I put an Ernie Ball cobalt round on my E string and a cobalt flat on my A string, just to compare strings. The cobalt flat floored me. My A string had more depth than my E string! And you’d think being a flat, the string wouldn’t have much bite but....wrong lol. I have stainless steels on my D and G strings and the flat had just as much bite as the steels, which are known for being the brightest type of string. Plus, not only do they feel nice, but the lack of resistance compared to roundwounds makes them very fast strings! You can fly up and down these flats effortlessly. Ernie Ball really outdid themselves with the cobalt flat.
Yes! The flexibility is what I noticed too. I'm a blues/rock player: really good with a little overdrive also! Not exactly darker, just more focused than rounds when driven, but most will never try them! -- Ibanez SR600E.
Thanks for reviewing this set. I've always used flats such as Rotosound 77 flats and GHS Precision Flats for a full mellow fundamental vibe, but the bright sound as demonstrated here, gives me hope to expand my horizon. Cheers!
Great demo. Was thinking of using some flats on my P/J which I haven't done before. And after watching your video, I guess I'm gonna go on with it. Glad I saw this video. Cheers!
@@IvanBassist I've done it! It's awesome. I think my p/j will never touch another set of roundwounds again. The flatwounds are just way better. I'm a pbass guy, so I really prefer flats. Great sound. Great experience 👍
I have an Ibanez TMB 310 body with a TMB30 neck, and I run GHS Bright Flats on it. I personally think that flat wound strings on a short scale sound amazing!
Guys these are the best strings ever. Just as snappy as steel round wounds and almost as smooth as dunlop flats. They may be a little pricey but get them!
I currently have these on my 1985 MIJ Yamaha BB1600 and they sound and feel great. I ordered two more sets from Sweetwater to put on my Fender Precision and Jazz basses.
Search for a picture of the back of the string package. It has a graph on it comparing Cobalt to traditional flats. They are as close as you can get to a roundwound sound. Plus they are extremely comfortable.
Thanks for this. Just got my first 5 string (after 50 years of playing 4s). It came strung with D'Addario XL rounds, which feel a bit like fence wire to me. I've been playing flats for so long - La Bella on my P and Chromes on my J bass - that I find rounds just too harsh. So I want flats, but also to keep some of the brightness to take advantage of the extended frequency response of the new instrument. Have ordered a set of these. If they sound as good on my bass as they do on yours, I'll be very happy.
@@IvanBassist Cort A5 Plus. As it's my first 5, I didn't push the boat out too much in case I don't get on with it (had my eye on a Spector Euro, but felt I shouldn't spend that much yet). The Cort is very nice for the money and I got it in a sale at about a third off.
@@davidcar1005 Hi David. I can only get the regular slinky set (45-130) here in the UK. They feel fine under the fingers and the tension is reasonable. I don't think I'd gain anything by going lighter.
I have a set of the old Fender chrome flats on my p bass and these strings have so much tension, it makes them nearly impossible to play. I have had these for 15 years now and only using them because I finished this parts p bass and needed strings and found them. So I am happy to see this review as I love flats but just not the ones I have. Also if you have not tried yet, you may want to look at testing half rounds or pressure wounds. I have a set of half rounds on my medium scale j style bass and they sound amazing. This is probably what I will replace the flats on my p bass with. They feel like normal strings tension wise yet sit in between flats and rounds tone wise. Great video and keep it up.
Yeah, I’ve heard great things about pressure wounds! Which brand do you have? I’d like to try the ones by GHS, but they’re impossible to find here in Germany :(
I’ve tried nearly all the flats and tapes except LaBellas and Tomastiks. But after using these and playing them for a couple of years on various basses, I don’t think I have to continue wasting time trying to find ‘the flatwound’. The cobalts of DRs Legend flats and good to go. Less gear wondering and more playing🤙🏼
Sounds fantastic. I already have a short scale PJ (a VM jazz with Chrome flats), or else I'd pick up one of those Ibanez basses and string it with the cobalt flats.
@@IvanBassist Your reply here has stuck with me for the last 6 months. So I just bought the last TMB-30 that I could find here in the US and came back to this video to double check if it was Cobalts or Cobalt Flats that I will need to put on her when she arrive.
