I tried my first set of Cobalts on my Albert Lee HH. It is a bit of a challenge to compare strings as you are removing an old dead sounding set and listening to new ones. Any new set of strings will sound and feel better compared to the old ones. I chose to try the Albert Lee HH first as I have always found it to be a darker sounding guitar. Not in a bad way, just a gutsy sounding guitar that out pounds many so called heavy sounding guitars while still remaining a dynamic sounding instrument.
I played it acoustically and they certainly have "zing" to them. They sounded great unplugged and felt great. I figured I would plug into different amps. I plugged into my 68 Princeton, Matchless DC30, Marshall YJM, Carr Mercury and a Soldano SLO. I also DI'd into a Mesa Recording Preamp.
I am impressed. It is hard to describe, but it is brighter without adding treble or losing low end. Almost like a presence control on an amp. The Cobalts really shone in the Matchless and the Princeton. I found I was alway looking for a more brightness with the AL HH previously in the Matchless. I would turn up the treble but then it could get piercing. With my amp settings left from the previous jam session I plugged in the AL HH with Cobalts. It was there. Zing! I didn't need more treble and didn't lose any low end. I also like the definition in the chunk of the SLO and the Mesa Preamp also.
The most pleasant surprise to me was the feel. It is again hard to describe, but they feel "slinky" without being slippery like coated strings. They really do sort of have a slinky feel and I found the bends seemed a little smoother.
I have always liked my Slinky's and we are certainly talking degrees of difference, not orders of magnitude. I may well find that I prefer Slinky's on some and Cobalts on others. I'm going to try Cobalts on other guitars. I want to try a set on a Les Paul and a Stringray. I am peeved that my local vendor does not not stock Bass Cobalts or Heavy Top/Skinny Bottom as I use that on a couple of guitars. They are a major chain too. I'll have to get on their case I guess!
Kudos to EBMM for always trying to push the envelope.
I played it acoustically and they certainly have "zing" to them. They sounded great unplugged and felt great. I figured I would plug into different amps. I plugged into my 68 Princeton, Matchless DC30, Marshall YJM, Carr Mercury and a Soldano SLO. I also DI'd into a Mesa Recording Preamp.
I am impressed. It is hard to describe, but it is brighter without adding treble or losing low end. Almost like a presence control on an amp. The Cobalts really shone in the Matchless and the Princeton. I found I was alway looking for a more brightness with the AL HH previously in the Matchless. I would turn up the treble but then it could get piercing. With my amp settings left from the previous jam session I plugged in the AL HH with Cobalts. It was there. Zing! I didn't need more treble and didn't lose any low end. I also like the definition in the chunk of the SLO and the Mesa Preamp also.
The most pleasant surprise to me was the feel. It is again hard to describe, but they feel "slinky" without being slippery like coated strings. They really do sort of have a slinky feel and I found the bends seemed a little smoother.
I have always liked my Slinky's and we are certainly talking degrees of difference, not orders of magnitude. I may well find that I prefer Slinky's on some and Cobalts on others. I'm going to try Cobalts on other guitars. I want to try a set on a Les Paul and a Stringray. I am peeved that my local vendor does not not stock Bass Cobalts or Heavy Top/Skinny Bottom as I use that on a couple of guitars. They are a major chain too. I'll have to get on their case I guess!
Kudos to EBMM for always trying to push the envelope.
