I’ve often used the Sam Bush monels. Thought I’d give the Martin’s a go.
So the question is - oval hole or f-hole for the Martin strings?
What’s your experience?
Thanks in advance.
I’ve often used the Sam Bush monels. Thought I’d give the Martin’s a go.
So the question is - oval hole or f-hole for the Martin strings?
What’s your experience?
Thanks in advance.
JBovier ELS; Epiphone MM-50 VN; Epiphone MM-40L; Gretsch New Yorker G9310; Washburn M1SDLB;
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I really liked the Martin Monels on a 1924 Gibson Snakehead A Junior mandolin that I used to own.
I only have f hole mandolins. In my experience I preferred both Cut Mangan and D'addario monels over the Martins. Of course the Martins are the cheapest.
Drew
2020 Northfield 4th Gen F5
2022 Northfield NFS-F5E
2019 Northfield Flat Top Octave
2021 Gold Tone Mando Cello
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i use the Martins on a Stanley A5 and Gibson A9. They are about the same as the GHS version to my ears. A friend also prefers the Martins on his Lebeda F5.
Match the numbers .. string gage thicknesses...
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I used the Sam Bush sets and still have a bunch but switched over to the D'Addario NBs. Similar to Monels but a hair warmer and I use them on all my carved mandolins except for the Lyon & Healy. My preferred string on guitars as well. Barely use any PB strings on anything.
Jim
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Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
I use them on both round and f hole mandolins at the moment but the oval hole is the instrument for which it is the usual setup.
I’ve tried Martin and D’Addairio monels. The Martins aren’t bad strings, but I, too, prefer the D’Addairios. Have them on both my Kelly A5 and my Rigel CT-110. Don’t own an oval hole one presently.
Chuck
Curt Mangan's are fine, but I've been mostly playing D'Addario's NB strings lately. NB is a little punchier (how's that for a technical term!). All f hole instruments.
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I tried the Martin monel strings on an F5 style mandolin a few years ago and in my opinion they sounded weak and hard to hear compared to both the Curt Mangan monels and the D’Addario monels. Of the latter two, I slightly prefer the Mangan monels, although both sets sound similar to me.
Drew
2020 Northfield 4th Gen F5
2022 Northfield NFS-F5E
2019 Northfield Flat Top Octave
2021 Gold Tone Mando Cello
https://www.instagram.com/pilotdrew85
Nickel bronze just didn't work for me, despite my mandolin liking monels. She likes heavier PB strings more than regular gauge monels so upcoming experiments will be with heavier monels. 14 months in on this mandolin and I nearly know which strings I should use, haha.
What I play
2021 Skip Kelley Two-Point
Eastwood 'Ricky'
Morgan Monroe RT-1E
Epiphone Genesis guitars
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