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Just tried the new Ernie Ball Cobalts.


surpriselunch

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I walked into my local music shop to buy an acoustic amp and an orange head the other(the orange vanished! alas...) and i figured i should buy some strings too. I was asked to try these puppies and to let him know what i thought. I usually get some DR High Voltages for my metal band, i like them because they have very good harmonic response and have good clarity and just all around i think have great tonal definition, not to mention can certainly take a beating. I popped the cobalts on today and was blown away, it's like those high voltages older, wiser brother. Same thing with the other with clarity,response. yadda yadda. They have a very nice smooth feel to them as well. Anyone else digging these strangs? :)

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I tried them on two guitars. I didn't like them on my American Standard Strat. Too bright and "metallic" sounding, probably because cobalt has a stronger magnetic field than nickel. They sound good with my Les Paul. They seem to add a bit of sparkle. Based on my experience, they're going to be good for humbuckers but a bit too bright for most Strats or other single coil instruments, but that's just one set of ears. :)

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I tried them on two guitars. I didn't like them on my American Standard Strat. Too bright and "metallic" sounding, probably because cobalt has a stronger magnetic field than nickel. They sound good with my Les Paul. They seem to add a bit of sparkle. Based on my experience, they're going to be good for humbuckers but a bit too bright for most Strats or other single coil instruments, but that's just one set of ears.
:)



:(

I ordered them for my Pacifica 904... Should i not bother putting them on? They're like $12 a set... And they're the wrong gauge for my LP or SA2200. I could try them on my lag with the P90's.

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I use them on a dual HB guitar and found them to be excellent on that. Haven't tried them on an SC guitar yet.

 

Given the sparkle they gave to the HB's it's possible that they may be too much for an SC but that's just a a guess.

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I have been playing these (12s) for about 2 months, they are wonderfully bright and harmonics JUMP off (perfect for pick free playing) but they took quite a while before they settled in tune. I use a Kahler vibrato quite a bit and with std Slinkys they would stay dead on tune after ~1 week of stretching but with the cobalt's it took a solid month before they'd return to pitch. FYI I use no lock nut but have Sperzels and Graphtech black nut (lubed) in a perfectly straight string path.

 

So Cobalts are durable good-sounding strings but slow to "settle" in an extreme vibrato scenario.

 

These go on next

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too bad I can't get an 8 string set or build one with individual strings!

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I bought a set. Meh. They're nice, maybe a spark more "life" to the tone, but not $10 a set worth of life.


I'd switch to them if they were 5... maybe 6 bucks. 10 is too many bucks.

 

 

Supposedly, they are supposed to last longer as well. That could work economically.

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Supposedly, they are supposed to last longer as well. That could work economically.

 

That may be worth consideration. I use Elixirs on my acoustic because of the long life. I am a bit anal about string changes. As soon as the guitar starts to have slight tuning problems, off they come. But the Big D's I've used forever settle right in.

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Supposedly, they are supposed to last longer as well. That could work economically.

 

Word. Well, that test is currently underway. I'll hafta start practicing with the guitar they're on and see what the deal is every week. However, I don't really break strings. I pretty much always change strings just based on how much they've been used (I like to keep it to just a few show's worth like 2 practices and a show, etc...) so you know, this time test may be a little skewed with me.

 

:idk:

 

Oh, and D'Addarios went down a bit in price. The little cartons with 10 packs inside are now $37. Hard to beat quliaty strings that are $3.70 a set.

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:(

I ordered them for my Pacifica 904... Should i not bother putting them on? They're like $12 a set... And they're the wrong gauge for my LP or SA2200. I could try them on my lag with the P90's.

 

It probably has a lot to do with pickups. All you can do is put them on and see how they sound. They would certainly give a bit of zing to the P-90's, but most P-90's don't really need extra zing to begin with, at least not the Lindy Fralin's on my Les Paul Special.

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Yeah i used them on my Jackson SLS and they were a dream. I usually use Blue Steels for things other than metal, i like those crisp little numbers. (: Who knows though, maybe i will try the cobalts on that stuff too! I'm alright with paying a few extra dollars for strings, it's worth it if you're happy.

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Mine are on a strat... it's a Charvel So Cal with DiMarzio buckers and a Floyd, but it is a strat.

 

 

You mean the shape of the body? I meant the single coil pups and standard strat configuration (but you knew that).

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I love them. I put a set on my shecter mid march and they're still bringing the :rawk: If i could find them in the 12 format i would totally put them on my strat. Unfortunately i can't, and i ain't buying just a set of strings from MF or Sweetwater.

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See Post #3.
:)



Yes, I did, Larry. Thanks. Which is what prompted me to ask for more feedbacks but I might just try them on my PAC904. Worse that can happen is I wasted ten bucks and will put my usual boomers back on.

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Yes, I did, Larry. Thanks. Which is what prompted me to ask for more feedbacks but I might just try them on my PAC904. Worse that can happen is I wasted ten bucks and will put my usual boomers back on.

 

 

Oops, sorry. The D'Addario EJ-110's I usually use on my Strats seem a bit warmer, with less of an edge that the Cobalt's seem to bring.

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