Best Strings for VGuitar and MIDI Guitar

Started by rhyane, March 26, 2009, 04:52:30 AM

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aliensporebomb

#25
QuoteHas anyone tried Ernie Ball Cobalt coated strings? I wonder if they might help with a stronger signal and better tracking?

I put these strings on my strat as part of the "trying nearly every major brand of strings on the market" project in conjunction with another guitar forum.

I first tried them on my standard guitar setup using my tube preamp and multi-effectors and was surprised at the strong, clear and present sound and the sustain seemed greater than it normally would be.

I immediately switched over to the VG-99 and started recording some of the results - the cosm fx seemed to be brighter and more present too - my
string patches sounded more like string synths and the sustain was noticeably greater.

More a bit later but I'll post some MP3s to see if anyone likes what they hear.


My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

Pin

Just to come back on this thread with a brief report. I swopped my D'addarios for Ernie Ball Cobalt 10 - 46 set and yes, indeed, there is a markedly better signal. Good buy.

Jim Williams

Skype: (upon Request)

Everything from modeling to the real deal, my house looks like a music store.

aliensporebomb

#28
After having them on my GK guitar for almost a month now I note the following: the strings stay "newer" longer, seem to do guitar-to-midi conversion better somehow and they seem to generate more signal overall - they seem to increase the sustain.  No complaints.

Oh, and it might just be me but the "synthy" patches I come up with that just use COSM FX seem to have a brighter overall sound to them, not so murky.  See for yourself in the attachment.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

paults

Does the tension feel any different than the D'Addarios? Did you have to tweak the truss rod?



musicman65

I know stainless steel strings eat nickel frets faster than nickel strings. I wonder if cobalt is hard on frets too.

bd

germanicus

Does 'Brighter' mean more prevalent harmonics?

If thats the case, wouldnt that make it tougher to accurately track pitch?

My albums done with modeling/guitar synth at http://music.steamtheory.com

JTV69/59P/Godin LGXT/Multiac ACS/Variax 700 AC
Helix/FTP/GP10/VG99/SY1000
Traynor k4

aliensporebomb

Quote from:  germanicus on April 14, 2012, 02:14:53 AM
Does 'Brighter' mean more prevalent harmonics?

If thats the case, wouldnt that make it tougher to accurately track pitch?

Not from my experience - it seems to be just overall tonally brighter not necessarily harmonically brighter?  I guess try a set and see how you like it.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

germanicus

What im getting at is does anyone know what makes a string 'brighter'? Is it the presences of more/clearer resonating harmonics?

As we all know a string gets duller over time as it accrues dirt/grime/oils/dead skin. You can boil the string to renew much of its brightness.

Coated strings maintain 'brightness' by impeding the ability of dirt to accrue in the windings of the string.

Does anyone know the actual .... physics?... of why dirt causes loss of brightness? Its obviously impeding some aspect of the strings resonance. Its additional mass on the string making it more difficult to resonate longer, but brightness is not just duration of resonance.

I find this stuff interesting.

My albums done with modeling/guitar synth at http://music.steamtheory.com

JTV69/59P/Godin LGXT/Multiac ACS/Variax 700 AC
Helix/FTP/GP10/VG99/SY1000
Traynor k4

musicman65

#34
Brightness is determined by the harmonic content above the fundamental frequency. My Strat has harmonics present at nearly the same amplitude 4 and 5 octaves above the fundamental.

The string has to oscillate at the fundamental and repeating half-lengths to create these harmonics. I suspect the dirt and grime is a dampener that effects the shorter oscillations more drastically than the fundamental.

bd

aliensporebomb

#35
The packaging indicates the following:
Our proprietary blend of iron and cobalt attracts the magnets in your pickups more than any other alloy available.  Enhanced output (shows graph).  Greater frequency response: comparing stainless steel, nickel and cobalt. 
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

germanicus

Quote from:  musicman65 on April 15, 2012, 08:25:08 AM
Brightness is determined by the harmonic content above the fundamental frequency. My Strat has harmonics present at nearly the same amplitude 4 and 5 octaves above the fundamental.

