Gibson Sam Bush Monels

[B. T. Walker]

The thread on availability of Sam Bush strings in the UK reminded me that I used the last package I had restringing my Mix A4. Guitar Tex didn't have any Gibson strings on their rack, so I ordered some more online, but now worry that Gibson may be phasing them out. If that's the case, too bad. I really like these strings. They sound great to me, stay in tune, and last darned near forever. Plus extra E and A strings are included to put in your case for emergency breaks.

In contrast, the last set of J-74's I put on broke a string in the process of restringing, pretty much ruining the set of strings. Though they sounded just fine, great really, they needed changing again too quickly IMHO. Constant retuning, but that is so normal for mandos, it is to laugh at.

My question is how many of you out there feel the same way, and why aren't there more of us?

[Mike Bunting]

Brian, that mirrors my experience to a T. I got my Stanley and it had J-74's on it and it sounded great so I stuck with them over the winter but on last string change an A broke while tuning up. Meanwhile, I got out the Collings which I hadn't been playing and it is strung with Monels. I was struck by how good it sounded since I was expecting the strings to be dead, the "dead" Monels seemed to bring out the sound of the mando itself, very "woody", without any string sound. I hope that makes sense, can't really express it better. I'm going to try Monels on the Stanley now to see how long they last. The only change I make is to put heavier A strings on the Monel set.

[Pete Martin]

I like em, bought about 60 sets when I heard about gibsons problems, so enough to last for a few years.

[hank]

What Gibson problems? I got 9 sets back ordered from Elderly from the Presidents string sale. Janet Davis is out too. Who still has them? Whats up? There's been plenty of time for Gibson to get some more of these out there. I've used my last set and that's been 6 to 8 months back.

[B. T. Walker]

I ordered mine last night from Strings and Beyond. Click their icon in the banner at the top of the "Equipment" page, straight up.

[sgarrity]

I just ordered some too. I love them and haven't been able to find them. Thanks for the heads up!

[300win]

no problem in getting them here in my neck of the woods.

[hank]

Thanks Brian, I ordered some too. 300win it might be a good thing to get a few extra packs while their still in stock there. These back orders for new inventories seems to be taking quite a while.

[Dale Ludewig]

I use them almost exclusively. (I don't like them.....) I get them from Big City Strings. Leo, the owner, is a joy to deal with. He told me recently that he had one set left and sent them to me. Gibson seems to be on the fence about the strings but he had them on backorder. I ordered 6 sets and they came about 2 weeks ago, IIRC. Maybe a massive campaign to let Gibson know we like these?

[Scotti Adams]

I ordered some from First Quality. Man..I hope they dont phase them out. Ive been using them since 1985. One thing I am wondering though in the new sets I bought there was no extra A's or E's. Im my old sets there were. Waz up wit dat?

[Mike Snyder]

I've been getting mine from juststrings.com with no problems. No extras, though, and I order single .015s to replace the As. I think I'm going to start ordering .012s to change out the Es. That seems a lot of trouble, but I really love those monel wound strings. I hope there's not a problem. It took me a long time to find a set I like.

[Perry]

Phasing them out? What in the world is Sam going to do?

Brian:

At the suggestion of Will Kimble I started putting GHS Silk and Bronze on my Mix A5
and have so for over two years....I like them on the Mix even better then Monels which I did try.

It may be an alternative if you can't find your Monels?

http://www.juststrings.com/ghs-lsb250.html

[300win]

I myself find it difficult to believe that Gibson is gonna discontinue Sam Bush monels. Afer all he is one of the most visible well known artist that Gibson endorses. Counting the new F-5 remake original they have come out with there is actually two Sam Bush model mandolins. Sam himself says he has always used the monel strings long before his name was put on the package. Not unless there has been some great falling out with Gibson, I think we will continue to see SB model F-5's and SB signature strings. Might be they are going to change the package picture or something in that line, maybe thats the reason inventories are down, who knows ? I think we will continue to see Gibson monel wounds in the same gauges as before, might be a name change or something but I think they will be with us, too great a string for them to just quit marketing it. Byu the way the only strings I use out of the SB's are the D and G's, I get individual E and A's in a little heavier gauge to match up with them. So I have quite a bit of new E's and A strings out of the Gibson SB's. I have them for emergency spares, although the only strings I've broken in the past 4 years are one E and a couple of A's, but of a differant make. I attest this good fortune to having two very, very, good mandolins and changing the strings out every 3-4 months. I used J-74's- 75's up until the past 6 months went back to the Gibson SB's which I used to use years ago before they were known by that name. Along with the single E [.0115] and A [ .16 ] I use with the heavy SB's monels give me a BIG sound on both my F-5 and A-9. There are 2 stores down my way that have many packs of the Gibson SB's on the string rack, and all I have purchased in the past 6 months have the extra E and A included. One of these stores is a certified Gibson dealer. Next time I'm down that way, I'll ask about the strings, see what if any info they have on the SB's. They should know since thay are a dealer for Gibson. When I find out I'll post the info on this thread.

