New EB Cobalt Flats?

[Bassworship1]

I have Cobalts Flats on all my basses and have had for months and never an issue. Still sound as good now as the day I put them on. now i did take my time tuning them in and allowing them to stretch. Buy them and enjoy.

 

[Eikari]

Have had the cobalt flats on my jazz bass for about month. They sound the same as from the day one. Ernie Ball has really pulled out a good string. The Fender 9050´s are also great set of flats. I cant decide between them. Maybe i have to buy another jazz bass...

 

[jhfishn]

Guys

I would like to try these but am nervous about the tension (stiffness).

I was using DR Sunbeams (45-100) and got a bit tired of more or less sometimes crushing them so I needed something with a little push back. I am now using Labella RX (45-100) and they are really quite superb.

Nice focused tone and a stiffness in between a D'Addario EXL170 vs Sunbeam Medium Light .......... just enough push back to make them extremely responsive to the touch.

But .............. I have a USA Lakland Bob Glaub with Fralin P/J's which as you know is really a hot rodded P-Bass and would love to try these as they seem to be in the middel tone wise of a roundwound and flat without being a half round.

Now .... what I'm hoping to find out is which guage do you think would be in the ballpark of a little stiffer Sunbeam medium light without being like the D'Addario

45-100 or 40-95? I'm leaning toward ordering the 40-95's

Would much appreciate some guidance

So basically this is a question about tension

 

[DavidEdenAria]

Have had the cobalt flats on my jazz bass for about month. They sound the same as from the day one. Ernie Ball has really pulled out a good string. The Fender 9050´s are also great set of flats. I cant decide between them. Maybe i have to buy another jazz bass...

Did you replace Fender 9050's with the EB Cobalts?

Just curious about needing to change the setup.

 

[Eikari]

Did you replace Fender 9050's with the EB Cobalts?

Just curious about needing to change the setup.

Yes, i had the 9050´s previously. The Cobalts are slightly less in tension. Just some minor truss rod adj, and intonation.

 

[Feral Feline]

Tried to get some in Canada during the summer, couldn't find any. Still can't find these locally in Hong Kong either. May have to order online, but I prefer to shop independent Mom&Pop's Brick&Mortar where The More You Order the More You Oughta.

 

[McFarlin]

Yes, i had the 9050´s previously. The Cobalts are slightly less in tension. Just some minor truss rod adj, and intonation.

What gauges of each are you using?
Can you make any comparison comments?

 

[Eikari]

What gauges of each are you using?
Can you make any comparison comments?

The Ernie Balls: 40,60,70,95. The Fenders; 45,60,80,100

I´ll post a link to an old thread, which contains audio samples of both sets. Not sure if the gauges are the same.
Fender Flats VS EB Cobalt Flats

I´m not good at describing strings, because tone is very subjective to every person.

But, to my ears,
Fenders have more bottom, but still very articulate.
Ernie Ball´s have more mids and treble, without having scooped sound.

Hope that made sense to someone.

Have a nice evening.

 

[vivaknoxvegas]

I put a set on my P this weekend. They don't sound like flats to me, not bad sounding, but def not a flatwound sound imo. I will play them a while, but might switch back to my old chromes.

 

[McFarlin]

The Ernie Balls: 40,60,70,95. The Fenders; 45,60,80,100

I´ll post a link to an old thread, which contains audio samples of both sets. Not sure if the gauges are the same.
Fender Flats VS EB Cobalt Flats

I´m not good at describing strings, because tone is very subjective to every person.

But, to my ears,
Fenders have more bottom, but still very articulate.
Ernie Ball´s have more mids and treble, without having scooped sound.

Hope that made sense to someone.

Have a nice evening.

Thanks for the feedback. The more resources I find, the more I think the Fenders might be my thing (or possibly the Sadowsky flats).

The cobalts are definitely unique strings with several strengths that I really like. But my main project needs a bit of thump thump thump, and I can get more of that from certain nickel rounds than these cobalts flats.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Yup tonal these EB flats are not Flat tone. Just flat feeling.
They do respond well with a foam mute though

 

[Eikari]

Definitely try the Fenders, they mellow out very nicely, and will outlive a few popes. And the green silk is cool.

 

[Gorn]

I've tried these before and liked them but couldn't get over the smoothness. I like the roughness of rounds. I feel like I connect with the strings better that way, if that makes any sense. I gave them another shot on my pj and it's crazy how good these strings are. They literally sound like roundwound strings without fingernoise. Kind of an amazing accomplishment for a string maker. I'm gonna stick with them for a while this time.

 

[Gorn]

Invalid Link Removed

25 buckaroonies ladies and germs.

 

[Britbonic]

Very exited when I picked up a set of these today at GC (wasn't even looking - there with someone else). Got a price that made them worth trying. Not so excited now sitting here with a busted D string ! I was gently bringing it up to pitch when it snapped at the post. First time ever breaking a string under any circumstances. Think I figured out what happened and wondering if this similar to what happened to others. I noticed (unfortunately after it snapped) that the string was really tight in the nut. Odd .65 is pretty standard for a D string. Could it be that these strings are bit wider or that the coating makes them stickier? I've never seen this with any strings I've used before. Thankfully have a similar gauge Chrome around but not quite the same. Hopefully EB can send me a replacement tomorrow. Really liked the other 3 strings

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I was one of those who was super excited, I have not bought a single Ernie Ball product since 1993.
These had me intrigued, then the delay in the release, I cancelled my order with BSO.

