You Need To Try Nickel Acoustic Strings! | Martin Monel Retro

[@GT-fx8fd]

AMAZING playing mate.....everyone talking about the strings...I'm talking about the playing, the natural quality in the recording and the great editing so everyone can hear the difference easily. Thanks for your effort mate and keep up the top work. Cheers

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I appreciate that thank you! Glad the video was helpful

[@GabrielRamos-iw1ek]

That's top man!

[@Im_alex_h]

Usually watching a demo like this I’d just skim through it but your playing was so great I watched all the way through. Almost forgot I was listening to a string comparison vid and was just jamming out!

[@DrewCochrane-e9i]

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.

[@russfitzgerald]

First off - the take on "'Round Midnight" at 5:46 was utterly lovely. Second - I may yet try some Monels on my Gibson J-45, but I switched over to John Pearse Pure Nickels about nine years ago now and have been very pleased on a daily basis with them. I played phosphor bronze for decades, switching around between Pearse, D'Addario, Guild, Gibson Masterbuilt and DRs depending on availability before settling on the Pearse PBs. As my playing evolved into a plectrum-free "bareknuckle" style, my ears changed and I gravitated to strings that (to my ear) reveal more of the guitar's sound and less of the string, if that makes any sense. The less-hyped low end works well on the short scale J-45, very slightly tightening up the bass, while giving a touch of clarity to the midrange (but NOT losing the Gibson chordal-blending quality!) and producing a lovely rounded sweetness to the trebles.

[@blairswanson44]

Thank you for the welcomed review. I am a mahogany guy with dreadnoughts & the nickel seem to compliment the drier tone of that wood. The diminished overtones of the retro strings clarify the sound of the guitar being played for me. Less string steel - more wood.

[@kmprod1]

I recently switched to D'Addario nickel bronze (was an Elxir Phos/Bronze user for many many years). I have found these to be a little clearer & brighter - without comprising the bottom/bass end - especially for recording. And they feel nice on the fingers. My $0.02

[@aaroncurry279]

A penny for your thoughts…someone owes you a penny lol.

[@BobSperber]

Thank you for the format you used for this comparison, both the clips back-to-back and the picks.

[@MountainHomeJerrel]

Awesome comparison. Congrats. You've made the world a bit better and more cool for guitarists.

[@thefakebookband2588]

I have played Martin Retros before on my Martin DRS2. What I find important is that you play the strings for about 2 hrs before you judge the sound. Mine didn‘t sound good at first, but they developed nicely. It is worth trying them out!

[@kentjw88]

My first set of Retro's on my HD28V (mediums) and 000-18 (lights) lasted so long I really didn't need to change them after six months or more of playing almost every day but I did. Something about them made both guitars and me say "yup, these are the ones". Before Retro's, I was a 80/20 PB guy for many years but at age 75 (I'm slow) I finally found the right strings.

[@thomashalley7258]

Just of the comparison I like the nickel. They seem louder or have more treble ringing out as well?

[@canbro28]

I'm a big fan of the Retros. I have used them extensively since they were re-released. That being said, I still find that Phos Bronze are sometimes better suited to certain situations. I use both. It comes down to the guitar and what I want to hear from it. Thanks for the comparison demo!

[@romanrodriguez5100]

Just got nickel strings on my acoustic yesterday. Can’t believe how good they sound, it’s beautiful and I’m very impressed

[@cooperwillss]

they*

[@romanrodriguez5100]

@@cooperwillss thanks, I didn’t notice my mistake lol

[@glenfougeron2823]

A fabulous review and phenomenal playing. Thank you!

[@zunif]

The nickel sounds more focused. The phosphor bronze seems to have better bass response.

[@chrisrdunn]

I was quite surprised by how different they sound. If this were a blind test I would have assumed you changed mics or guitars. I actually dug the nickel. I might have to give it a shot.

[@janwhitehouse3373]

Excellent comparison video - well-produced and edited, making the differences apparent without leading the listener. Flawless A/B sound and playing. You're a masterful and versatile player, which means more players viewing will have something to gain. The differences were most obvious when using picks, but the nickel is the winner. There were a couple moments when I thought the PB seemed more pleasing, then I'd hear the nickel and was amazed at the articulation and clarity. The nickel strings probably really shine in a mix as well as close instrumentation with other stringed instruments (duh! Tony Rice!). Good job!

[@nicholassakamoto2455]

I recently tried Martin Retro Monel Strings, and they were better than the bronze strings I used before switching to flatwounds on my acoustic.

