Elixir versus Martin Retro Monel

[drathbun]

I'm super happy with my Elixir PB HD Lights on my Gibson SJ200. However, after having heard Laurence Juber promote Martin Retro Monel strings, I thought I'd give them a try on my Martin 000-28vs since that is my fingerstyle guitar. Since doing an A/B test is a challenge with strings, I thought I'd use a video to hear the differences.

I recorded a series of strumming, fingerstyle and flatpicking on the 000-28vs with one-month-old Elixir PB HD Lights in open standard tuning and with a capo at 2, 3 and 5. Then I changed strings and used the same audio setup and settings and recorded the same snippets. Then I cut the video together with the short guitar sections next to each other Elixir then Retro. There is NO audio processing at all. I recorded with a Rode NT1 condenser mic on one channel and the iRig Acoustic Stage on the other through my Zoom UAC-2 interface. The video was shot with a webcam rather than my usual iPhone 7 Plus so I could record directly into my VideoPad Video editor.

After listening back and feeling the differences between the strings, here are my findings. First, this is the Retros after being on the guitar for exactly five minutes. I'm sure they will change. Also, I've used Elixirs for more than a decade because my skin chemistry destroys strings FAST! I can kill a set of Martin SP's (awesome strings) in hours. So if the Retros last longer than a couple months I will be switching to them for the Martin.

The Retros feel softer. I assume that is both because of the lighter gauge and softer metal. The HD's are .013, .017, .025, .032, .042, .053 with 168.5lbs of tension and the Retros are 012, .015, .025, .031, .041, .054 with 156.79lbs of tension. The Retros also sound more "open" and balanced. I'm liking the bell-like tones I'm getting especially with the capo at five for fingerstyle pieces like "Scarborough Fair".

I'll do the test again in about a month (if the Retros last that long) but I'm favouring them at this point over the Elixirs.

[rokdog49]

Nice playing, love your choices of music.

What I hear is what I always hear from the Retros...punchy warm bass and lower mids. Even the highs sound warm and mellow. To my ears they really sound good on that Martin.
For those who like clarity the Elixirs give you that but they sound sterile to me by comparison.
My experience with Retros is they can tame an overly bright guitar. They make my D18 growl!

[RussL30]

Nice playing and comparison!

These are probably two of my favorite strings although they’re polar opposites. I’ve switched back and forth before on my Gibson dread. I’ve gotten to where I’ll leave Monels on the Gibson and the Elixirs on the Taylor, although I’m thinking about trying Monels on my Taylor. I really like the Tony Rice gauge. I e also gotten Elixir like longevity out of Monels.

I just picked up a small body Gibson that came with D’Addario nickel bronze. Didn’t like them at first, but now I do that I’ve gotten used to them.
They don’t feel as nice on the fingers though. I’m curious to compare those and Monels on the same guitar.

[AMT]

Great job, and thank you for the comparison! I have found the monels to be much longer lasting than other strings. I had coated elixirs that quickly developed a green/grayish tarnish around the first few frets. It has been about 4 months since I put on a set of monels, and they still look and sound almost brand new (and I play an a hour a day at least).

[lowrider]

Nice playing and nice video.

In comparison to the Elixers, the Monels sound like there is a blanket hanging between you and me.

Thanks for the comparison. I picked up a set on Monels recently at GC and I've been wondering why I did ever since. Now I know that I will exchange them.

[blacknblues]

Nice job. I put the Monels on my Waterloo WL-S a couple of months ago and they still sound great!

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by lowrider

Nice playing and nice video.

In comparison to the Elixers, the Monels sound like there is a blanket hanging between you and me.

Thanks for the comparison. I picked up a set on Monels recently at GC and I've been wondering why I did ever since. Now I know that I will exchange them.

This is a great example of how we all hear differently.
The Elixirs sounded brash and sterile to me as I posted, but then, they always do on any guitar.

It's all in what we hear and what our ears like isn't it?

[RussL30]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

This is a great example of how we all hear differently.
The Elixirs sounded brash and sterile to me as I posted, but then, they always do on any guitar.

It's all in what we hear and what our ears like isn't it?

To take the hearing differently a step further, I love the bright, lush sound of the Elixirs and I love the old school broken in sound of the Monels. Of course there’s a brand of string that receives loads of praise on the AGF, that I think sound terrible on my guitars.

It’s great there’s so many options for all these different sets of ears and preferences.

[L20A]

What would have been interesting would be for us to not know which strings were used on the songs. We would have to pick what we like by audio only.

As it was, I liked both sounds equally.
I have to ask a question of the OP.
Did you do these songs in the order that you show them?
I ask because at first I liked the Elixir sound better. The last songs were the opposite and I liked the Monels best.
Did the Monel strings settle in?
Perhaps each individual song sounds best with a particular set of strings.

I like your playing and also your song selection.
Your Martin sounds lovely with either set of strings.
Perhaps the player has something to do with that.

[jazzguy]

Your song selection is the story of my life! Nice playing and great comparison. I've been an Elixir guy on my Taylor forever. I also have a Martin 00-18. I might have to put some Monel's on it and give it a try.

[Fresh1985]

Intersting comparison and by coincidence I put some retros on my 00-28vs yesterday and I am just waiting for them to settle in, but I normally like 80/20 as opposed to PB's. Thanks for the video.

[bluetweed]

great playing/ I use a hybrid set of monel lights and LJ Monels, but the LJ's are;
Medium/Light - LJ's Choice .013 .017 .024 .032 .042 .056 (173.4 lbs.) MLJ13

I find Monels always sound better the next day even with no playing. Tuning them to pitch for 24hrs always helps. They are awesome in 2-3 days and stay that way for me 6-8 months

[TBman]

Interesting comparison. I'll have to listen later on my PC. It's not a comparison I would think to do. Shaking my world, lol.

[SKYHIGH]

Wow! Thanks for putting together the demo and sharing with us. I actually too am in midst of trying my first set of Retro Monels on my J45. Always liked Elixier 80/20 and these Monels are... interesting. I still have not made up my mind. We’LL see how they settle in a week or two before making any decisions.

Cheers!

[DesertTwang]

Very interesting video, and well put together! Really like your playing, too. I admit I didn't hear a huge difference between the two, and I'd venture to say that on some pieces one set sounded better than the other, and vice versa. Overall, the Monels seem to fit that guitar particularly well. I tried the Monels on my Martin SWDGT dreadnaught once and they were terrible, essentially sounding like 7-months-old Elixirs right out of the package. But I also play very differently — I flatpick with an aggressive attack — which tends to bring out string characteristics very clearly in my experience.