The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #16  
Old 12-09-2019, 06:36 PM
Joe Beamish Joe Beamish is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boerne, TX
Posts: 1,702
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by davidd View Post
Don't listen to that hogwash. They sound great right out of the bag and settle in nicely after a few days.
You're NOT suggesting there's hogwash around here, I know that.
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 12-09-2019, 11:36 PM
PTL PTL is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 952
Default

OK, here's my report back.

I read about the 'perception bias' comments so I figure that I should try to be as objective as possible.

Here are my own thoughts when I evaluate guitars. I don't trust my memory much regarding absolute objective tonal quality. But I trust my memory more about the DIFFERENTIAL between two guitars or strings. How different two guitars are is easier to remember and the absolute tonal quality.

When I went to Monel from the D'Addario EXP Phosphor Bronzes, I expected that the Monel will be more 'tubby' and 'dead' sounding. But I did the change anyways because so many rave about Monels on Martin Mahogany guitars.

So I played the original E and A D'Addarios. Got a sense of the tone relative to each other. I then changed the lower E to Monel. I expected warmer/tubbier, but got a bit more overtones and volume. That is opposite what I expected. Interesting. I then played the A against the D. Changed the A, compared again. Same difference. I went one by one up the string.

When I got the unwound, both had the same degree of 'pop' with the original D'Addarios. I changed the B and expected it to pop more than the high E. Nope, it was more subdued.

THen the comments here about perception bias gave me pause- though my bias was that I expected more 'pop' from the Retros. Well after a two days break from the guitar, after the strings settled a bit, I just spent 30 minutes with the guitar.

1. No question that the Retro B has less pop than the D'Addario E on the open string. I am confident that this is not perception bias.

2. I compared this guitar to another known guitar that I did not change strings on. Whoa - clearly the Retro gives this guitar a lot more tonal DENSITY. That's a good thing and was something I actually wanted for this particular dreadnought which is incredibly responsive, open, and 'alive' for a lack of a better word. It was already a nice loud guitar but now it sounds like a giant of a guitar. And this is evaluated based on a comparison with another guitar. Before the Monels, this one is a bigger sounding guitar, but after the change, the gap got larger.

So that's how I try to minimize my 'perception bias'....both with time away and comparison with another standard that is not modified, rather than going by memory.

My next step is to put the Retro high e on and see if that also becomes more subdued. If not, then at that point it is likely my memory fallibility. We'll see.

Do like the Retros for this particular guitar. Next up after a mont or so, I'll try the GHS Silk & Bronze .12-.54.

now I wonder if I should try the Retros on my Rosewood which is an ABUNDANCE of overtones and is the loudest guitar I've ever played though I've I've not compared it against a very loud Jumbo that I know of....

Last edited by PTL; 12-09-2019 at 11:45 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 12-10-2019, 05:49 AM
Pippin Pippin is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 645
Default

Hello PTL,

I have used Tony Rice Martin Monel on and off for a few years. Since the first or second sets I got into the habit of not installing the high E and B strings that came with the set. I replaced them with DAddario unwound steel.

I found the unwound strings (depicted as "tin-plated" on the package) relatively dull (less overtone) and "muted" (quieter) compared with their DAddario counterparts of the same gauge.

I recently installed light gauge Monel wound strings (again with DAddaio unwound high E and B) in my Sitka-Indian Rosewood Pono 14 frets Dread (D30SP). I like the combo for cleaner / more focused articulation ("tonal density" like you said?) for finger picking. IMHO, the volume is more or less the same, at least when relatively new, compared with Phosphor Bronze.

So why not try Monel on your "loud" Rosewood? You may like it.

Pp
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 12-10-2019, 01:38 PM
PTL PTL is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 952
Default

Thanks Pippin for the confirmation. I do sometimes like to double check my observations with the 'community' of guitar enthusiasts. Appreciate it.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 12-13-2019, 06:20 PM
Joe Beamish Joe Beamish is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boerne, TX
Posts: 1,702
Default

I’m hearing a similar blah in the trebles on my guitar. Mids are great.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:29 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=