New EB Cobalt Flats?

[smeet]

I followed the directions and I actually like the extra wrap thing. It's lets me cut less off the strings (almost none for some of them), and feels a bit more secure.

 

[adivin]

Those instructions don't come with their nickel round wounds. Step 3 makes the string come off the post at a strange angle.

 

[bassist4dalord]

What's up with those install instructions?

I hadn't even read those, weird.... (see step 3)

I actually really liked these! I always get anxious when changing strings because I'm petrified that I'll mess it up. These instructions helped me install them and I'm very pleased with the results!!

I've had the strings on my Schecter (BEAD) for about two weeks now and I still love them. Nice, subtle growl and plenty of thump when I want. I'm a believer!

 

[Christcr]

I hadn't even read those, weird.... (see step 3)

This idea keeps the string secure for sure... BUT, DO NOT do it if you plan on ever taking the strings off and reinstalling them one or more times on different basses. It kinks the string and you've got an automatic metal fatigue break as soon as you reinstall. You'll get at most 2 or 3 switches before you have a break. How do I know? ... Don't ask.




So, I've sort of completed my experiment with the cobalt flats on my Mustang bass. Bottom line is, it sounds fine, I am relatively happy with the sound, and the strings basically have their own character with elements of both rounds and flats. They are their own string. Most noticeable difference is a more even response and no low-mid bump as with typical flats and a sweeter, faster attack that is also not as in-your-face as many flatwound strings seem to be. I think the Slinky Flats are a great new addition to the sounds you can get out of bass strings.

However... I'm not going to leave them on my Mustang. I only want one bass "sacrificed" to flatwounds. So, my Mustang with Chromes on it will remain that way (because when I want a flatwound sound, that's where I'll go) and the other (that had the Cobalts) will go back to SS rounds.

However (again, another however! this is the department of redundancy department), I just ordered another set of 95-40 Slinky Flats. They will be going on my favorite Stingray. That bass has a Nordstrand pickup and Nordstrand "70s copy" Stingray Preamp (and it KILLS). It has very biting highs and I almost always run it with the treble (2-band) control backed all the way off. I have a feeling the Cobalt Flats and the Stingray will be a match made in heaven. It will have the Cobalt character that I've noted, but will also have a ton more high-end available than with my passive Mustang basses. I'm not even going to call it another experiment because I already know (because of the character of the string and the character of the Nordy-equipped bass) it's going to sound killer.

 

[jdb72]

Yes, they are sending it out. Nice to see a company out there that responds to such problems. I don't know how many times I've tried over the years to get ahold of costumer service for problems with different companies and all I get in return is... *crickets chirping*.

Ernie Ball was quite quick on the response.

As for the strings, I'm still okay with them. As I said before, I'm not a flatwound guy. So far these sound okay to me, though. Definitely feel nice, although I'd like the lighter set that they haven't started selling yet. It's nice to have a little variety; I really don't need four Mustang basses all strung with the same strings.

I'm thinking about switching this set to my Pawn Shop Mustang with the big ol' hairy mudbucker. Since there isn't much in the way of snappy upper high end with that bass anyway, these flats might complement the tonal characteristics of that particular bass quite well. I'll ponder on it a bit more. I typically like the really "stringy," "snappy," "twangy" sound I get out of regular split-single-coil Mustang basses with light stainless steel rounds (it's almost like a combination of a P-bass and J-bass sound). There is much, much less of that with the Cobalt Flats, with more pronounced mids. But I expected that. I was hoping to get a sort of in-between sound (between flats and rounds) out of them and I think that's exactly what I get, acknowledging that they still sound like a flat. Maybe we can call them "extended frequency flats" or "super flats" or something along those lines.

Ernie ball has the best customer service that is why I only use their stings plus I love their strings!!!

 

[dannster]

I'm still trying to figure out how you get from #3 to #4 in that picture.

