Ernie Ball cobalt guitar strings

[chuckebaby]

I'd like to do a review on these strings as this is the first time I've used them.

I used the 9-42. I am a bender by nature and love the feel of lighter gauged strings.

The package said Maximum output and clarity. These strings cost almost double what I normally use Ernie Ball super slinky Pinks. So I was cautious to buy into gimmick strings.

I've had the strings on my guitar now for almost 2 weeks. I must say the longevity of the strings has indeed held out very nicely. As for the maximized output and clarity, There is a slight difference, I wouldn't say maximized output, but I would say improved sustain. The clarity is a toss up, they have sounded like brand new strings for almost 2 weeks now so I guess there is some truth to that as well.

Over all I would say im impressed. Not sure I would put them on every guitar I own but for guitars in the recording studio, these make life a little bit easier because of their lasting sound. Dare I also say I found them to stay in tune slightly more than the normal EBSS Pinks

[synkrotron]

Interesting.

So you would say more than just Snake Oil @Chuck E Baby?

 

[Hidden Symmetry]

I tried a few sets on several different guitars, 9's & 10's. I didn't like the gritty feel & they chew through fret wire faster than others. Of course if you're tracking in the studio & they sound good I'd say go for it.

My favs were FireWire strings but they're no longer in business. They sounded & felt great plus lasted longer than any of the other brands I've tried.

[chuckebaby]

1 hour ago, synkrotron said:

So you would say more than just Snake Oil @Chuck E Baby?

I don't know, I personally didn't think so. but its not like a hover car where I was blown away.

I guess I wasn't expecting much, so what ever bonus came out of it I was surprised.

11 minutes ago, Hidden Symmetry said:

My favs were FireWire strings

Man I haven't seen them around for almost 10 years. It stinks when you find something you like and they close shop.

I use to use these back in the 80's

They still make them but not like they used to back them. not sure what they did but around 1992, 93 the strings changed.

I moved to Ernie Ball back then and have been happy.

[Hidden Symmetry]

22 minutes ago, Chuck E Baby said:

I don't know, I personally didn't think so. but its not like a hover car where I was blown away.

I guess I wasn't expecting much, so what ever bonus came out of it I was surprised.

Man I haven't seen them around for almost 10 years. It stinks when you find something you like and they close shop.

I use to use these back in the 80's

They still make them but not like they used to back them. not sure what they did but around 1992, 93 the strings changed.

I moved to Ernie Ball back then and have been happy.

That pic sure brings back memories!

I used nothing but those Markleys for years. I still have a road trunk completely covered with those yellow stickers that I plastered all over it every time I changed a set.

Back then it once a week, plus top three every other night or so playing 6 nights a week, 5 hours a night, typically 48 weeks a year. Tore through alot of wire too, replaced all my guitars with SS. Now playing casually I've been using d'addario prosteels, they work pretty well for me. As you say though the quality has changed throughout the years.

[chuckebaby]

4 minutes ago, Hidden Symmetry said:

I still have a road trunk completely covered with those yellow stickers that I plastered all over it every time I changed a set.

OMG, I forgot all about the stickers .

I have a guitar case (For my Fender Jazz) right next to me with one of those stickers on it.

As far as the Pro steels go, never tried them but I think I will give them a shot next.

[chuckebaby]

56 minutes ago, Lord Tim said:

they sound fantastic, but for recording I'm loving the M-Steel range.

That will be one of my next pick ups for sure, those and the Paradigm. Also looking forward to trying out those ProSteels @HiddenSymmetry mentioned.

I knew you were endorsed by EB, but I also know you to be a man of good integrity. Looking forward to checking out the M steel's.

[craigb]

I'm having flashbacks...  In the late 70's and early 80's I only used Super Slinky's, but a special version called "Doc T's" 'cause Doc T was the owner of the music store we used to hang out in all the time.  LOL!

 

(Side note:  Elixers suck for pick slides.  Just sayin'... ?)

[bayoubill]

I'm sticking to  these

[bayoubill]

I prefer these but wasn't paying attention when I bought the strings above 

[DeeringAmps]

10-52 for many years now. 

Been lovin’ the “half rounds” lately, cuts down on the “squeak”, don’t play “out” much anymore, would use the “nickel wounds” for that. I’m old, what can I say. 

T

[chuckebaby]

Ya the 10-52's are a little too heavy for me but I totally understand why some people use them, to be honest there's not much of a difference on the high E -B and G strings. But on the D- A and E strings is a big jump(.6,10,10).

[synkrotron]

On 3/5/2019 at 4:11 PM, Chuck E Baby said:

I don't know, I personally didn't think so. but its not like a hover car where I was blown away.

I guess I wasn't expecting much, so what ever bonus came out of it I was surprised.

Thanks Chuck.

My playing ability, or lack of, perhaps doesn't warrant splashing out on those things but curiosity always gets the better of me haha

[bayoubill]

45 minutes ago, Chuck E Baby said:

Ya the 10-52's are a little too heavy for me but I totally understand why some people use them, to be honest there's not much of a difference on the high E -B and G strings. But on the D- A and E strings is a big jump(.6,10,10).

I have gorilla hands and don’t need a vibrato    bar. I rip off 8s and 9s so I moved to heavier strings. I suppose I play and look ? and smell like one too ? though I Am not hairy 

you can call me hairy but I prefer bayoubill 

[mettelus]

I have been running the D'Addario Balance Tension strings for a while, but shifted from 10s to 9s last year partly due to a forum discussion but mainly to a funny event. I could not get the 10s to palm mute cleanly (a lot of harmonic leakage), so tried 9s for the first time. There is such a massive difference between those 10s and 9s as far as harmonics, sustain, and bending. 9s will palm-mute insta-dead and bend like putty in comparison, but have less sustain and are harder to pull harmonics from -- the difference in tension is significant on 25.5" scale.

[chuckebaby]

4 hours ago, bayoubill said:

I have gorilla hands and don’t need a vibrato bar

TBH, I don't use a vibrato bar that much either, but I do a massive amount of bending in my lead playing.

This video is not a good example (because I made some mistakes in it) but you can get a good idea the type of style I play...

 

[msmcleod]

I use RotoSound Pinks, 9-42's.

[craigb]

1 hour ago, Chuck E Baby said:

TBH, I don't use a vibrato bar that much either, but I do a massive amount of bending in my lead playing.

This video is not a good example (because I made some mistakes in it) but you can get a good idea the type of style I play...

 

Don't like to spend much on pickups, do ya? ?

[chuckebaby]

11 hours ago, craigb said:

Don't like to spend much on pickups, do ya? ?

It all depends on what im playing, when I need to dig in.. I don't want that twangy single coil sound or that 60 cycle hum.

This guitar was built for one reason, it's an 03 Fender Strat with 1 pick up / 1 volume knob.

The pick up in this guitar is a 1982 Seymour Duncan 59B wound by none other than maricela Juarez.

 

I'll be totally honest, I hate the twangy sound of Strat's so much that I stayed clear of them all my life. But in 2006 I went in to guitar center to buy an amp (Marshall JCM800) I grabbed the first guitar I saw to test out the amp.. That guitar was this Strat. I was so blown away, I left with the guitar instead of the amp. Took it home and ripped it apart rebuilt it with new parts.

Its not often but every once in a while you find a guitar that is simply just amazing to play and it doesn't feel like a guitar, it feels like an extension of your hand, it feels like a body part.