• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

new EB COBALT srings

I've been a D'Addarios Prosteel player for years now. I got these and so far (only a few hrs old) I am VERY impressed. They do cost about twice the amount of what I've been paying for Prosteels.....but if they last as long as 2 sets.....they might have me. They do everything they claim.....more mids.....high end of a stainless but not harsh. They are louder......I usually run about 3-4 on my LH1000 and I am looking at about 2-3...so the output is much higher. I'm not a fan of high tension strings.....these I can notice a difference over the Prosteels for sure.....it's not an extreme difference.....but noticable. I'll see how long they last before I'll say EB has me hook, line, and sinker though. :)
 
@Steamthief, the low E is there dude. As bright sounding as they are, it's not like a complete set of light guage strings that lose the bottom. Actually comparing them to rotos is not a bad comparison at all. Just brighter. I'm going to leave the 45-100 on my P, I may try a set of 50-105's on the jazz. I like these strings very much but maybe overall just a bit too bright for ears. Maybe i just cant get the roto tone out of my head. Curious to see if the thicker guage will make any difference in lowering that brightness just a little. But I could always roll that down in my amp eh?
One of these days I'll figure out how to pull down a previous post in the blue window. I'm so embarrassed ...
 
@Steamthief, the low E is there dude. As bright sounding as they are, it's not like a complete set of light guage strings that lose the bottom. Actually comparing them to rotos is not a bad comparison at all. Just brighter. I'm going to leave the 45-100 on my P, I may try a set of 50-105's on the jazz. I like these strings very much but maybe overall just a bit too bright for ears. Maybe i just cant get the roto tone out of my head. Curious to see if the thicker guage will make any difference in lowering that brightness just a little. But I could always roll that down in my amp eh?
One of these days I'll figure out how to pull down a previous post in the blue window. I'm so embarrassed ...

Just click the blue quote button in the bottom right of the post. :cool:
 
@Steamthief, the low E is there dude. As bright sounding as they are, it's not like a complete set of light guage strings that lose the bottom. Actually comparing them to rotos is not a bad comparison at all. Just brighter. I'm going to leave the 45-100 on my P, I may try a set of 50-105's on the jazz. I like these strings very much but maybe overall just a bit too bright for ears. Maybe i just cant get the roto tone out of my head. Curious to see if the thicker guage will make any difference in lowering that brightness just a little. But I could always roll that down in my amp eh?
One of these days I'll figure out how to pull down a previous post in the blue window. I'm so embarrassed ...
Very cool, thanks for your thoughts. How does the growliness compare between the Cobalts and Rotos? Regardng the brightness, how long has the Cobalt set been on your P?
 
Three hours on them this afternoon with other instruments in the mix and I still like them a lot. They really held up their own in the mix. The sustains are pretty awesome - I had to play with my attack today to figure out how to get the duration I wanted without muting and cutting off the end of the note. Much longer than I'm accustomed to getting.
 
only got them yesterday and about 4 -5 hours of play on the P. Liking them more and more. I'm gonna give the growl to the roto's though, just on deeper overall tone. I really like the roto tone after you break in a new set and that rough sticky feeling is gone. I'm still gonna try the 50-105 set on my Am standard J just to compare the 2 gauges. If GC still has them. Looked like they only had 3 sets of each and the clerk said they were getting really good feedback from guitar players. Not sure if i'll be able to get back over tomorrow or not. Back to work you know.
 
Sounds like an interesting string. What do they look like? Is cobalt a somewhat diff color then nickel or steel? From what users are saying, looks like lack of growl compared to rotos would be the one thing I woundlt like abouth them. Unless they substituted a little more low bass articulation like dr neons do in a way.
 
Well I don't mean to imply there's no growl. Being brighter sounding I'll take a deeper growl just as personal preference. I'll try to remember to post you a pick of the string tonight and I'll use my nikon camera instead of the iPhone. There was a funny thing I forgot to mention and it made me think of it when you asked about the color. But there was a different smell when i opened the pack. Any chemistry geeks around here that could explain that colbalt alloy aroma or did I catch a whiff of something else?
 
I bought 2 sets from GC yesterday and put them on my Fender American Deluxe Jazz. I must admit to being totally and completely impressed. The sustain is amazing, the mids and lows loud and punchy, and the strings have a nice easy feel to them. They are a bit of a different color, kind of a cooler colored silver rather than warmer. Noticeable when held next to a nickel string but nothing remarkable. Changing Z-mode settings on my (onboard) Audere created changes that seemed more pronounced than with other strings I have used. (Lots of different brands). The bass sounded so good I was compelled to stay up too late for a work night, and I felt good and played well (for me anyway), like one does when you have a new weapon in the arsenal that you are really digging. I haven't tested in a band or gig situation yet, but I think it's gonna be great. These strings are the real deal, it is not hype. I'm happy I got 2 sets so I can put them on my EBMM Sterling as well! :hyper:
 
I got a set 45-100 set from MF (before I knew about bassstringsonline) and put them on my Yamaha TRB 1004. They sound really good - played them for about 3 hours at last week's rehearsal and they do have a stronger/bolder sound than the Boomers I had on there before. It could be the fact that they are just new strings, but they do really have a nice clear, punchy sound throughout. We record all of our practices, and it does sound like the bass is more prominent in last week's recording than the week before.
Just my $.02.