I can’t argue the value of a set of TIs. I have them on a couple basses. But, when I grab a bass with new Cobalts, play it, then grab one with TIs, I put the TI equipped bass back on the rack and play the one with Cobalts. To each their own.
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Discussing replacements for EBMM Cobalt Flatwounds
- Thread starter JEDI BASS
- Start date
JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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Whoa, that is a super light set.
But hey, you might like things floppy.
Me, I play the 105-50 set...on everything.
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The white tapewounds, I think LaBella? They sound like rounds to me.
Yeah the combination of lower tension and smooth texture won me over a couple years ago. I played stainless rounds for decades, usually 45-105, 43-107, or 45-110.
Diversity of opinion is one of the things that makes the world go around
wintremute
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- Oct 16, 2014
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EB Slinky Cobalt Flats have been my go-to strings for the past couple of years. I generally use the 50-105 sets. I like them because they're brighter than typical flats and I usually change them out between 6 to 8 months. But yeah, they are getting pricey. Recently I've actually put Rotosound 66 rounds on a couple bases and have been enjoying them too. But I really love the feel of the cobalts, but sticky to me. I've also had no issues with rusting or corrosion and I live in Alabama. It doesn't get much more humid than that!
When I bought my Chromes (maybe a couple of years ago), the custom set was just a little more than the regular packaged set. But things may have changed now.
Were you buying them as singles, or buying a standard pre-packaged set and a single string to sub in for the one that was too heavy? Also, where were you buying them?
Thanks
This thread made me check the flatwound strings I bought back in 1981 for my Ibanez MC-924 and soon after for my acoustic Eko Chetro. They made me love playing bass (at the cost of guitar and 6-string banjo): Ernie Ball 2802 (Chrome, 055-110).
When I bought the first of my recent hoard of basses, an acoustic Fender CB-60SCE, I mounted Jim Dunlop DBFS45105 flatwounds. This is my only medium-scale bass, all others are long-scale.
Note that both the Ernie Ball (in the case of the Ibanez) and the Jim Dunlop strings were suggestions by shop staff. Based on their maybe limited familiarity with flatwounds at all. I have recently remounted the original tapewounds on the Chetro. However, I have a set of Thomastik AB344 at hand. (Ordered minutes before it came to me that the original strings must be Eko black nylon tapewounds, not something undefined. I have asked Eko in webmail, but that was only weeks ago.)
I have promised myself to keep roundwounds on my electric Harley Benton MJ-4EB ("Sandberg California"). In order to circumvene my promise, I have mounted Thomastik JF345 on its sibling MJ-5EB. This MJ-5EB and the MC-924 now feel as competitors for "king of the hill".
My latest bass is an acoustic Harley Benton B-35. I have mounted Thomastik AB345, but I may change to Thomastik JF345.
("A hoard of only six? You TB noob!") ;-)
Well, I have detected a niche in both scale and type, so I'm considering a short-scale P-bass type. It would likely stay roundwounded. (I'm thinking of a Harley Benton PB-Shorty or something similarly budget. Remember that I live "close" to Thomann, with shipping free already at "small" purchases.)
PS: Upon reviewing, I might consider "electric medium-scale" (of P- or other type) another niche.
Anyway, I'm in a learning curve of strings (invoking most of my string instruments). I'm now at a point where I consider the strings the heart of the sound, "equalized" through the characteristics of the instrument (body type and material) and the way the vibrations of the strings are made audible (different types of pickups, a soundhole). - I'm not yet at a point where the types of wood matter to me.
I'd like the whole sound spectrum of (my types of) string instruments to be available to me, so filling niches in that is more important to me than perfection within a part of that spectrum. Also, I don't make music for a living, just for fun.
When I bought the first of my recent hoard of basses, an acoustic Fender CB-60SCE, I mounted Jim Dunlop DBFS45105 flatwounds. This is my only medium-scale bass, all others are long-scale.
Note that both the Ernie Ball (in the case of the Ibanez) and the Jim Dunlop strings were suggestions by shop staff. Based on their maybe limited familiarity with flatwounds at all. I have recently remounted the original tapewounds on the Chetro. However, I have a set of Thomastik AB344 at hand. (Ordered minutes before it came to me that the original strings must be Eko black nylon tapewounds, not something undefined. I have asked Eko in webmail, but that was only weeks ago.)
I have promised myself to keep roundwounds on my electric Harley Benton MJ-4EB ("Sandberg California"). In order to circumvene my promise, I have mounted Thomastik JF345 on its sibling MJ-5EB. This MJ-5EB and the MC-924 now feel as competitors for "king of the hill".
My latest bass is an acoustic Harley Benton B-35. I have mounted Thomastik AB345, but I may change to Thomastik JF345.
("A hoard of only six? You TB noob!") ;-)
Well, I have detected a niche in both scale and type, so I'm considering a short-scale P-bass type. It would likely stay roundwounded. (I'm thinking of a Harley Benton PB-Shorty or something similarly budget. Remember that I live "close" to Thomann, with shipping free already at "small" purchases.)
PS: Upon reviewing, I might consider "electric medium-scale" (of P- or other type) another niche.
Anyway, I'm in a learning curve of strings (invoking most of my string instruments). I'm now at a point where I consider the strings the heart of the sound, "equalized" through the characteristics of the instrument (body type and material) and the way the vibrations of the strings are made audible (different types of pickups, a soundhole). - I'm not yet at a point where the types of wood matter to me.
