Another Monel thread...

[Slothead56]

I have used them in the past, primarily on a CEO-7 and a 000-15 SM. They’re great but I really prefer the snap of PB’s...have for over 40 years. And then....

I bought a Jimmy Buffet Pollywog (Basically a dressed up 12 fret 000-18) from a fellow member a little over a year ago. Been playing it-with PB’s- a lot recently.

Well, I just put Monels on it and it is fabulous. The tone is heavenly. A little sweeter, a little more balanced. Transformed a great guitar into a fantastic guitar.

Question: I’ve never put Monels on a rosewood guitar. Would they help or hurt a HD-28vs, a OM-42 koa or my ancient and beloved Gurian JR? (I know-subjective.)

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

Question: I’ve never put Monels on a rosewood guitar. Would they help or hurt a HD-28vs, a OM-42 koa or my ancient and beloved Gurian JR? (I know-subjective.)

I think you just have to try it. Everyone's experience with these strings seems to be soooo different. Tony Rice loves them with rosewood. And he's Tony Rice! But a lot of folks don't. I haven't had a rosewood guitar since I found Monels so I've just played them on Mahogany, Spruce/Mahogany, and carbon fiber. Loved them on all of them, although I liked Sunbeams a bit more on the carbon fiber.

Just no way for anyone else to know how you'd like 'em on a given guitar.

-Ray

[Slothead56]

Originally Posted by raysachs

Just no way for anyone else to know how you'd like 'em on a given guitar.

-Ray

Fair enough. Let me rephrase the question: If you’ve used them on a rosewood guitar what did you think?

[EverettWilliams]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

Fair enough. Let me rephrase the question: If you’ve used them on a rosewood guitar what did you think?

I've yet to find a rosewood guitar where I prefer the alloy. I love it on mahogany and spruce, but when I've tried the TRs (for example) on my rosewood dreadnoughts, I saw some charm (the dry warmth) but mostly longed to go back to other alloys. Nickel bronze (not the same at all) has been fine on some of my rosewood instruments, but in the "voting with my feet" category, I currently have Monels on a handful of my mahogany and spruce guitars and on nothing else.

But - strings are cheap and opinions are subjective - so I'd give it a try on any of those instruments. My guess would be that I would like them most on the koa OM (but that's closer to mahogany), but it's worth a shot on the D-28.

[Slothead56]

Originally Posted by EverettWilliams

My guess would be that I would like them most on the koa OM (but that's closer to mahogany), but it's worth a shot on the D-28.

Probably worth a shot but that koa OM 42-with Martin or D’Addario PB lights- is about as perfect a guitar as I have ever held in my hands. Love it forever. I foolishly tried to sell it twice since it’s a lot of money tied up in one instrument. Thank Heaven it didn’t sell.

Actually think the grand experiment would be on the Gurian. Long scale and a thundering ginormous rosewood box.

[zoopeda]

My ears say these babies shine on mahogany guitars. Spruce mahogany, and especially all mahogany. (Juber gauge Retros are by far the best string on my 000-15SM.). My old D-18 liked them too.

I don’t know that Ive found a single rosewood guitar that likes them, but that’s not to say there isn’t one out there – especially vintage.

[penname]

I like Monel strings on everything I’ve tried except rosewood guitars. I’ve tried Martin Retros and Newtone Monel strings on my Martin OM-21 but keep going back to Martin Lifespan PB.

[zoopeda]

Anyone compare Curt Mangan monels to Martin retros? Thoughts?

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

I have used them in the past, primarily on a CEO-7 and a 000-15 SM. They’re great but I really prefer the snap of PB’s...have for over 40 years. And then....

I bought a Jimmy Buffet Pollywog (Basically a dressed up 12 fret 000-18) from a fellow member a little over a year ago. Been playing it-with PB’s- a lot recently.

Well, I just put Monels on it and it is fabulous. The tone is heavenly. A little sweeter, a little more balanced. Transformed a great guitar into a fantastic guitar.

Question: I’ve never put Monels on a rosewood guitar. Would they help or hurt a HD-28vs, a OM-42 koa or my ancient and beloved Gurian JR? (I know-subjective.)

Have you tried Nickel Bronze? I had the same realization about Monels. I prefered the snap of PBs. However, NB are like the best of both worlds to me. They really sound great on my mahogany dreadnoughts. They sound so good on my Collings D1A I'm not sure I'll ever try anything else.

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

Fair enough. Let me rephrase the question: If you’ve used them on a rosewood guitar what did you think?

His point was that everybody has a different opinion.

I used them with Braz Rosewood and they sounded great for about a week and then died an ugly death.

Others love them, so once again it isn’t about tonewoods, it’s about ears, construction, perceptions, preferences, etc..

[llew]

I put them on a HD-28 Adi and liked it initially. But next string change went back to D'Addario PB. Try it...you may like it?

[steelvibe]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

Anyone compare Curt Mangan monels to Martin retros? Thoughts?

I have and I like both. Incidentally I also tried the Newtone Masterclass Monel round cores. While I liked the sound of them just fine, I found them oddly stiff even though they were round core? Any others here agree? The Curt Mangans I tried were roundcore in medium gauge and they felt pretty darn good and sounded great, not as stiff as the Newtones.

I had a set of Retros on my RainSong for 4 months and they were outstanding on that guitar, even better than Thomastik Plectrums iMO.

[samthinguy]

I use them on my HD-28 and love them. It might be the style I play. I feel like with monels I hear more of the wood. I also find that the tactile experience is preferable to me. They don't feel as stiff to me. Just love them. I also feel like they last a little longer for me. Or at least maybe the "dead" sound they produce is more preferable to me than the "dead" sound PB put out.

[zoopeda]

The hidden beauty of monels is how freaking long they last. Many months of regular play makes them such a good value and low maintenance.

[LAGinz]

Love the way they have sounded on my walnut b/s Gibson J-15...for the last 6 months!!