Trying a set of Martin Retro Monels...

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by L20A

I like the strings but I have noticed that the bass E string does go dead rather quickly.
The rest of the strings last a long time.

I have thought about buying some extra E strings.

How quickly do you mean?
I can go for a month with no issues.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire

So you're whelmed?

No, if I was whelmed I would have to be over-underwhelmed, as whelmed is over underwhelmed but still under overwhelmed. I am still less than underwhelmed, which means that I am singularly unimpressed.

[Orfeas]

Got them to replace my SCGC low tension and I like them for a change. After the first 3 weeks that I have them they are ok. I am going back to my SCGC strings that I like the best tho. Good for a change to see how my guitar will sound.

[L20A]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

How quickly do you mean?
I can go for a month with no issues.

About a week or 2 hours of playing time.

I bought the strings in bulk [6 sets] online and they may be old stock.
I did this with some 12 strings sets once and they came all rusty.

Now I'm wondering if buying strings on sale and online is a good choice.
I wish that there was a born on date on string sets.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I think it depends on what you do...

if you play a lot of chords, you're going to miss the sparkle, the overtones, and such.

If you play a lot of single notes, you might really like 'em. I think they're great--on certain guitars.

I fingerpick and play chords, mostly. It is a guitar with Mahogany back and sides under some sort of spruce. I am not a fan of to much overtone, leaning towards fundamentals. I actively dislike the sound of new strings, much preferring strings that have lost that "new string" brightness. This guitar sounds good with quite old strings on it, to my mind and ear. Maybe I will like them more when they have settled in, but so far: blech...

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by L20A

About a week or 2 hours of playing time.

I bought the strings in bulk [6 sets] online and they may be old stock.
I did this with some 12 strings sets once and they came all rusty.

Now I'm wondering if buying strings on sale and online is a good choice.
I wish that there was a born on date on string sets.

Many of the manufacturers have moved to the costly practice of sealing strings in airtight singles or doubles. You generally pay a little more for those products, but you will receive "fresh strings."

I don't buy strings in bulk for three reasons. First, I like to switch from one thing to another...perhaps too much for my own good.
Second because certain manufactures make and sell so many strings, the odds of having them be consistently good are diminished. Statistically that is inarguable.
Third because I can afford not to.
In addition, who knows how long those bulk strings in unsealed packets sat in a Big Box Distribution Center or anywhere else for that matter.
Thus you're argument for "born on."
Not too likely to happen anytime soon.

[woodbox]

Hey Mycroft...er, uh, neighbor up the road a bit.

I'm with ya.

I recently sold five surplus sets of Retro Monels simply because I knew I'd never use them.
Having tried them on four guitars (3 Martins and a Gibson) and not liking the Monel tone on any of them, I gave up.
And yes, I gave them time to settle in.
I really wanted to like them, but that didn't happen.

I should point out that 40 years of playing RocknRoll drums with noisy egotistical electric guitar players may well be a factor here.👍
So it may be my diminished hearing that makes me want bright strings.
The "fault" may be mine, not the strings.

[musicman1951]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I think it depends on what you do...

if you play a lot of chords, you're going to miss the sparkle, the overtones, and such.

If you play a lot of single notes, you might really like 'em. I think they're great--on certain guitars.

I like them quite a bit on my 000, but I mostly use bare fingers and my ear gravitates to a woody sound. I also like the lower resistance. I don't know that I'd appreciate them strumming chords in a group.

[PiousDevil]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

I fingerpick and play chords, mostly. It is a guitar with Mahogany back and sides under some sort of spruce. I am not a fan of to much overtone, leaning towards fundamentals. I actively dislike the sound of new strings, much preferring strings that have lost that "new string" brightness. This guitar sounds good with quite old strings on it, to my mind and ear. Maybe I will like them more when they have settled in, but so far: blech...

Give them a couple of days, then re-evaluate. There is a significant change. I love them on my D-18 and 000-15sm, but I mostly flatpick and play choppy/chunky chord rhythm, where I think these strings really shine. I actually really like them on my Yairi DYMR70SB and DYM80e, but prefer D'addario Nickel Bronze on those for a bit more shimmer to show off those rosewood overtones.

I don't think I would like them for fingerstyle (if I ever played fingerstyle), but for metal fingerpicks I don't think there is a better string out there.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Orfeas

Got them to replace my SCGC low tension and I like them for a change. After the first 3 weeks that I have them they are ok. I am going back to my SCGC strings that I like the best tho. Good for a change to see how my guitar will sound.

A better replacement for the SC lows are Martin Flexible Cores.

The Retros are great for bluesy and ragtime. Not so great for things that you want sustain.

[Tommy_G]

Wow. It is amazing the differences in experiences people have, but is understandable from the point of view that every guitar is different and picking approaches vary. I flat pick with a .72 or 1.14 depending on pop or jazz. My goal is a non cluttered warm full rhythm guitar tone that does not compete in the mix with male or female vocals.

Retros brought wonderful compressing sustaining balanced tone to my guitar. I changed the strings 3 weeks ago and the last of the new string 'brushy sound" has recently faded into the tonal background... I do not have a string life estimate because the tone has gradually but consistently changed and do not know if they will settle or keep changing. Currently at tonal optimum but were excellent sounding from day 2 on..

Last night I was playing and thinking how it just cannot any get better than this. The low end growls with resonance but not so much as to be boomy and the top end is delicate and sweet. I have an Englemann / RW guitar that has significant tonal extension into lows and highs, and a natural broad mid scoop

Plugging into a 72 Bandmaster/ jbl 2x12 my straight UST tone needs no Aura Processing. The tone controls arent a half a point from 5 5 5, and very nearly all noon with the Fishman Mini. No plastic quack anymore. They have solved every tonal problem I had. By reducing overall volume especially those of treble frequencies my thinking is the piezos arent driven into distortion.

My experience with the Nickel Bronze was they have relatively less fundamental and more Treble and Presence. Lots of piezo quack
But beautiful feeling strings. Consistent sounding day to day from end of week 1 to 3 months when I changed them simply to try monels

I am sure they would have lasted a year. They just created far too much tonal imbalance on this guitar. For example had to run my treble on my fishman mini at 9 oclock. The 750 hz mid control was in the wrong eq center for these strings but the soundmixer mid at 1000 hz was dead on. For a guitar that needs more pick articulation and highs I would not hesitate with NBs.

[KFP55]

Well, I first tried them on my D-28 and HATED them - cut them off after 2 hours. Since I had another set lying around I tried them on my Taylor 914 a few months later and LOVE them. Have not found another set to complement that guitar even remotely as well.

[L20A]

Rosewood or Mahogany.
80/20 or Phosphor Bronze
Monel or Silk and Steel
Cedar or Spruce
Dred or Smaller Body

Lots of good choices for us out there.
It's up to us to find the winning combination that suits our style.

Life is good.

[George6654]

Don't mind them on my D16GT hate them on my D35 but i have found that they take a bit to settle down on the D16.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

On a 1957 00-18. So far I am less than underwhelmed.

There's your problem, your guitar is too old.
Get yourself a new one.