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New Cobalt Strings

#42
Ive just swapped out my much loved DR Black beauties for a set of these. I love how they feel but not the tone. As good as it is, and its a tone that i would have loved before getting the DR's, i just find they lack mid punch and thump.
Im going to give them another gig or two but even at home, under controlled conditions im finding they just arent for me (same as with Elixirs).
 
#43
A couple months ago, I bought a pack of cobalts for one of my Warwick 'vettes. On my other Warwick, I put a set of Dean Markley Blue Steels. Both basses are played an equal amount of time live and in studio. The cobalts were dull sounding within 2 weeks...And the Blue Steels? 2 months later, they still have sort of that "new" feeling. And needless to say, the sound is killer.
 
#44
So far I've had a set of Cobalts on my 4003 for a couple days, and I'm really digging them! I for sure noticed less sizzle/harshness in the top end than the steels (D'addario) that I had been using, but at the same time more clarity/punch/oomph. They absolutely killed it at rehearsal with my Rush cover band! I've got a festival gig today, recording session this wknd, and then a show with the Rush band on Tuesday night... I guess we'll see how they hold up!
 
#45
The Stoke said:
I just tried the cobalts. Sounded great the night of the show but got dead and dirty within days. Not worth the money. I would like to kick my music shop guy in the nuts for selling me on them.
Click to expand...
Mine are very dead and dirty too. I was able to clean them a bit, but ever since the day I put them on my bass, they started getting dirty... I can still get a somewhat decent tone out of them though.
 
#47
just a follow up report. holy crap, i've never had a set of strings die so quickly! and I almost never use string cleaner, but I cleaned the crap out of these strings b/w uses, too! Literally 2.5 hours of playing time. Mind you, this was an outdoor gig in a super humid environment (1.5 hrs), and a practice with my Rush cover band (1 hr). after that, toasted. None of the life/brightness they originally promised. Too bad, because they sounded perfect on my 4003. Back to D'Addatio pro steels for me
 
#48
Same here.... I put these on my bass and was so thrilled with the sound I ordered a few more sets. By the time I got the sets in the mail....a few weeks later the strings were totally lifeless and sounded terrible. I play a lot but I can't have string lasting 2 to 4 weeks. I never evr have this problem with EB Slinky's. Also the tension is really high for my liking. Don't dig these strings at all. Gave the sets I ordered to my son.
 
#51
Came from DR Lo Riders to these on my Stingray, absolutely love the tone, Sounds incredible. I've always found Ernie ball strings to have a relatively short life, but if anything I've found these have a longer life than regular slinkies.

I've had my current set on for about 5 weeks, don't get me wrong, they've lost a lot of that new string sparkle, but they still sound great to me.
 
#55
Just put a set of Cobalts on my Bongo 5 HS. It's got the Pau Ferro fretboard and stainless steel frets, every string I put on this bass sounded good, but there was something missing from this beast of an instrument. D'Addarios were my standard string on this, using .135 .107 .080 .060 .045 (balanced 4 + .135) and it was a great sound. But I put a set of Cobalts on this bass, and they just blow away every other string I've had on here,which are D'Addario XL Nickels and Prosteels, Ernie Ball Nickels, DR Hi Beams, Elixir SS, and D'Addario EXP nickels... the Cobalts just sound amazing. Hard to explain how. I don't find them much rougher than DR stainless steels, and are a bit smoother than D'Addario Prosteels.
 
#56
KyleSerlington said:
i'm on my 2nd pack of these and i don't think i'm gunna buy em anymore. they sound nice, but not twice as nice as regular nickel so it doesn't justify twice the price. each time i bought a set i put 'em on a few days before a show and then a couple days after the show they sounded really dull and were extremely dirty, which never happened with the regular nickels.
Click to expand...

This is my experience with the Cobalts as well. They are good for 1 show and thats it. DR for me all the way.
 
#57
Installed a set of Cobalts on my Alembic Essence after a fairly new set of nickel Low Riders really let me down tone wise on a gig this weekend. Just needed something more snappy and clear without a muddy low end. Put the Cobalts on yesterday and first impressions are very good with one exception. Noticed today that after only one day the low B is already showing something that to me appears to be corrosion on it. It's up high in an area I don't really play on in about the 20-24 fret region. String still sounds as fresh and as huge as the rest so I am not worried.

I think these strings are the kick this bass needed. It's an Alembic and should sound like the hammer of Thor but in recent years I have shelved it in favor of others because the tone just wasn't there. These strings really bring out the full range spectrum and piano like tones this bass is known for and capable of.

Sort version is Cobalts rock even with the corrosion spot on the B and will definitely be looking to use these from now on, on this bass. Great job Ernie Ball!
 

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