 

[Pier_]

What you are most likely hearing with the thump is the foam rubber placed either under the strings or glued to the inside of the ash tray bridge cover that damps down the sustain.

not to be rude, but I've changed more strings than shirts talking about flats, I've used Rotosound Jazz77 (long, medium and short, on different basses), Thomastik, Chromes (45-100 and 50-105), Fender ML, Labella 0760M, Pyramid Gold and Galli.

flats always sounded with shorter sustain and more attack.

roundwound strings vibrate more freely and last longer in terms of sustain.

nothing to do with foam mute, that I use when needed. I'm not talking about sounds heard on tracks, but my direct experience with strings on the same basses, with a setup always done directly by me and with cure of every step (from the nut to the saddles).

flats do have a shorter sustain, and some flats have lower strings even shorter, like Pyramid or Labella, with the E doing just a thump and nothing more (Pyramids have even the A like this).

try one string at a time, like a round E and a flat A, an see how they differ in terms of sustain.

 

[autotech6506]

Found this on YouTube.

 

[physics]

I'm going to follow the feedback on these strings closely, as I'm really interested in them. From what I can see and hear they seem almost like an ideal compromise between flats and rounds, smooth surface and good playability along with better flexibility and extended tonal output. My main concern is with the gaps between the edges of the flat ribbon wire wrap over the round wound layer beneath. Would gunk tend to accumulate underneath the top layer and embed itself around the round wound winding and be difficult to remove? Would these strings go dead quickly unless boiled out fairly often? My XL chromes clean up fairly quickly and easily with an occasional alcohol scrub and so they've retained their tonal character pretty well. As much as i like the sound of these new strings, I'm not interested in becoming a slave to string maintenance. I do have to commend EB for trying to develop an improved product and I wish them well.

 

[iiipopes]

not to be rude, but I've changed more strings than shirts talking about flats, I've used Rotosound Jazz77 (long, medium and short, on different basses), Thomastik, Chromes (45-100 and 50-105), Fender ML, Labella 0760M, Pyramid Gold and Galli.

flats always sounded with shorter sustain and more attack.

roundwound strings vibrate more freely and last longer in terms of sustain.

nothing to do with foam mute, that I use when needed. I'm not talking about sounds heard on tracks, but my direct experience with strings on the same basses, with a setup always done directly by me and with cure of every step (from the nut to the saddles).

flats do have a shorter sustain, and some flats have lower strings even shorter, like Pyramid or Labella, with the E doing just a thump and nothing more (Pyramids have even the A like this).

try one string at a time, like a round E and a flat A, an see how they differ in terms of sustain.

Your mileage may vary. My comments are bassed (pun intended) on playing just about everything out there for thirty-nine years of playing bass in an organized manner, including professionally, not just garage bands or weekend gigs. I stand by my comments. Sustain is more a function of the instrument, not the strings.

 

[One Drop]

Your mileage may vary. My comments are bassed (pun intended) on playing just about everything out there for thirty-nine years of playing bass in an organized manner, including professionally, not just garage bands or weekend gigs. I stand by my comments. Sustain is more a function of the instrument, not the strings.

Flats sustain very well but I do generally notice a quicker decay of some frequencies compared to rounds, and with the added thumpy spike at the attack this can make flats seem to have less sustain. String height, how hard you hit the strings, how much gain your amp has, all can heighten or lessen this impression. But my general belief is that flats tend to sustain a bit differently than rounds, which simply vibrate more freely.

Part of the fun of playing flats is using this attack envelope to your advantage, by emphasizing it with OD, technique, EQ, compression, etc.

These Cobalt flats sound bright in a really nice way but their typical attack keeps them firmly in the flats camp and is why I do not think they sound like rounds.

 

[iiipopes]

Flats sustain very well but I do generally notice a quicker decay of some frequencies compared to rounds, and with the added thumpy spike at the attack this can make flats seem to have less sustain. String height, how hard you hit the strings, how much gain your amp has, all can heighten or lessen this impression. But my general belief is that flats tend to sustain a bit differently than rounds, which simply vibrate more freely.

Part of the fun of playing flats is using this attack envelope to your advantage, by emphasizing it with OD, technique, EQ, compression, etc.

These Cobalt flats sound bright in a really nice way but their typical attack keeps them firmly in the flats camp and is why I do not think they sound like rounds.

Yes. Let us make sure we define the difference between articulation and sustain. The typical articulation difference between flats and rounds can make it seem that the flats have less sustain, when they have just as much sustain as other strings.

Let us all also define the difference that rounds, because each wrap of windings only touches at a point to the next winding instead of along a plane with typical ribbon wrap, will generally be more flexible, and so the round may tend to vibrate more freely in its partials, which gives more overtones and a "brighter" sound to the string. The ear perceives the falloff of overtones much differently than the falloff of the fundamental. This also contributes to the perception that rounds sustain differently than flats.

