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  #46  
Old 12-08-2014, 03:14 PM
RGtheMusicGuy RGtheMusicGuy is offline
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Ok, I was actually going to put a new post to say this but I'll just add to this thread.

I love these strings, usually I have to use coated bronze strings because my skin chemistry and bronze strings don't work well together at all. I've had some strings go dead in a weekend before. I got these strings both just curious about the sound, but also interested in the monel alloy. I got these months ago, and they have sounded great on some of my guitars and not so good on others.

The other day I was playing my D-15M and I was trying to remember when I put the Martin Retros on there. I realized that it had been 5 months. These things still sound great, not brand new but the nice broken in sound they get after a bit. I'm surprised that these non coated strings have lasted so long, usually I would have changed out my coated strings by this point.

Anyway so as far as I see it:

Pros:
1) I like the sound of these over bronze strings (coated or not).
2) They are cheaper than coated strings.
3) They last longer than coated strings (at least for me they have so far).

Cons:
1) I don't like the sound of these on all of my guitars.
2) Can't just get them from the local GC since it seems NONE of them, at least around here, even know these things exist.
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  #47  
Old 12-08-2014, 04:32 PM
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I tried them on my 00015M awhile ago, and haven't used anything else since. They're equally great on my D15SM. On my J-35 I eventually soured on them. The B and E strings developed a harshness that I ddin't care for -- I think some guitars just sound better with Phosphor Bronze. But on hog-tops, Retros are the cat's whiskers.
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  #48  
Old 12-08-2014, 04:38 PM
Tadpole Tadpole is offline
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I plan on trying them on my Martin D15m soon...seems like everything sounds good on that one!
And I also have tried (many times) to get these at my various local Guitar Center to no avail!
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  #49  
Old 12-08-2014, 05:12 PM
RGtheMusicGuy RGtheMusicGuy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tadpole View Post
I plan on trying them on my Martin D15m soon...seems like everything sounds good on that one!
And I also have tried (many times) to get these at my various local Guitar Center to no avail!
Do it!!! I think the guitar I like them best on is my D15M, though they sound great on my D-35 JC as well.

I really didn't like them on the DCPA4 I had for a while, and they were just complete junk on my DX1.
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  #50  
Old 12-08-2014, 11:20 PM
good_hillbilly good_hillbilly is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire View Post
I tried them on my 00015M awhile ago, and haven't used anything else since. They're equally great on my D15SM. On my J-35 I eventually soured on them. The B and E strings developed a harshness that I ddin't care for -- I think some guitars just sound better with Phosphor Bronze. But on hog-tops, Retros are the cat's whiskers.

Agree that they sound good on Hog top guitars. The Retros are good strings but you just have to realize that even when new, they don't have that "shimmery" sound that many 80/20 bronze folks like. So they're not all that good for full strumming -- any else though, they're very good.
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  #51  
Old 12-08-2014, 11:28 PM
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I liked them on my Seagull, but on my Yamaha they took a while to sound good.

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  #52  
Old 12-09-2014, 07:15 AM
frank4001 frank4001 is offline
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So far I like just fine on all my guitars, especially my J-45.
I been playing that the most lately as it's the most recent purchase.

There is an appeal to them I can't describe with my limited vocabulary but it's like you turned down the reverb a bit but they still ring and sustain..

They do seem to last a bit longer too comparing to the Martin PB but I'm not sure. I've never really analyzed it. If I get 4 weeks out of any set with my practice and gigging schedule I feel i'm doing well. For me it's all about the G string. I play with metal finger picks and it takes a beating and starts sounding dead. Then I change the whole set..

Honestly my guitars sound great with either type string.

I'm acoustically blessed with great sounding and playing guitars.
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  #53  
Old 01-12-2015, 02:18 PM
Wallyjf Wallyjf is offline
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Smile Bright but different from PB

I just put a set of Retro Lights (12-54) on my Fender CD140 basic acoustic. At first (first few strums), I did not care for the brightness. They seemed brighter than the D'Addario EXP 26 PBs that I took off. But after playing for about 30 minutes, they mellowed out and are really balanced. They are bright but different than the PBs.

I am a beginner and my ears are not as discerning as a seasoned guitarist. So far I like to sound of the Martin Retros. I have a set of John Pearse 960L nickel strings to try when the Retros are shot. I will post a review of the John Pearse later.

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  #54  
Old 01-12-2015, 02:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wallyjf View Post
So far I like to sound of the Martin Retros. I have a set of John Pearse 960L nickel strings to try when the Retros are shot. I will post a review of the John Pearse later.
I replaced the Retros on my D15SM with the Pearse nickels. The difference isn't all that great -- I *think* I like the Pearses better on this guitar, but it might just be the "new" factor. What I do know is that my mahogany guitars sound better with nickel or monel than they do with bronze, at least to my ears.
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  #55  
Old 01-12-2015, 03:28 PM
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I have tried the Pearse Nickels as well, but I really don't see much (if any) difference between them and the Retros... and I definitely don't feel they are an improvement over the Retros, but rather more similar than different.

Since switching to the Retros about a year ago, I have slowly migrated all of my prewar Martins over to them, and at this point, have no intention of changing back to 80/20's anytime soon.
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  #56  
Old 01-12-2015, 04:31 PM
Jarlaxle Jarlaxle is offline
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Have had them on my Adi/EIR 0000 for about a week and can't say I'm a big fan, have a bit of a thin sound for me. I do like the way they feel quite a bit, particuarly for fingerstyle, just not sold on the sound...
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  #57  
Old 01-12-2015, 04:34 PM
DesertTwang DesertTwang is offline
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I used to say I change my strings when they're dead. After trying these, I now say, "I change my strings once they sound like Monels." [emoji1]
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  #58  
Old 01-12-2015, 08:23 PM
email4eric email4eric is offline
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I'm on the monels for about a week now on my 000-15sm. I took off a set of Elixers that I really liked on this guitar except for the fact that the high E and a little of the B string get lost with the Elixers. It's sort of like the highs are getting a little over powered by the low end strings.

The monel strings were initially....weird...not sure how to describe them. Very, very balanced but almost muted as though they were behind a curtain yet still clear.

They've started to blossom since and I'm now intrigued with regard to where these may go. Definitely an entirely different string than any I've tried. Don't know if I'll bother trying these on my J-35 as I absolutely love the Gibson 80/20s on that guitar. I will try them on my Ibanez hog as well though.
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  #59  
Old 01-12-2015, 08:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by email4eric View Post
Don't know if I'll bother trying these on my J-35 as I absolutely love the Gibson 80/20s on that guitar.
I tried Retros on my J-35 and didn't care for them much. The Gibson 80/20s are the only 80/20s I've ever liked, but now I've got Pearse PBs on it and I'm totally sold.
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  #60  
Old 01-12-2015, 10:02 PM
Dadzmad Dadzmad is offline
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I like using round wound nickel strings on my plywood archtop to get a nice retro sound. From what I am hearing I've got to try a set of these mainly to try out the unplugged voice.

But it's got me thinking. Anyone have an opinion as to the monel strings working with a P-90 pick up as well as pure nickel strings do. Or in other words do they have significantly more or less magnetic qualities compared to pure nickel strings.
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