Cobalt Strings

Did some experimenting with Markie this weekend. We put a set on my SCT Modern Eagle with 57/08's.

My impression was that the strings created more output from the pickups. The guitar did sound like the pickups were hotter.

The strings felt a little more stiff than the nickel I usually use. Fellow forum member Russ noted that they were harder on the fretwire than nickel.
 
I plan to experiment this weekend, the local store got one of the last two Sig's a couple weeks ago, I'm putting a set of Cobalts on mine, we should be able to A/B the two guitars with new strings on both and get a good idea of what difference the strings make on otherwise identical instruments.
 
I got to try a set of 11's yesterday. First thing I noticed when taking them out of the package was how extremly slinky the wounded strings felt, almost like they were made of
string/rubber rather than metal, very odd indeed. The unwounded felt about the same as regular strings. I did notice they were more magnetic too, as they tended to stick to the pole pieces when I threaded them trough
the tailpiece. When strung up they were louder, brighter, and felt a bit "rough" in the texture. I ended up not using them though, simply because they felt way to slinky and "buzzy" on the wounded
compared with the DUnlop Heavy Core I was using.
 
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late to the game...put some Super Slinkys (.09-.42) on my Santana SE, I like them. But ten bucks is alot to pay for a set of strings, esp. when you're used to three bucks and change in bulk. Interested to see how long they wear, but they will have to be pretty impressive to be worth three sets of D'Addarios :)

Does anyone know if the cobalt has any effect on fretwear?
 
I had the shop a few weeks back that I ordered my new SE Santana from put on 9 to 42, and I like them a lot.
So much they are going to replace the 9 to 42 Titaniums I have on my Gibson SG.
 
...Been using Ernie Ball Cobalt strings since they first appeared. Form, best strings I ever used. Great tone, last a LONG time -

-Joe Beasley, Oklahoma City
 
Now I have all my guitars with those strings. really like them. can't tell exactly what, but kind of they have more bass, middle and treble, more sound and volume. anyway, loving them.
 
I have to agree with Slash, they feel like silk on my fingers :D
Have them on all of my guitars now.
They just seem to feel better.
 
I love them
they just pop and zing that bit more to me and i like how they feel too
as for fret wear I couldn't say. As with all guitars it depends on how heavy you are with your playing i guess
 
I bend like a fool and have not noticed any fret wear on either guitar in the 9 months or so I've been using these strings. Even with 11s on the Cu24. IMO, it's a non-issue.
 
As a fairly recent convert to Curt Mangan Nickel Wounds (which I love), has anybody tried both and can offer their comparative impressions?
 
Being a pure nickel fan, I tried a set of Cobalts and didn't really care for them. Not as smooth as I prefer my strings to be on my PRSi... Probably gonna try a set on Wolfgang...
 
Being a pure nickel fan, I tried a set of Cobalts and didn't really care for them. Not as smooth as I prefer my strings to be on my PRSi... Probably gonna try a set on Wolfgang...

I like the pure nickel thing, too. Nickel's got a vintage tone that I prefer, and feels good under the fingers. But then, I don't really feel the need for my pickups to sound as though they're hotter, closer to the strings, etc. I could see the cobalts working for a harder rocker.
 
I've been using Ernie Ball strings for the best part of 20 years, my whole playing life essentially, I've experimented with virtually every other brand out there but none of them were as good for me as Ernie Ball.

However, as much as I love EB Strings, EB as a company really like to over hype their products and can be really arrogant about it too...... (Anyone remember "The Gamechanger"?)

So naturally I was a bit sceptical about these Cobalt strings and as per EB Marketing in general, it all sounded rather gimmicky especially when at retail price, they are more than double the cost of my regular slinkys. Though to my surprise, months later, I noticed that I was still reading and hearing about how good the the Cobalt strings were and that many people had switched to them permanently (unlike the terribly and poorly named gamechanger).

So, yesterday while placing an order for new acoustic strings, I decided to get a pair of Regular Slinky Cobalt's to try on my SE Cu24. Gonna try and get them on before my first student arrives for his lesson today and see what I think.... will post thoughts and observations when I do.
 
i was kind of disappointed in them. I thought they were too "bright" sounding with the maple top PRS's. I did notice more output, the sound was just too bright sounding for me. I was costantly tweaking my amp and pedal trying to get a more ear pleasing tone, but never found the sweet spot. I switched back to elixars and never looked back.
 
Well, I restrung this morning and had about 20 minutes to play before lessons started.

My initial response is that there is definitely a tangible difference in tone clarity and output, both in a good way. They definitely seemed to enhance my metal/rock tones with no need for tweaking, and for clean tones, especially my country, I was able to use my bridge HB instead of the middle position to get a nice glassy tone where as before, using the bridge HB on it's own had been far too bright and no amount of tweaking really seemed to help.

In regards to how the strings feel, well, I love how they bend.....not that I had any issues with bending before, but the Cobalt's really make bending in general a more pleasant experience if that makes sense.

My biggest let down at this point, is the feel of the wound strings, particularly the 6th and 5th, feel kind of rough to my touch and at some points, it almost felt like my finger tips were getting a bit stuck....... though I reckon this may just require a period of adjustment to get used to them....
 
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