You Need To Try Nickel Acoustic Strings! | Martin Monel Retro
Nickel Strings are typically reserved for electric guitars and so I was recently surprised to come across a set of Nickel Martin Monel strings that are actually made for acoustic. This video will serve as a comparison so you can make the decision for yourself – which is better: Phosphor Bronze or Nickel acoustic guitar strings? These nickel strings were allegedly the preferred choice of bluegrass legend Tony Rice and so I thought I’d give it a shot. I ended up really liking them – the nickel strings tend to sound a bit warmer with more sustain, less pick noise, and a slightly reduced front to the note.
Martin Monel Nickel Acoustic Guitar Strings – https://bit.ly/35VMy8R
Martin Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Strings – https://bit.ly/3wWCYyd
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▶️ *Highlights*
0:00 – Intro
0:12 – Overview
1:11 – Playing Samples
1:20 – Isolated Chords
1:50 – Scales
2:32 – Light Strumming
3:11 – Noodling
4:53 – Funk
5:22 – Heavy Strumming
5:46 – Jazz
6:56 – Capo’d Strumming
7:21 – Fingerstyle
8:00 – Drop Tuning
8:29 – Arpeggios
9:01 – Classical
9:53 – Chord Melody
10:41 – Outro
11:21 – Free Impulse Responses
#AcousticGuitar #Nickel #DaddarioStrings
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#Nickel #Acoustic #Strings #Martin #Monel #Retro
Originally posted by UCo74LbP05aDJk3T1shsBa-w at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks-3ewhouJ0
I use nickel on my 00 Blue ridge and Earthwood Bronze Rock and Blues 10 to 52 on my Yamaha.
This is an incredibly done video!!! It literally answers all my question without you having to say a word. Well done! I really love the sound of the nickel strings. More neutral. Your playing made both sound absolutely beautiful. Thanks for making such a great video!
I just picked up a new 12 string Taylor 854Ce and its very bright, I was thinking of putting theses on while I break it in what are your thoughts ?
This is the best review I have seen on anything ever.
Está desafinada ,la guitarra amigo
Nickle
NICKLE =TWAAAANGE. BRONZE =WARM …. And that is all I’ve got to say…
The monel strings last way longer and actually sound better after 2 weeks where PB & 80/20 will have already started falling off.
Nickel (monel): more fundamental tone
Phosphor Bronze: more overtones
Both are beautiful but I am leaning towards the nickel because of the clarity and the way they bring out that Martin sound – bright. Great format to really compare them, love the vack to back comparison. And…they playing was fantastic – what a range of styles!
Liked the nickle.
excellent vid, thanks
I put the Tony Rice Monel's on my D-18, and regret it. Personal preference I guess, but they just don't sing like the PB.
The D'addario, Balanced Tension nickel bronze are the best imo. Better intonation, consistent feel, and more longevity of the guitar. Unbalanced strings are more likely to pull the bridge loose or split the middle of the top. It's a total innovation and I feel like people are sleeping on it.
you could argue the bronze sounds better for strumming but fingerpicking with nickel is the sound forsure
This guitar needs 13th to show off!!!
They are both close sounding. I find PB to have more attack and range from Bass to Brightness, which serve well on all purpose as well for a big bluegrass sounding. I think I prefer the Nickel for natural wood sounding with little less attack and a mellower/warmer tone. It also depends on which guitar it is used. I already have a Rosewood Yamaha guitar that is bright from nature, so Nickel Monel can bring the warm tone I guess.
Know this is an older video but my general impression is: I like the nickel strings better when you're playing with your fingers (they offer a little more clarity), and the phosphor bronze better when you're using a pick (slightly smoother top end). Though for bluegrassy tones, I might prefer the Monel.
I hear more upper mids on the nickel wound strings. Sort of strange, it’s more bright but also somehow still warm to my ear? Been having a lot of fun experimenting with strings on my 000-18GE. Think I’ll try some nickel strings next. Fantastic playing too! Cheers!
ERNIE BALL ALUMINIUM BRONZE STRINGS HAS BETTER SOUND JUST LIKE ELIXIR PHOSPHOR BRONZE STRINGS WITH NANOWEB COATING!
I stopped listening for the sounds of the strings…..and just listened to how GREAT the Martin sounds! Love your playing, just
the sound samples are beautiful!
The nickel sounded much better, but they seemed really buzzy too. Maybe a tension thing?
ERNIE BALL ALUMINIUM BRONZE STRINGS ARE BETTER THAN D'ADDARIO NICKEL BRONZE STRINGS!
Best string review ever. ????
I had been using Martin's Monel on an HD28-V. To my ear the first week or so they pretty much sounded like Phospher Bronze . But after about a week of average playing they sort of deadened a bit to become warmer. Especially when recorded. They retained that tone forever. But as they aged and slowly stretched out over months beyond where P Brnz would have held their tone, they still sounded good tone-wise but their intonation was off having stretched non-uniformlly.