Hi Ivan taknks for your review very helpfull !! i was considering put a 45-105 gauge in a mustangs bass . did you try this gauge on your shortscale ? arte your satisfy with this 45-100 set ? does the tension is close to roundwounds ? Thanks
Happy to help! I didn’t try the 45-105 gauge, but the 100 E string barely fit the tuning peg of the ibanez. I don’t know how the tuning machines of the mustang look like, but it could be a bit tight if you use a 105
I have the exact same bass. So i guess it's ok to use long scale string, and i noticed the one you used here is a lighter gauge than the original string. I wanted to change the strings, but can't decide which one to buy.
You will be amazed at how much more often you will use your tone knob. The only downside I've ever found with these is, if it's extremely humid, you will need finger ease or baby powder.
What are all the funny faces. Something you do not like? Let us know. Appreciate your reviews on this short scale. You are a very good musician. Also you mentioned the string length. Can the strings be pushed down the center of the tuner before winding?
I know what you mean. I have them on my '94 MIJ precision. It's exactly my ideal p-bass sound. And the bonus is, they aren't stiff like most flatwounds.
Tough question. I think you’d need stiffer strings to get a decent response out of the B string. If you want to use these EB strings specifically, I’d go with a heavier gauge
Nice video. 👌🏿 Been looking for this, to see what color those Cobalts are. What color are they? I'm hoping they're Black 🖤 Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿❤️
Hmmm.... This flatwound string is really new to me. I've been using roundwound string since last year once. It's an ernie ball. The one with the green. It's good to use. But this flatwound.... Is this really good? I wanted to try it, but I don't know what genre is really suitable for playing a flatwound bass strings. Please leave a comment for this, Sir. Thank you. Keep it up and stay safe. 😊
Flatwounds are great for blues, soul, rnb. They help to get that “old school” vibe. These Ernie Ball are definitely brighter than regular flats. I’d even use them for rock with the tone control fully open
@@IvanBassist I see. They're good to use to play for rock. I'll give it a try for the ernie ball flatwound someday. That's all, sir. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. Keep it up. 😊👍
I have D’Addario Chromes on my P Bass, and the bwawmp on the open A sounds horrible. It’s weird, I play something, and the strings sound good; not amazing and lively, just good. Then, I play another thing, and it’s rattley and unpleasant to the ears. I am considering trying these out.
@@IvanBassist ah i see. because i've been reading reviews saying it will affect the inner core of strings which may result in sound loss, etc. im using mustang MIJ btw. any tips from you would be great 😬
I have these on three short scale basses - a Hofner Ignition Club Bass, a Hofner Contemporary Club Bass and a Gibson Les Paul Tribute DC bass. They sound great but I had to really work getting the E string to work. Just the silk wrapped ends are supposed to wrap around the tuning pegs and the metal windings start to separate if they are bent too sharply. I broke an E string as it was winding around the small diameter peg on one of the Hofners. I emailed the folks at Ernie Ball to see if they made a short scale version of these and If the could sell me an E string and the reply that I got was, “These strings are not compatible with your bass.” I finally figured a way to make these fit by purchasing some small terminal lugs that are used in electrical work. I was able to cut the string to the proper length on the ball end side and attach the terminal lug (it tightens onto the wire) which acts as the ball end. So far, so good. You really only have to do this on the E string since the A, D and G strings are small enough that they will wrap around the posts without breaking.
Hey Sean! Congratulations on the new bass! I used regular long scale strings for this one. I’d recommend short scale ones, though. You could run into problems with the string wrappings around the tuning posts if the string is too long
thank you so much 🏆 i have now ordered daddario exl170s these are nickel roundwounds with a "warmer" sound. i will try these with a foam (muting)...kind regards from Berlin 😷
I’ll do a review about them soon after playing them for some weeks :) They are still bright but not in a brand new string kind of way. More like they’ve retained clarity
@@IvanBassist Thanks!. I'm gonna try a set just because I like the stronger fundamental of flats. Currently playing La Bella low tension flexible flats on one bass.
