HFA - I've asked the same question myself, how can anyone make any strings, Elixirs or otherwise, last a year? Apart from the corrosion aspect, the damn windings loosen anyway so the string goes dead within a few weeks. The best I ever did with Elixirs was about eight weeks, by which time they'd gone 'frilly' where I hit them and they'd lost the 'ring' - I guess because the windings loosen just the same as with 'normal' strings.

I can get two sets of Newtones for the price of one set of Elixirs, and the Newtones sound far better, so I just change them every four-five weeks and the cost's the same. Knowing your playing style quite well by now, I'd guess you might kill them a bit quicker than me, but I'd still go for Newtones. I use their standard sets and also the 'C' set, which is excellent.

All the best mate,
S:0)