• 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 Strings

Going from flats to any round should be pretty rough.

Agreed, but for the majority of my bass playing "career" I have used rounds. For about a year I used flats pretty much exclusively. I thought the cobalt's were rougher than the DR stainless lo-riders I was using for a little while and were much rougher than DR sunbeams or D'addario XL nickels (which are on my jazz now). I think the cobalt's were just a little too rough and a little too bright for my tastes.
 
Agreed, but for the majority of my bass playing "career" I have used rounds. For about a year I used flats pretty much exclusively. I thought the cobalt's were rougher than the DR stainless lo-riders I was using for a little while and were much rougher than DR sunbeams or D'addario XL nickels (which are on my jazz now). I think the cobalt's were just a little too rough and a little too bright for my tastes.

Certainly rougher than Nickel strings, I don't feel the same about them against stainless though. Much easier on my fingers.

I'm guessing my ears may just be goofy, but I don't find them bright at all. Not like I find SS strings.
 
Certainly rougher than Nickel strings, I don't feel the same about them against stainless though. Much easier on my fingers.

I'm guessing my ears may just be goofy, but I don't find them bright at all. Not like I find SS strings.

I doubt your ears are goofy. The only stainless strings I have to compare them to is the DR lo-riders which to me after a few hours of playing lost their rough feel and tone wise did not seem so bright. (I tried hi-beams a few years ago but can't really remember what I thought of them) I also usually play with the tweeter in my cab off and rarely boost the treble on my amp. I still have the strings and I'm sure at some point I will try them again ,one of the benefits or drawbacks to having a bunch of strings lying around.
 
I use roto's and no the Cobalts are not as rough IMHO. I've had them on my jazz for about a month now and I'm still liking them. At this point for me it's still a coin toss. Guess it depends on who has rotos or Cobalts on sale when I need a new set. Its only been a month but their still sounding loud and proud.
 
I got some Cobalts today. I took my bass to my local music store and bought them for $40. I got the .45 .65 .85 .105 set. My last strings were nickel Slinkys (.45 .65 .80 .100) and I have a passive Jazz bass.

I think these are pretty cool. They are just a little punchier than nickel Slinkys and perhaps slightly brighter. I had to raise my neck pickup because their wasn't enough output for me (though the pickup already was already pretty low). I didn't even notice much more output from these strings compared to the nickels either. These strings are a lot rougher than nickel Slinkys. My plucking fingers on my right hand are hurting more than they did with the nickels and my fretting fingers are not that sore but they are dry and rough feeling. Here's something I like though: these strings are SO AWESOME with the bridge pickup! The G string is too twangy but WOW these things growl!!! They've got some good punch too. I like these strings, but they aren't too different to me.
 
I'm a bass player that has been playing a lot more electric guitar lately, and I really like the Cobalt guitar strings...when I can find them! EB can't seem to make them fast enough to keep up with the demand. After trying different bass strings from several manufacturers, I have become a faithful DR String (Pure Blues, for my guitars and fat beams, high beams, black beauties, and sunbeams on my basses depending on the bass and the desired tone/sound) for a couple of years now. I like the guitar strings enough to at least try the bass strings.