Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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 free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Opinions on Ernie Ball Bass Strings...
- Thread starter Contractor821
- Start date
I've used the Slinky's for a few years now, and they work well for me. I avoided them for years because I heard they were crap. I bought a set out of necessity, figuring, well I need strings now, that's all they have here, and they're pretty cheap. I enjoyed playing them that night, so I've been using them ever since.
I was curious about the Cobalt strings for a while. One of my bands decided to start tuning down a half step--I don't like doing that. I think regular Slinky's are 0.100-0.045". They felt too light for me tuned down. I've used 0.105-0.050" sets when I tuned down in other bands, but I didn't like the tone as much, especially when slapping. The Cobalt strings seem to make up for it. I also like the extra grit when playing with distortion.
I was curious about the Cobalt strings for a while. One of my bands decided to start tuning down a half step--I don't like doing that. I think regular Slinky's are 0.100-0.045". They felt too light for me tuned down. I've used 0.105-0.050" sets when I tuned down in other bands, but I didn't like the tone as much, especially when slapping. The Cobalt strings seem to make up for it. I also like the extra grit when playing with distortion.
I've been using the hybrid slinky set for many years now. I used to use the d'addario strings of the same type which are kind of close, but imo they die much faster and break easier. I'm not saying the ernie balls have a long life, but imo they do last longer than the other strings of the same type and price range. I find them to be very balanced and they feel great under my fingers. I found the 45-105 gauge be the best. 50-105 was good finger style, but they were missing the high end while slapping. 45-100 were very sharp (in a good way) while slapping, but they lacked the low end playing finger style, and it would be more obvious in a recording. 45-105 set is the best of both worlds.
That's all being said, there is a lot of other brands that I haven't tried. I guess I'm afraid of putting a set of strings on my basss that I won't like, because I'm a cheap person and would not replace them until they break
But in general I can say that I like nickel coated medium tension round wound strings (45-105 gauge) and hybrid slinky are doing very good for me.
I'm open to any recommendations for similar strings. I tried the Dunlop strings. They were not bad but the ernie balls sounded like they have a wider frequency range.
That's all being said, there is a lot of other brands that I haven't tried. I guess I'm afraid of putting a set of strings on my basss that I won't like, because I'm a cheap person and would not replace them until they break
But in general I can say that I like nickel coated medium tension round wound strings (45-105 gauge) and hybrid slinky are doing very good for me. I'm open to any recommendations for similar strings. I tried the Dunlop strings. They were not bad but the ernie balls sounded like they have a wider frequency range.
try the Dunlop Super Bright, better than the classic Dunlop Nickel.
I didn't liked them, but because I was expecting a different kind of feeling (they are advrtised as smooth and low tension, "like DR Hi Beam/Sunbeam", but no way... DR are looser and smoother), but the sound was good, bright but not "harsh", well balanced and with a wide spectrum.
The orange 45-105 has been my favorite for the last 20 years.
Not so fond of their 5 string sets or steel strings but I dislike steel altogether.
Flats are pretty good too.
Not so fond of their 5 string sets or steel strings but I dislike steel altogether.
Flats are pretty good too.
I change them 2-3 times a year. I wipe before and after playing and I'm not looking for very bright strings.
If I was, they wouldn't be ideal anyway.
If I was, they wouldn't be ideal anyway.
I like nickelwound ones. Plain strings at a value price. No gimmicks like yarn wraps to up the price. Their other types get bad reviews, though.
Thanks for the advice, I will give it a try. I liked the regular nickel wound, but not better than the hybrid slinkys.. may be super bright will do.
They are not comfortable to me. I used some on a MIM Fender P bass that had a Hipshot A style Bridge and Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder pickup. The first set I tried was .105s to .50s . The string tension was too much for me. Felt a bit hard to the touch. Again, I think because high tension. Plus, I felt as if I had to pluck em really hard to get sound out of them. Know what I mean? It was as if I really had to attack the strings to get a non flat sounding tone. The second set I used were .100s to .45s. Better, but still, a hell of a lot of tension. Also, I noticed with this set that they were very thin sounding. They seemed to make the already midrangy p bass sound even midrangey-er. Too much zing.
So, I eventually switched to Marcus Miller name brand Dunlops (.105s to 45s). They are lower tension, but more resonant without being too zingy.
So, to summarize. They they feel way too stiff and they are too zingy (I guess in a word that means too much treble).
Love em on guitar though. Especially the heavier guages.
