Elixir Optiweb feel tighter?

Rich G.

Experienced
I've been using Elixir Nanowebs 10's for something like 10 years. Just to try something different, I decided to order Optiwebs. Had my first gig with them last night. I don't know if it's just me or what... but today my fingers feel like I had 12's on last night. I found I had to 'double-up' to bend up a full note- especially when pushing that high-e from a D to an E at the 22nd fret. The strings don't feel any bigger, just harder to bend. Anyone else experience this when trying the Optiwebs of the same gauge?
 
I prefer the nanowebs, the optis felt more like normal strings and I like the slick feeling. I didnt keep them on long so I can’t attest to the tension but I don’t remember anything different in that regard.
 
I only have used the nanowebs, so I can’t speak to the optiwebs. But I had the same experience a few years back with Cleartone strings. Didn’t change gage or anything. Just bought a new batch of them and they indeed felt tighter like you describe. I made sure that they were the right gage and everything was the same. I can’t explain it. Neither could the Cleartone rep I talked to. But he did send me 12 sets of strings free of charge for the trouble. Lol
 
Interesting, I usually prefer to use the thinnest strings I can get away with for sound reasons, but if I could also get some more tension with thin strings, that would be ideal. Maybe I’ll pick some up to try, next string change.

I’ve used Nanowebs for probably 15 years or something, but avoided the optiwebs since people said they don’t feel coated. And I’m so used to the slick feeling and no finger scraping noises with the Nanowebs, that uncoated strings just feel like sandpaper to me in comparison.
 
Optiwebs are a little bit tighter yes.

I don't know if anyone else has had this happen but using "Nut Sauce" seems to cause breakages on the unwound strings
 
I haven't noticed that. I don't think the plain strings differ between the different set types. Polyweb/Nanoweb/Optiweb refers to the wound string coating, and the plains are just what they call "anti-rust".

I doubt that the wound strings are any different, aside from the coating. Maybe the Optiweb coating is more slippery and tougher to grip well during bends.
 
Hmm... found THIS post from 3/12/19 where the guy says:

"First, [OptiWebs] felt very stiff and tight. I prefer a slinky, bendy feel, which is why I use .09s. With the Elixirs it felt like I had gone up two string gauges to .11s."

I sent a message to Elixir asking about it. I have a few tests in mind I plan on conducting.
 
Interesting...I put 10-52 Optiwebs on my backup guitar while I have 10-52 GHS Boomers on my main guitar and it feels like I have something like 12-56s on the backup guitar. I thought somehow there´s much more tension although it seems not logical, so I bought 09-46 Optiwebs, but up until now was too lazy to re-string the guitar...will try my regular strings on the backup!

Edit: exchanged the Optiwebs for my regular GHS strings and all is well now...so the Optiwebs definitely feel tighter. May try Nanowebs later.
 
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I have the exact issue right now. Bending is extremely hard on the elixir optiwebs. I put some James Hetfield strings on another guitar, same scale, and it's so much easier to bend and they don't feel that stiff. The Hetfields are a higher gauge and they feel lighter. I'm moving away from elixir strings.
 
even though different strings may be the same gauge, the core to wrap thickness ratio may be different. if a string has a thicker core and a thinner wrap, it will feel stiffer than a string with the opposite, even though the measured gauge is the same. this was a tough lesson to learn when i used guitars with a floyd rose. always stick to the same make.
 
I use élixir strings since forever. My hands are sweaty and really acidic. I can totally burn to death an Ernie ball set in Half an hour.

Elixir last really really longer. I can play multiple shows without any problems.

I started with the polyweb, as if I remember well were the first launched.

Then found my way with the 11-49 nanoweb.

I tried the optiweb, love the tone when brand new because it was much closer to standard strings.

But I found them also a bit less confortable. Not like a was playing another gauge but they reacted different and was a little harder to play.
 
I put these on 2 guitars. One sounded so bad that I changed pickups. And then the other one sounded not as good too. Went back to the Daddario XL’s, put my old pickups back in and never doing that again. Tension? I can’t remember any difference on that.
 
I've been using Elixir Nanowebs 10's for something like 10 years. Just to try something different, I decided to order Optiwebs. Had my first gig with them last night. I don't know if it's just me or what... but today my fingers feel like I had 12's on last night. I found I had to 'double-up' to bend up a full note- especially when pushing that high-e from a D to an E at the 22nd fret. The strings don't feel any bigger, just harder to bend. Anyone else experience this when trying the Optiwebs of the same gauge?
Earlier I have use Nanowebs all the time many years and now I have use Optiweb also many years.
For me they are not any harder to make bends. Both strings are nice but Optiweb sound better for my ears (more crispy and warmer).

Once I realized that Les Paul and some other style guitars have tailpiece and bridge adjusted so, that string angle from tailpiece to bridge is
quite steep and playing and bends was little bit "harder", I raised tailpiece a little bit and somehow "string tension" and playing feeling came lighter.
 
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