An Interesting Monel Strings Article

[wguitar]

Hi,

Just wanted to share this interesting article about Monel strings.

Cheers!

https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/blog...monel-strings/

[pickinray]

Very informative article. Thanks for posting!

[Beakybird]

Great article. So even though they sound a little worn in, they're less susceptible to corrosion. Cool. I don't know if all new Martin's are strung with these, but the customs I've played in the shop that have Monels sound outstanding.

[rokdog49]

Thanks for posting...interesting reading for sure.

[redir]

I tried a set of Martin Monels on my mahogany/redwood Dred about 3 months ago. The same set of strings is on that guitar and they still sound like the first day I put them on. They seem to never age.

[t.strings]

Have a set on my D-18, really like the way they sound. Does anyone know if they have a higher tension than most other strings? Use to play D'Addario phosphor bronze & GHS vintage bronze, the Monels feel stiffer to me.

[mr. beaumont]

They're not great on every guitar, in my experience, but when you find a guitar they're suited for, you'll never want to use anything else.

Through an archtop with a P-90 pickup, they are absolutely HEAVEN.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by Beakybird

I don't know if all new Martin's are strung with these, but the customs I've played in the shop that have Monels sound outstanding.

They aren’t. Most Martins, including Authentics, leave the factory wearing Authentic Acoustic PB Lifespan 2.0 in various gauges, presumably because those are the strings CFM regard as most appropriate for their instruments. I’d guess those Customs were ordered with Monels by the shop (or were fitted with Monels by the shop when they arrived).

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

They aren’t. Most Martins, including Authentics, leave the factory wearing Authentic Acoustic PB Lifespan 2.0 in various gauges, presumably because those are the strings CFM regard as most appropriate for their instruments. I’d guess those Customs were ordered with Monels by the shop (or were fitted with Monels by the shop when they arrived).

One has to remember that string choices on guitars is very subjective.
Martin might be putting the Lifespans on their guitars in hopes they will sell more of them ...maybe the margins are stronger. Maybe they don’t want them to corrode while the guitar is hanging on the wall at a music store and reflecting badly on the guitar itself.
Personally, I would suspect there’s a more practical reason they chose those strings, especially in light of the fact that people like a lot of other string brands, materials and gauges on their Martins...me being one of those.

[archerscreek]

I love Monel strings on everything, including a rosewood dread, mahogany dread, and my mandolin. They last longer than even Lifespans for me. In fact they last so long for me that I routinely forget how long they've been on. I also use the Adam Steffey string cleaning method, though (dampen the crease in a cloth with WD40 one time and then use that one time application to wipe the strings after use).

Also, the history I read on Monel differed a bit from the article. I read somewhere that Monel was the initial choice for steel string guitars (which the article stated), but during WWII demand for the metals used in Monel strings caused the shift to phosphor bronze. People got used to the bright, jangly bronze string sound and that became the standard.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by archerscreek

I love Monel strings on everything, including a rosewood dread, mahogany dread, and my mandolin. They last longer than even Lifespans for me. In fact they last so long for me that I routinely forget how long they've been on. I also use the Adam Steffey string cleaning method, though (dampen the crease in a cloth with WD40 one time and then use that one time application to wipe the strings after use).

Also, the history I read on Monel differed a bit from the article. I read somewhere that Monel was the initial choice for steel string guitars (which the article stated), but during WWII demand for the metals used in Monel strings caused the shift to phosphor bronze. People got used to the bright, jangly bronze string sound and that became the standard.

Hmmm, as far as I know, there were no such thing as phosphor bronze strings until 1974, when D'Addario put them on the map.

[Brucebubs]

I'm using a set of Curt Mangan round-core Monels on my maple Huss & Dalton at the moment, they're good but I think I prefer John Pearse Pure Nickels on this guitar - the Mangans are a little too warm with bare flesh finger-style, the JP's are a little clearer.



The CM's would be a good string to warm up the tone of a bright sounding guitar.

[Lillis]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

I'm using a set of Curt Mangan round-core Monels on my maple Huss & Dalton at the moment, they're good but I think I prefer John Pearse Pure Nickels on this guitar - the Mangans are a little too warm with bare flesh finger-style, the JP's are a little clearer.



The CM's would be a good string to warm up the tone of a bright sounding guitar.

+1 I felt the same way between these two strings on my all mahogany Martin.

[TBman]

I've always found that Monels sound their best after about 3-4 days of getting played in.

[Ed66]

Thanks for posting this. My grandfather actually worked for the International Nickel Company and I heard a lot of stories about what they were involved in but never knew the connection to guitar strings. Unfortunately his last name was not Monell.