D'addario Nickel Bronze Strings

[neatomic]

the venerable old house has come out with a cool new string..nickel bronze!!...it's a nickel plated bronze string on a steel core...so has acoustic bronze qualities but with outer nickel plate feel and look...plus increased magnetic properties which can work with magnetic pickups

seems like a good choice for archtops

[PaulHintz]

So, have you (or has another forum member) tried these? I agree the description sounds enticing.

[Archtop Guy]

Thanks Neatomic,They sound interesting for sure.

[Woody Sound]

I wonder how they compare to DR Zebras.

DR Strings | The Handmade String - Guitar and Bass

[kenbennett]

Hear comparison with Phosphor Bronze on flattop

Click "Start Here", then click "Scroll Down"

[Woody Sound]

Hear comparison with Phosphor Bronze on flattop

Click "Start Here", then click "Scroll Down"

Jeez, that's quite a difference. Almost sounds like they boosted the level for the NB side of the recording. Could the strings really be that much louder?

[cmajor9]

I imagine they might be D'Addario's answer to the Martin Monels, which have been getting a lot of attention.

I've tried them on one 17" archtop with a floating pickup. They sound nice, more lively than the Monels. But played electrically the output of the wound strings still doesn't balance with the 2 unwound ones (what I was hoping for).

[GodinFan]

GHS also has a magnetically sensitive acoustic string called White Bronze. I tried those and the DR Zebras, liked the GHS best.

[kenbennett]

In the past, 20 years or so ago, I thought all strings sounded and felt pretty much alike. DR was different, not better or worse, just different.

For the past 5 years or so I have chosen 80/20 over Phosphor-Bronze on my flattop just because they sound better. They don't sound good for as long, but while they're fresh I much prefer them. Even when they start to go dead, that's a sound that you hear on a lot of old records. Plus I can buy either set for $5.

For me to pay twice that much or more, there really has to be some magic there.

I ruled out coated strings from the start. To me a brand new set of coated strings sounds less good than any non-coated string. People say they last longer, but I don't care. I buy strings for how they sound new and don't mind changing strings often.

Having said all that, I do have a magnetic pickup on the flattop, a Fishman in the soundhole. And I have some acoustic gigs coming up, so I'll try these things and report back in a few weeks.

[neatomic]

agree kb

dr pure blues are fave old school style string..round core with pure nickel wrap..i've had occasional troubles with qc/packaging ie rusty strings..but overall a great string

80/20's were classic vintage string..what d'angelico used...agree with your assesment

coated /elixir type strings- never was a fan..why would i want a teflon or gortex covered string??.. so it'll sound bad for 6 months longer?

these new d'addarios seem a step in a good direction..nickel feel, bright sounding and increased magnetics..if the magnetic balance between strings is right, we may have a winner...lookin forward to your report


cheers

[jorgemg1984]

I couldn't agree more with 80/20 - I wish I had found them years ago, never bounded with Phosphor Bronze!

[Marty Grass]

Maybe it's like the hum of a single coil that many have made peace with, but the finger squeaks of round wounds are annoying to me. I like the clarity of round wounds on an archtop. There's the dilemma.

The nickel bronze DA's sound good. I have one flattop. I may try them on it.

Thanks for the interesting thread.

I wonder what there will be that's new with strings in 50 years.

[kenbennett]

Jeez, that's quite a difference. Almost sounds like they boosted the level for the NB side of the recording. Could the strings really be that much louder?

I know. It seems almost unrealistic. The nickel-bronze sounded a lot louder and a lot brighter.

I'll try to design an experiment that minimizes anything that would favor one string over the other. It won't be easy, because you have to use the same guitar with the same setup and as close to the same performance as possible. And there will be a time lag between performances to change the strings which will make it hard to get back into the same frame of mind and play with the same feel. But I'll keep the same mic up in the same place with the input levels set the same for both the mic and the pickup.

I'm thinking record the mic and pickup at the same time but show two separate A/B comparisons, one with just the mic and one with just the pickup, on the same performance. Then I'll give you two separate versions of each comparison, one as recorded and one with the levels matched to eliminate loudness as a factor in evaluating tone, even if one set really is louder than the other.

Also, I'll play the 2 different strings on 2 consecutive gigs, a new set installed the day of each gig, one April 4 and one April 6. That way my singer, who also plays guitar, and whoever else is there both nights can give their subjective opinions as well. The 2 gigs are at the same place, so room acoustics won't be a factor, and I will write down the settings on my PA channel to make sure they're the same both nights.

Normally I wouldn't go to such lengths. I would just try them see how I like them. But that video seemed unbelievable. So, if I'm careful with the test, and get the same results as that video, then these things might really be something.

Even so, the cost difference would tend to put me off using them all the time.

[kenbennett]

Maybe it's like the hum of a single coil that many have made peace with, but the finger squeaks of round wounds are annoying to me. I like the clarity of round wounds on an archtop. There's the dilemma.

The nickel bronze DA's sound good. I have one flattop. I may try them on it.

Thanks for the interesting thread.

I wonder what there will be that's new with strings in 50 years.

Segovia said the squeaks were part of the music.

[neatomic]

heres pb vs nickel bronze vs monel vid

could have been edited for comparisons better, but with a bit of ff/rew..you can get it

cheers

[TOMMO]

Just saw an ad for those this morning and immediately thought "resonator"!

Just wondering how long it will take until the nickel plating has worn off......

[campusfive]

I can't watch the video right now, but I'm bummed to realize that it's nickel-plated bronze, and not monel as I'd originally thought. Looking at the branding and talking points, they are clearly going for the same idea.

They're also quite a bit more expensive than Martin Retro, at least at Guitar Strings and Beyond - Buy Guitar Strings Online and Save!. S&B has the best prices on Martin Retro, at $7, whereas the D'A NB's are $12.

Also, I have my complaints about unique gauges on the Retro's, but the D'A NB gauges are also quite different. Anyway, I bought a set, but haven't put them on yet. We'll see.

[Woody Sound]

I can't watch the video right now,

I have a feeling you'll like the playing.

[powerwagonjohn]

Concerning the DR strings I used them for a long time and then found that many of them were coming out of the packs with corrosion. I contacted DR strings and the quality/artist rep told me they had a problem with the manufacture of the envelopes that was causing the corrosion problem. The rep. told me to be sure to get packs with the yellow string envelopes as this is the new packaging. I have not had a problem since. On my L-4CES I have flat wound TI's but on my acoustic L-4 I use round wound monel or bronze strings.
Thanks John

[TedBPhx]

I put a set of the D'Addario Nickel Bronze on a Martin D-35. Yuck. But after 35 years of Phosphor Bronze on that guitar my brain is hard wired to expect that ringing tone and the nickels sound dead.

But I'll try the Martin Retros anyway. Maybe they'll sound better now that my expectations of what that guitar should sound like have changed.

[omphalopsychos]

I could see someone not liking these strings depending on the sound they're after, since these strings have relatively subdued upper harmonics. I have heard Monel strings on archtops that sound great after breaking in since they bring out the midrange frequencies. I felt that way about monel on my acoustic archtop, but I also felt the monel strings lacked bass. It's my impression after putting on a set of DA Nickel Bronze that they have a stronger bass response than the Martin Retros.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I just got a packet of three D'A phosphor-bronze sets for my flat-top, so I'm set for strings through November -- but I'll check these out, I plug in at the local open-mic (as well as mic'ing the soundhole) and I'd be interested in checking out any differences that might be running around.

[Chazmo]

I put a set of the D'Addario Nickel Bronze on my Godin with a Bartolini floater and was disappointed that the string balance was off, just like phosphor-bronze or 80/20 acoustic strings. I was really hoping the nickel content would make them better for mag pickups.

On the other hand, I put a set on my '51 Epi Zenith acoustic and really like them. Nice, smooth feel and a good sound for straight acoustic/no pickup.

[Boston Joe]

coated /elixir type strings- never was a fan..why would i want a teflon or gortex covered string??.. so it'll sound bad for 6 months longer?

I use Elixirs on everything but my Archtop. I think they sound great. The thing to remember is that they come in two flavors - Nanoweb and Polyweb. You want the Nanoweb. Frankly, feel and sound wise, I don't think they're much different than any other string.

Personally, the only significant difference in strings I notice is between flat wounds and round wounds. Everything else is just splitting hairs, and I'd rather play than change strings.

Sometimes y'all remind me of some of my motorcycle friends who'll pay hundreds of dollars for engine tweaks so they can get 3 more HP out of their bikes. I'd rather spend that money on hotel rooms for my road trips.

[Hep To The Jive]

GHS also has a magnetically sensitive acoustic string called White Bronze. I tried those and the DR Zebras, liked the GHS best.

That's what I use on my resonator! Sounds perfectly great with the Lace pickup, is there any reason I should experiment with those new Daddario strings?