Martin Retro - why do I "experiment" with strings?

[Silly Moustache]

I've done it again!

Someone here said that Martin Retros (Monel) sounded great on a Waterloo.
Oh, says I, I'll buy some. Kn fact I bought two sets (possibly accidentally)

I've been trying to wait out until June to change strings on my little collection, but the EJ16s on my WL-12 really sounded past their sell by date today, so I decided to give it a service, y'know, check oil, water, tyre pressures, give it a clean and polish buy it some flowers etc.
So i stripped off the old PBs and opened up a set of "light guage" Monels - 12-54 it said.

Huh?
B string = .015 ?
A string = .041 ??
D string = ,031 ???
G string = .025 ...mmm.

some lights, some extra lights? whyowhyowhy?

Well it was nekkid and needed some strings so I put them on.

O.U.C.H!!!

Ooh Nasty! sounds like a banjo!

Back of the pack says :
* Enhanced longevity ...not if they don't improve radically in the next couple of days.

* Warm Natural tone you mean warm like a banjo?

* sounds great plugged in - Ah, I thought these were for acoustic guitars. Wait - the pack says acoustic !!!

I'll leave 'em on for a few days to see if some magic happens but its not looking good.

Anybody know what's going on here?

[RogerPease]

Yep, they will definitely sound much better after they play in.
It can take a couple weeks even.
They have a different, softer feel even though the tension is supposedly a little higher.

They last for months and months for me. I use them on the CEO7. Good luck, _Roger

[Matts67]

In my experience, they sound excellent on some guitars, and not-so-great on others. Either way, you need to give them at least a week to settle in before making a judgment call. The good thing is, while they take longer to break in, they tend to settle into that sweet spot and stay there for a long time. For me, they're the longest lasting strings that aren't Elixirs.

[JayBee1404]

Andy, I feel your pain. Tried them several times on different guitars, lights and mediums. Every time the same - hideous.

Unlike the other guys, to me they sound ‘best’ (or should I say ‘least bad’) when they’re new - after a couple of weeks they sound completely dead to my ears.

I, for one, won’t be wasting any more of my pension on them.

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[L20A]

I don't understand the break in process for Monel strings. I have used them on several guitars and to me the new sound isn't much different from the way they sound a few days later or weeks later. I like the sound of Monel strings on some but not all of my guitars. To me, if you don't like the way they sound when first string up, you won't like them two weeks later.

[paulin]

Play the snot out of 'em !

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by paulin

Play the snot out of 'em !

Tried that. Bad snot.

[rmp]

God made wire cutters just for times like this!!

RIP EM OFF... That's what I say!!

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by rmp

RIP EM OFF... That's what I say!!

Oooooohh, Matron!

[Treenewt]

Andy, I feel your pain. I have found that, regardless of how long I let them "play in" I either liked them or I didn't on a particular guitar. TBH, I normally just didn't care for them (though I did have a few Eastmans they worked well on).

I think my ear is tuned to D'addario, specifically their EJ series. Monels (and even D'addario Nickel Bronze to a lesser degree) are so different from those standards that I just can't do it.

[PeterM]

They sounded PAINFULLY bad on my 00-18. Took them off after about 10 days...I tried to give them time.
That being said, my Rainsong LOVES them...it is all I use.

So, you never know I guess...

[bufflehead]

Retros are my new religion, and I'm playing them on my Martin Custom D and my Martin 000-15m. They seem to match well with a mahogany tone.

That said, they take at least a day to settle in.

[shekie]

I tried them for three weeks on my Gibson J45 Standard, they started off kind of harsh sounding, there was some mellowing over time, but they never sounded quite right to me and they came off this past weekend, trying the new Gibson coated PB lights.

So far, I much prefer the Gibson strings though I'm only five days in with them. They sound (to me) warmer, mellower and have brought back the Gibson sound I associate with this guitar. I've also tried the new D'addario coated XT strings and liked them as well.

Based on AFG's "Cult of Newtone", I have a pack of their Masterclass PB's in 12-54 on deck for July 4th weekend unless the Gibson strings don't make it that long.

[jdto]

I haven't found them to be good on any guitar I've tried them on, so far (probably 7 or 8).

I tried them on my Waterloo WL-JK Rosewood and they sucked all the good right out of that guitar. My younger brother said to me: "where did the balls go?" The bass and the growl of that guitar were killed by those strings.

[godfreydaniel]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Back of the pack says :
* Enhanced longevity ...not if they don't improve radically in the next couple of days.

LOL!!!!!!!