in a short period of time. But I'm looking for something that can last a while longer especially during writing periods... I just hate picking up the guitar and it sounds like a toy piano. Rather have something that sounds OK but lasts. Could the elixir phosphor bronze be a good bet?

@JTravlos 2 жыл бұрын

I say give the Phosphor Bronze ones a try. Mainly for the fact that guitar is a lifelong hobby so you might as well try everything out there. Some people like them and others do not. I do like them but this topic can be so subjective sometimes. Let me know if you end up getting them and if so what you think of them.

@wj9518 3 жыл бұрын

I love the Pb sound but i have one of those laminated guitar (baby taylor) mohagony. i wonder would it have the same tone in the ballpark.

@hankemery-coffeehousemusic1162 Жыл бұрын

J. have you ever done any type of comparison between Elixir Nanoweb PB (12-53), D'Addario XT PB (12-53)and Santa Cruz Parabolic Low Tension Strings? I'd love to hear what you think. I have a Taylor AD22e. I'm currently using the D'Addario XT PB (12-53) but I am considering trying out the Santa Cruz strings.

@JTravlos Жыл бұрын

I have done Elixir pb vs daddario xt but in 11-52s. I bought the Santa cruz strings but I sort of forget if I recorded them. I recorded a bunch of strings that I never got around to making a showdown for and I cant for the life of me find those files. However, with all the strings I remember playing I really like the elixir PB, Daddario XS, and...Cleartone EQ. Those Clear tone EQ strings were pretty cool.

@barrettflorida 4 ай бұрын

Phosphorus bronze all day, every day

@JTravlos 4 ай бұрын

Im kinda with you.

@user-bt3cb9ko3v 10 ай бұрын

What live longer polyweb or nanoweb?

@6345788 2 жыл бұрын

It has been so difficult to find recordings of a single elixir string vs phosphor bronze vs brass strings. I'd like to do a FFT and compare the frequency content of let's say, three "D" strings. The ideas of "warm" vs "bright" are certainly accurate, but not very analytical. All I have is phosphor bronze strings on the Taylor and have really never liked elixir strings. Any idea where I'd be able to find a video or just plain audio to use for comparisons? Thanks!!

@JTravlos 2 жыл бұрын

Ohh, I am not sure where to find something like that. But it gives me ideas for another video. Good luck!

@AnarchistJim 8 ай бұрын

thanks for playing the same thing with both strings. Too many comparison videos will play one thing and then something totally different, how the hell are you supposed to compare anything like that?