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Strings...again!


Dennis G

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I know, I know, not another "string" thread.

 

That said, for a few years I was using Elixir Nano's with Cleartones as a backup. Just for giggles I decided to try something new and went with EB Slinky's. Meh. Then I tried EB Cobalts! Woohoo. Sounded good (brighter and crisper, if you will) and lasted a long time. I'm now out of strings again and looking to buy (I have a lot of guitars, LOL). I've been using D'Addario's on my acoustics forever, but not on elec's. Opinions please on your thoughts (subjective I know) re: longevity, sound, value, etc. BTW, I'm a home only player, and have a variety of p/u's on my guitars (humbucker, P90, single coil, etc). I guess, in short, what do you like and why?

 

Thanks in advance.

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I use D'Addario's on all of my guitars. As a gigging musician, I find them to be very good. They sound great, stay in tune and have reasonable longevity. I use the EXL 115's(.011-.049). I have a Mexican Strat, an Epiphone Les Paul Standard Plus Top Pro and a 1966 Gibson ES-330 which, I guess, covers the gamut of pickup choices(single coil, ProBucker and P-90). My other suggestion is to wipe them off after you play; it really does help the last longer. Good Luck!

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I use D'Addarios on my acoustics and either Super Slinky's or Ultra Slinky's on my electrics.

My bass guitar takes RotoSounds.

 

I gig and play on and off stage a lot throughout the year, and I have never broken a string on stage, even once.

 

I did have a G string with a manufacturing defect in it, and it broke during installation and tune-up.

I wrote to D'Addario about it, and they sent me a brand new set for free.

 

I'm happy with these strings.

[mellow]

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I know, I know, not another "string" thread.

 

That said, for a few years I was using Elixir Nano's with Cleartones as a backup. Just for giggles I decided to try something new and went with EB Slinky's. Meh. Then I tried EB Cobalts! Woohoo. Sounded good (brighter and crisper, if you will) and lasted a long time. I'm now out of strings again and looking to buy (I have a lot of guitars, LOL). I've been using D'Addario's on my acoustics forever, but not on elec's. Opinions please on your thoughts (subjective I know) re: longevity, sound, value, etc. BTW, I'm a home only player, and have a variety of p/u's on my guitars (humbucker, P90, single coil, etc). I guess, in short, what do you like and why?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Used many strings over the years Markleys and Boomers for the longest time, then EB slinkies, a few years back triued the EB Colbalts and haven't looked back since. Use them on all my electrics whether fender typoe singles, P90s, or humbuckers. They just have that crispness and grunt to my ears.

 

Acoustic gets Elixers as I haven't foiund anything that sounds better on my old Yamaha.

 

Just this year been fooling around with bass and due to a limited selection at the local Mom and Pop have got Boomers on it, sounds good, but I'll like to try Colbalts on it too if EB even makes them for bass.

 

So to wrap it up, in my opinion you've already discovered the best strings.

 

But if evceryoine was the same there wouldn't be so many striung choices.

 

Johnny

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Cobalts are great in how they respond to touch and how they interact with your guitars pickups I don't like the feel tho. I like M-Steels a little bit more, so I will use those occasionally.

 

Usually I go with D'Addario XL110 on most of my electrics and have done so for many years now.

 

why?

 

they are very consistent, never had a dud set, they sound / feel great and for me, I can get a lot of time out of them and they are easy on the wallet.

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Thanks all for the replies. I'm thinking for now I'll keep using Cobalts, but work in a few other brands on some of my guitars just for comparison sake. I'm liking the Cobalts, but just wondering what else might be comparable. Thanks again.

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Thanks all for the replies. I'm thinking for now I'll keep using Cobalts, but work in a few other brands on some of my guitars just for comparison sake. I'm liking the Cobalts, but just wondering what else might be comparable. Thanks again.

You're welcome Dennis, yea the Cobalts did/do feel a little different but I mostly don't notice anymore unless I end playing something else (like a buddy's guitar).

 

I am liking the GHS Boomers on my bass, they maybe worth a try. I might even slip in a set on mine 6 strings in the future, couldn't hurt to try on one of them at least.

 

Let us know if you do find something you like as much or better than the Cobalts.

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Thanks all for the replies. I'm thinking for now I'll keep using Cobalts, but work in a few other brands on some of my guitars just for comparison sake. I'm liking the Cobalts, but just wondering what else might be comparable. Thanks again.

 

I guess for something comparable it's M-Steels the have the same material in the winding but there's some differences in the core, but they are pretty close to the cobalts.

these feel a little better to me, the cobalts are a bit off for my finger tips.

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I guess for something comparable it's M-Steels

Just noticed that I had a set of these on hand, and my Carvin CT6 was overdue for a change, so on they went. It'll be interesting to compare then to the Cobalt's.

Thanks again for the input.

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I recently decided to try D'Addario EXL Nickel 10-46 LT Wound 3rd but so far I've only put them on my Squire Strat. I previously had 11-49's on my LP and GHS Boomers on my ES339.

these are on my "have to try" list based on my experience with their acoustic strings, and other's input as well. I think I'll work them in with some new Cobalt's. Thanks again for your input.

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Just noticed that I had a set of these on hand, and my Carvin CT6 was overdue for a change, so on they went. It'll be interesting to compare then to the Cobalt's.

Thanks again for the input.

 

 

 

Please report back on the M-Steel vs Cobalts, definitely interested in how they fair.

 

Thanks

 

Johnny

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Well based on that article the only differences that would lead to a sound difference would be round or hex core and alloy which kinda makes since really as we are talking about materials reacting in a magnetic field.

But.....my ears still tell me D'Addairo strings are too bright for me until they are near death and the Colbalts are just right.

 

Johnny

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Well based on that article the only differences that would lead to a sound difference would be round or hex core and alloy which kinda makes since really as we are talking about materials reacting in a magnetic field.

But.....my ears still tell me D'Addairo strings are too bright for me until they are near death and the Colbalts are just right.

 

Johnny

I just ordered some new Cobalt's, and also a 3 pack of the D'Addario 110XL for comparison. It'll be a while, but...

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