Nickel strings on a GS Mini?

[D28A1941]

I have a box of Tony Rice monels sitting around and I need to string my GS mini - but wondering if anyone else has tried them? Just curious if its worth just running to the store and buying more Elixir mediums.

[pjroberts]

I have done a ton of string testing on GS Minis, on a hog and more recently on my Holden Valley, which replaced my hog Mini in Jan 2014. Strings make a huge difference on GSM, unusually sensitive IMO (some guitars are not). Have not tried nickel, though I have tried the alum-bronze Ernie Balls -- DO NOT reocmmend those strings or the Mini.

I DO RECOMMEND DR Rare mediums, a fantastic strings for spruce topped Minis (Holden, have not tried them on others). Great balance, high end crystal clear but not too jangly and about as much bass as you can get out of that weight. The Rares are lighter than most other mediums, at 12-54, but they sound like 13-56, which is super important with the GSM.

Good luck, look forward to hearing about your choice.

[email4eric]

Monel is only about 2/3 nickel so technically, they're not nickel strings (as there are purely nickel strings). Regardless, I'd like to hear your impression of them on a mini. On the surface, I'd think they wouldn't work well (or on most taylors for that matter) but they're weird strings that defy prediction in my experience.

Anyway, they're cheap! Try them and report back.

Aren't the TR version a heavier string then that which would normally be on the mini? I use the lights.

[D28A1941]

The GS mini uses mediums, so I figured the TR monels are bluegrass gauge which is similar Gauges: 13 16 26 34 44 56

I think the Elixir nanoweb mediums are: 013 017 026 035 045 056

I should just try the Monels - I have the GS mini e Koa, so I wonder what others have tried.

[Wade Hampton]

Might as well give them a try. I happen to have a set of the Martin Tony Rice Monels on the maple Guild jumbo I keep out on a stand beside my computer desk, and they sound pretty good. Normally I string this guitar with the John Pearse Pure Nickel strings, which I prefer, but the Tony Rice Monels are nice. They seem to have a bit more treble response than the JP Pure Nickels, and not as much presence in the low end, but they're certainly very usable strings when you put them on the right guitar.

This one maple guitar is the only guitar I own that sounds best to me with nickel or Monel strings - I've ended up yanking them off every other instrument I've tried them on. So it does seem to be on a case by case basis.

One thing worth noting is that nickel and Monel strings generate less tension than a bronze wrapped string will. The John Pearse Pure Nickel sets actually have slightly beefier gauges on a couple of the strings to make the mediums feel like bronze mediums. The Tony Rice set, on the other hand, is somewhere between a medium and a light set in feel. Which may or may not work as well as you might hope on your GS Mini.

Only way to find out is to try them.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller