Martin Retro "Monel" strings

[Westerly Wood]

Same here!

NG, hope to have some input later tonite. Strings finally arrived and are at my house. Will string them up later tonite...I did some youtube research on these strings, and I like what I thought I was hearing, but I am fully prepared to be totally disappointed as well There is always Tom's GHS Vintage Bronze...

 

[Westerly Wood]

Well, I am a big fan, and plan on going with these strings going forward. The feel of the string is great on my fingers, I get no bronze or PB bleed meaning I would always get the PB run off on my fingers, stain if you will. Not so with the Nickel. and the tone is clear, crisp and bright, yet allows the warmth of the BR come thru too. Will see how they break in over the next few days, but score!

 

[Westerly Wood]

Sound clip example of the nickel strings. Fingerpicking. Sounds like my D25 BR. . http://youtu.be/7ANDyYgAhn8

Interesting side story. I had tweaked the truss tod to lower the action as I was playing a full step down for the past month. Turns out the truss tweak was actually perfect for light gauge strings tuned to pitch. The action is great. The feel of the strings is great. I like the projection and clean note articulation. The strings remind me why I prefer Mahogony as a tone wood. YMMV.

 

[Notguildy]

They sound nice and remind me John Pearse silk and bronze. But I'm far from being an expert. It makes me wonder how you will love them in a few days.

Most important: what does Abby think of them?

 

[Westerly Wood]

They sound nice and remind me John Pearse silk and bronze. But I'm far from being an expert. It makes me wonder how you will love them in a few days.

Most important: what does Abby think of them?

Lol re Abby. She only likes PBs. I didn't dig them as much on day 2.

day 3: Well, playing the BR this morning, now I like the nickels again. they are worth a shot, just very crisp and clear and good volume/projection...no complaints.

My next string adventure will be the JP Nickels. Though I cannot get them at Shoreline, Just STrings has them for like $5 a pack. that is awesome! Still, shoreline is free shipping...and those dudes are great.

Hey, when you have no funds for GAS, SAS is about as close as I am going to get ��

 

[chazmo]

SAS indeed, wood! I'm adding that to the glossary.

 

[txbumper57]

I was interested in trying these Martin Monel strings on my F50R so while I was at my local shop this morning I picked up a couple of sets. Normally I play Medium D'Addario EXP 17's or EJ 17's and I like the PB sound but was looking for something different. Put these on my F50R this afternoon and after 45 minutes of playing I am very impressed! They aren't necessarily Brighter than Phosphor Bronze but they are much Clearer. The clarity of each individual note is amazing. They have a very Crisp tone to them while still keeping the Warmth of the rosewood overtones. The biggest difference is in the base notes for me. The Bass sounds much Deeper with the monel strings and at the same time Clearer than with PB's. These have literally turned my F50R into a Finger picking machine! Note separation and string projection are more defined than with the PB's as well. The volume is comparable to PB's but the Monel has more of a Rich Overall sound to them. I'm going to keep playing them for a couple of days but they really have given my F50R a voice of it's own among my other Spruce/EIR guitars. One other thing I noticed was that the Medium Monel strings actually have the feel and play ability of a set of Light PB Acoustic Strings. This was further confirmed by my friend at the guitar shop who has been using them for about 4 months. He also mentioned that the Monel strings actually play like they are one set lighter than what they actually are. Thumbs up from me!:encouragement:

 

[kyguild]

I'll have to try a set of these on my F-50. A local music shop owner I know says they last a long time also, and he was thinking of switching from Elixers to the Monels..

An interesting side note.. The facility I work at was built in 1922 by the International Nickel Company (INCO) to produce the Monel alloy they had just invented..

KY

 

[txbumper57]

I'll have to try a set of these on my F-50. A local music shop owner I know says they last a long time also, and he was thinking of switching from Elixers to the Monels..

An interesting side note.. The facility I work at was built in 1922 by the International Nickel Company (INCO) to produce the Monel alloy they had just invented..