Anyone else have the carpet fulled from under their happiness with these Ernie Ballsacks rusting? 2 days after putting them on 2 basses, both had rust everywhere. Dave's World of Fun Stuff has been installing new Ballsacks and found rust. That's terrible. They already screw bassists on how expensive they are.
my uncel uses these strings and got me some for my bass and they are to long at the part you strum or what ever the word is there is aslo a pice of it with some purple fabric or some thing over it but even then they are way to long i tryed moveing them around but no luck btw the bass is his but he lets me use it but he has 2 and they are the same hight and these are the strings he always uses but they are the wrong size i have thougth of all sorts of stuff but nothing i think of will work to fix these cant bring them back since covid and the pack they came in is gone and these cost like 50 bucks if i saw the pack corectly so ya dont know what to do i have got a build up of songs i want to learn but i cant and this hase been like this for a few months so ya
ernie ball have been around since rock started...people avoid them because everyone is seeking the secret strings...try the pink label 8s on your electric guitar .....the most popular string but the best...why drink anything but coca cola....and dude...ibanez?.......trade it in for a fender......do you want to drive a mustang or a honda civic both are fast......but a mustang is a mustang.
I put an Ernie Ball cobalt round on my E string and a cobalt flat on my A string, just to compare strings. The cobalt flat floored me. My A string had more depth than my E string! And you’d think being a flat, the string wouldn’t have much bite but....wrong lol. I have stainless steels on my D and G strings and the flat had just as much bite as the steels, which are known for being the brightest type of string. Plus, not only do they feel nice, but the lack of resistance compared to roundwounds makes them very fast strings! You can fly up and down these flats effortlessly. Ernie Ball really outdid themselves with the cobalt flat.
Yeah, I’ve really digging these. Definitely need to try them on a regular long scale bass
After playing rounds for several decades, I switched to TI Jazz Flats about 15 years ago, and now play them exclusively.
TI’s are awesome!
I really like La Bella low tension flexible flats too. Kinda like TI from what I've heard.
Yes! The flexibility is what I noticed too. I'm a blues/rock player: really good with a little overdrive also! Not exactly darker, just more focused than rounds when driven, but most will never try them! -- Ibanez SR600E.
If I wasn't so obsessed with strings these would be on all of my basses. They're definitely my favourite strings I've tried.
I’m really digging them on the short scale. I haven’t tried them on a long scale bass, yet 😬
Thanks for reviewing this set. I've always used flats such as Rotosound 77 flats and GHS Precision Flats for a full mellow fundamental vibe, but the bright sound as demonstrated here, gives me hope to expand my horizon. Cheers!
Glad to hear you liked the video :)
These seem brighter than your average flats. Not a bad thing. I like them. I've always been a Fender 9050s guy, but they are definitely darker.
I’ve heard good things about the fender 9050s, but I’ve never tried them :)
@@IvanBassist I love the way they feel and they're really cheap for flatwounds. They're definitely darker though.
Those sound great for flats. I’ve always preferred SS rounds, but might give these a try. Great video. Thanks
Yeah, they have a nice character! Let me know what you think if you buy them. Thanks for watching, Joe!
Great demo. Was thinking of using some flats on my P/J which I haven't done before. And after watching your video, I guess I'm gonna go on with it. Glad I saw this video. Cheers!
Let me know what you think once you install them :)
@@IvanBassist I've done it! It's awesome. I think my p/j will never touch another set of roundwounds again. The flatwounds are just way better. I'm a pbass guy, so I really prefer flats. Great sound. Great experience 👍
I have an Ibanez TMB 310 body with a TMB30 neck, and I run GHS Bright Flats on it. I personally think that flat wound strings on a short scale sound amazing!
Indeed! 🔥
Guys these are the best strings ever. Just as snappy as steel round wounds and almost as smooth as dunlop flats. They may be a little pricey but get them!
I have found them selling for around $32.
Such a cool looking bass! And it sounds awesome!
Gracias!
I currently have these on my 1985 MIJ Yamaha BB1600 and they sound and feel great. I ordered two more sets from Sweetwater to put on my Fender Precision and Jazz basses.
The Flats sound good actually, and bright 👌🏿
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿❤️
Glad you like them! Greetings from Germany!
