Nickel sensitivity sufferers, are you affected by monel?

[jacf]

If any of you are unfortunate enough to suffer from being allergic to nickel, do you find that also includes Monel, or does the fact that the nickel is in an alloy means it doesn’t affect you in the same way? I think I was okay with monel but i had a mild but still uncomfortable reaction to nickel strings. I liked the sound of Monel but I’m loathe to buy some, restring and then find I’m reacting to them. So your experiences would be helpful to hear.

Thanks,

JACF

[jacf]

Nobody had this issue?

[abn556]

I was not familiar with nickel sensitivity, but Monel is an alloy made primarily of nickel and copper. Depending on the source mill that made the monel, the nickel content can vary. It can be as high as 60+%. In the oil industry monel is used is corrosive environments and in applications when acids are likely to be used downhole. I’ve been around it quite a bit and this is the first I have ever heard of a sensitivity to monel.

It does make great strings for mahogany guitars IMO.

[SalFromChatham]

My hands don’t get along with nickel strings. Including Martin monels. Daddario nickel bronze a touch better. I still have a few sets I should get rid of.

[jaymarsch]

I stay away from nickel strings as well as any strings with aluminum. I’m far more sensitive to aluminum than the nickel. Even if a string has a bit of aluminum in it, I have an immediate reaction. Nickel frets don’t bother me much but I do have 2 guitars with gold EVO that I like better.
Best,
Jayne

[srick]

Good question. After suffering with peeling fingertips over a good chunk of 2016, I figure, why even risk it?

How I diagnosed my nickel allergy

My educated guess is, of course Monel string will stir up a nickel allergy.

[jacf]

Thanks folks,

I found that even the nickel bronze were a little uncomfortable but I’d wondered if the monel, being an alloy, might be different. I hadn’t noticed them being especially irritating when I’d used them before but with strings now getting so expensive, I’m kind’a loathe to do so much experimenting these days. Much as I liked the monel sound, I’ll probably just stick to PB and 80/20 for now.

Cheers all!

[birdsong]

Originally Posted by jacf

Thanks folks,

I found that even the nickel bronze were a little uncomfortable but I’d wondered if the monel, being an alloy, might be different. I hadn’t noticed them being especially irritating when I’d used them before but with strings now getting so expensive, I’m kind’a loathe to do so much experimenting these days. Much as I liked the monel sound, I’ll probably just stick to PB and 80/20 for now.

Cheers all!

I have an unopened set of MTR13’s. So Retro mediums. They’re 4 years old. I’ve switched to 11’s and 12’s. If you’d like this set I’m happy to send gratis. PM me your address.

[jacf]

That’s very kind of you. But I’m far away in Scotland, so that would be far too far. 🙂 Lovely offer, though, and much appreciated.

Cheers,

Cam

[EllenGtrGrl]

We occasionally receive in Monel parts where I work (I'm a Quality Engineer, and have to deal with them). on 2014, I ended up with horrible dermatitis (it was all over my body, but strangely enough, not on my hands), and wound up not only starting to get a staph infection, but had to be sent to a dermatologist, to determine what was causing my dermatitis. It was discovered that I have major allergies to both Nickel, and Chromium (which is a major component of stainless steel). Basically my immune system goes bonkers, and as a result, I can get much more than just contact dermatitis. With that in mind, I wear gloves when I handle stainless steel items, and nickel plated items, and nickel alloy items (in retrospect, before I was diagnosed with a nickel allergy, I used to occasionally get itchy if I handled Monel parts).

In short, like nickel and stainless steel electric guitar strings (I have to Ernie Ball Cobalts), monel strings are a no go for me, unless I significantly limit my playing time, and wash my hands after playing - and even that doesn't always do the trick for me. I've had times where I have washed my hands after trying out electric guitars at my favorite guitar shop, and within 10 minutes of leaving the place, my legs started itching.

Normally, I get my guitars refretted with Jescar EVO (or an equivalent nickel, and stainless steel free fret wire [I learned that Jescar is discontinuing EVO Gold ]), but doing so is expensive, so until I decide the guitars REALLY are keepers, I keep the stock nickel silver frets on the guitars, and limit my playing time on them. Since I don't touch frets as much as I touch strings, my dermatitis is kept to a minimum.

[jacf]

Originally Posted by EllenGtrGrl

We occasionally receive in Monel parts where I work (I'm a Quality Engineer, and have to deal with them). on 2014, I ended up with horrible dermatitis (it was all over my body, but strangely enough, not on my hands), and wound up not only starting to get a staph infection, but had to be sent to a dermatologist, to determine what was causing my dermatitis. It was discovered that I have major allergies to both Nickel, and Chromium (which is a major component of stainless steel). Basically my immune system goes bonkers, and as a result, I can get much more than just contact dermatitis. With that in mind, I wear gloves when I handle stainless steel items, and nickel plated items, and nickel alloy items (in retrospect, before I was diagnosed with a nickel allergy, I used to occasionally get itchy if I handled Monel parts).

In short, like nickel and stainless steel electric guitar strings (I have to Ernie Ball Cobalts), monel strings are a no go for me, unless I significantly limit my playing time, and wash my hands after playing - and even that doesn't always do the trick for me. I've had times where I have washed my hands after trying out electric guitars at my favorite guitar shop, and within 10 minutes of leaving the place, my legs started itching.

Normally, I get my guitars refretted with Jescar EVO (or an equivalent nickel, and stainless steel free fret wire [I learned that Jescar is discontinuing EVO Gold ]), but doing so is expensive, so until I decide the guitars REALLY are keepers, I keep the stock nickel silver frets on the guitars, and limit my playing time on them. Since I don't touch frets as much as I touch strings, my dermatitis is kept to a minimum.

Wow! That sounds like you’ve had much more serious issues than my mild irritation, but glad you’ve worked out a way forward. By pure coincidence, I just had my favourite guitar refretted with EVO Gold, but I’d just been thinking it would last longer if I play it all the time. I’m now realising that there maybe other benefits. Thanks for this!

Cam

[srick]

As a note: Jescar is not discontinuing EVO, but their supply chain for raw materials has been disrupted by the war in Ukraine. I just purchased a new set of EVO frets the other week, so they are still available.

StewMac has their version, StewMac gold fretwire. It’s similar but not the same. I like the EVO better overall. It’s slightly harder.

[Ryan51]

I found I had a nickel allergy in the mid-70s when I worked at Fender on the neck line filing frets. A few days after I started my wrists started breaking out in a rash. The company nurse sent me to a dermatologist who taped a nickel to my back. Within a day or two the spot on my back broke out. That ended my brief career on the neck line. I was transferred to the wood shop.

[EllenGtrGrl]

Originally Posted by srick

As a note: Jescar is not discontinuing EVO, but their supply chain for raw materials has been disrupted by the war in Ukraine. I just purchased a new set of EVO frets the other week, so they are still available.

StewMac has their version, StewMac gold fretwire. It’s similar but not the same. I like the EVO better overall. It’s slightly harder.

Thanks for the info - it's good to know EVO Gold (as of the present) hasn't been permanently discontinued.