[@ryantandy307]

I string my Custom D with Monels. The Phosphors have a little more brightness on the attack, but I find they need changing more often and can be harsh. The Monels remain mellow and voice clearly for longer. I have ebony bridge pins also, the tone I get with the monels is deep and bloomy, and the dynamic range is more precise for fingerstyle. Strumming has just enough in the treble to sit underneath vocals; the pb's can mask the vocal frequencies. These are my live considerations, I play weekly. Thanks for the video! I subd!

[@thebreakfastmenu]

I discovered nickel acoustic strings maybe a couple years ago, trying to get that plunky "Nick Drake" acoustic tone. Haven't looked back. I love love love some extra light Martin Monel strings. Much easier on the fingers, too.

[@zachomega187]

Thank you! You just saved me a bunch of money i would have wasted trying monel and other nickel strings. Easily the best string comparison video I've ever seen!

[@soyeux27]

First of all, you're an incredible player ! I'm a long time phosphor bronze strings aficionado, but in the last couple of months, I've been using Martin nickel "Retro" - on my Martin D-16GT. Even though I love those strings, this video makes me reconsider my choice and maybe go back to phosphor bronze. Nickel strings make the guitar sound crispier, as if every note is separated from another. The phosphor bronze strings provide a warmer sound, giving a more melancholic sound to my ears. They also sound a little bit more "orchestral" to me. I think the phosphor bronze strings are a great fit with the Indian rosewood found on your HD-28. I subscribed to your channel.

[@Doowopsid]

Best explanation of the differences that I’ve read or heard on KZbin so far. Thank you and I agree.

[@randyeller2743]

Retros sound better on rosewood guitars

[@sleeponmegaming3291]

Bro you explained this so much better than the last video i watched on these strings made by someone else gonna definetley sub youve earned it

[@andyklassenmusic8838]

I've been using the retros on my main studio acoustic for a long time now! The way the age is more musical to me than the coated Elixirs, especially for that warm woody sound everybody wants rn. Just ordered the 12 string set to try!

[@logozarov]

Thank you for this video. So much detail and fantastic playing. After watching it i finally decided to give the Retros a try. They are very sweet sounding, but noticeably quieter, which in a video is hard to detect. For some guitars like mine for example (all mahogany) it could be an issue.

[@johnmusgrave4105]

I prefer the nickel. They sound "crisper" . The PB's have a muddier sound. I'm surprised at the difference. Thanks for the great demo.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks for watching!

[@RolandZertuche]

John, perfect description of tone difference!

[@Glicksman1]

Th question is how long will they sound "crisper"? New Phospher Bronze strings are usually very bight out of the package and mellow quickly. New Monels tend to sound "broken in" out of the package and stay that way for a long time. I think that in time on the guitar, most strings begin to sound similar. These tests may be less useful when the strings are so new.

[@That.Guy.]

I tried these on my d-18 and it sounded like the guitar was cardboard. I will have to try these on my hd-28. I hate to say i liked the nickel better in your vid

[@elsizzle2000]

​@@Glicksman1 Exactly! What most people who refoew, rest and use guitar strinhs don't take into account is no matter how wonderful or different or ground breaking they sound out of the package, in a short amount of times they all go into break in period and sound virtualy same after that ! These nickel, monel, aluminum bronze all die pretty quickly and their unique qualities are nullified. I now just stick with elixir phosphor bronze

[@OBonkers_Stockpickles]

Just picked up a set for my 70s Sigma on a whim. Can't wait to try these.

[@scottfishkind5335]

Great video! Listening with headphones, the nickle are definitely brighter and more transparent.

[@aaronnickell3717]

Strings shmings. That is some stellar, beautiful playing. You are very gifted, Alex. Well done. For the record: I like both, but use 80/20 on my D-35.

[@Glicksman1]

On this guitar with this player, the Phospher Bronz strings make the guitar sound bright, new, and a bit tight. The Monel Nickel strings make this guitar sound broken in and mellower, more harmonically even, and less "new guitar bright".