I'd like the whole sound spectrum of (my types of) string instruments to be available to me, so filling niches in that is more important to me than perfection within a part of that spectrum. Also, I don't make music for a living, just for fun.
See, that's interesting. I live in Westchester, NY (a county about under an hour North from Manhattan, NYC) in an area known as the Hudson Valley, which is (as the name implies) a low lying area with the Hudson river to the West and the Long Island Sound to the East. So, we regularly get fog and humidity during the Summer and dry, frigid winters. So, I get lots of Neck movement that's a PITA, but no corrosion, per se.
As for bodily factors - hmm. I guess people have different pH levels. I recall reading an interview in the '90s where Dave Mustaine said he stopped using BC Rich guitars back in the day because his natural bodily acidity caused severe corrosion with the hardware that brand was using.
So, long story short, there's probably nothing anyone can do about it - it either happens to you, or it doesn't. Sucks, because I think Cobalt Flats sound great, but you gotta do what's best for you!
Have you considered Ground Wounds? I used them for a while and they were pretty okay.
I dislike the zing of rounds but sometimes needed so they stay on the jazz bass.
on all other bases that are the correct scale length and some that are not, get the Cobalt flats. I like the sound.
However some of my bases are short scale and through body and there isn’t a size cobalt flat that works. In those cases I go with GHS pressurewounds.
I also like labella dtf flats. They are polished and have almost imperceptible wraps. Best feel ever. I liked them better than the TI flats. However they are not bright so they are best for Motown etc.
Daddario chromes are pretty good too but don’t have as much of a “meaty” sound to me. Something about the character that is good but others I like better.
for the fretless I’ve liked the labella copper white tapes. They do not sound at all like rounds or flats. Instead of round wound zing, they have more of a clack and they stil get the mwah sound on a fretless with enough low end to back it up.
on all other bases that are the correct scale length and some that are not, get the Cobalt flats. I like the sound.
However some of my bases are short scale and through body and there isn’t a size cobalt flat that works. In those cases I go with GHS pressurewounds.
I also like labella dtf flats. They are polished and have almost imperceptible wraps. Best feel ever. I liked them better than the TI flats. However they are not bright so they are best for Motown etc.
Daddario chromes are pretty good too but don’t have as much of a “meaty” sound to me. Something about the character that is good but others I like better.
for the fretless I’ve liked the labella copper white tapes. They do not sound at all like rounds or flats. Instead of round wound zing, they have more of a clack and they stil get the mwah sound on a fretless with enough low end to back it up.
It was about a year and a half ago, and I bought them as 4 singles from Fret Nation for about $40. I think I read somewhere that Fret Nation doesn't offer the singles on their site any more (though maybe that was for the EB Group flats, or both), but maybe Jason can pull something together for you.
Hmm, I've never had that problem with them. I've never had any rust problems either.
Maybe the different results are due to different body chemistries.
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I should receive my 40-95 Chrome sets and the 40-95 Elixir nanoweb nickels today. I’ve got two sets of GHS Pressurewounds 40-96 and a 128 B single coming next week, as well.
So, with the goal being a bright sound, string pliability/flexibility, smooth feel, and of course decent string life (no rust after a couple weeks), my choices for comparison will be:
New sets-
Chromes 40-95
GHS Pressurewounds 40-96
Elixir coated nickels rounds 40-95
Elixir coated stainless rounds 45-105
Barely Used sets-
Sadowsky Blue label flats 40-100
Dunlop flats 45-105
I have some TI J flats on my Carl Pedigo dual P, new sets of La Bella DTF through body 39-96 and a LTF 42-100, and a new set of Rotosound monel flats 45-105. I don’t think the latter 3 can get the brightness I want. But, they can be given a fair shake.
So, with the goal being a bright sound, string pliability/flexibility, smooth feel, and of course decent string life (no rust after a couple weeks), my choices for comparison will be:
New sets-
Chromes 40-95
GHS Pressurewounds 40-96
Elixir coated nickels rounds 40-95
Elixir coated stainless rounds 45-105
Barely Used sets-
Sadowsky Blue label flats 40-100
Dunlop flats 45-105
I have some TI J flats on my Carl Pedigo dual P, new sets of La Bella DTF through body 39-96 and a LTF 42-100, and a new set of Rotosound monel flats 45-105. I don’t think the latter 3 can get the brightness I want. But, they can be given a fair shake.
Did I miss any “must tries”?
Im trying to be frugal but am willing to spend a bit to find the right string.
Im trying to be frugal but am willing to spend a bit to find the right string.
You must have a peculiar pH. Rust and corrosion? I've never experienced that and there have been times when I've had a single set on my Yamaha bass for a few years (during Covid I didn't change any strings on any instrument). But my pH is very gentle on metals. In your first thread you talked about EBCF's being rougher than you like. I dunno. But there are some things that I do to/with them that make them feel silky smooth. Perhaps you do these things already but they are worth mentioning.
1) Before they go on my bass I wipe them down with alcohol and/or Ronsonol lighter fluid to get the sticky gunk off.
2) They get treated with a wipe-down of Finger-Ease (I spray the stuff into an applicator rather than spray directly on the strings and/or fingerboard).
Smooth and slick. And for me they stay fresh for well over a year. I do re-apply the Finger-Ease ever few days or weeks, depending on how much I play that bass.
The EBCF sound is unique. And while you might find a set that feels great to you and even sounds great I don't think you're going to find that sound in any other strings. JMO
