Anyone tried Martin Retro Monel Vintage Tone strings?

RandallFlagg

Anyone tried these Martin Retro strings? Any good?

https://www.martinguitar.com/1833-shop/retro/c-24/p-1316

richardhomer

Yes. They stayed on the guitar for literally 10 minutes. Dull, lacking in power - made my 25 year old D28 sound like a plywood Yahama from the 70s....

mart

So they made a 90s guitar sound like it was from the 70s? That’s certainly delivering on the “retro” promise!

richardhomer

mart said:

So they made a 90s guitar sound like it was from the 70s? That’s certainly delivering on the “retro” promise!

Lol! Yes - they made a superb sounding guitar sound like a budget one....

Lewy

Tried the 13-56 Tony Rice set on Martin and Collings dreadnoughts and liked them once played in. Only for flatpicking though. They were too round sounding for fingerpicking. Prefer D'Addario Nickel Bronze now though.

Tried the light gauge Retros on OM and didn't like them at all. 

ICBM

richardhomer said:

Yes. They stayed on the guitar for literally 10 minutes. Dull, lacking in power - made my 25 year old D28 sound like a plywood Yahama from the 70s....

mart said:

So they made a 90s guitar sound like it was from the 70s? That’s certainly delivering on the “retro” promise!

Exactly that.

They made my Gibson Dove sound like it was one of the old adjustable-bridge ones strung with electric guitar strings...

I've still got them if anyone wants to try them for the price of postage. They should fit most guitars since the Dove is a 25.5" scale with a big headstock, but you'll need pliers to fit them since I do the half-back-turn method and cut them very short beyond the posts.

RandallFlagg

I'll stick with my Elixirs then!

ICBM

RandallFlagg said:

I'll stick with my Elixirs then!

I'm not sure I'd go that far .

jellyroll

I've tried them on a few guitars. The results ranged from "awful - off in 10 minutes" ......to..... "ok in a dead-string-with extra tinniness" vibe.

Lots of folk on t'web swear by them - usually with the caveat that they have to be played in for 1 or 2 weeks. I don't have the patience for that.

All those in favour of them also say that a good outcome is very guitar specific in an unpredictable way. 

thermionic

I like them! I've had a few sets on my Loar (Gibson L-00 style). I think they suit a small-bodied, fingerpicked acoustic, especially capoed and are a nice change from zingy, super-bright coated strings (or new uncoated strings which rapidly die). I currently have Martin coated strings on that guitar, but I'll probably try them again at some point. I don't think they'd suit a strummed dread though.

RandallFlagg

I use Elixir nanowebs as they last a long time but want to try something for a warmer woody bluegrassy sound and lose some of the zing. Any recommendations? 

ICBM

RandallFlagg said:

I use Elixir nanowebs as they last a long time but want to try something for a warmer woody bluegrassy sound and lose some of the zing. Any recommendations? 

Newtone Masterclass Phosphor Bronze. They sound played-in from straight out of the packet and stay that way for as long as I've ever had a set of strings on a guitar. (Although I admit I am notorious for rarely changing strings.)

Or if you want something a bit more off-the-shelf, D'Addario EJs.

Lewy

RandallFlagg said:

I use Elixir nanowebs as they last a long time but want to try something for a warmer woody bluegrassy sound and lose some of the zing. Any recommendations? 

D'Addario NB 13-56s will give you that (on the right guitar). 

AliGorie

some of us remember when only steel core and wrap strings were available - viz - Cathedral, + Black Diamond, then (Gibson?) introduced Monasteel strings - wow, they didn't rust and didn't feel like bailing wire AND  they lasted, not surprising since THATS what Monel was developed for - impervious to salt / acids.

Monel was developed anti corrosion for marine applications - not for musical TONE.

Then enter the Bronze age - WOW, tone, well yeah, they had been developed for piano and keyboards.

No doubt Monel strings may sound 'good' on certain types of guitars for  a certain type of sound / music - I'm thinking Milk Carton Kids (very Authentic very Retro image).

I've noticed many comments about their longevity and that would convince many with killer sweat the compromise is worth it.

danowens

I use Roto Toptape on my tele and they're monel. Lots of guys in the early jazz circuit use the Tony Rice strings as they are authentic, but that might not be to your taste.