Ernie Ball Cobalt Flatwound

[Simon C]

Hi everyone.

 

Based on a Luthier's suggestion, I have put some Ernie Ball Cobalt Flatwound Strings on my fretless.  I won't go into why the advice was given as I think it will muddy the conversation.

 

I put them on the bass.  For sure it sounds different to the ones I had on previously.

 

However they feel quite sticky.  Almost as though there is marmalade or other sticky substance on the strings.  So slides don't feel particularly smooth.  They aren't as quick either as there is an initial resistance to movement (maybe "highish friction" would be a better description than sticky).  They certainly don't feel "Slinky"

 

I have put "Fast Fret" on the strings, but it doesn't appear to be making much of a difference.

 

Have others had a similar experience with these strings? 

 

Thanks in anticipation,

 

Simon

Edited May 30, 2023 by Simon C

[Paolo85]

I tried them once. Mine did not feel sticky to me. At least no more than any other flats which can in general feel sticky - although in my case that's normally for the plucking hand, not the fretting hand, slides are normally more than ok.

Oddly, they did feel slightly "soft" under the fingers as if I could squidge them a tiny bit, but it does not sound like that's what you are getting

[Rodders]

It might be worth wiping them down with alcohol, a lot of flatwound strings I have used still have residue from the manufacturing process straight out of the packet.

[PaulThePlug]

Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol, or one of those first aid sterile wipe things, or glasses, computer screen cleaner sachets

[ezbass]

Never had a sticky set of these, although I have had that experience with LaBella’s. However, they may now be coating them in something to negate the rust spotting issue they were having a while back.

[Simon C]

Thanks for all the responses.  I took the bass in to the guitar tech who’d suggested I should try the strings.  He agreed with me that they had a high friction on slides compared to other strings.  He had a go at cleaning them but didn’t get anything off them, so concluded it was the material itself.  They pretty much made the fretless unplayable so I’ve taken them off and put the chromes back on.  I may try them on my short scale fretted bass when the strings next need changing.

 

My conclusion from this string experiment is: these don’t work on a fretless bass (or at least they don’t for me).

[Jimbogubson]

Had a few sets of cobalts and they do have slightly grippy feel straight out of the packet and definitely not as slick as other flats. But they do settle down with use.

[Johannes]

I have used them long time on my 5-string Sadowskys, both fretted and fretless and haven’t experienced any sticky feel on them. For me they are great strings, balanced, clear and punchy sound, medium tension. Possibly the best flatwound B-string available.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I really like the 40-95 set of cobalt flats on each of my thunderbirds. After at least three years they're still going strong I don't remember them feeling sticky or grabby, but I do keep my strings clean with dunlop ultraglide 65 string cleaner and conditioner — which is sold as an alternative to fast fret, and like fast fret is just scented mineral oil with a felt applicator, but being in liquid form in a bottle it doesn't dry out like fast fret.

 

I've noticed that Thomann has the new short scale cobalt flats. I'm quite tempted to get a set for my Squier jag SS.

[Tokalo]

I had a set that I used on a couple of basses for several months last year.
I thought they were sticky, and kept cleaning them (alcohol, then washing-up liquid - in case it was caused by skin debris/grease etc).

But they’re not properly “sticky” - if you slide up and down, they’re smooth like a flatwound should be. It’s when you lightly touch them that there’s some extra contact between your skin and the metal.

I've come to the conclusion that the “sticky” feeling might be something to do with charged particles in the cobalt reacting to my body’s inherent magnetism.

I don’t use them any longer.

[Ed_S]

Having sworn I'd never bother with flats again, I found myself ordering a set of these for my American Professional Jazz V, which is the bass I tend to use for fingerstyle playing of lighter genres. I've previously tried Fender 9050s, D'Addario Chromes and Galli Jazz Flats, and these do feel quite different to all of those - especially the Galli strings which were smooth like glass. These remind me of some relatively expensive violin strings I used many years ago.

 

I've only had them on for a couple of days, but at present I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying them. The slightly grippy feel actually seems much more natural to me when sliding between notes than completely smooth alternatives, and the sound I'm getting so far is really clear and 'pure'. My J bass is naturally very bright sounding, so I've always had the tone backed off about half-way with rounds, and I still need some of that with these flats. Hopefully that means that if they do reduce in brightness as I play them in, I can gradually bring the tone up on the bass to get back to where I'm at now as I'd happily keep them sounding like this.

 

But yeah, they feel odd... I just happen to be ok with it!

[Wonky2]

I use these, 100-45. They’re great strings.

[Simon C]

These sat unused for about 8 months.  When the round wounds on my shortscale died I put these cobalt flats on them.  I thought they might work quite well on a shortscale.  I’ve had them on for about 2 weeks and they are working ok. The high friction isn’t as noticeable - I think because a fretted bass doesn’t have the same accuracy requirement as a fretless does on a slide.  I’ll keep them on for a few months and see how they age.

 

Edited March 22 by Simon C