Again, strings like Roto tapes are constructed to have less sustain on purpose, and tapes in general may not have as much sustain because thy nylon tape acts to damp down the sustain.

 

[One Drop]

Yes. Let us make sure we define the difference between articulation and sustain. The typical articulation difference between flats and rounds can make it seem that the flats have less sustain, when they have just as much sustain as other strings.

Let us all also define the difference that rounds, because each wrap of windings only touches at a point to the next winding instead of along a plane with typical ribbon wrap, will generally be more flexible, and so the round may tend to vibrate more freely in its partials, which gives more overtones and a "brighter" sound to the string. The ear perceives the falloff of overtones much differently than the falloff of the fundamental. This also contributes to the perception that rounds sustain differently than flats.

Again, strings like Roto tapes are constructed to have less sustain on purpose, and tapes in general may not have as much sustain because thy nylon tape acts to damp down the sustain.

Well put. When speaking anecdotally I think it is safe to refer to flats tending to having less sustain because perception is what this is all about in the end.

As flats break in this effect seems to increase somewhat.

 

[iiipopes]

Well put. When speaking anecdotally I think it is safe to refer to flats tending to having less sustain because perception is what this is all about in the end.

As flats break in this effect seems to increase somewhat.

Again, I must respectfully disagree. A couple of years ago I went on a flats safari, and tried all the major brands. I perceived significant differences in tone from brand to brand and in articulation in brand to brand, but not in sustain once the strings had been seated in properly.

OK, now, I have not tried these new cobalt flats. And I probably will not. Cobalt is harder than nickel, and even though they are flat instead of round, that hardness will wear nickel alloy frets prematurely, which are the standard on 99%+ of all electric basses. I've had enough fret jobs in my 39 years of playing bass.

 

[Linnin]

Found this on YouTube.

Thanks for posting! So they actually do have a bit of growl to them. Not much, but some. Better than none at all.

 

[Camaro]

Another video by Ernie Ball, containing whopping 8 (eight) seconds of playing:

Playing happens from 1:32 to 1:40.​

 

[Gorn]

So no one but GC had these right? I want to try them again but I want the 40-95 set. Are we all still waiting on BSO?

 

[Christcr]

Cobalt is harder than nickel, and even though they are flat instead of round, that hardness will wear nickel alloy frets prematurely, which are the standard on 99%+ of all electric basses. I've had enough fret jobs in my 39 years of playing bass.

I think this has, perhaps, more to do with one's playing style and setup than the metal used in the strings. I've used mostly stainless steel rounds over the 35+ years I've played and have never needed a fret job on any of my basses (I have done fret jobs for others, since I worked in guitar repair for a number of years, so I have seen how strings can burn away frets). Then again, my hands are tiny and hand strength is probably that of a 10-year-old. I play really lightly with my left hand, use very light-gauge strings, and set my basses up with as close an action as I can get without giving too much buzzing. But the point is if you have a super light touch and low action, even the hardest strings won't grind your frets away much.

I even used stainless steel rounds on a mid-seventies fretless p-bass with the nice finished maple fretboards they made in the seventies. I didn't even wear the finish off in the three or four years I played that bass. Wish I still had that bass...

So no one but GC had these right? I want to try them again but I want the 40-95 set. Are we all still waiting on BSO?

Juststrings had them listed on their website for, like, a half a second, it seemed! They must have sold out quickly. Or maybe they posted the listing by mistake and never had them. I was told by BSO that they should be getting them very soon. Maybe EB is having a bit of trouble keeping up with these?

 

[sigmafloyd]

So no one but GC had these right? I want to try them again but I want the 40-95 set. Are we all still waiting on BSO?

Amazon has them but the lowest gauge is the 45-100. Got mine from Amazon with free prime 2 day shipping and they came a day early
Amazon.com: Ernie Ball 2813 Hybrid Slinky Flatwound Bass Set, .045 - .105: Musical Instruments

 

[sigmafloyd]

The new flat clink is starting to die off on mine and I was able to play them through my amp today. I still do not hear the round wound sound at all, but the tone is really nice and they are starting to feel more supple. I honestly think if the marketing didn't make the round wound claims no one would be saying they sound like rounds.