Bought a set of Sadowski blue label nickels and have been loving those for several months, the break in nice, and fade with grace, but I digress

So for months I read the opinions, and it gives me the impression that EB must have sent out the most inconsistently manufactured strings in history!

"They're Rough"
They are smooth
They are bright
They are dull
They are stiff
They are floppy
They went dead in days
They have stayed fresh for months
Love them hate them.

Then add:
They don't seem to like being strung through body.
The breakage numbers are insane!!

Well curiosity got the better if me, (and bassstringsonline.com sale) thanks @SLaPiNFuNK
I got a set in the mail.

Impressions: in order from out of the package to play test.

Wow these are really flexible

Hmm they feel warmer to the touch than steel or nickle. Like aluminum does.

Smooth and sticky, in the same way that 1/2 rounds feel, my skin catches the sharp edge of the outer wrap.

Now to stringing up my Squire VMP5. (Modified heavily )

can't risk stringing through body with all the reports of the brittle core, so top load it is.

Look at the instruction sheet, scratch my head, ***? Tie a knot kind of? Really, no other string suggests this. ignore it.

As always guess the necessary length, start with G.

Bend 90 deg. With needle nose pliers.
snip excess.

Insert bend into tuner, and wind up as usual.

Next B string repeat above, worried that the "rat tail" at the headstock will not be long enough, ending with the wrapped portion of the string on the post.... (it was long enough by a centimeter)

Finish the set.

Tighten, check intonation, set witness points, recheck intonation. Readjust truss rod lower action, recheck everything again. Stretch them in. Retune.

Hmm they settle in quick, like DR'S nice.

PLAY TIME.
unplugged, these are LOUD and bright.
Still a little sticky, not too bad though.
Hook up my trusty headphone amp.
Damned if these don't sound like rounds and feel like flats!!!
Roto 77s are like this too, when fresh.
The cobalts feel snappy not stiff, like the feel!!!
they seem to vibrate like other hex cores; a little less wild and random as round cores.

In short i resevedly say that I like these very much.
Time will tell. Crossing fingers that they don't break, and the stickyness will diminish.

Oh I meant to mention that I will report back after they play in.

Out of the gate:
More balanced in output than other flats I've used.
Tonally G and B "fit".
With other flats (fender, chromes, LaBella) the G is twang, and the B is a thubby mushball.

NOT THESE: even and harmonically rich B and E.
Bright but NOT twangy G.
Back to playing them.
Stayed in tune overnight on the stand, good sign.

Cross posting from the other cobalt flats thread.
No break yet *whew*

 

[1stnamebassist]

Very exited when I picked up a set of these today at GC (wasn't even looking - there with someone else). Got a price that made them worth trying. Not so excited now sitting here with a busted D string ! I was gently bringing it up to pitch when it snapped at the post. First time ever breaking a string under any circumstances. Think I figured out what happened and wondering if this similar to what happened to others. I noticed (unfortunately after it snapped) that the string was really tight in the nut. Odd .65 is pretty standard for a D string. Could it be that these strings are bit wider or that the coating makes them stickier? I've never seen this with any strings I've used before. Thankfully have a similar gauge Chrome around but not quite the same. Hopefully EB can send me a replacement tomorrow. Really liked the other 3 strings

Been there done that! Broke a D, had it replaced then the A broke a bit later so they replaced the whole set. Bought another set with no issues. What I noticed that was different between the two sets was the strange pinging sound as I was bringing that bad set up to pitch. The only way I can think to describe the sound was like ice on a lake on a warm day as it cracks. The second set didn't make any noises at all. Both sets I have now have been perfect and still sound great. Ernie Ball will take care of you. Call customer service and tell them what happened.

 

[Mattster]

What I noticed that was different between the two sets was the strange pinging sound as I was bringing that bad set up to pitch. The only way I can think to describe the sound was like ice on a lake on a warm day as it cracks.

Yes, an eerie sound. Mine sounded like the intro to Peter Gabriel's "Intruder" when bringing them up to pitch. No breakage though.

 

[crucislancer]

Yes, an eerie sound. Mine sounded like the intro to Peter Gabriel's "Intruder" when bringing them up to pitch. No breakage though.

Had a similar experience with mine, also no breakage.

 

[the low one]

I've had these on my fretless Jazz for a couple of weeks now so here are my thoughts:

They are slightly rougher than the Chromes I took off but I'm sure they'll smooth when played a bit.
I went for the 45 to 100 set as that's my usual gauge. The tension is more like rounds, and less than the Chromes.
First impression was that I was a little disappointed they weren't brighter. After all the hype I was expecting a super bright string. But after playing for a while, and comparing to a couple of fretted P basses I have, one with rounds and one with flats, they certainly sound more like rounds than flats.
They are punchy and mid focused, and respond really well to the bridge pickup on the Jazz. They still have that zing of new strings and it will be interesting to see how long that lasts.
These certainly do sound like rounds, worn rounds anyway which is great because I like strings when they are played in. Sometimes I do miss the flats but these really cut through and I'm happy with them so far.