Search for a picture of the back of the string package. It has a graph on it comparing Cobalt to traditional flats. They are as close as you can get to a roundwound sound. Plus they are extremely comfortable.
Just put 40-95 on my Bronco bass cobalt flats wonderful!
Awesome! Glad that you liked them
Awesome stay safe an play!
I use these on one of my Mexi P basses. Love them!
Cool 💪🏽💪🏽
Thanks for this. Just got my first 5 string (after 50 years of playing 4s). It came strung with D'Addario XL rounds, which feel a bit like fence wire to me. I've been playing flats for so long - La Bella on my P and Chromes on my J bass - that I find rounds just too harsh. So I want flats, but also to keep some of the brightness to take advantage of the extended frequency response of the new instrument. Have ordered a set of these. If they sound as good on my bass as they do on yours, I'll be very happy.
Thanks for watching, Laurie! These are pretty smooth after a short break in period :) which 5 string did you get? :)
@@IvanBassist Cort A5 Plus. As it's my first 5, I didn't push the boat out too much in case I don't get on with it (had my eye on a Spector Euro, but felt I shouldn't spend that much yet). The Cort is very nice for the money and I got it in a sale at about a third off.
Awesome! Cort makes great basses. Not only their own line of products, but pretty much every “budget” instrument is made at their factory
Hey Laurie, doing my research and lo and behold! Due to carpal tunnel syndrome I'm considering the extra slinkys. Which gauge did you get? Dave
@@davidcar1005 Hi David. I can only get the regular slinky set (45-130) here in the UK. They feel fine under the fingers and the tension is reasonable. I don't think I'd gain anything by going lighter.
I have a set of the old Fender chrome flats on my p bass and these strings have so much tension, it makes them nearly impossible to play. I have had these for 15 years now and only using them because I finished this parts p bass and needed strings and found them. So I am happy to see this review as I love flats but just not the ones I have. Also if you have not tried yet, you may want to look at testing half rounds or pressure wounds. I have a set of half rounds on my medium scale j style bass and they sound amazing. This is probably what I will replace the flats on my p bass with. They feel like normal strings tension wise yet sit in between flats and rounds tone wise. Great video and keep it up.
Yeah, I’ve heard great things about pressure wounds! Which brand do you have? I’d like to try the ones by GHS, but they’re impossible to find here in Germany :(
IvanBassist I have the D’Addario’s and they are nice. I am thinking of trying the GHS for the p bass as well. I keep great things about them as well.
Good tip. Thanks!
Ivan, I enjoy your gear reviews! 👍👍
Thank you! 🙂🙌🏽
your PICKUPS are AWESOME man !!!
Thanks 🙏🏽
I’ve tried nearly all the flats and tapes except LaBellas and Tomastiks. But after using these and playing them for a couple of years on various basses, I don’t think I have to continue wasting time trying to find ‘the flatwound’. The cobalts of DRs Legend flats and good to go. Less gear wondering and more playing🤙🏼
can’t edit my comment: should be “or” cobalt. Also, these flats can easily fill the bill on a bass you might regularly use round wounds on.
DR legends are also great!
I use these strings on n American Jazz Bass. love them.
I bet the bass sounds great!
Sounds fantastic. I already have a short scale PJ (a VM jazz with Chrome flats), or else I'd pick up one of those Ibanez basses and string it with the cobalt flats.
It doesn’t hurt to have two short scales 🤪
@@IvanBassist Your reply here has stuck with me for the last 6 months. So I just bought the last TMB-30 that I could find here in the US and came back to this video to double check if it was Cobalts or Cobalt Flats that I will need to put on her when she arrive.
Hi Ivan taknks for your review very helpfull !! i was considering put a 45-105 gauge in a mustangs bass . did you try this gauge on your shortscale ? arte your satisfy with this 45-100 set ? does the tension is close to roundwounds ? Thanks
Happy to help! I didn’t try the 45-105 gauge, but the 100 E string barely fit the tuning peg of the ibanez. I don’t know how the tuning machines of the mustang look like, but it could be a bit tight if you use a 105
@@IvanBassist indeed that could be an issue ..... does the tension is close to roundwounds? thanks a lot
The cobalt flats are a bit more loose than the roundwounds that came with the bass, but nothing too crazy :)
The best bass strings you can buy. No other string sounds better than these Ernie Ball Cobalt Flatwounds.
