• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

EB extra slinky cobalt flats, randomly get sticky during gig!

wyleeboxer

wyleeboxer

Apr 28, 2005
2,242
1,555
Orange County, CA
#1
I mean these these strings have a mind of their own, usually by the second set all of a sudden it’s like my tongue is sticking to a freezing metal pole, and I’m already sweating too, even tried fast fret tonight which last only a couple songs. I’ve had them on my RW jazz for a month gigin’ once or twice a week and practicing ever nite, so they should be broken in. I have another set on my BB3000 for 3 months and it’s been played enough where the string feel is also very broken in and buttery except for again around the 2nd 3rd set then BAM the strings are ripping the calluses off my finger tips.

I love the tone and tension of the cobalts 40-95, and the smooth feel 95% of the time when the strings aren’t turning into super glue. What’s up with these strings, do they take months/years to completely break in to get a consistent smooth feel? Thinking of going back to Pressurewounds. But I’ve bought 4 sets already of the EB flats because I love the strings except when they turn on me during a gig! But at this point their almost unplayable during parts of the gigs and ready for the trash bin...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mili and adivin
#5
SLaPiNFuNK said:
Humidity change?
Click to expand...
No changes in humidity or weather conditions. Woke up and thought it might have something to do with the strings and sweat drying out during sets, cobalt chemical reaction thang, causing them to feel like dry ice? Obviously at home practicing I don’t sweat and they always feel smoother. All strings were rubbed with alcohol and steal wool before installing btw. Again I love the tone and really want these strings to work, especially since their on 3 basses now and have new pack for a spare that’s $120 in strings! Anyone else have some ideas? I haven’t had this bad of an issue with Chromes or LaBella’s.
Might call Ernie Ball tomorrow?
 
Last edited:
#7
Went back to the Pressurewounds, have some bigger summer festival gigs coming up and just can’t risk it with the EB flats hindering my playing. Bummer really. I’ve never experienced this type of sever sticky feel from other flats before. I’ll keep the EB flats on my BB3000 for now, it’s mostly used for original music bar band stuff... “string life” goes on!
 
#12
My first thought was: stop drinking beer while you're playing - you're dribbling on your bass. But seriously...

The first obvious question is do you use any string cleaning product? Could there be some residue left on the string that is reacting with your sweat? If so, perhaps you need to change the product.

If that's not an option, my next question is: What do you actually mean by "sticky"?

Do you mean that if you're not playing, just touching your finger tip to a string and lifting it off, the string actually feels tacky? If so, my gut feeling is it's probably not the string. The EB flats don't appear to have any coating on them that might react to heat or moisture. Perhaps your sweat is sticky. Have you tried picking up objects (picks, expression pedals, women from the audience) using just your finger tips?

Of, if you are playing, does it get harder to move/slide your finger up and down the length of the string, like the string is "catching" your finger? If so, I wonder whether the winding is affected by the heat (either the ambient temperature or your blisteringly fast riffing)? If there was any expansion in the metal wrap it would probably make the flat surface feel rougher.
 
#13
Back when I played flats, and I mean waaaay back in the '70's, I always kept a small cloth handy and wiped the strings fairly frequently just for the problem you're describing. More surface area equaled more stickiness I guess. And if you haven't played a pressure wound string yet you need to try them.
 
#15
Lots of folks saying you should try the Pressurewounds. I agree...give'm a shot.
I tried them for a while too just to see what all the hoopla was about. They're a fine string. But they don't measure up to the better, more sophisticated sound and feel of the EB Cobalt flats. Yes, the Pressurewounds are slightly crushed from a round wound perspective, but don't feel nearly as smooth as a good, fine wire round wound, and feel downright harsh compared to any of the flatwounds I use.
They do have killer output though. Great if you've a weak attack, or weak pickups.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HowieD72
#16
Goes to show how it doesn't matter how old a post is. This (10 years later) was important to me although the answer appeared on a different bass site I wanted to share that a person suggested smoothing Cobalt strings with steel wool. DO remove them from the bass first so your pickups don't inherit the steel wool fragments. It worked like a charm. I believe it's the edges of the cobalt wrap that are micro burred. The steel wool brought them very close to the smoothness of a standard flat wound with all the benefits of cobalt charm.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HaphAsSard and LetItGrowTone
#18
Second thoughts on Cobalts. They show a "crush" of the outer wrap on the underside of the string. If you ever restrung them you'd have to be careful to get them "down facing". They look dangerous. They also have an odd spacing and are sometimes inconsistently gapped on the outer wrap. They've never felt smooth /wonderful even after a procedure with steel wool and when I run my fingernail perpendicular up and down the string it catches in certain places rather than others meaning there is a real inconsistency in the wrap. Also noticing the skin on my less used but calloused pinky finger is getting ripped up. I wonder if it's so smart of EB in selling these cobalt razors. Even after smoothing them with steel wool and thoroughly loving the sound and convenience of a flat wound I've taken them off and relishing in round wound D Adario 160's for the moment. I'm looking at TI rounds but I'm not yet (via youtube demos) convinced that having a set of them on (the value of 4 plus sets of 160's) is worth having. It seems to get a bit nit picky for the $, ie 9 % improvement for 80% more cash. The 160 D Adario's on this (Gretsch junior jet) may be a two trick pony but I'm a simple man who loves a place in the mix and I'm getting it. Trust me, I've got better basses. I'm just questioning the strings. I've tried the next gauge up also in sheer experimentation and now I'm $100 plus in the trash and it isn't about sound but rather a physicality. I'm just sayin!
(Actually, I never throw any string sets away. They always seem to come in handy eventually even as a sheer experiment).
 
#20
I am opposite, sticky only happened on la Bella flat , EB group flat , chrome and GHS flat .

Never happen on 9050, EB cobalt flat and Ti flat. Could because all of them has tiny gap on outer warp.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HowieD72

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back