drathbun Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 I'm super happy with my Elixir PB HD Lights on my Gibson SJ200. However, after having heard Laurence Juber promote Martin Retro Monel strings, I thought I'd give them a try on my Martin 000-28vs since that is my fingerstyle guitar. Since doing an A/B test is a challenge with strings, I thought I'd use a video to hear the differences. I recorded a series of strumming, fingerstyle and flatpicking on the 000-28vs with one-month-old Elixir PB HD Lights in open standard tuning and with a capo at 2, 3 and 5. Then I changed strings and used the same audio setup and settings and recorded the same snippets. Then I cut the video together with the short guitar sections next to each other Elixir then Retro. There is NO audio processing at all. I recorded with a Rode NT1 condenser mic on one channel and the iRig Acoustic Stage on the other through my Zoom UAC-2 interface. The video was shot with a webcam rather than my usual iPhone 7 Plus so I could record directly into my VideoPad Video editor. After listening back and feeling the differences between the strings, here are my findings. First, this is the Retros after being on the guitar for exactly five minutes. I'm sure they will change. Also, I've used Elixirs for more than a decade because my skin chemistry destroys strings FAST! I can kill a set of Martin SP's (awesome strings) in hours. So if the Retros last longer than a couple months I will be switching to them for the Martin. The Retros feel softer. I assume that is both because of the lighter gauge and softer metal. The HD's are .013, .017, .025, .032, .042, .053 with 168.5lbs of tension and the Retros are 012, .015, .025, .031, .041, .054 with 156.79lbs of tension. The Retros also sound more "open" and balanced. I'm liking the bell-like tones I'm getting especially with the capo at five for fingerstyle pieces like "Scarborough Fair". I'll do the test again in about a month (if the Retros last that long) but I'm favouring them at this point over the Elixirs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycg1FwXeAWI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe M Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Very nice, and excellent playing....but I couldn't help but stare at your beautiful J200 sitting all lonely on it's stand.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 Very nice, and excellent playing....but I couldn't help but stare at your beautiful J200 sitting all lonely on it's stand.... Thanks, Joe. The SJ200 isn't lonely at all! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.