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Ernie Ball Cobalt Slinky?????

miketallica315

miketallica315

Aug 16, 2009
506
45
43
Toledo, OH
#1
Who among us here have experience with these strings? I have been contemplating buying these strings but even my most expensive strings that I use (La Bella HRS/ SS) aren't even that expensive. Are they worth the money? Did you like them? Hit me up with your opinions about these strings. Pros and Cons if you have them. I just need to hear some feedback from people that I trust before I go and drop $40.00 on a set of strings. Thanks everyone! :bassist:
 
#3
I have tried them as well, and I didn't like the tone. The feel was a bit rough for sliding. Because a bass string has so much mass, the string has a huge impact on tone. I have moved to compression wound string and use DRs high beams on my custom fender jazz, and DR fat beams on my G&L L2000 fretless. The tone is amazing and they last a longer time than most. They also stay in tune. They are first class. Also one of my favorites is Ken Smith compressors, awesome string. They both have the growl and attach I like, great voice, and because they are compression wound (compressed through a die after winding) they are smoother on the fingers and play like a really fast. Cheers!
 
#4
I love them. They have become my roundwound of choice.

To me, they sound perfect out of the package with none of the "they'll sound better in a week when they've broken in" issue I have with most roundwounds.

I've probably got about 40 hours of playing time on the set on my main bass, and they still sound great. I've heard the complaint about the rough feel but I don't notice it--and, I'm primarily a flatwound player. DR stainless feel rougher to me.
 
#5
Fantastic sound on my AmDeluxe jazz (Audere preamp, Dimarzio Area J pickups). Best combination so far on this instrument. Feel is a bit rougher than my go-to round, which is DR Sunbeams.
 
#6
I was talked into trying them out by the local dealer. I was a little hesitant since they where almost twice the price of the old school slinkys. I play in a hardcore punk band. All I can say is wow. I don't realize that a string could make such a difference in my sound. One night of practice and a gig the following night. The guy that sold them to me said they had a lot more punch, and he wasn't kidding. I thought that I was getting a sales pitch but boy was I wrong. I could finally here myself through the mix, with a thick and powerful bottom end. I felt that they were lacking some of the brite highs compared to the normal slinkys, but its a hell of a trade off. Besides, I think some minor adjusting of my eq will help me get that back.

So to sum it up, I don't care how much they are, they are now my #1 string of choice.
 
#7
#8
I bought a 5 string set and have tried them on three different basses:

1. Ceramic pup equipped Stingray5
2. Alnco pup equipped Stingray5
3. Bongo5

The ceramic pup SR5 sounded terrible with these strings to my ears. I lost the warmth of the nickle Slinky's that Im used to and the tone was overly bright and clanky.

On the Alnico bass, I again lost some warmth but this is a darker sounding bass and the Cobalts helped to brighten it up some.

On the Bongo, they just took some of the personality away from the bass.

In the end, I enjoy my tone so much more with regular Slinky strings. The fact that they are half the price helps too! :)
 
#10
I have gotten mixed reviews thus far. I have people that think that they are great, and those that feel that they are not worth the time and money. As far as the "rough" texture of the strings goes, I do not feel as if that would be a problem to me. I'm used to some pretty rough strings feel "normal" to me. I had a TB'er who said that they bring wear to your frets pretty quickly. I'm not crazy about this. I'm interested in checking them out, but I don't really want to waste money on them. I feel that my best bet is to read more reviews. Ultimately, I know that I will be the only true deciding factor if the cobalt slinkys are right for me or not. I would definitely like to hear more stories of these strings from those that have used them. Thanks all!
 
#11
"I have gotten mixed reviews thus far"

That could be said for ANY string. It's all subjective. I love heavy gauge DR Hi Beams. You may hate them. I won't even try the cobalt strings because I have a nickel allergy and I've read that a lot of times someone with a nickel allergy is allergic to cobalt as well.
 
#12
i like them. use them with my jazz. they seem "louder" than my normal pack - the cloated slinkys in the same gauge. i havent noticed them being more rough than my other round wounds. (i just recently put some dean markley's on another bass and those are ALOT rougher than these.) i've been using them for several months now and havent noticed any fret wear or affects on the guitar. IME they have out lasted even my coated slinkys.

personally i will keep buying them. to each their own.
 