So, I eventually switched to Marcus Miller name brand Dunlops (.105s to 45s). They are lower tension, but more resonant without being too zingy.
So, to summarize. They they feel way too stiff and they are too zingy (I guess in a word that means too much treble).
Love em on guitar though. Especially the heavier guages.
Last edited:
Erm, there is nothing mythological about it, homes, I generally feel as though these strings suck. They've got way too much tension and they just dont give. From month 1 to month 3 they just feel like playing cheap azz industrial steel cables (which have been buffed with metal finish to look like guitar strings).
Last edited:
They used to be all I'd play, but they always seemed to die on me far too quickly. I made the jump to D'Addario about 7 years ago and never looked back.
The EB regular flats (not the Cobalts) are the most underrated flatwound strings out there. They sound like the new Fenders with a little less growl, and as a bonus you can get them in singles, where the Fenders only come in a set. And they don't have the annoying top end zing when new that D'Addario Chromes have. Kind of half-way in between. The reason they don't get more love is that the sets, to a lot of folks, are made up of gauges that made sense fifty years ago on a 7 1/2 inch crown radius Jazz bass neck with flat top pickups, but don't necessarily make sense now with flatter fingerboard radius necks and different pickup configurations.
I've gotten to where I don't respond to too many inquiries like this because there are so many other folks willing to. But why not every once and a while...
I've pretty much stuck to the Power Slinky 5-string set for the last three years, when I started playing again. I used the 4-string version in the 70s, 80, and a few years in the 90s before I took a misguided break for nearly 20 years.
These are the heavier-gauge version (.050, .070, .085, .105, .135) of the Slinky strings. They seem to be the only strings I can find or order in those gauges without making an expensive custom-gauge order. I just like the feel of the slightly larger string. I don't play viciously hard, but I play with a pretty good stroke. I've been told by folks a lot smarter than me that I can get lighter-gauge strings with a different construction that will feel the same as the Power Slinkies, and that's fine, but I like the Power Slinkies, the price is right, and I get nearly a month from them before they go kinda flat. With practicing every night for an hour or more, a lot of slap style in there, various rehearsals, and gigging at least a night or two every week plus 3 services on Sunday, I don't think 3-4 weeks from the strings is unreasonable for what I expect from strings. They aren't the chalkboard-bright zingiest strings right out of the package, but they retain that tone for the duration of the time I use them.
Having said this, string choice is a very personal and individual choice. Thankfully, there's plenty of options for everyone and because that, I don't wonder why folks don't use this or that string. But I lose patience when I get questions about why I don't use something else, referring those questions to "the hand", as it were.
I've pretty much stuck to the Power Slinky 5-string set for the last three years, when I started playing again. I used the 4-string version in the 70s, 80, and a few years in the 90s before I took a misguided break for nearly 20 years.
These are the heavier-gauge version (.050, .070, .085, .105, .135) of the Slinky strings. They seem to be the only strings I can find or order in those gauges without making an expensive custom-gauge order. I just like the feel of the slightly larger string. I don't play viciously hard, but I play with a pretty good stroke. I've been told by folks a lot smarter than me that I can get lighter-gauge strings with a different construction that will feel the same as the Power Slinkies, and that's fine, but I like the Power Slinkies, the price is right, and I get nearly a month from them before they go kinda flat. With practicing every night for an hour or more, a lot of slap style in there, various rehearsals, and gigging at least a night or two every week plus 3 services on Sunday, I don't think 3-4 weeks from the strings is unreasonable for what I expect from strings. They aren't the chalkboard-bright zingiest strings right out of the package, but they retain that tone for the duration of the time I use them.
Having said this, string choice is a very personal and individual choice. Thankfully, there's plenty of options for everyone and because that, I don't wonder why folks don't use this or that string. But I lose patience when I get questions about why I don't use something else, referring those questions to "the hand", as it were.
Have you ever tried the D'Addario EXL160-5 set? Exact same gauged nickelplated rounds and should be readily available most places.
I think they sound really good on EBMM products; I never thought they sounded as good on my other basses.
I could say the same for fender strings too; sounded amazing on...fenders but not so much with other basses.
they are OK in a pinch but DR gets my money from here on out.
I could say the same for fender strings too; sounded amazing on...fenders but not so much with other basses.
they are OK in a pinch but DR gets my money from here on out.
Cool, thanx. In spite of my long-winded post, I would like to try other strings. I really don't have any complaints with the Power Slinkies, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to check out something else.