KY

Five days in and they keep getting better. Stopped back by the shop today and picked up a couple of more sets. I'm curious to how they will sound on some of my other Guilds. As far as the side note goes, That is pretty cool. On another side note I used to be certified to weld Monel piping. It was used in some of the Hydroflouric and Sulfuric acid units my old company used to rebuild. Most of the valves used Monel inserts and had to be normalized through heat treating while welding. The Monel was resistant to some of the chemicals used to make the different types of acid.

 

[planetguy]

i tried a 13-56 set on my '56 (Harmony made) Alden arctop and love them. this gtr has the typical midrage bark you'd expect of laminated archtops and i've tried a ton of different brands of strings on this gtr. hands down...these are head and shoulders above anything else that's been on there. and we're coming up on two mos now w them on....they're holding up very well.

i decided to try light ga. set on my '36 MARTIN 0-17 and really dig them there as well!

 

[Notguildy]

My light set arrived today. Just in time to switch from my GHS Vintage which lost their nice sound after 2 months. I will change them during the weekend

 

[Jules]

I've got a set of the Tony Rice monels that I'm thinking of putting on my M-20, has anyone tried that?

 

[Bill Ashton]

I did not care for them on my F47R...felt like playing electric strings on an acoustic...but then I seem to remember they were Chet Atkins string of choice before he went nylon.

 

[txbumper57]

I've got a set of the Tony Rice monels that I'm thinking of putting on my M-20, has anyone tried that?

I haven't tried them on any of my Mahogany Guitars Guitars yet but I plan on it. Wood loved them on his D25BR.

 

[Notguildy]

Strings are mounted. I'm torn between hating and loving them! I can't decide yet and I need more time.

I feel less tension compared to my previous set which was light too. I wonder if this makes sense.

 

[billyrum]

I put a set on my Martin 00-18V FOUR months ago. I play this guitar (UMGF custom) just about daily, and before the Monels I used to change strings at least once a month. I find these strings so easy to play, they bend easily, and I'm planning to keep them on till intonation starts falling off. Now, if they would only come up with a 12 string set to try on my F212.

 

[txbumper57]

They still sound amazing on the F50R so I had to try them On my Anniversary D55 Brazilian. The strings I took off were Daddario EXP17's. I used the same Martin Monel Medium 13-56 Bluegrass strings that I put in my F50R. I have spent the last hour Falling in love with the Anni D55 all over again. The sustain is unbelievable. The sound is crisp yet still retains that beautiful Brazilian Rosewood overtone. Just like the F50R the lows sound deeper and clearer whether you finger or Flat pick it. I was worried they would take away from the "Symphony" sound when strumming chords but instead they enhanced it. Instead of the overtones drowning out hammer notes while strumming chords, the hammer notes come through Crystal clear while the "ringing overtones" still have the same volume as before. Even though the tone improvements are in the same category for both the F50R and the Brazilian D55 these strings make each guitar have it's own voice. They no longer sound like close cousins but more like individuals unique in their own respective tone. Looks like the D50 Cocobolo is next in line to try these out, If I can put down the F50R and the D55 long enough to do a string change.:smile-new:

I second the 12 string set! I want some on my F512.

 

[planetguy]

I haven't tried them on any of my Mahogany Guitars Guitars yet but I plan on it. Wood loved them on his D25BR.

i love them on my '36 O-17!

 

[Notguildy]

It is true that sound is incredibly clear. And volume is very impressive. I just hope they lose of their "brilliantness" after few hours.

 

[txbumper57]

Now, if they would only come up with a 12 string set to try on my F212.

I emailed Martin Customer Service about a 12 string set and they just got back with me. They said that at this time they don't have any 12 string sets available but that they would pass the idea on down the line and possibly have them in the future. I hope they hurry up and make them as I love the way my F512 sounds now but knowing that it is capable of so much more is in the back of my mind every time I play it. :rugby: