Cobalts

spamcake16 · #1 08-27-2012, 03:42 PM

So are ernie ball cobalt bass strings worth the money, Ive heard good things but I just want to be sure before paying extra for strings

spamcake16 · #2 08-27-2012, 03:49 PM

Also, I am trying for a alternative/rock/metal sound

**cfsporn** · #3 08-28-2012, 08:13 AM

I would say so. They have a really nice sound that cuts through the mix well.

hotbass57 · #4 08-28-2012, 10:26 AM

I've had mine on for about 1 1/2 months. They have lost alot of tone. Getting ready to go back to my DR's. They had a great tone which I felt died fairly quickly, I'm a little disappointed. I won't purchase again.

dave_bass5 · #5 08-28-2012, 12:03 PM

Already a few threads on here, why not ask in one of those?

For what it's worth I also didnt like them and after two gigs they were taken off and my DR Black Beauties are back on.

GBassNorth · #6 08-28-2012, 12:25 PM

I bought a 4 string set a few months ago as a test set to see if I'd like them. I have a Fender Telecaster modern player (dual mudbucker) bass that I thought they'd make a real difference on. Installed them and within 30min took them off, they just overdrove the mid range and made the mudbuckers intolerable.
So I figured maybe better on a really agressive active preamp bass like my new Spector Euro 4LX which had stock strings that I wasnt fond of. Wrong, they ended up destroying the lowend, increasing the midrange and drastically increasing the left hand finger and fret noise of the bass.
The Cobalt windings were so agressive the "D" string would constantly get hung up in the nut when tuning and create a loud "twang" as each individual wind ran across the brass nut (wierd, never had that happen with any string before). I was so convinced these strings were great (based on all the TB hype) I figured my only option to improve the sound of my new Spector was to buy the $350 upgraded preamp.
Out of curiosity I slapped a new set of Elixir nanos on the Spector in place of the Cobalts and all I can say is - WOW! They completely changed the feel and sound of the bass. It's now my favorite bass to play and is exceptionally responsive in both the high and low ranges with no loss of mids. Finger and fret noise is completely gone as is the D string "twang" when tuning and note slides and left have speed are significantly improved over the Cobalts as well.
At this point I am now the proud owner of a fantastic Spector Euro 4LX that needs no after market mods and a slightly used set of Cobalt strings that are pure garbage.

So if you want a more expensive string, that slows your left hand technique down, increases fret noise and finger noise, decreases bottom end and probably wears your frets and nut out faster (and possibly from other reports I've heard dies relatively quick) go with the Cobalts.
But that's just one persons first hand experience with just one set of Cobalts on two different basses so YMMV.

PS - By the way, did I say I LOVE the Elixir nanos.

Seejay · #7 08-28-2012, 05:13 PM

I personally really like them. My go to string now, just love the sound of them on my Stingray. I used to use DR lo-Riders a lot but they just lacked something for me, Can't quite put my finger on it though, but I know the Cobalts gave me the sound the Lo-Riders didn't.

hotbass57 · #8 08-30-2012, 12:12 PM

This is pretty interesting, it kinda sounds like what bass they're used on. My Cobalts are on a 72 pbass with Dimarzio p/j pu's. They are not horrible strings, I just can't justify the price tag. Even at BSOL they're still $24-25. Don

dave_bass5 · #9 08-30-2012, 12:33 PM

Don't get me wrong, I'd happily live them and it's exactly the tone I was in to a year or so ago, it's just at the moment I prefer a different tone.

Seejay · #10 08-30-2012, 03:54 PM

I play a lot of punk ska, so I love that middy punch they give, the tone is just right for me. I pretty much change strings every month, so long life isn't majorly important to me I guess.

spamcake16 · #11 08-30-2012, 06:19 PM

Well my bass is a wood ergodyne and I decided to give them a try because of all of the mixed reviews, im going with the .55 guage cobalt power slinkys, worst case scenario I fork out a few more bucks and get my nickle roundwounds back, or experiment with others as im still trying to find out which strings are right for me, thank you

king_biscuit · #12 08-30-2012, 06:23 PM

I think they sound great on the basses I've tried them on. Definitely an improvement over nickel wound. I'm not sure they are any better than good steel strings like Fat Beams or Lo riders, though.

nozkcb · #13 09-19-2012, 08:31 AM

I just put a set on my Lakland 494 where I've replaced the stock Barts with Nordstrand's and the strings so far are GREAT sounding! Clear, punchy, bright (but not too bright) and more. . .umm . . pronounced sounding.

A few things I'm not sure about is the rolling effect I get when bending strings. The string itself kind of rolls like a wrapped nylon string does on a classical guitar. It's not bad necessarily, just different.

With the sound so far, I'm willing to learn to get used to it and will just "roll with it". ha.

I'll post an update once I get a few gigs under my belt to see how the strings hold up. I'm a notorious string killer!

sloppy_phil · #14 09-20-2012, 01:14 PM

I had them on my 4003, and they sounded spectacular! Best sounding string I had ever put on that bass. They just died frighteningly quickly. Granted, i think my hands are full of super-acid, because strings just die on me quickly regardless, but these were even faster than most.

armybass · #15 09-20-2012, 01:22 PM

Guess they don't like 4003's....had the exact same experience.... bummer.

**Mojo8ass** · #16 09-20-2012, 01:34 PM

Had Cobalts on my Sterling and my Rick. LOVED the tone on both basses. After about 3 months of heavy playing on both basses, I noticed that the strings were eating my frets! I'm talking some considerable wear from what had been there previous. They even wore down the saddles a little on the E and A string of my Rick!! I wasn't impressed with that at all! I loved the tone...... But not that much! Been back to my old strings ever since.

loend68 · #17 09-20-2012, 01:36 PM

I bought a set for my Spector and never got to hear them. I stretch my strings out (DR) before I play and they broke before I could play them. I guess the alloy isn't as strong, or at least doesn't like to be stretched out.

mmbongo · #18 09-20-2012, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojo8ass

Had Cobalts on my Sterling and my Rick. LOVED the tone on both basses. After about 3 months of heavy playing on both basses, I noticed that the strings were eating my frets! I'm talking some considerable wear from what had been there previous. They even wore down the saddles a little on the E and A string of my Rick!! I wasn't impressed with that at all! I loved the tone...... But not that much! Been back to my old strings ever since.

I found little brass slivers all over my fretboard on my Warwick after about a month with the Cobalts. Didn't care to see that.

jp grimbass · #19 09-21-2012, 12:13 AM

The replies in this thread surprise me. The Cobalts are the first string I have wanted to stick with after trying many strings.

The Lo-Riders and Fat Beams from DR had been my previous favorites but I thought the Cobalts kept a much more even tone as they crept forward into their later stages of life. After four sets I have had none of the issues with the strings breaking or weakening.

mmbongo · #20 09-21-2012, 08:21 AM

I think the Cobalts sounded great, I just didn't care for the rough feel and 3 years worth of fret wear in a month.