[@cartersadventures7580]

This is a really great demo. Proves that the answer is always “it depends.” I don’t like nickel on cowboy strums. Too harsh. But it’s so great for single note flatpick and the percussive funk. Pops out more but also can be too much. Depends on if you want warm or bright or more attack or more compression

[@ramspencer5492]

The PB's are the sound i expect to hear in that guitar. They catch the harmonics in a certain way.. The Nickel strings seem slightly more controlled though just little bright....(were they both brand new.... With zero break in?) It's strange the PB sound slightly more metallic but not quite as bright as the same time.... Yet with slightly more harmonics... The Nickel sound like might sit a little better in some mixes and possibly with better with voices. They both sound really good on your guitar. Rosewood right?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yep, the D-28 is Rosewood back and sides. Both string sets were put on the guitar for this video - so as new as they get. Thanks!

[@someguy4505]

Will give the monel a try. Love that you used different picks since they can really affect the sound.

[@exerciserelax8719]

Never thought this would be a factor but use of pick seems to really influence the sound. The Nickels sounded amazing when you were using the Dunlop Jazztone!

[@robertschultz7612]

I go back and forth on my D18 between elixir pb & the Martin monels…… the elixirs are faster playing to my hands …… the monels sounds better after a couple hours of playing …… in your examples the monels are considerably brighter…… Your round midnight arrangement is delightful …… I have worked on Barry Galbraits (spelling)? arrangement of that tune ……truly your playing is lovely …

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thank you! Appreciate your thoughts Robert.

[@tankhalffull]

I've been using the Martin MLJ13 LJ's Choice strings for a few years.., Love them for their warmth... listening here, the MTR13's sound as though they have that warmth as well..., have to try them out myself.. Nice demo! Nice playing!

[@shred5]

Cool comparison. I never thought I'd like monel strings on a rosewood guitar, when I tried them on a hawg it gave the guitar a sort of mid heavy budget guitar sort of sound that was great for playing blues on, but these weren't too bad on rosewood! I preferred the phosphor bronze strings most of the time, but I did prefer the monels for fingerpicking and jazz for sure.

[@markrobinson891]

PB sounded warmer and more woody. I’ll stick with them on my custom dread. You are a virtuoso. Kudos on your skills

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks Mark!

[@mathiasmas]

very beautiful playing! Your playing style is really focused on bringing out the best sounds out of the guitar on every note. And the strings, well yeah, they sound a little different indeed ;-)

[@nickp4872]

Interesting reactions. I got a Martin Dreadnought junior like 5 weeks ago which came standard with the 012 Retro strings. I liked the sound from the start. But as I progressed playing the guitar and maybe the strings got more played in I was getting the feeling they sound a bit more dry and flat, a bit more dull in a way. I switched to Martin 011's orange label, those flexible phosphor bronze, uncoated as well. To me my guitar became more alive and acoustic and fits fingerstyle more. Takes less effort to make the notes ring with more openness and sparkle. New strings thing maybe? Perhaps it depends also the instrument and the player.

[@pedirobg]

Thanks! Very helpful! I vote for PB but I sure like the look of the nickel strings!

[@TMoody]

Man.... I love your demos and you look a lot like my son. I like the Monel strings the best.

[@thefakebookband2588]

I have played Martin Retrospektive before on my Martin DRS2. What I find important is that you play the strings for about 2 hrs before you junge the sound. Mine didn‘t sound good at first, but the developed.

[@jimmy5634]

Great demo. The “back-to-back” is the only way to go.

[@gregpiper8416]

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't hear what PB strings he is using. There can be a considerable difference in sound between different brands of PB strings. Having said that, I have used the Martin Retro strings many times and like them on some guitars, but not so much on others. The string tension is a little lower than most PB strings and they seem to last longer.

[@susanroycroft89]

Honestly, listening through earphones, the difference between the two was SO slight, I would use either, up 'till now Iv'e always used ph/ bronze, great video 😊😊😊

[@JD-pg1qs]

Recently switched to nickel from the martin retro set on my 00-18 and i love it! Easier to play and sounds great

[@scouser2230]

I really enjoyed your tremendous playing ability and the string comparison was very informative. I recently bought a Martin Junior Dreadnaught that came with the Nickel Retro strings and they are the light gauge. I have historically had the bronze strings on my Martin D35 and they were always a medium gauge. I enjoy the sound from both of these strings and can’t honestly choose a favourite. I agree that the nickel are brighter and enhance the mid range, whereas the bronze are warmer and enhance the base.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks Kenneth! Glad it was helpful. I also agree - I can see myself alternating between these two sets frequently just to change things up.

[@Fallowsun]

Very helpful thorough demo. I came in thinking I would prefer the Retro strings. But they sounds like…dead electric strings on an acoustic? The highs are rolled off which I like. But it just isn’t clicking for me, sounds odd.

