Strings...again!

[SG player]

Here is a real set of strings on a guitar.

 

 

What a BEAUTY!

 

This is a pure Gibson SG, a very rare Cream Ltd Edition

 

[Pinch]

Epiphones are better. Plus, I hear they outsorced the production of the cream-colored Gibson SGs to the same Taiwanese company that brought us the whoopie cushion. Hush-hush.

[kidblast]

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...

 

 

You will see these are very different from the D'Addario's (for example) that you may be more accustomed to..

 

right out of the packaging, you'll find they don't look like new strings. not the bright silver you are used to seeing with nickel strings

 

once you get them strung, you'll immediately notice they don't feel like nickel strings at all. You may not like it at first, or at all. After a few days, this goes away and you tend to not notice.

(not sure if you get used to the feel or if once they break in, they are not quite as different feeling to your finger tips.)

 

tonality and touch response are probably the biggest "wow" factor. Cobalt strings will seem to make your guitar "louder". They just seem to have more output than nickel, due to the interaction of the cobalt stings, and the cobalt material in the alnico's (AH HA!!! and yea.. This why...)

 

They will seem far more touch responsive than nickel. if you do a lot of legato style playing, you'll see that the notes seem to punch out with more clarity, and balance.

 

these were my experiences, I use them, but not exclusively. I usually have one or two of my electrics strung with either the cobalts or the m-steels. I find they do last quite a long time. they are also very stable with less time required to stretch and break in.

 

if you can get past the feel, which I did, and why I go for M-Steels more often... (as I mentioned b4, it's less noticeable to me) what is written up on them, IMHO. is definitely not hype.

[SG player]

 

 

 

 

 

Epiphones are better. Plus, I hear they outsorced the production of the cream-colored Gibson SGs to the same Taiwanese company that brought us the whoopie cushion. Hush-hush.

 

 

[kidblast]

well,,

so much for having a thoughtful discussion on strings...............

[Pinch]

Fair enough. On topic: D'Addario 10-46. To be perfectly honest, no particular reason. Force of habit.

[Dennis G]

kid:

I agree with a lot of what you said in post#26. I've been using the Cobalt's for a year or so and they did indeed brighten up the sound on my guitars. I'm going to try the D'Addarios's based on my experience with them (EXP 80/20) on my acoustics. The feel of the Cobalt's wasn't an issue with me, and I just put a set of M Steel's on one of my guitars, and my initial feeling is the sound, feel, etc. is real similar to the Cobalt's. Will just have to see if they last as long.

[SG player]

ELIXIR Light / 10 - 46 for me.

 

 

I will never play Dean Markley Blue Steel .

[epistrat]

With all this talk of EB Cobalts I'm going to have to try them again. I used them before I switched to the D'Addario NYXLs, but they did sound better than the nyxl's.

 

With my Epi LP Special II I think I'm going to try a set of Cobalt 10s that I have to see if they improve the sound of that guitar any. I'm trying anything to boost the sonic quality on it.

 

I was having a problem with the Cobalt 10s on my 25.5" scale Strat-type guitars, but the shorter scale of the Epi might make them more handle-able (is that a word?)

 

I think I prefer the Cobalts to the M-Steels because the M-Steels have a higher percentage of Cobalt in them, and Cobalt is a lot harder than the nickel/silver alloy my frets are made out of. So that's what worries me about using the M-Steels, they might wear down my frets like SS strings do. Maybe that's why they call them M-Steels, to warn you that they'll wear your frets down faster than the regular Cobalts or the Slinkys. Just a thought.

[epistrat]

Okay, I put a set of Cobalt 10s on my Epi LP and I prefer the tension and the tone of them on this guitar to the NYXLs. I guess I'm going to have to get used to their gritty feel again.

[Dennis G]

The feel of the Cobalt's wasn't an issue with me, and I just put a set of M Steel's on one of my guitars, and my initial feeling is the sound, feel, etc. is real similar to the Cobalt's. Will just have to see if they last as long.

It's not been that long, but so far I'm not convinced that the M Steels are any better/worse than the Cobalt's. Just my two cents, and YMMV. I think I'm going to stick with Cobalt's, although I have bought a few sets of D'Addario XL's for comparison as well.

[jdgm]

Please excuse me coming in on this one.

 

DR Handmade Blues are probably the best strings I have ever used IMO.

 

Fender pure nickel are very good indeed but not long-lasting.

D'Addario and EB are good, predictable (I like that) and always reliable...well nearly always!

Optima gold-plated strings were a revelation to me - you have to try these once in your life.

They lasted over a year on my preferred guitar (far better on a semi than a solid). Incredibly loud and almost a brassy tone, not surprisingly.

 

The 1st time I tried stainless steel strings I loved 'em.

But I didn't stick with them for some reason; when I tried them again a couple of years ago I did not like them at all.

 

Also could not get used to that 'gritty' - good description - feel of Cobalts. I tried. Perhaps I'll do so one more time......

[epistrat]

 

 

Also could not get used to that 'gritty' - good description - feel of Cobalts. I tried. Perhaps I'll do so one more time......

[old mark]

I play mostly older rock & roll, blues and a little jazzy stuff. I use Ernie Ball Slinky 10's or Ernie Ball Nickel 10's ONLY, and have for at least 25 years, no plans to change.

[epistrat]

On my guitars where Cobalt 10s were too tight, instead of using D'Addario NYXL 10s, I'm now using EB Cobalt 9s. Not as much tension as tens, and you still get that great Cobalt tone.

[Col Mustard]

+1 on D'Addario electric guitar strings. AND acoustic strings and bass strings... I use them all.

 

I like to buy them from Musician's Friend when they go onsale. I buy them in boxes of ten sets when I see these anywhere under $39.00.

As cheap as that, I don't feel bad about removing them in sets and replacing them before important gigs or lengthy tours or new recording

sessions. I feel good about it. I also am a fan of Elixir strings, and will put them on guitars I intend to take on the road and play a lot.

They are very worth it for something like that.

 

I have a few guitars to maintain... can you tell? Anyway, for me, D'Addario strings seem to last a long time. And I seldom break them.

This has more to do with the fact that my guitars are all set up properly. My one Telecaster that seemed to break strings near the bridge

responded very well to smoothing the contact points with a jeweler's file, so there was likely a sharp edge there that I've smoothed off.

 

I don't think there's anything wrong with Martin strings, or Earnie Ball, or Fender brand, or Gibson Bright Wires.

Would not say anything against them. Other brands, I dunno. But I'm happy with D'Addario for most purposes.