Nickel vs Monel

[GoPappy]

Originally Posted by dnf777

Maybe Im mistaken, but I thought a good number of us thought Monels were good on Hog tops and needed a break-in period. Im getting old and confuse easier these days…

I don't know how they sound on a hog top, but I put a set of Martin MM11 Monel Nickels on my CEO-7 (Adirondack spruce top) and initially they sounded a little tinny ("sparkly" is probably a better term) and I thought I had made a mistake in choosing them. But very quickly, probably 1-2 hours of play time and they changed character to a full, rich tone that I like a lot. Seems like the bass increases and the treble dissipates somewhat in the break-in process.

[gretsch4me]

I just put a set of Martin Monel lights on my Gibson J-15. Seems to be the perfect match-up, at least as far as this guitar is concerned. The perceived tonal effect to my ears is akin to a G chord played on a LP thru a cranked JCM800. The bass and mids seem far more enhanced now, taking the trebles down somewhat. I use a Primetone Jazz III 1.4mm pick and I perceive greater benefit with this pick than my regular nylon Jazz III.

Tried the D'addario NB once on a Martin M-36 I used to have. Sounded like regular PB strings on that particular guitar to me. Never used them again.

[steelvibe]

D’addario NB get a lot of well deserved love around here but I prefer Retros or Curt Mangan Monel- just sound wonderful after the break and and last months.

[bradeasley]

Originally Posted by steelvibe

D’addario NB get a lot of well deserved love around here but I prefer Retros or Curt Mangan Monel- just sound wonderful after the break and and last months.

The Retros are round core, correct? Do you get the round core or hex core Monels from Curt Mangan? Between the Retros and CM Monels, do you have a preference (particularly for adi/hog dread, if you have one)?

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by bradeasley

The Retros are round core, correct? Do you get the round core or hex core Monels from Curt Mangan? Between the Retros and CM Monels, do you have a preference (particularly for adi/hog dread, if you have one)?

Martin Retro Monels are not round-core ... you might be thinking of Martin Titanium which are round-core.

Curt Mangan Monels are available in both hex-core and round-core.https://www.curtmangan.com/monel-round-core-2/

[Matts67]

Originally Posted by TBman

Some time ago there was a thread about the Woodtone strings and it appeared that the owner of the company was actually posing as a consumer here and trying to give a false third party review of the strings in that thread. If I'm wrong someone correct me as my memory is poor. The thread apparently has been removed. So the price of the Monel strings may not be representative of their quality or cost of production, but just capitalism at its best

Entirely true. Given his previous marketing shenanigans, his lofty claims don't surprise me.

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by Jamolay

I am always a little wary when something is advertised “low tension”, but no information on actual tension is given.

Does anyone know the tension of these wood tone strings?

I sent a message to the company to ask, but haven’t heard yet.

At least with nylon, tension “grading” like MT, HT is all over the place and manufacturer dependent.

In case you didn’t get a response: The Woodtone strings are gauged so they split the middle between light and medium gauge.
.0125 .0165 .025 .0335 .0435 .0545

Best,
Jayne

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

I have a set of Newtone Double wounds just waiting to try out on one of my guitars. Double wounds are also lower tension.

FWIW, Newtone will accept to make double-wounds with 2 different alloys, provided they have the appropriate wrap wire gauges. A priori they can do brass and PB outer with a nickel underwrap.

[steelvibe]

I haven't tried them so in fairness can't really judge, but I'm trying to justify what makes them $20?

At $20 a set before shipping you can purchase a set of Thomastik Infelds which truly are something special on the right guitar and a finger pickers dream.

And while I like that tweener gauge Woodtone offers, they are not anything super unique as Straight Up Strings and even Martin offer similar versions

SUS Heavy 13-16.5-23.5-34-45-55.5 $10.49

Martin MA545 12.5-16.5-25.5-33.5-43.5-55 $7.49

[bradeasley]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Martin Retro Monels are not round-core ... you might be thinking of Martin Titanium which are round-core.

Curt Mangan Monels are available in both hex-core and round-core.https://www.curtmangan.com/monel-round-core-2/

Thanks, I don't know where I got that idea but was asking to confirm. Have you compared the CM hex vs round core monels? I like CM strings but haven't tried his round cores.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by dnf777

If I remember, there was a reasonable consensus here that Monels needed a good week or so to break in and settle on their sound. IME, they sound horribly “tinny” and shallow on first strum, but really warm up in a week. They seem to work well on my Dred-jr and taylor 322 12-fret.

Interesting. Yes, when I first tried Monels (Martin Retro, for those keeping score), they sounded a bit harsh at the start, but later they matured great! But this week I got two sets and put them in my HB Pro (sitka/mahogany) and my Ovation Folklore (sitka/lyrachord) and they sound amazingly good from the start. I don't know if anything changed in the making of the strings, but they're not sounding harsh like before.

[B....]

Originally Posted by Guitarplayer_PR

Interesting. Yes, when I first tried Monels (Martin Retro, for those keeping score), they sounded a bit harsh at the start, but later they matured great! But this week I got two sets and put them in my HB Pro (sitka/mahogany) and my Ovation Folklore (sitka/lyrachord) and they sound amazingly good from the start. I don't know if anything changed in the making of the strings, but they're not sounding harsh like before.

Like that. As I suggested previously, it's the nickel / bronze that warms up after a week or 2. EDIT: it's just physics > nickel alloy vs nickel plated.

[M Hayden]

Retro Monels are what Martin 000cjr-10es are strung with.

The seller threw in three packs when I bought mine and so far there’s been no need to switch brands; they sound great on that instrument.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by bradeasley

Thanks, I don't know where I got that idea but was asking to confirm. Have you compared the CM hex vs round core monels? I like CM strings but haven't tried his round cores.

I haven't tried Curt Mangan hex-core Monels but I have tried hex-core Martin Retro Monels compared with round-core Mangan Monels.

The Martin strings are great on the right guitar but I think those round-core Mangan Monels are even better - just a little more of everything!

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by Guitarplayer_PR

Yes, when I first tried Monels (Martin Retro, for those keeping score), they sounded a bit harsh at the start, but later they matured great! But this week I got two sets and put them in my HB Pro (sitka/mahogany) and my Ovation Folklore (sitka/lyrachord) and they sound amazingly good from the start.

I wouldn't use the term "harsh", but "annoyingly metallic". Maybe Martin have found a way to reduce that in their strings (apparently they did too with their Eric Clapton signature set). The last set of Monel strings definitely needed a week before they lost the zing, and those were of a silk-and-steel design (custom order from Pyramid).

All different makes of Monel strings I have tried all felt rough under the fingers, too, as if they used a heavier gauge of wrap wire. AFAIK nickel is heavier than copper so a Ni-Cu alloy is probably heavier than the 80/20 brass (my reference). So not certain what explains that (but I regret not having accepted Pyramid's proposal to polish those strings).