[@dreamsR4real]

Thanks for this vid, very very well done. I can tell you pay attention to details in the editing of the vid like you do your playing, precise and smooth.... you listed all equipment BUT dont see any mention of your Martin??! Am i missing something? D-28? And if so what year? Thanks again.

[@CoenBijpost]

Less pick attack? The video sounded exactly the opposite… The warmth seemed to be focused on the tail end of the note. The bloom sounds more deep and interesting. I just let my guitar tech put monels on my dreadnought, really looking forward to playing them. Thanks for the comparison!

[@stevec.1802]

Alex, have you tried Ernie Ball nickel bronze on your dreadnought. I’d be interested to know what you think. Ty 🎧

[@tonyvanover2253]

First off great playing and comparison video. Its interesting to me to hear others describe the differences they hear. Certainly there are lots of differences and I think they can be quite nuamced depending on what your playing and the style. Generally speaking I think I prefered the monels as being a more earthy, mellow and sweet sounding string. The Phosphor Bronze is well rounded no doubt, but overall a bit brighter which can be preferred sometimes in a mix or on a large dread. I think the monels will be even more advantageous on smaller and naturally brighter sounding guitars. Im going to try these on the sc13e. Ultimately, I think the best depends on the guitar and playing style as usual.

[@littlesigh]

Thanks for doing this, Just saw another vid that mentioned these nickel strings on a Gretch Jim Dandy, which I have. Been trying to find better sounding string.... I may have! Thanks again.

[@farber2]

Nickel coated? Will that do?

[@GAZZA1960]

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.

[@YaleCrane]

Glad to see someone likes the nickel strings and Jazztone 205! I frequently use Daddario ej22 nickel plated steel on my acoustic, medium gauge electric strings with a wound 3rd string

[@paulj0557tonehead]

The nickel lack the acoustic tone but I would be curious to hear what they sound like with a D'Armond 260 pickup! This pickup being both wire wound + piezo. The best way to give your acoustic powerful dynamic ballsy, yet still acoustic sound is with this pickup. matches great with Fender silver face Princeton or Ampeg G110 Tremolo Reverb amp.

[@nicolasmayrand7157]

What brandy are the phosphore bronze

[@NickMcC]

Both sound good to me! The bronze seem a little more wild and have more low mids, interestingly. On some of the examples, they actually sounded warmer than the nickel to my ear. Either way, lovely playing as always!

[@WayneChurchill-zd3pm]

It in the fingers and how long you the peron as played

[@dhirenjazz8100]

Which one is better for resonant sound quality strings for acoustic guitar????????

[@merseybeat1963]

Does the Nickel feel different. Is Nickel sound less volume. I find bronze strings bright and brash.Thank you

[@billieg826]

The Reros seemed to give an extra presence to the lower notes on the guitar.

[@FIVE_DOLLAR-DAVE]

I've been using monels on my open tuned slide guitar, and it sounds so much better than with pbs. Great playing and thanks for the comparison.

[@TheOrchardParkBand]

I like the phospher bronze best. Especially with the blue chip. The phospher bronze rings out more to my ears. My go to string on my hd28 is the ej17. Yours looks and sounds great. I have tried all kinds on my hd28 and keep going back but pb mediums sound best to me. Nice job on Lagrima. That was smooth..

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks for your thoughts Thomas!

[@paullevine1813]

I have a Martin DC Aura which for years I've use both Martins Clapton's Choice( Phosphor B. ) & their FX strings . I like them & will stick with them though i'm not abject to giving these strings a try at some point. Both sound great though to my ears they nickel strings sound a bit brighter than i would prefer but in the end we all should try new things & hey if they don't sound like you want you can just change back to the strings you use . Most folks i know prefer Light gauge strings though i learned on mediums ..056 - .013s . Same for my electrics i prefer .011s over 8s or 9s but that's just my preference . I find it's a never ending thing to keep trying new things when you have been playing a long time but hey there's no harm in that at all. Interesting clip & i may just give these a try as you really need to play them on your guitar more than hearing them on someone else's though it 's a good reference for making that choice . Each to his own which is why playing is fun . These are only my opinions & for myself & the acoustic side of what i play . More of an Electric Rock & Blues player but i love my Martins & all good acoustic music. Don't have any acoustic posts but i do have a few audio tracks that are electric . kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHnNYWece7mlkKs

[@mygreatbigfoot1679]

Isn’t it going to be significant for those with an aftermarket magnetic coil type pick-up? Acoustically i prefer the bronze, but i liked them both.

