Video comparing D'Addario Nickel Bronze with Martin Retro and D'Addario PB

[Treenewt]

Toby, I have to admit, the Retro's probably sounded the best to my ears...on that guitar and on those songs.

The NB sounded best to me after, followed by the PBs.

Which is exactly opposite of what I'd expect. Go figure!

[47gene]

I preferred the Retros but you made them all sound good..... everyone has their own preferred sound....

Thanks for the demo...

[jpd]

If you could combine the trebles of the Monel with the mids of the NB and the bass of the PB you'd have my choice

[Toby Walker]

Originally Posted by jpd

If you could combine the trebles of the Monel with the mids of the NB and the bass of the PB you'd have my choice

Well, of course you can. Just use the strings from all three sets.

[Brucebubs]

1. Toby you play that guitar beautifully and it works well for you.
2. None of those strings sound 'bad'.
3. I can't choose between the PB's and the Retro's.
4. I put the NB's behind them both.
5. Would like to hear the Retro's on that spruce/rosewood guitar in about 3 or 4 weeks time to hear if they still sound that good.

[dneal]

Originally Posted by Toby Walker

Thanks Roy. I personally prefer the PB because of the warmth factor. There's also plenty of bass response and 'thump' with the PBs for my taste.

Give the monels a day or two, and then see what you think. They're really bright when you first put them on (I hated them at first), and turn warm the next day.

[martingitdave]

Toby, is it fair to say the NB strings were easier to play, regardless of tone? Seemed that way. Either that, or your coffee kicked in! They all three sounded great. I'll take the PBs personally. Retros second.

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[guit3090]

Toby,
I liked the PBs the best, they sounded very rich and your picking is great.

[bluetweed]

Got to love the Chemex/ Coffee guy myself. I just got the 10 cup for Christmas and a Hario Skerton Ceramic Coffee Mill burr grinder. I have a great organic coffee suppler for the public and restaurants in my area (hudson valley) and NYC that has amazing blends.

Oh! the strings
D'Addario PB, they got creamed by the other 2
the D'Addario NB sound pretty darn good. The think the Martin Retro by a horse head.
The Martin Retro on my CEO-7 take about 2 weeks to sound there best and stay that way for ever. I would love to hear the
D'Addario NB after some time, but after hearing them I will be purchasing a set to try.
The only PB's I like after the Martin retro are the John Pearse 600L. I also have a set of PB by the new Scalar company to try.
We are in a age when we have some amazing string choices compared to many years ago.

btw Loved the tunes and playing

[HHP]

Might just be familiarity, but the Retros seem to demonstrate a smoothness of tone that I have liked on my guitars.

[warddix]

Thank you so much for the useful, well done comparison of these 'new' strings to a standard most of us would know.

[SalFromChatham]

I liked the NB the best . I think. I dont know. I got lost in the playing

Unbelievable chops. Reminds me of Larry Campbell.

[westman]

Originally Posted by jpd

If you could combine the trebles of the Monel with the mids of the NB and the bass of the PB you'd have my choice

this is V/ interesting - why -

they're all the same !, they're 012 & 016 gauge (the Retros have a 015 'B' carbon steel (with a tin plating)
thats 001 of a difference .


background -
the plain (unwound) E & B strings are either plain steel with a tin plating or in the case of thomastik-infeld’ plain steel with a brass plating.
The only difference between ALL the brands is Gauge.

Toby, I'd liked to have heard you vary your picking hand position away from the bluegrass zone 0 could be that the real difference lie's in WHERE they're picked - X sounds best played at the back of the s/hole Y sounds best over the s/hole, so you have a school of players who's playing position is determined by the brand of strings the play - or just how involved can we take this.
Thanks for your endeavors.

ALL E’s & B’s (and core wire) are made this way -

“This is the type of wire used to make steel instrument strings. plain wire is made from high carbon steel bar stock that is extruded until the desired thickness (gauge) is achieved. The steel bars are basically extruded into wire strings. Once the string has been extruded, it is electroplated with tin. The tin helps prevent the string from corroding prematurely.”

you get two choices - of plain steel wire (for wound strings) - in cross section - hex or round,
That's it.

[Toby Walker]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

Toby, is it fair to say the NB strings were easier to play, regardless of tone? Seemed that way. Either that, or your coffee kicked in! They all three sounded great. I'll take the PBs personally. Retros second.

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Hi Dave,

Someone once handed Dizzy Gillespie a brand new horn to try out. After playing a few bars the guy said to Dizzy 'she plays real easy, don't she?'
To which Dizzy replied 'none of them play easy.'

I've never found any one brand of string that plays any easier than any other brand.

Ah... and you were the first one to remark on the coffee.

[Toby Walker]

Originally Posted by westman

Toby, I'd liked to have heard you vary your picking hand position away from the bluegrass zone 0 could be that the real difference lie's in WHERE they're picked - X sounds best played at the back of the s/hole Y sounds best over the s/hole, so you have a school of players who's playing position is determined by the brand of strings the play - or just how involved can we take this.
Thanks for your endeavors.

That's an interesting point. I didn't really think about my right hand placement as I just played the way I usually play.

I do think that because my right hand never moved from that position, I was able to demonstrate the difference between the strings themselves, rather than where I was placing my hand. I'll suspect that this video would give folks another sense of those differences which could help them in choosing between the strings.

Being primarily a blues musician, I never heard of the 'bluegrass zone.'