Thank you!
Just sorted the Retro gauges on my all mahogany 12 string, holy cow! Typical 10/47 set tuned to D standard, replaced the 47/27 6th string pair with 52/31 to preserve the bass projection and volume I had with EXPs. Wish they sold them in singles!
I’m just getting started and between the 80/20 and PB on my epiphone Texan inspired guitar, the 80/20 sounds better but yesterday I went to two stores and they didn’t have any 80/20. The PB sounds muddy , muffled and horrible on my guitar. The clerk said try these medium light nickel bronze. I slapped them on my guitar and love them. Really brings out the sound and volume and it corrects whatever I didn’t like with phosphorus bronze. I’ll prob be ising d’adario nickel bronze medium lights from now on. I practiced 2 hrs and had no finger soreness and the strings feel great
Very good comparison. The Martin Retro Monel strings are actually a copper and nickel alloy. I have a set of the Martin Retros on my 50 year old Japanese made Martin copy dread. A local shop here had them on sale. I normally use Martin 80/20's. Yes I agree they do enhance the mid range. I have not decided yet how I feel about them yet. Very nice playing by the way.
On that GTR, the phosphor bronze is my pick.
There is a difference between Nickel strings and Monel strings.
Hello Alex from Italy!
How are you ?
I have played elettric guitar with your good patch.
Now I play only acoustic guitar
Yamaha FS830 now with stock Daddario XT 12-54
What gauge do you use of Martin retro Monel ?
I should down from current 12-54 to Martin retro 11-52 .
will there be big differences in sound or volume in your opinion?
Thanks for you work
Hmm – I like the Monels, particualrly when picking, but they sounded "plinkier" to me on the one strumming example at 2:56.
I just put the Retro Strings On My Guitar. I think the sound is very comparable to the phosphorus bronze. I guess I'm more interested in Comfort playing. I've noticed that Martin strings seem to have less tension than D'Addario.
Great video, thanks a lot! I put Martin Retros 12-54 on my Gibson J-15 and it sounds amazing! Killer tone! ????✌????
Usually I prefer the phosphor bronze when somebody does a bronze to nickel comparison video. But on this one I really like the nickel. So I’m wondering if there’s something different about these nickel strings or if it’s just the way it comes across in your recordings. I’m also thinking these Martin Retro nickel strings could maybe work well on my Taylor T5z. The T5z is a hybrid guitar with magnetic pickups that don’t “hear” phosphor bronze. So it requires electric guitar strings, which are usually too bright for a good acoustic tone.
Wow. What a comprehensive comparison. Both sound good but I think the pb has that 70’s acoustic sound I like.
wow, I really like them. Actually a huge difference.
Would be interested very much to hear a comparison with some "miles" on them. Nickel strings "die" pretty quickly, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. These aren't coated strings, and realistically most people aren't changing strings every week, more like once a year, so a comparison of how the strings will sound for most of the time they're on the guitar would be useful 🙂
I'm experimenting with Silk and steel and Kovar Luxe Flexible core on a carbon polycarbonate guitar I bought to practice more. It lives out on the floor, high impact, temperature, moisture, dog, travel and food. I love the silk and steel sound on it though I had to go to La Bella to get mediums for it's short scale. The new Kovar ones are a bit zingier, higher tension, but I don't mind. I have to be more mindful of my dynamics and accuracy which is a good thing for a practice guitar. The silk and steel were so round and warm it seemed very easy not to sting my ears on it. These have a more high end in the bass strings too. Anyway, was curious to listen to plain nickel. The luxe are supposed to last a very long time which is perfect for this bang about spaghetti sauce guitar. I will probably go back to S&S after awhile and oil them up for protection. If you can't tell it's all about reps, though I do care about tone, mostly to be pleasant to me and not carry so far unless I want It to.
Im convinced. Im buying nickle strings for all of my accoustics. They just seem to do everything better
I got some light (12-54) Monels for my Yamaha FG800M, a solid spruce top dreadnought, and I like them more and more, both for blues fingerpicking and for strumming. Haven't tried 80-20s, but the Martin phosphor bronzes I also tried were too shimmery/jangly for me. Never again. The Monels bring out the earthy woody quality I originally bought the guitar for. Happy for now, but at some point I plan to try the 13s. Lucky for some!
I definitely love the clarity of the nickel. Especially on your single note runs. Just beautiful and very musical. The clear, focused tone quality definitely grabs my attention when you play them.
Nickel sounds anemic compared to bronze.
I hear the monels as being more neutral, a hd28 is a on the brighter side of acoustics, with the slight mid dip of rosewood, highlighting the top end. I would like to hear the monels on aj45 , for instance, and see if they still super bright.
The nickel strings are brash (more metallic) in comparison to the PB. If they can't be "tamed" with deliberate playing style I'd stick with PB.
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