Is anyone else as excited about Cobalt flats as I am?

[KevinM]

I will most definitely try these on my fretless. They do say they're Super bright but I can work with that

 

[T-bone]

Do we know when they'll be in the channels? I'll replace my group IIIs, even though they're only 5 years old.

tbone

 

[tunaman4u2]

I'll definitely wait on the reviews for these. Slinky rounds are cheap & I love em. TONS of great choices for rounds. Less so with flats. I dont mind the feel of rounds so if the flat feel is all they offer then I'm less excited.

Cobalts are pricey, flats are pricey & you combine both to compete with cheap rounds? Just odd, it will be a small niche for sure... depends on price

 

[bassmonkeee]

I'll definitely wait on the reviews for these. Slinky rounds are cheap & I love em. TONS of great choices for rounds. Less so with flats. I dont mind the feel of rounds so if the flat feel is all they offer then I'm less excited.

Cobalts are pricey, flats are pricey & you combine both to compete with cheap rounds? Just odd, it will be a small niche for sure... depends on price

I'm not sure where you got the impression that these are to compete with cheap rounds. And, all flats are niche.

I'll be more than happy to give you a review when I get them. I'm planning on putting them on both a fretted and a fretless 5 string Bongo, with a fresh set of Cobalt rounds on the remaining 5 string Bongo.

 

[tunaman4u2]

If tonally they are aiming to sound like rounds... like $20 slinkies but cost $40 just for the flat feel... i gotta think these wont be HUGE sellers. Cobalt nickels are worth the premium at $30 due to the awesome tone, output etc

We'll see...

 

[bassmonkeee]

Of course, it's always possible that people are reading way too much into ad copy.

I thought of it like how Steve Harris uses flats--He replaces his monel flats before every show. If these flats have increased output like the rounds, and retain their "new string" sound for longer than usual for flats, that seems like it would fit the bill of "round like flat."

Who knows? I just know that I like the Cobalt rounds so incredibly much that I am certainly excited to try them. Maybe they'll match what I have in my head, or maybe they'll be a "jack of all trades but master of none." It wouldn't be the internet without evidence free speculation, though, right?

 

[sanderhermans]

i once bought the steve Harris signature flats (rotosound 50-110) though and they cost a pretty penny and the tension is really high... too high imo, needed alot of trus rod adjustement and they are really puchy and tight when tuned to E.
i'd rather try these new cobalt flats with decent tension and snappy sound

 

[tunaman4u2]

It wouldn't be the internet without evidence free speculation, though, right?

Tell me about it, I've heard enough deflategate speculation with no proof!

I turn to you guys for the reviews & hope you love em!

Oh... and GO PATS !

 

[stu42]

For me, I don't like using rounds on my fretless - don't like what they do to the fretboard. Plus, flats are much nicer for doing the side-to-side vibrato thing that is nice to do on a fretless. So, as much as I love Cobalt rounds on my fretted Bongo for their extended, beefier bottom end and spanky pop on the top end, I won't use the on my fretless.

I'm guessing that the Cobalt flats won't really compete with regular Slinky rounds for tone. I guess we'll see but I imagine they'll have possibly even more extended and beefier bottom end than the Cobalt rounds but will have more pop on the top end than a normal flat. And perhaps they'll be a bit mid-scooped too - like the Cobalt rounds are compared to regular Slinkies. So, I'm pretty pumped about them.

Anyway...I can totally see a use case for these new flats...and it's not to compete with cheap nickel rounds. I also love the feel of flats on my fretted bass but I prefer rounds on it because of the tone. For me, I think playing with flats actually changes the way I play somewhat because it's so nice not to have that side-to-side friction when you're sliding up and down the neck. So, having a flat that sounds more like a round would be a good thing.

If cost is a primary object then these new strings probably won't be too appealing but if tone and feel is a bigger factor then this might be a good solution. Then again...I find I can get more mileage out of the Cobalt rounds than with regular Slinkies because the tone (IMO/IME) seems to be better for longer so...that helps justify the cost.

I guess we'll find out.....

 

[MattOfSweden]

Interesting... why do we want flats to sound like rounds?

My thoughts exactly - sounds like marketing talk, plus rounds do sound quite different across different makes and models (with EBMM Cobalts at the top for me). I'd wager there is a significant (and sweet) difference vs a typical rounds sound. To start off I'll definitely get a set of Cobalt Flats for my fretless!

 

[keko]

Interesting... why do we want flats to sound like rounds?

Because I play wedding gigs whole night long, sometimes 8 x 1 hour long sets, ...but I need usual roundwound tone 'cause multi genre set list and flats are smoother to play for a long lasting gigs.

Do You getting my point?

 

[Kevsy71]

Interesting... why do we want flats to sound like rounds?

For me, any set in warm conditions and even mild right-hand finger sweat starts becoming an issue with rounds, especially eighth and sixteenth notes. Not a problem with flats, but sometimes I don't want the traditional flat sound but more sparkle. So I'll certainly be giving these a go

 

[MrMusashi]

i love the roundwounds on fretless. this might be a good opportunity to get the wear (on both fretboard and fingers) from flats while keeping the zing of rounds

ill definitely be checking em nordic stock on this babies!

MrM

 

[Movielife]

The advantage of buying flats is the sheer time they last. I have some EB Group III's on a Ray and on a P Bass. Both still sound great. I imagine the P bass set is around...hmmm.....4 years old. Ray set is around 2 and a half years old.

They also take care of your frets and fretboard (if you have frets!).

I'd like to try these on one of my Bongos.

 

[tunaman4u2]

Because I play wedding gigs whole night long, sometimes 8 x 1 hour long sets, ...but I need usual roundwound tone 'cause multi genre set list and flats are smoother to play for a long lasting gigs.

Do You getting my point?

Usually at the end of the night I have a LOT more issues than the rounds on my fingers but hey if you can feel better in one area why not?
Look forward to your review.

 

[MrMusashi]

I'd like to try these on one of my Bongos.

ahh.. it will be a thump-a-tron coming right your way

MrM

 

[nervous]

Interesting... why do we want flats to sound like rounds?

Yup, for me its a fretless thing for starters. I really like the round wound sound on that instrument but love the flat wound feel. Now on anything fretted I am round wound all day. But! if there is the remotest possibility these can actually do what that say, with a decent life span, then I am more than willing to try them on other basses. Ain't no harm in trying.

"Expected to Ship 03-27-2015"

 

[tunaman4u2]

Yup, for me its a fretless thing for starters. I really like the round wound sound on that instrument but love the flat wound feel. Now on anything fretted I am round wound all day. But! if there is the remotest possibility these can actually do what that say, with a decent life span, then I am more than willing to try them on other basses. Ain't no harm in trying.

"Expected to Ship 03-27-2015"

Look forward to your review! I'm personally fretlessless so Slinky nickel rounds will keep getting it done for me!

 

[Bass Control]

I need to call Sweetwater tomorrow and order up a set of Hybrids for my new Stingray.

 

[nurnay]

Yup, for me its a fretless thing for starters. I really like the round wound sound on that instrument but love the flat wound feel. Now on anything fretted I am round wound all day. But! if there is the remotest possibility these can actually do what that say, with a decent life span, then I am more than willing to try them on other basses. Ain't no harm in trying.

"Expected to Ship 03-27-2015"

Maybe I'll get lucky and my stealth fretless will ship with these?