[@SingSurfStrum]

Beautiful playing, thank you

[@picksalot1]

I preferred the Nickel strings on the leads and chord/melody examples, and the PB strings on the stumming examples.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Totally agree! I think I’ll be sticking with Nickel on this guitar for awhile

[@el34glo59]

Agreed

[@GuitarP0RN]

I'm the opposite

[@jaguarsunburst1570]

Really Great Job Man ❤❤❤

[@jeradatherton]

Are these both the same gauge?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

yes.

[@michaelhenry8861]

Isn't it crazy how people prefer a specific sound? It's what makes being a guitarist great honestly. I was stunned at how much difference there was between the two. To me, the monels were the far superior string with a noticeably brighter and crisper tone. The phosphor bronze almost sounded like heavily coated string in comparison to the Tony Rice's. Great demo, thanks for sharing.

[@geebro9430]

Great comparison technique, even I could tell the difference. I"m going to try nickel.

[@bobnolin9155]

Do the nickel strings sound different on an acoustic electric? I suppose it depends on the type of pickups used.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

I would bet they sound different with a magnetic pickup for sure. That might be a good topic for a future comparison.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Many years ago Gibson introduced the MONEL strings, way before Martin. Before CFM IV when they had a real customer service dept.... I called and suggested my 00 was dead,.. one guy, now retired, said get some Gibson Monel strings, that will do it. I did and it did. Thanks Buzz.

[@FRANKBOOTH777]

I was looking at these for my Old 70's Epiphone acoustic, but then I wondered how they would sound on my Ibanez Artcore? Anybody know if monel nickel will get pickup up by the pickups?

[@Glicksman1]

Also, the Monels naturally attenuate some lows which virtually always done when recording as a mater of course. The Monels sound clearer in way that will fit into a mix with little EQ.

[@TheGuitarsquatch]

The monel strings seem like a great choice for short scale guitars to add a bit more bite. It looks like I know what I'm trying next.

[@billdedrick1914]

wow great playing very jazz influenced ...What year is your HD28? It sounds great but would sound even better with medium strings. The P.B. sound fuller/warmer , more balanced with more bottom end. They are more percussive, more resonant and louder. The Nickels sound thinner but more clear, with less depth, less fullness and less richness and are a little brighter.

[@michaelhenry8861]

My #1 is an Alvarez MD70EBG and the Tony Rice's, for my tonal pleasure, really make the spruce/rosewood bluegrasser sing. Ive tried so many different strings on her and this is when I stopped looking for "the one."

[@reidblack4906]

I have the same setup and I agree 100%

[@zitnbit]

So phosphor one is more bassy than nickel one, right? Interesting.

[@michaellaverty1844]

I have used both. I love phosphor Bronze is my choice but I do like how the Nickel string feel on my fingers.

[@bryanjump3204]

My only acoustic is a Yamaha FG-75 from the 70's that is well traveled with a lot of stories to tell. A friend helped me repair it back to playable condition and he strung it up with some of his D'addario nickel-wound steel strings. I had no experience with playing prior to that so I didn't know bronze was even a thing. So I started out on those and grew to love the clean tone of them vs the bronze strings once I tried out a guitar for the first time in Guitar Center. The tone of the bronze put me off right away and I felt it did not fit my style at all. Now I've put D'addario NYXL on her and I'm loving it. Also they are easier to play at a low volume, which I do very often, using my guitar to help my wife get to sleep.

[@aaroncurry279]

Yea….my playing bores my wife to sleep too. Occasionally, she even feigns death to get me to stop.

[@bryanjump3204]

@@aaroncurry279 Haha yeah I thought that at first, accused her of being bored a few times too, but it's just relaxing melodic improvisation. The only person complaining of boredom is myself, due to the fact that I don't play other people's stuff or study it, I come up with new tunes slowly via exploration of the fretboard. The only complaint that I've ever received is that there are no lyrics to my music LOL... to which I responded. "You're welcome."

[@bryanjump3204]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXTGeKGllKqrj9E&ab_channel=BryanBellatorum I'm certainly no pro. Never posted anything to share but why not. This is with the strings I mentioned, only caveat is that it's recorded with a cheap cellphone so not amazing sound quality, but not bad really.@@aaroncurry279

[@aaroncurry279]

@@bryanjump3204 I have a difficult time learning because I don’t want the lyrics of “popular” riffs and songs on my mind. Mostly, I just make my own stuff up and entertain myself.

