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

[bootstrap]

Ernie Ball Cobalts are the only flats I've used that would grab onto my forearm hair, typically when grasping the strapped bass by the neck to sling it overhead. I didn't like that feeling and so they're gone.

 

[HowieD72]

Never had a problem with any set of EB Cobalt flats. Most of my basses (past & present) are strung with EB Cobalt's and they feel a bit sticky for the first few days then it's gone. I had the sticky feel with the chromes on my precision as well, but that only lasted a few days also. Yeah, the Cobalt's aren't as smooth as the chromes, but I'd hardly say they were rough. I tried the pressurewounds and they sound great, but after playing flats, they feel rough. No comparison at all with the feel of flats. If any of you aren't happy with the EB Cobalt's 45 - 100, I'm happy to take them off your hands instead of binning them!

 

[HowieD72]

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).

Maybe you got a bad set? Maybe some of the steel wool you rub them with gets caught in the small gaps and that's what catches your fingernail as you run it up & down the string? Personally, I wouldn't be running any steel wool on any of my strings. Each to their own.

 

[One Way]

I’ve got LaBella flats on my P and EB Cobalt Flats on my J. I perceive the LaBella flats have a smoother finish than the EB cobalts. I apply a light coating of GHS Fast Fret each prior to a gig and that solves the sticky issue for me.

 

[Yahboy]

I’ve got LaBella flats on my P and EB Cobalt Flats on my J. I perceive the LaBella flats have a smoother finish than the EB cobalts. I apply a light coating of GHS Fast Fret each prior to a gig and that solves the sticky issue for me.

Agree that fast fret do help especially for who has sweaty hand.

 

[shrinklizard]

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.

I agree that it may be the outside wrap although all my experience with la bella has been superb in feel. Not always in sound though. Wish the cobalts felt better as their sound was very cool in the mix.

 

[coyoteboy]

It occurs to me to ask, related to this topic: do y’all pre-clean new strings before installing them??? Ive had only one set of strings (pressurewounds, I think ) that were reasonably clean out of the package. All others (and its been alot of strings) are dirty, dirty strings. I deox-it on a paper towel a and pull the strings through many times.

 

[michael_t]

do y’all pre-clean new strings before installing them???

I always give new strings a thorough wipe-down with an isopropyl alcohol wipe before installation.

I started doing this after my encounters with D'A Chromes Flats and Fender 9050 Flats, both of which started out sticky and turned my finger tips black because of the gunk from the factory left on them. Now I do it with all new strings as part of my string change routine.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I always give new strings a thorough wipe-down with an isopropyl alcohol wipe before installation.

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I started doing this after my encounters with D'A Chromes Flats and Fender 9050 Flats, both of which started out sticky and turned my finger tips black because of the gunk from the factory left on them. Now I do it with all new strings as part of my string change routine.

I recently bought a set of Cobalt Flats[aka Slinky Flats] and used EB Wonder wipes string cleaner before installation; didn't see much gunk on wipes; no stickiness[yet], no black on fingers/hand all is good; maybe less of problem than before since OP posted in 2018

Those wipes you suggest should work also

First set I bought in 2019 had same problems as OP

 

[Altitude]

My experience matches the OP. I really like the way EB Cobalt Flats sound, but they get so sticky on gigs as to affect my playing.

I had them on my Jazz bass, switched back to Pressurewounds which really are perfect for that bass anyway.