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New EB Cobalt Flats?

#681
ChronicPyromaniac said:
They came in today; I strung them through body with no issues. I followed the instructions on how to string them. I think the E and A strings sound perfect, but the D and G are almost too bright to be useable. I might have to do a custom set like I did with Chromes. I mostly like them though.
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I'm impressed! The D and G should settle in a bit. Give them a week or two and see what happens. My set is settling and losing some of the brightness but still clear and punchy.
I got another set today to try on my Pbass. I have to admit I'm a bit apprehensive about putting them on after my first experience with two strings breaking. But they sound so good! I'm expecting them to be very bright at first!
 
#683
So Ernie Ball has confirmed that there was an issue with these strings breaking?

I was so excited about these strings when I first read they were coming out. I ordered two sets a couple weeks before they were in stock and when they finally came I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. I started stringing up one of my P basses as soon as I got them out of the package. E and A went on fine, then as I'm bringing the D string to tension, SNAP! First time I've ever broken a bass string and I've played, strung and built so, so many basses over the past 25 years.
It broke at the tuning peg! Not at the tree... Not at the nut... But I went back and checked everything just to be sure. The luthier in me thought I must have a spur somewhere that it caught, but there was nothing. Everything was smooth but, for good measure I filed my nut slots and I even swapped out the short vintage string tree for a taller modern tree to make sure there I didn't have too sharp of a break angle coming off the nut. I thought it must just be a fluke?

So, I put on the G string then pulled the D string out of the other pack. I was gonna try them out on two different basses, but now I needed both sets for one bass. The new D went on with no problems but then after about 20 minutes of light playing, the A string snapped! What the hell!?!?! It broke at the tuning peg too, a few centimeters in, just after the string starts to taper. I put on the A string from pack #2, then played some more.
After playing for about two days, I was so in love with these flatwound slinkies that those strings broke or that I had to buy two packs to get one set.
On the third day since the slinky flats arrived, while recording and loving how great my p bass is sounding, SNAP! goes the D string.... I've only broken 3 bass strings in my life, all in just a 3-day span.

Most people would've learned their lesson by this point, but I'm stubborn. Tone is everything to me and I loved what I got from those strings so much (in the very short time they were playable) that I couldn't accept having to go on without it. Once you've seen "the promised land..."
I thought maybe they just had some production issues since this series of strings is still brand new?
So, about a month later, I picked up another great vintage P bass that I didn't need- it was too good of a deal and I'm too bad at talking myself out of buying basses. I put a lot of time bringing that bass back up to snuff and she sounded sooooo good. I just had to see how she paired with a set of flatwound regular slinkies. So, I swung by my local guitar center to pay double price for a set. Maybe, by now, enough people have complained and they've worked out the issues with these super-fragile strings?

I wasn't ready to give up on Ernie Ball. I've played every string in the world and I always go back to slinkies for most of my basses (only exceptions: a P with TI's, and DR legends won the forever spot on my Ric) and all of my electric guitars.

However, I have did take some extra precautions. First, I swapped the original short tree for that taller modern Fender bass string retainer I had lying around- but not before filing, sanding, then buffing the underside until the egdes were rounded upward and it shined like a mirror. Then, I doused the nut, (which I knew was smooth/burr-free because I replaced the worn original with one I carved myself from buffalo bone) tree and bridge saddles with Big Bend's Nut Sauce. If you've ever tried nut sauce, I'm sure you'd agree it's like kryptonite to guitar friction. One last measure, before working up the courage put these strings on, I got on Amazon and ordered another set, for backup.

By now, you've probably guessed how this story ends. The D string broke. During installation. Before ever reaching full tension. Near the peg. Where the string makes no physical contact with any part of the bass. Wrapped exactly as suggested by the included leaflet (which, in retrospect, is pretty suspicious.)

But, damn, the E, A and G sounded sooooo good.

Are these strings really too good to be true?
Did those of you, whose slinky flats remain intact, sell your souls for magic strings?
Or did I just happen onto three sets of which were born from a manufacturing issue which has since been resolved?
My "backup" strings will be delivered tomorrow. Is it the fourth time that's the charm? Or should I save myself the heartbreak and return them unopened?
 
#685
Call them. Tell them what happened. Tell them about how you told of your issues on talkbass and how you like the sound but your PO'd about the issues. They'll take care of you. I broke 2 strings also. First came a replacement string, second string they sent a new set. Great customer service. I've since bought another set and have the set they sent with no issues. And yeah they sound incredible on my Pbass and my Jack Casady.
 
#686
I really hope that they have figured out the issues with the string breakage. While I didn’t have any problems with mine, I was certainly bracing for one to snap when I installed them, and that shouldn’t even be a concern. One thing I keep thinking about is that perhaps the part of the string that is getting wound on the pegs is too thin. No measuring, just eyeballing it, they do seem to be thinner than other string brands at the same gauge.

I can say that my set has mellowed quite nicely over the past couple of months, but not to the point where I would get tired of them, like other flats. While I don't play that bass as often as my round wound equipped basses, I do try to rotate it in to get those strings as broken in as possible.
 
