Monel users.....

[Paul Statman]

..."the Monels give me a sweetness on the A & E strings that I haven't been able to get with anything else. This have come at the expense of volume, but it is worth it to me".

I wouldn't expect a difference in the plain steel strings, only the wounds. What you say makes no sense (to me, at least). As long as these strings are the same gauges, they should be identical to the A and E courses in your previous sets.

[pops1]

Unless they are a different gauge. The Phosphor, 80/20, Pure Nickel, Monel, etc. only refers to the wound. Plain strings are pretty much plain strings.

[RustyMadd]

Do you Monel users feel like these strings give a little more than phosphor bronze strings? That is, do Monels seem a little less taut?

That’s what it seems like to me and I like it.

Thanks,

Tim Wilson

Yes! And a slightly lower tension tone as well. I do love them, but we got to get 11.5 E Strings, cause I snapped the inside E but replaced it with an 11.5 and since then it has been solid. But yes, they are slightly springy, and I suppose that is probably why Sam Bush love them so much what with all the bouncy (read pull-off based) "Bushisms" he uses. These strings are very pull-off friendly.
I have the D'Addario Monels and am shocked how much I like them. Blessings

[Paul Statman]

..I snapped the inside E but replaced it with an 11.5 and since then it has been solid.

My E strings didn't snap, they just came unravelled at the loop end. You may find this hard to believe, but the second one began to come undone while tuning before a jam party, and by some miracle (of the mandolin gods) held up like this until I removed it the following day:

[RustyMadd]

My E strings didn't snap, they just came unravelled at the loop end. You may find this hard to believe, but the second one began to come undone while tuning before a jam party, and by some miracle (of the mandolin gods) held up like this until I removed it the following day:

Wow! "Missed it by that much." That is very strange indeed. Because I have NEVER had a string give at the tuning peg on my mandolin. They've always given out on the loop end or at the bridge crossing. But this monel set had the inside E string giveout right at the tuning post. I use the Martin method of stringing instruments so if mine slipped, it almost certainly was too short to put back on. None of the rest have slipped at all. Nonetheless, my 11.5 replacement has been holding well. Blessings

[pops1]

I have had that happen a few times over the years, with various brands of strings. Bad day on the winder at the factory.

[Paul Statman]

Wow! "Missed it by that much." That is very strange indeed. Because I have NEVER had a string give at the tuning peg on my mandolin. They've always given out on the loop end or at the bridge crossing.

Mine were loop end failure, where the twist untwisted under tension.
Does anyone remember the period (many years ago) after they stopped using red fuzzy stuff, they would drop some soft solder into the twist? I'd thought it odd at the time, but now I understand why they did it. Now I don't understand why they stopped!

[Gr33n_jell0]

The A & E strings are still made of steel, are they not???

Plain steel according to the web site. I’m using the medium plus set.

[Gr33n_jell0]

..."the Monels give me a sweetness on the A & E strings that I haven't been able to get with anything else. This have come at the expense of volume, but it is worth it to me".

I wouldn't expect a difference in the plain steel strings, only the wounds. What you say makes no sense (to me, at least). As long as these strings are the same gauges, they should be identical to the A and E courses in your previous sets.

The Monels are smaller-gauge on the A-string then my previous set, which were D’Addario Nickel Bronze Medium Heavy. This may be what I’m hearing. Checking each string individually it does seem to be the A that is contributing to the sound I’m liking so much.

[V70416]

About a month in on my D'Addario Monels;I like them better than I could ever have imagined.

Wish I had tried them much earlier in my mando journey.

[lflngpicker]

About a month in on my D'Addario Monels;I like them better than I could ever have imagined.

Wish I had tried them much earlier in my mando journey.

I have had a set of the D'Addario Monels on my Collings about 6 weeks. They sound a bit brighter than the J74's but have a wonderful warm, big volume and the tone has remained the same after all these weeks playing daily. I am sticking with them for now and am pleasantly surprised as well.