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  #1  
Old 10-13-2019, 07:23 PM
rokdog49 rokdog49 is offline
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Default Monels and the J15

I’m in the midst of trying out various types of strings on my newly acquired J15.
I know a few fellow owners have tried the Martin Retros with positive results.
I just put a set on today and to this point, I’m liking them quite a bit.
They seem to emphasize the punchy mids that the J15 is voiced to produce and I like the way they ring. Only about an hour’s worth of playing time on them, so time will tell. So far so good.
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Old 10-13-2019, 07:54 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Not surprised...
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Old 10-13-2019, 08:06 PM
Jaden Jaden is offline
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I put Martin Retros on everything these days (maybe even try them - I use 11s - on electric guitars too?); it even crossed my mind today to donate any other kinds of acoustic string sets away I have in the drawer.
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Old 10-14-2019, 07:17 AM
1Charlie 1Charlie is offline
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Another monel fan here. They last a long time and mellow out to a warm, punchy tone. My fingers kill uncoated PB and 80/20 strings, but the monels hang in there. I prefer their feel and tone to coated strings.

Here's an interesting fact about monel, the alloy. It is considered a "puritan alloy", meaning that it was forged naturally 1.8 billion years ago when a 6-9 mile wide meteor impacted the earth where Sudbury, Ontario is today.

I swear I am not making this up!
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Old 10-14-2019, 08:51 AM
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Rev Roy Rev Roy is online now
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For a long time I LOVED Retros on the J-45 I had. But then I tried Santa Cruz Mids and never looked back. To my ears, the SCs produced a noticeable increase in volume and a crisp but still warm tone. So far I’m liking them on my J-15 for the same reasons. I do have some SUS strings and the new D’Addario Xs that I plan on trying out at some point though.
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Old 10-14-2019, 09:06 AM
bufflehead bufflehead is offline
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We should start a Retro cult.
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Old 10-14-2019, 09:06 AM
redir redir is offline
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I just tried a set on my mahogany/redwood dred and find that I like them enough to probably try again.
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Old 10-14-2019, 09:14 AM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bufflehead View Post
We should start a Retro cult.
- or maybe a new Subforum...
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  #9  
Old 10-15-2019, 11:30 AM
uriah1 uriah1 is offline
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https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=476570


Still leaning the other way on my Gibby but I might try sometime
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  #10  
Old 10-15-2019, 12:00 PM
Nctom Nctom is offline
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I use Retros on pretty much all of my guitars. The mediums on my J-35 and mahogany Larrivee sound and feel great and lights on my two Waterloos for authentic old guitar sound.

I do keep a set or two of PB's around for my rosewood Larrivee and the rare times when something else might feel right, but generally I stick with Monels.
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