Although a few brands are experimenting with this material it’s Martin that’s really going at it in a big way. Before ‘Retro’ became a range of strings, they were developed for Tony Rice to re-discover the sound of his old Martin D28.
This vintage, pre-war material is a nickel-based alloy and its key features are a soft feel, innate longevity and a warm but crucially, uncoloured sound. These strings really let a guitar show itself off. Monel has this beautiful warm and clear sound making for an amazing set of acoustic guitar strings which is transparent, even enhancing the woodiness of the instrument.
Players are beginning to favour monel strings for their ability to let the sound of the guitar itself be heard. The character of your guitar is the sound rather than that of the strings.
There are now just a few manufacturers still opting to use the more expensive Monel and the Martin Retros are some of our favourites. So, for a warm, expressive, and vintage acoustic guitar sound, try a set of these!
