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  #16  
Old 08-18-2020, 05:42 PM
sleeperservice sleeperservice is offline
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I cant say exactly what it is but i put martin Monel retros on my unruly mahogany guitar and they not only tamed the brightness but they have improved the whole guitar,its tone,and my approach to how it can sound its best.,ps the strings have been on for about a year now and only seem to get better.
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  #17  
Old 08-18-2020, 06:17 PM
LakewoodM32Fan LakewoodM32Fan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bufflehead View Post
EXPs are great. I've got them on three of my guitars, and have Retros on the other two. But I understand that D'Addario is replacing them with a new XT line.

I haven't tried them yet.
I know some retailers are saying this, but looking at D'addario's site they clearly say that XTs are "treated" vs. "coated" (which the EXPs are). So it's not a like-for-like unless they are abandoning coated strings for treated strings, which I would think is a mistake. The only experience I have with treated strings are SCGC strings (which I wanted to like based on my OM) and Martin 540As. Neither one lasted anywhere near as long as coated strings, and of the two coated I've now tried, EXPs are superior in tone to Elixirs, at the expense of a little bit of lifespan.

EXPs still seem to be readily available, even given the slowdown in production due to COVID-19.

I have seen on a few sites people are unhappy with XTs compared to EXPs, so I really hope they don't view it as a replacement (especially since the price is more for XTs than EXPs).
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  #18  
Old 08-18-2020, 06:22 PM
stormin1155 stormin1155 is offline
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You might try DR Dragonskins. I believe they are essentially Rares with a coating. You can buy them in a 2 for 1 pack which makes them very economical too.
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  #19  
Old 08-18-2020, 06:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brucebubs View Post
John Pearse Pure Nickels are excellent and if you want to go even warmer then GHS and John Pearse both make a Silk & Bronze string that play and sound like PB strings ... but warmer.
I agree, John Pearse have a good selection and their strings are very consistent in sound.
I think, warm or bright sound is not always created equal. Some guitarists play primarily with their nails or finger picks and others are flesh players.
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  #20  
Old 08-18-2020, 07:02 PM
1Charlie 1Charlie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinGibsonFan View Post
That might be an entirely separate thread

Do Monels and Martin Retros last as long as coated strings?

And if so, why?

What sort of manufacturing process that causes this?

I've heard lots of negative responses for Monels (dull sounding)

If I want dull sounding strings, I leave my D'Addario strings on for 8 months.

In actuality, my D'Addario strings are on my guitar now for over 6 months, no intonation problems whatsoever.

That's my barometer, when intonation goes.

Not sure what other's thresholds are for changing strings.

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Monel is used principally for fittings in salt-water marine applications where corrosion is an issue. The metal, which is a “Puritan” alloy, is naturally corrosion-resistant.

Monel was the string that most “golden era” Martins and Gibsons would have been strung with in the 1930’s.
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  #21  
Old 08-18-2020, 07:18 PM
FrankHudson FrankHudson is offline
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I also think Elixir Polywebs are worth a try, even though they seem to usually be 80/20 not PB. You also consider the Elixir HD set which was designed with a different gauge-range to help balance brighter Taylor guitars as I recall.

Silk-steel core strings have a much lighter tension, but in my experience they are very warm. If you want to go all the way to warm, don't mind a loss in raw volume, and might actually welcome a lighter tension string, they'd be one way to drastically change the guitar's timbre I think.
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Last edited by FrankHudson; 08-19-2020 at 09:16 AM. Reason: bad typo
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  #22  
Old 08-18-2020, 08:25 PM
ataylor ataylor is offline
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In my experience, the strings I play most often (all in light gauge) from brighter to warmer:

Elixir Nanoweb phosphor bronze
D’Addario EXP phosphor bronze
D’Addario phosphor bronze
John Pearse phosphor bronze
D’Addario nickel bronze

That’s just my subjective opinion as I’ve switched between those strings on a couple guitars over the years, but I don’t change strings enough to definitively say that’s the order they should be in.

I will say that this is after the strings have been played in a little bit — the Elixir strings are actually on the more mellow end initially (as are the EXP but to a lesser degree) compared to the brightness you get at first with pretty much all the other phosphor bronze strings.
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  #23  
Old 08-18-2020, 08:35 PM
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TBman TBman is offline
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Generally, just about any PB string will sound warmer than Elixir.

I have Elixir 13-53 Nanoweb HD Lights 13 17 25 32 42 53 on my Avalon and they aren't too bad. They are not as bright as the GHS Bright Bronze that I had on it, but not as mellow as Pierre Bensusan's DADGAD strings made by Wyres.

Silk and steel are very warm also.
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  #24  
Old 08-18-2020, 09:06 PM
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Literally everything is warmer and thicker sounding than Elixirs.
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  #25  
Old 08-18-2020, 09:32 PM
gmel555 gmel555 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kh1967 View Post
Santa Cruz strings. Warm and long lasting, at least my experience.
I second SCGC Parabolics, but only Mid-Tensions work for me. I'd use them even if they were "longer" lasting, but they are, which definitely helps with the $18/pak. Not as slippery feeling as other coated strings as well.
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  #26  
Old 08-18-2020, 10:05 PM
emtsteve emtsteve is offline
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On the Gibson, I'd try the strings they probably came with - Masterbuilt 80/20, or the GHS Bright Bronze 80/20. Let them settle and play in for a few good days before you decide whether you like them or not.
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  #27  
Old 08-18-2020, 10:19 PM
jseth jseth is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jklotz View Post
If you want to stay with Elixer's, try the polyweb's. They are darker than the nanowebs.
Exactly what I was thinking, given that you like the Elixirs and don't like changing strings... personally, I've found the 80-20 Nanoweb strings to get a bit darker, once you beat on them for awhile (!)... but first, you have to go through that initial period of "brightness".

The Polywebs are, in general, softer in tone. The coating on them is thicker than the Nanowebs, so they feel a bit different... the Polyweb strings are even quieter than the Nanowebs when it comes to finger "squeak" noise... if you have a strong attack strength, the Polyweb coating will "shred" faster than the Nanoweb coating does...
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  #28  
Old 08-19-2020, 12:11 AM
David Rance David Rance is offline
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There's nothing traditional about PB. They only came out in the 1970's. I learnt on Monel which I suppose might be why I really like them and their recent widespread reavailability .

Alternatively I've become old enough to be described as 'traditional'.

That fits!
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  #29  
Old 08-19-2020, 05:53 AM
brandall10 brandall10 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinGibsonFan View Post

I've heard lots of negative responses for Monels (dull sounding)

If I want dull sounding strings, I leave my D'Addario strings on for 8 months.

MGF
Monels are mellow. It's completely different from a dead PB string that goes thud.

As to why they last so long, it's down to metallurgy - they resist corrosion.

As others have stated, they're one of the string types that were actually used on pre-war Martins and the like.

Another option which is a nice middle ground (actually on the brighter side) are Nickel Bronze - literally their PB strings with a nickel coating. Nickel also resists corrosion.

I'm a big fan of Aluminum Bronze strings... have a somewhat different tonality, last about 2-3x as long as typical PBs but not quite as long as Monels/Nickel/Coated strings.
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  #30  
Old 08-19-2020, 06:08 AM
rokdog49 rokdog49 is offline
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Newtone Nickel Plated Steel Round Core strings are also excellent.
I have a set on my J45 right now and D18.
They produce a nice mellow tone with just enough bite so as to not be dull...
...and, you can’t wear the dang things out.
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