Iconic guitar string manufacturer Ernie Ball have developed a new technology in guitar string. Typically I scoff at new string technologies and write them off as fads. This time around, Ernie Ball have developed a real deal innovation in guitar strings, the Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt stings. The new strings are manufactured using a combination of iron and cobalt. This gives the strings a more powerful magnetic field thus producing a bigger clearer tone.
We strung the set of .10 – .46 strings on our favorite demo guitar “Stunt Guitar One”. This Strat is outfitted with a Seymour Duncan P-rails and two single coils. More than enough range of tone to get a feel for these strings.
Clean in the single coil, P90 and humbucking position you can feel the difference will all three pickups. The touch is very responsive and clear. Modulation and pitch shifting effects seem to benefit from the upgrade alloy in the strings. My chorus seemed to simmer and flanging was noticeably cleaner.
With a click of the stompbox the difference is more noticeable. The humbucker has more output and fast runs are clean and articulate. Even with my most aggressive metal setting the note definition is clean and distinct.
I would suggest trying out a set of these new strings. Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt is the real deal and here to stay. With a street price of $9.99 they are a lot less expensive than other premium strings I have tried.