[Rob Gerety]

Perry, do you know if there is any difference in pressure on the mandolin as between silk and bronze vs. PB wounds strings of the same gauge?

[Perry]

Rob

Sorry no I don't.

FWIW Juststrings.com lists the D string as having 18.0 tension pounds. They list J74's as having 23.6 pounds on the D string.

p.s. The S&B set has a 16 on the A string.

[Mike Bunting]

http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html
This might be useful.

[Rob Gerety]

Yea. I'm trying to avoid unnecessary pressure on my old mando. I'm using a PB set that it somewhat less than J74 - they have a 38 instead of a 40 for the G and the D is a bit less also. The E and the B are the same. Works real well on my old A because it really doesn't need the 40 on the G from a tonal perspective and it takes quite a bit of pressure off the top. I'm wondering how S&B set compares.

That is a great little calculator - but it does not appear to differentiate between the various types of wound strings which is what I'm wondering about.

[DannyB]

I like the monel strings ok myself but I won't buy them cause of the E and A strings mainly the A I believe. I can't, for me that is, get myself to buy the strings then replace the E and A. That's just me though, I went to the Bill Monroes and they sound great on my mando, found them on sale and bought a dozen sets.

If the E and A were different I'd buy the Sam Bush.

[mandroid]

They've been making Mona Steel strings for at least half a century, I got several sets bearing the product code G-161ML.. may be just leaving Sam's name out of the loop, so to say ;) ..
[apologize for pun-ishment] ... :redface:

try using the other product code, perhaps .. set of 8 , still .014" A's

[jimbob]

I like the SS strings....just put on a set of D'Addario JS-74's...not bad.
I also ordered some more SB strings just in case. Those things seem to last forever !

[sgarrity]

Got my strings from Strings and Beyond today. That was super fast service. I'll definitely order from them again!

[B. T. Walker]

Mine came in today, too. Kudos to Strings and Beyond. I feel better with a fresh supply. FWIW, I went to Gibson's accessories page, and there were the Sam Bush strings. Surely they are not phasing them out.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Whilst i don't use the Sam Bush Monels,i understand your concern.I'd be the same if i thought that D'Addario were discontinuing the J74's !. Why not all of you e-mail Gibson direct & ask them ?. I've found that companies usually respond well to enquiries from enthusiastic & concerned users of their products,
Ivan

[hank]

My Strings just came in as well. The folks at Strings and things are taking care of business.
Let me vent a bit and speculate in my folly to mentally compensate for reality. This years shortage at Elderly's and Janet Davis is most likely an effect of changes in popularity and stocking amounts. New orders to manufacture X number of batches falling behind suppliers orders to Gibson. Tax on existing stock keeps supplies each step along the way lean in an only as needed mentality which usually creates these kind of situations. Stockers always seem to be behind the power curve anyway(especially to changes which require actual attention to their job), kind of like I find going into a clothing dept. to find all the things I would buy in common sizes gone with only extreme sizes left. To compound the problem we as consumers tend to hoard and buy larger amounts than needed out of frustration with the out of stock situation. This causes stores that cater to Internet bargain sales have the most back orders. We're only gonna use so many strings no matter how we buy them in bulk or on a as needed basis so I can't see any positive sales motive. No most likely good old complacency at work here, no real shortages or discontinued lines only stockers with digits inserted in inappropriate places. OK, I'm through venting and bashing stockers. Everybody back on their heads.

[hank]

Elderly got the SB strings I ordered during their Presidents sale coming. :grin: Elderly has always been great to do business with in all my transactions with them. Also on a positive note besides the fast shipping the fine folks at Strings and Beyond sent a nice assortment of three free picks, a thin Elixir, a X-heavy Planet Waves and a mystery brand med/heavy. Sorry for the rant yesterday, I guess I get a little cranky about these back orders. ;)

[Benski]

Another happy SB string using customer of Strings and Beyond, here. :mandosmiley:

[Miked]

I received my order from Strings and Beyond back in February and figured I was set for a while. I had placed an order with Elderly a LONG time ago, but had forgotten about it since they've been backordered forever.

Well, guess what showed up in the mail today? Sam Bush Monels are apparently in stock at Elderly Music, for all those Elderly customers who were wondering...