I recently experimented with Martin Monel strings, which are marketed as “Retro,” on one of my guitars and found them quite appealing. This experience prompted me to consider how these strings, and similar types like pure nickel strings, relate to the world of electric guitars, particularly those seeking a vintage or “retro” sound. Today, I also tested Ernie Ball ‘Not Even Slinky’ strings on a less favored parlour guitar, and while tinkering with its setup, I’m curious if the strings are contributing to a brighter tone I’m now noticing, compared to phosphor bronze strings I previously used.
This exploration led me to purchase a set of D’Addario Jazz Medium ‘pure nickel’ strings, typically intended for electric guitars, especially larger bodied jazz guitars as depicted on the packaging. However, I’m considering trying these pure nickel strings on one of my acoustic guitars when a string change is due. The gauges are 13, 17, 26(w), 36, 46, 56, mirroring many medium gauge acoustic sets. This raises the question: what distinct characteristics should one anticipate when comparing Monel or “Retro” strings to pure nickel strings, especially in the context of achieving a Retro Electric Guitar tone, even when applied to acoustic instruments?