I have the exact same bass. So i guess it's ok to use long scale string, and i noticed the one you used here is a lighter gauge than the original string. I wanted to change the strings, but can't decide which one to buy.
It depends on the string. You gotta be careful with the wrappings around the tuning post, if you use regular long scale strings
great video - i have a set of labella tapewounds i just bought and i am thinking of putting them on my SR5000 - what do you think?
Give them a try! :)
Was considering putting a set of these onto my J bass. This just sold me on it.
You will be amazed at how much more often you will use your tone knob. The only downside I've ever found with these is, if it's extremely humid, you will need finger ease or baby powder.
Great vid Ivan. Those strings sound great, I'm going to try a set on my P Bass. :)
Yeah! Let me know what you think!
Ciao, posseggo un tmb 30, vorrei sapere quale modello di corde hai montato e che lunghezza precisamente? potresti mettere un link del prodotto?
I use Dadario Crome lights on my short scale Yamaha MotionB bass 40 to95 quite nice modified flats.
Those are great!
Hello, these are which size ? 40 to 100 or 45 105 ? Which model ? Thanks a lot
Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats 45-100 :)
@@IvanBassist thanks a lot
What are all the funny faces. Something you do not like? Let us know. Appreciate your reviews on this short scale. You are a very good musician. Also you mentioned the string length. Can the strings be pushed down the center of the tuner before winding?
I use theese strings on my '97 Fender precision Made in japan. Try them on your pbass!
I might! Gonna check out how they age :)
I know what you mean. I have them on my '94 MIJ precision. It's exactly my ideal p-bass sound. And the bonus is, they aren't stiff like most flatwounds.
Yeah. I’ll order another set soon :)
i am want to do a BEAD tuning on short scale, do you think its better than roundwound?
Tough question. I think you’d need stiffer strings to get a decent response out of the B string. If you want to use these EB strings specifically, I’d go with a heavier gauge
Hello. Could you please tell me if you had to make any modifications to the not or the tuning pegs.
I didn’t need to do anything to fit the strings :)
Are these the ones with the purple wrapping??
Yep
Nice video. 👌🏿
Been looking for this, to see what color those Cobalts are.
What color are they? I'm hoping they're Black 🖤
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿❤️
Flat steinhs equals less finger scraping and upright sound.....
Thanks for the sound samples.
Hmmm.... This flatwound string is really new to me. I've been using roundwound string since last year once. It's an ernie ball. The one with the green. It's good to use. But this flatwound.... Is this really good? I wanted to try it, but I don't know what genre is really suitable for playing a flatwound bass strings. Please leave a comment for this, Sir. Thank you. Keep it up and stay safe. 😊
Flatwounds are great for blues, soul, rnb. They help to get that “old school” vibe. These Ernie Ball are definitely brighter than regular flats. I’d even use them for rock with the tone control fully open
@@IvanBassist I see. They're good to use to play for rock. I'll give it a try for the ernie ball flatwound someday. That's all, sir. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. Keep it up. 😊👍
Thanks for watching :)
@@IvanBassist You're welcome, Sir Ivan. 😊👍
I have D’Addario Chromes on my P Bass, and the bwawmp on the open A sounds horrible.
It’s weird, I play something, and the strings sound good; not amazing and lively, just good. Then, I play another thing, and it’s rattley and unpleasant to the ears.
I am considering trying these out.
The chromes are known for having a higher tension. Maybe your bass needs a truss rod adjustment or the nut needs to be adjusted properly
Long scale strings for 30"? How did you manage to put those long scale strings?
The worked without any issues.
@@IvanBassist hey man. did you cut the strings when installing it?
