Nickel bronze strings

[Mark Miller]

On a whim I recently tried a set of d’addario nickel bronze strings. Hated them at first, they sounded harsh and metallic. But now they have settled in and the tone is great. Especially on the chop, which for the first time is sounding close to what it’s supposed to. Anyone else try these?

[EricLopez]

I really enjoy them. To my ears, they have a stronger fundamental and fewer overtones than phosphor bronze

[Jim Garber]

I used them when they first came out and like them on guitar and mandolin. Before that was was using Monel which is another nickel alloy but I find the NB's just a little warmer and more pleasing.

[Drew Egerton]

My go to strings up until my mando came back from Skip with some Maritn Monels on it. I like those a lot too, but will probably put the NB set back on again for a good AB comparison. Also plan to try the D'addario monels soon as well.

The huge plus for me is that my skin chemistry is horrible with Phosphor Bronze and I don't get all this gunky buildup stuff on the NB or monels that I do with those.

[MediumMando5722]

I’ve shared this story before, but Adam Steffey told me he uses the Nickel Bronze (11.5-40). Said he can kill any strings, including coated, in a single show, but the NBs last significantly longer.

[UsuallyPickin]

Both Monel and Nickel -bronze are on my list of things to investigate when I run out of strings ….. R/

[pops1]

Both Monel and Nickel -bronze are on my list of things to investigate when I run out of strings ….. R/

Try the Pure Nickel from GHS also, great strings on my mandolin.

[V70416]

Like EricLopez said,Ithink the NB from D'addario have a stronger fundamental tone/less overtones than PB. I like them on my
Gibson F5.
Just ordered soem D'addario Monels to try out. Will try them on F5,snakehead,and F4.

To think I used to be satisfied with plain old phosphor bronze! I'd still be fine if that's all I could get;but,
it's kinda like new electronic tuners(picks/mandolins etc.);gotta try the new/improved models in the quest for "better".

Yeah,if I could just get a Heiden AND a Sorensen to compare...and them keep them both!
THEN I'd be satisfied.

Right.

"I cain't BE satisfied!" (Muddy Waters)

[RustyMadd]

I have been wanting to go back to the old strings just to remember more clearly where it started. I am planning to support Martin first with their Monels since they were the ones that started this retro string thing for Tony Rice. Then I thought I would try GHS pure nickels next, then finish with the grossly overpriced D'Addario NBronze. I just hope the first two are better for my situation. I've used D'Addario string forever seemingly, but twice the price?

[MediumMando5722]

...grossly overpriced D'Addario NBronze.

What makes you say they’re overpriced?

My local place charges $7.50 for EJ75 and $12 for the NB version. I get way more than twice the life out of the NB, plus they feel and sound better to me. To my ears (and wallet) that does not add up to overpriced.

The NYXL steel they use for the plain strings and cores really is better than everybody else’s stuff, at least for my needs. I also use the NB strings on my guitar, and I tune it all over the place, from open C to open E and all tensions in between. It doesn’t take very many times of going from C to E for a regular .013 to break, but I’ve had the same set of NB .013-.056 on for at least 4 or 5 months, probably more like 6. Same with my dobro going from open D to high G.

[Teak]

I love them. They are my string of choice and I got the local music store to carry the 11.5-40 sets just for me. I usually get at least 4-6 weeks out of one set even playing every day.

[mandroid]

copper+ tin is bronze, nickel added instead of phosphorus, to the bronze?

metallurgy question, not about perceived sound change

[onassis]

I really like them, was using them for the last 8-9 mos, but then put on a set of Curt Mangan PB's at the last change. Now I'm digging the overtones and such that I was avoiding before. So goes the eternal experimentation with strings and picks. Just when you think you've got it all figured out....

[Teak]

copper+ tin is bronze, nickel added instead of phosphorus, to the bronze?

metallurgy question, not about perceived sound change

From what I read, these are phosphor bronze strings with nickel coating. The phosphorus content is less than 0.35% and is supposed to help with wear resistance and stiffen the tin-copper (bronze) alloy. The nickel makes them brighter and longer lasting, perhaps by increasing the corrosion and wear resistance.

[George R. Lane]

Do most of your mandolins have a Sitka or Red Spruce top? Has anyone tried them on an Engleman topped mandolin?

[Prelude]

I've been gravitating toward the nickel/bronze/monel realm for the past year or so and have tried Mangan Monel, GHS Nickel, D'addario NB. The Nickel Bronze have been my go to for mandolin and guitar, but I just put on the second set of D'addario Monels on the mandolin. They break in fast and seem to keep their tone for a while. Not going to be everyone's cup of tea, tone-wise, but worth a try.

[Lord of the Badgers]

In a way the daddario ones lull me into a false sense of security - they DO break but only after about double the number of gigs I used to be able to get out of pb strings.
I love them. But I am still over cautious as I had one go minutes before a festival slot where we were up against it timing wise.
Thank heaven for James tailpieces!! So quick to restring and amazingly my tuning was pretty stable.
But I digress. To sum up - great sound and brilliant life just don't over rely on them - which is of course very sensible!!

[Phil Goodson]

Do most of your mandolins have a Sitka or Red Spruce top? Has anyone tried them on an Engleman topped mandolin?

They sound great to me on my Engelmann topped Heiden.
Would you be expecting a predictable difference among various woods?

[Teak]

Do most of your mandolins have a Sitka or Red Spruce top? Has anyone tried them on an Engleman topped mandolin?

I have both a Sitka spruce topped mandolin and an Englemann spruce topped one. The nickel bronze strings sound good on both.

[George R. Lane]

They sound great to me on my Engelmann topped Heiden.
Would you be expecting a predictable difference among various woods?

Phil,

I don't have an answer for that question. I was just asking to see if any of you have noticed a substantial difference.

Thanks for the replies.