EB Cobalts question

[anton72]

Guys who used EB Cobalts with your basses - have you really noticed some excessive fretwear after using them or is it just a suggestion due to their rough feel? I liked their clarity and powerful tone but this fret wear issue may be a deal stopper for the next set of them, so I'm now struggling with the decision. I'll appreciate your feedback on Cobalts.
Thanks!
Anton

 

[mcnach]

can't say I have noticed any fretwear, really. Using them in my Stingray, which is my main bass, for about a year now.

 

[mmbongo]

I was quite shocked at the fretwear I had on my Warwick after having Cobalts on it for about a month. Brass is softer though, but I've never seen little shards of brass left on my fretboard with any other string. Cobalts will eat your frets alive!

 

[anton72]

So guys thank you for our quite opposite opinions lol Any other experience with them?

 

[Gorn]

So guys thank you for our quite opposite opinions lol Any other experience with them?

I'm also curious about some new opinions on these. The consensus from the various threads on these seem to be that they can eat frets, but it seems to be mostly on Warwicks which have brass frets. Isn't brass a relatively soft metal? I really like the tone of these from youtube clips I'm watching. I want to put them on an MIJ aerodyne. I don't slap, I don't tap, and I don't bend notes that much so I'm thinking any fretwear would be minimal based on my playing style.

 

[mmbongo]

Here's another collection of totally opposing experiences
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/cobalt-strings-and-fret-wear.1010299/

 

[Gorn]

Yah I saw that one. The consensus of the masses seems to be that yes they cause fret wear, except when they don't, and yes they oxidize and look gross unless they don't. I'll give them a shot. They sound awesome on the youtubes.

 

[Linnin]

I was quite shocked at the fretwear I had on my Warwick after having Cobalts on it for about a month. Brass is softer though, but I've never seen little shards of brass left on my fretboard with any other string. Cobalts will eat your frets alive!

Yikes!

 

[mcnach]

Just put fresh ones for recording on my Stingray. Great strings if you like your midrange.

 

[Gorn]

mmbongo, they ate your brass Warwick frets, right? Aren't those softer than most common frets? Have you tried them on a non-Warwick?

 

[mmbongo]

mmbongo, they ate your brass Warwick frets, right? Aren't those softer than most common frets? Have you tried them on a non-Warwick?

No, I was afraid to

 

[Gorn]

I just put the 50-105 set on my aerodyne PJ. Very punchy and growly, which is nice, but a lot of the growl remains with the solo'd p with the tone down. My "band" plays a lot of stuff I need a vintage tone for so this may be a problem.

 

[Bassworship1]

I used nothing but Cobalts on my 2007 Stingray 5 HH and even recorded our first CD with it and I loved the sound and feel of them. I didn't notice any excessive wear or really any wear at all. Used them for atleast 2 years. Amazing strings.

 

[natw42]

Hmmm. I've had them on my lakland for 2+ years and haven't noticed any fret wear really, let alone excessively so.