[@krismawyer55]

Nickel. They are better. Thrilled to find out Martin makes a Retro Nickel 12 string set too. I'm not sure if anyone else a 12 string nickel set. Beautiful playing! And brilliant song selection! Gives a true broad spectrum experience.

[@ClearColorCloud]

So.. those nickel strings - would they work well with a magnetic pickup, like an electric guitar pickup? I think I’ve heard bronze doesn’t work well because they aren’t as magnetic as the steel top strings, so you get an unbalanced sound.

[@bigjoecovers]

Next string change I’m gonna try the Nicole strings. Great comparison!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Glad to help!

[@bigjoecovers]

@@AlexPriceMusician these strings sound fantastic on my Washburn J45 knockoff! Thanks for the great video!

[@pacmanbeni]

Hola Alex,buen vídeo y buen trabajo¡¡¡ :) ....en cuanto a tacto dicen que las Retro se sienten más suaves y cómodas...cuál es tú opinión ?..Teniendo en cuenta que las PhBr ya son algo menos flexibles que las Br 80/20..crees que las Monel son más cómodas que las otras dos? Saludos¡¡

[@pacmanbeni]

Sorry Alex,i wrote in Spanish cause ytb translated text automatically and I was thinking you were Spanish speaker ☺️☺️

[@pacmanbeni]

Hi Alex, good video and good work!:) .... in terms of touch people say that Retro feel softer and more comfortable...what is your opinion?

[@pacmanbeni]

Considering that the PhBrs are already somewhat less flexible than the Br 80/20.. you think the Monel are more comfortable than the others ...thanks, greetings ;)

[@-_AjB_-]

Would nickel wound acoustic strings work witj a magnetic pickup?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Certainly. The magnetic pickups are designed for Phosphor Bronze strings but if anything, the nickels probably just have slightly more output.

[@-_AjB_-]

@@AlexPriceMusician Hmm, not sure you're correct friend. Bronze isn't magnetic. So..

[@AlexPriceMusician]

@@-_AjB_- The core of bronze strings is steel, just like nickel wound strings. That's also why tapewound strings still work with magnetic pickups.

[@richard4sunshine]

You are right about the pick attack. More of a midrange sound. Really nice guitar

[@dylanbrockguitar]

I just recently started using Martin Retro Tony Rice strings on my Taylor 214ce instead of Elixir's, and they sound clearer and richer. They go good because I'm Retro too haha!

[@johnoffutt898]

I am going to try the mm11 on my 000-16 Streetmaster VTS treatment Adirondack Spruce top with Indian Rosewood back and sides. I have been using phosphor bronze. Thanks

[@filthee1]

I just picked up a 000-16 and please report back with your findings.. it has PB on them now and the tone is harsh to my ears. TIA

[@phyfts]

Your guitar sounds phenomenal. Is that a hd28, what year?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Yep! I bought it new in 2013, so it's probably a 2012 model.

[@dobrostarr3759]

I have a boomy d35. I’m thinking nickel may be the way to go. Gonna give it a try.

[@jenseitsvonjedem1612]

Am I correct in saying that 0.10-0.47 nickel is being compared to 0.11-0.52 phosphor bronze?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Both sets were 13 gauge

[@jenseitsvonjedem1612]

@@AlexPriceMusician Thanks, this info helps me.

[@davidcudlip6587]

Is that an HD 28 or a D28?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

HD-28

[@joeprine1543]

What guage? Med or lights?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

@@joeprine1543 13

[@VaibhavMittalGuitar]

Hi nice playing, What’s the string gauge used in the demo?

[@AlexPriceMusician]

13’s. I just feel like this guitar really sounds great with heavy strings over lighter ones

[@lordofthemound3890]

@@AlexPriceMusician The middle strings in that Bluegrass set are a tad lighter than a usual 13 PB set. That may account for some of the difference too.

[@DSteinman]

Nickel bronze are worth trying too. I like those on this mahogany-back Eastman archtop I play gypsy jazz on.

[@stevec.1802]

Alex, I’ve had a set of monel strings on my D-28 and wasn’t too impressed compared to PB. However-monel strings on a D-18 sounded a bit better to me. 🎧 thanks for your experience and observations.

[@AlexPriceMusician]

Thanks for sharing!