I got some Ernie Ball Cobalts (review)

BassPlayer900 · #1 06-18-2012, 03:27 PM

My DR SS Lo Riders gave up on me. The E string became thumpy and the G string broke, so it was time for a new and different set of strings.

I decided to try EB Cobalts since I read they were very durable. Here is what I've noticed about them so far:

They are the loudest strings I've ever tried (I've tried Fender NPS rounds, EB Slinkys (Nickel), Rotosound Swing Bass 66s, and DR SS Lo Riders). They are so treble-y and twangy, like a guitar, so midrange-y and loud, they sing like no other string I've tried, so punchy and deep like a bass, and so harmonically rich, like a harpsichord or piano. Very awesome strings! The only con I can think of is they might be to overwhelming! (At least for me they are sometimes!) Cobalt strings are excellent, and if these have long life, I'll probably be hooked!

Jay2U · #2 06-18-2012, 04:25 PM

Could you give an impression of what they feel like and how the tension is with regard to other string sets? Which gauges are they?

musicman666 · #3 06-18-2012, 04:34 PM

^^Yes we need more input......

BassPlayer900 · #4 06-18-2012, 06:29 PM

Oops, forgot to add more!

The string tension is pretty tight (since they are hexcore), similar to strings like DR Lo Riders. The gauge I have is 45 65 85 105. These strings actually sound terrible through my 20 watt practice amp, but they sound amazing with headphones. So if you have a low-watt practice amp like me, these strings may not be all that great (unless you have headphones). Also, they feel slightly rougher than DR stainless steel strings, but no where near as rough as Rotosounds.

Jay2U · #5 06-18-2012, 06:34 PM

Thanks!

joebar · #6 06-18-2012, 06:35 PM

they are too much of everything IMO a lot like stainless and very bright and zingy.
oh yeah and expensive.

mmbongo · #7 06-18-2012, 07:54 PM

They sounded great on my Warwick...awful on my Lakland. I used them for about 2 months, but in the end just decided I didn't like the roughness and extra fret wear. I'm back to GHS Progressives for my Warwick for now which sound similar but are smoother feeling.

Crabby · #8 06-18-2012, 07:58 PM

The jury is still out for me. I just put a set on my SR5 which is a bright bass to start with and they were so over the top bright I couldn't take it. I am so used to regular Slinky's on this bass so the rougher texture and extreme brightness were a little disconcerting. I need to let them settle in a bit and then make a more informed opinion. Maybe on a darker bass they will be outstanding.

Kubicki440 · #9 06-19-2012, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

They sounded great on my Warwick...awful on my Lakland. I used them for about 2 months, but in the end just decided I didn't like the roughness and extra fret wear. I'm back to GHS Progressives for my Warwick for now which sound similar but are smoother feeling.

The Cobalt's sound good on my Warwick as well, but I also agree I don't like the roughness and extra fret wear. I may have to eventually switch to the GHS Progressives (never tried them only the GHS Boomers). I have been using the EB Slinky's for years, before I tried the Cobalt's. I still like sound and feel of the Slinky's over the Cobalt's so far. To each his own I suppose.

mmbongo · #10 06-19-2012, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kubicki440

The Cobalt's sound good on my Warwick as well, but I also agree I don't like the roughness and extra fret wear. I may have to eventually switch to the GHS Progressives (never tried them only the GHS Boomers). I have been using the EB Slinky's for years, before I tried the Cobalt's. I still like sound and feel of the Slinky's over the Cobalt's so far. To each his own I suppose.

Progressives are definitely not like Boomers! I'm not a fan of Boomers...or Slinkys.

musicman666 · #11 06-19-2012, 10:19 AM

Any one try Cobalts on a P-Bass?

**cfsporn** · #12 06-19-2012, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicman666

Any one try Cobalts on a P-Bass?

I have them on my Squier Mike Dirnt, and I think they sound great.

BassPlayer900 · #13 06-20-2012, 03:13 PM

I'm kinda starting to lose interest in these strings. They have WAY too much midrange for me. However, they're broken in now so at least they sound better than they did before through my amp.

jp grimbass · #14 06-22-2012, 11:37 PM

I thought I had finally settled on a set of stings with DR Lo-Riders until I tried the Cobalts on my Bongo. For me the highs were a bit more defined and the tension was quite a bit less so they had me from the start. After I had a succession of surprise gigs that made me keep the strings on longer than I normally would I was completely sold. While most other strings have died on me if I kept them on for over two months the Cobalts kept on going with very little change in tone or punch.

drewsky2004 · #15 07-12-2012, 09:28 PM

The sound is amazing. I've had the strings close to two months now and it still sounds like how I got em the first day. The downside is that they get dirty and gross really fast, so you gotta constantly keep em clean with some cleaning agent and a rag. They are a little harder on the fingers as the strings are not smooth at all. Bass slides seem a bit harder to do than on regular nickel strings, and I slide up and down a lot (haha that sounds hilarious

)

After using them, I see cobalt strings as sacrificing the smooth feel of nickel strings for great and long lasting sound. I like em. It's a maybe on whether I would use these again. I miss the feel of nickel lol.

armybass · #16 07-15-2012, 01:58 PM

I too am a nickel guy for a long time after starting out on SS. I have been a DR guy for a long time but they have really become hit and miss one quality and for the price I paid for them ...that aint cool.

So I got a set of Cobalts a few months ago and just put them on my Ric 4003 this weekend....oh man...they sound fantastic. They make my Ric sound HUGE. I love them...I have several basses and am not looking for that kinda tone and feel on all of my strings but they are exactly what i was looking for on my Rics!

sonic 7 · #17 08-19-2012, 03:31 PM

Well , been playing the Cobalts on my Carvin LB70 daily for about two months now , they have corroded more than anything else Ive ever used, but... They still sound great.

BassPlayer900 · #18 08-19-2012, 06:55 PM

I've had mine for about 3 and a half months now. These strings have the longest life of any bass string I've ever used. They didn't wear my frets like the Rotosound 66s did. They have gotten to be very dirty. Even after wiping them down they got really dirty after I started playing them for a little while.

The tone I get is STILL pretty good even they've been on my bass for so long! I'm not sure if I'd buy these again though. There were times where I really hated the tone and times where I really liked it. I think I'm going to try Rotosound Swing Bass 66 strings again next time I get strings.

armybass · #19 08-20-2012, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassPlayer900

The tone I get is STILL pretty good even they've been on my bass for so long! I'm not sure if I'd buy these again though. There were times where I really hated the tone and times where I really liked it. I think I'm going to try Rotosound Swing Bass 66 strings again next time I get strings.

Ditto.... I have a set of Roto's Swing Bass 66's waiting to go on my bass. After an initial warm gloing review...these strings do not sound very good at all to my ears. They sound dull and lifeless and much higher tension than I like. And mine have only been on for a month. I play two nights a week but I really expected more out of them than this. They sounded great right out of the box but instantly took a tonal dump.

king_biscuit · #20 08-20-2012, 12:29 PM

I think the cobalts sound good new, and after they break in. I can't imagine a set of rounds staying bright (new sounding) for more than one good gig anyway -- it's the nature of the beast. The cobalts don't sound any more dead to me after a month (one 3 hour gig per week) than any other round I've used.