@@faridyakob6765 I think I did. Otherwise they would’ve been too long
@@IvanBassist ah i see. because i've been reading reviews saying it will affect the inner core of strings which may result in sound loss, etc. im using mustang MIJ btw. any tips from you would be great 😬
I have these on three short scale basses - a Hofner Ignition Club Bass, a Hofner Contemporary Club Bass and a Gibson Les Paul Tribute DC bass. They sound great but I had to really work getting the E string to work. Just the silk wrapped ends are supposed to wrap around the tuning pegs and the metal windings start to separate if they are bent too sharply. I broke an E string as it was winding around the small diameter peg on one of the Hofners. I emailed the folks at Ernie Ball to see if they made a short scale version of these and If the could sell me an E string and the reply that I got was, “These strings are not compatible with your bass.” I finally figured a way to make these fit by purchasing some small terminal lugs that are used in electrical work. I was able to cut the string to the proper length on the ball end side and attach the terminal lug (it tightens onto the wire) which acts as the ball end. So far, so good. You really only have to do this on the E string since the A, D and G strings are small enough that they will wrap around the posts without breaking.
Excellent video
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
Gonna try them
hi, i bought same bass last week and like to use flatwounds. short or medium scale strings which one fits better ?
Hey Sean! Congratulations on the new bass! I used regular long scale strings for this one. I’d recommend short scale ones, though. You could run into problems with the string wrappings around the tuning posts if the string is too long
thank you so much 🏆 i have now ordered daddario exl170s these are nickel roundwounds with a "warmer" sound. i will try these with a foam (muting)...kind regards from Berlin 😷
Grüße aus Münster ✌🏽
⛽ Danke !
I have these on my stingray and Pbass
Great strings!
So do these mellow out to be more like normal flats? Pretty flexible?
I’ll do a review about them soon after playing them for some weeks :) They are still bright but not in a brand new string kind of way. More like they’ve retained clarity
@@IvanBassist Thanks!. I'm gonna try a set just because I like the stronger fundamental of flats. Currently playing La Bella low tension flexible flats on one bass.
Yeah.... reminds me a lot of my playing skills too...
How are they playing now? Have they aged well?
Yes! They still have top end definition, but they not as “aggressive as in this video. I will record a review soon :) Thanks for the reminder!
@@IvanBassist thankyou!!! Appreciated!!
Nice video. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching, Wilfredo! 💪🏽
Do u still use this bass?
I donated it to a music school :)
@@IvanBassist so u didn't enjoy the bass? Do u have any other shortscales?
@@boimesa8190 i did, but I didn’t use it that often, which is why i donated it to people who would make a better use of it :)
@@IvanBassist so u don't have any other shortscales?
@@boimesa8190 nope. Probably will get another one at some point
Too slow on the string change needs to go faster like an F1 pit crew. Joking - great video. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Anyone else have the carpet fulled from under their happiness with these Ernie Ballsacks rusting? 2 days after putting them on 2 basses, both had rust everywhere. Dave's World of Fun Stuff has been installing new Ballsacks and found rust. That's terrible. They already screw bassists on how expensive they are.
my uncel uses these strings and got me some for my bass and they are to long at the part you strum or what ever the word is there is aslo a pice of it with some purple fabric or some thing over it but even then they are way to long i tryed moveing them around but no luck btw the bass is his but he lets me use it but he has 2 and they are the same hight and these are the strings he always uses but they are the wrong size i have thougth of all sorts of stuff but nothing i think of will work to fix these cant bring them back since covid and the pack they came in is gone and these cost like 50 bucks if i saw the pack corectly so ya dont know what to do i have got a build up of songs i want to learn but i cant and this hase been like this for a few months so ya
great video
Thanks, Thomas!
Sounds killer and I don't even usually like flats.
Right!? These sound more like rounds but have the flatwound smooth feel
@@IvanBassist Cool. They seem to have a little bite but still a little thumpy like flats. I'm very curious to see how they play in.
I’ll report back after a couple of weeks :)
ernie ball have been around since rock started...people avoid them because everyone is seeking the secret strings...try the pink label 8s on your electric guitar .....the most popular string but the best...why drink anything but coca cola....and dude...ibanez?.......trade it in for a fender......do you want to drive a mustang or a honda civic both are fast......but a mustang is a mustang.
Very rough on the fingers, and sound more like a round.
I will use nothing else.
Great strings!
U are latin boy???
Born and raised in Peru 🇵🇪