#687
I finally got a reply from them today and was offered replacement sets. They also asked me to mail the defective strings so their engineers could check them out to prevent future quality control issues.
I kinda got the impression they think they fixed the issues, but maybe not? It was hard to tell. One woman seemed like she hadn't heard anything about string breakage issues but still eager to help. I don't know, I wasn't given any specifics but the customer service for EB is excellent and everyone I've encountered thus far seems very genuine.


We bass players take our strings real seriously don't we?
But we've gotta!
After our hands, that's the most important element of our tone.
No pickup, bridge, exotic wood, amp or pedal has a bigger influence on the grooves that define us.
 
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#688
Played a set for awhile and thought the tension was pretty low. Anyone playing these tuning down a half step? On top of that, a handful of songs I need to use my hipshot Drop D tuner.
Any thoughts on this ?
 
#689
Stinger2k said:
Played a set for awhile and thought the tension was pretty low. Anyone playing these tuning down a half step? On top of that, a handful of songs I need to use my hipshot Drop D tuner.
Any thoughts on this ?
Click to expand...

I have them installed on my Hipshot D-tuner equipped Jazz bass. They sound good when used in drop D, however there’s quite a bit of flop, a light touch is important.
 
#690
crucislancer said:
I have them installed on my Hipshot D-tuner equipped Jazz bass. They sound good when used in drop D, however there’s quite a bit of flop, a light touch is important.
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Kinda what I remember about them. On top of that now the new band I'm in tunes a 1/2 step down so I am a little hesitant. Have Chromes now but did like the tone of the Colbalt flats.
Thanks
 
#691
crucislancer said:
I really hope that they have figured out the issues with the string breakage. While I didn’t have any problems with mine, I was certainly bracing for one to snap when I installed them, and that shouldn’t even be a concern. One thing I keep thinking about is that perhaps the part of the string that is getting wound on the pegs is too thin. No measuring, just eyeballing it, they do seem to be thinner than other string brands at the same gauge.

I can say that my set has mellowed quite nicely over the past couple of months, but not to the point where I would get tired of them, like other flats. While I don't play that bass as often as my round wound equipped basses, I do try to rotate it in to get those strings as broken in as possible.
Click to expand...
My D string broke between the tuner and nut and the A string core broke and the outer wrap unraveled yet stayed intact near the bridge. The strings that broke were making a pinging noise while installing. The new sets made little if any noise.
 
#692
Stinger2k said:
Kinda what I remember about them. On top of that now the new band I'm in tunes a 1/2 step down so I am a little hesitant. Have Chromes now but did like the tone of the Colbalt flats.
Thanks
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Mine (.105) had a surprising change in tension when dropping to D, more than the DR flats I played before and any rounds I have used.

These strings overall feel a lot different to me than anything else I have used. Tight but rubbery...if that makes sense.
 
#693
McFarlin said:
Mine (.105) had a surprising change in tension when dropping to D, more than the DR flats I played before and any rounds I have used.

These strings overall feel a lot different to me than anything else I have used. Tight but rubbery...if that makes sense.
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Change as in to little tension? Or did they work ok for you. I think the set I played was med lights with a .100. Maybe a set with a 105 would give it enough tension for my situation
 
#694
Sorry, that was a little vague. When detuned, the .105 Cobalt flat feels like a more drastic tension change than the .105 DR flat or other rounds I have used. It has something to do with the overall character of the string, something I'm too boneheaded to articulate.
On the other hand, I like the .100-.45 set better (tone), but with it I haven't tried anything but standard tuning.
 
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#695
McFarlin said:
Sorry, that was a little vague. When detuned, the .105 Cobalt flat feels like a more drastic tension change than the .105 DR flat or other rounds I have used. It has something to do with the overall character of the string, something I'm too boneheaded to articulate.
On the other hand, I like the .100-.45 set better (tone), but with it I haven't tried anything but standard tuning.
Click to expand...
Got it. They do sound good, but I think I will get a set for my other bass and pick and choose when to play. The new band I am in always tune down a 1/2 step. Add flipping the switch on my hip shot and I am thinking pretty floppy sting.
 
#698
crucislancer said:
I have them installed on my Hipshot D-tuner equipped Jazz bass. They sound good when used in drop D, however there’s quite a bit of flop, a light touch is important.
Click to expand...
Ooh man, deal breaker for me floppy at 1/2 step down? And I play 5vers and the A# string gets a lot of use... wish they would make heavier sets. Or do they? @SLaPiNFuNK at least for the "B"
 
#699
/\/\3phist0 said:
Ooh man, deal breaker for me floppy at 1/2 step down? And I play 5vers and the A# string gets a lot of use... wish they would make heavier sets. Or do they? @SLaPiNFuNK at least for the "B"
Click to expand...

I don't know about a 1/2 step down, but a whole step down to D and the E-string is floppy. However, I tend to play closer to the bridge when I go drop D to compensate for the floppiness, though they still take a bit more work to play cleanly. I used the .045-.105 gauge.

So far, I've only seen the following gauge for 5-string: .045 .065 .080 .100 .130. Maybe if they have singles you can get the .055-.110 4 string set with the .130 B string?
 
#700
So are these strings breaking right off....and/or in a matter of say 5 to 10 hours and then breaking?

Are any breaking with 100's of hours of play?

I am wanting to try these but I never have trouble with Fender 9050's breaking...I like flats that are broken in and stay consistent but could use more of a roundwound tone w/ no fingernoise like these EB Cobalts.
 
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