#13
GK Growl said:
"I have gotten mixed reviews thus far"

That could be said for ANY string. It's all subjective. I love heavy gauge DR Hi Beams. You may hate them. I won't even try the cobalt strings because I have a nickel allergy and I've read that a lot of times someone with a nickel allergy is allergic to cobalt as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah I believe the Cobalts are actually mostly nickel, so good idea steering clear.
 
#14
I have tried a lot of strings and I love DR hi beams, but that is after trying lots of different strings. I would try any that you are interested in because a lot depends on you and your playing style and your bass. Give me a shot.
 
#15
Just put a set on my 09 American Standard J.

Gotta say...

I'm not sure. I don't immediately hate them. They replaced a set of DR Black Beauties that I didn't mind...they certainly lasted quite a while for what amounts to my #2/#3 bass (my SR5 is almost always my first choice for studio work).

They seem to split the difference between stainless and nickel in terms of feel. I don't think they felt as rough to me as the DR Stainless guys I used to play back in the day...but that was literally 8 years ago. They do seem more forward sounding than nickel strings...and they do seem to push a little more volume as well. Granted...my impressions are from a 10 minute solo jam session followed by laying a track on a demo for a band I'm producing...so I'll probably need to see how they strike me over the course of many sessions.

I will say that at least they don't BURN my finges when sliding aggressively...which the DR's totally (and very uncomfortably) did.

If they don't die the awful, clacking death that most stainless strings do (at least on my basses), they might be worth continuing to use IF the price comes down a bit. I think I got my set for just under 30 bucks at Guitarget last week...if a 4 string set gets down around the $20 mark...I could see giving them a more extended audition.
 
#16
iCombs said:
Just put a set on my 09 American Standard J.

Gotta say...

I'm not sure. I don't immediately hate them. They replaced a set of DR Black Beauties that I didn't mind...they certainly lasted quite a while for what amounts to my #2/#3 bass (my SR5 is almost always my first choice for studio work).

They seem to split the difference between stainless and nickel in terms of feel. I don't think they felt as rough to me as the DR Stainless guys I used to play back in the day...but that was literally 8 years ago. They do seem more forward sounding than nickel strings...and they do seem to push a little more volume as well. Granted...my impressions are from a 10 minute solo jam session followed by laying a track on a demo for a band I'm producing...so I'll probably need to see how they strike me over the course of many sessions.

I will say that at least they don't BURN my finges when sliding aggressively...which the DR's totally (and very uncomfortably) did.

If they don't die the awful, clacking death that most stainless strings do (at least on my basses), they might be worth continuing to use IF the price comes down a bit. I think I got my set for just under 30 bucks at Guitarget last week...if a 4 string set gets down around the $20 mark...I could see giving them a more extended audition.
Click to expand...

Cool! Thanks for the reply. I have heard sound samples of them and they are not bad (to me) .... the super fast fret wear and close to $40.00 price tag for a five string set have made me look away from them just slightly, but I do want to try them though.
 
#17
I have been through several sets of Cobalts and the roughness and fret wear are not any worse than Lo Rider steels. They do seem to quickly go from really bright and new to really dead without much middle ground.
 
#18
I like them, but I'm not sure they're worth the price premium vs. ProSteels or Slinkys which I tend to use a lot. Plus I can't get them in my standard 5-string set of 45-65-85-105-130. So that's a deterrent as well as the price.
 
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#19
I am using them on a Fender MIM Jazz bass (the .45 .65 .85 .105 set). I've had them on it for about 5 months now and they still sound bright. They're the longest lasting roundwounds I've used so far. I've used stock Fender rounds, EB Nickel Slinkys, Rotosound Swing Bass 66, and SS DR Lo Riders. However, I broke a string when I was using the DRs so I can't really compare their life to the life of the cobalts.

They sound alright to me. They have a nice growl, good bass, and bright and zingy treble.
 
#20
BassPlayer900 said:
I am using them on a Fender MIM Jazz bass (the .45 .65 .85 .105 set). I've had them on it for about 5 months now and they still sound bright. They're the longest lasting roundwounds I've used so far. I've used stock Fender rounds, EB Nickel Slinkys, Rotosound Swing Bass 66, and SS DR Lo Riders. However, I broke a string when I was using the DRs so I can't really compare their life to the life of the cobalts.

They sound alright to me. They have a nice growl, good bass, and bright and zingy treble.
Click to expand...

wow, you're incredibly lucky. I had the exact opposite experience. After one rehearsal and then a gig the next day, they were totally dead. Shame, because my 4003 never sounded as good as when I was using fresh cobalts!
 

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