The string has to oscillate at the fundamental and repeating half-lengths to create these harmonics. I suspect the dirt and grime is a dampener that effects the shorter oscillations more drastically than the fundamental.

bd

Ok, so if the string is producing more harmonics, and is subsequently brighter, does the extra harmonic content make tracking more difficult?
I vaguely recall reading once that more harmonics above the fundamental adversely affects tracking, (but this could be completely wrong).
It may be along the same line of thinking that its better to use flatwounds for midi guitar.

Again im not claiming that to be the case in my own experience, just wondered if others know any more on the topic.
My albums done with modeling/guitar synth at http://music.steamtheory.com

JTV69/59P/Godin LGXT/Multiac ACS/Variax 700 AC
Helix/FTP/GP10/VG99/SY1000
Traynor k4

musicman65

My SWAG is that it probably has slightly more harmonic content but more output overall. If it doesn't age and become dull sounding as fast as nickel, then it would be significantly brighter after 30 hrs of play than nickels.

I suspect Roland has a digital bandpass filter that allows only frequencies within a reasonable limit above and below the range of each string. That would make sense because a reverse mounted GK wont trigger as well unless the GK setting to invert the string order is selected. So I suspect the higher order harmonics are ignored. Axion, from what I understand, uses these and what they call "transients" to determine pitch before a full osculation takes place....which means lower latency So with an Axion, Cobalt or Stainless strings could even help!

Another interesting factor is the GK mounting location. The closer proximity to the oscillation endpoint (bridge) is supposed to give a stronger fundamental pitch although I don't understand why...are harmonics not present on the entire string???

For Roland COSM guitar modeling, for a brighter string, my guess is the model would be brighter, too.

bd


randyrocker

I just bought a set to try I haven't put them on yet as all of my guitars have new strings but I will probably put them on the JTV Variax since it also has the GK-3 and Im using it with the GR-55 so its getting tons of play.. they seem to have gotten good reviews I also bought so really weird strings that are teflon coated I dont remember the name they haven't arrived I know they were expensive but they are not like the Elixir's with that horrid muted sound supposedly haha we will see... I have my kick ass Ultima Golds on my Bllue Paisley Custom B- Bender Tele I dont know where the tales came from that optima strings sound dead or whatever but they are great for one reason they last forever and forever I had them on a steinberger for a year and they still sounded new and I played it all the time just wiped them down and cleaned them with dunlop string cleaner... anway :)

Machh_2

Quote from:  aliensporebomb on March 18, 2012, 05:11:24 PM
I put these strings on my strat as part of the "trying nearly every major brand of strings on the market" project in conjunction with another guitar forum.

I first tried them on my standard guitar setup using my tube preamp and multi-effectors and was surprised at the strong, clear and present sound and the sustain seemed greater than it normally would be.

I immediately switched over to the VG-99 and started recording some of the results - the cosm fx seemed to be brighter and more present too - my
string patches sounded more like string synths and the sustain was noticeably greater.

More a bit later but I'll post some MP3s to see if anyone likes what they hear.

This cobalt strings have many models,what model u use on your guitar?

lespauled

I put them on my strat.  At first I didn't like the tone, it sounded a bit "nasally" to me.  But after a few days that sound went away and I haven't looked back.  The tone is incredible, the sustain is remarkable, and there was no need to stretch the strings after the first stretching pass.

Because of the increased volume of the strings, I dropped my pickup heights and the strings ring on and on.  Let me put it this way, you can play that guitar part in David Bowie's Heroes without the need for a ebow or sustainer.

Toby Krebs

Put them on a Laguna with GK-3 pup and old hardtail strat with Mighty Mite neck and GK-2. Work very well with GR-55.Going to try them with VG8-EX when I can get it out of the bands studio. Not as weird feeling as I thought they would be.

montyrivers

Quote from:  musicman65 on April 13, 2012, 10:34:26 PM
I know stainless steel strings eat nickel frets faster than nickel strings. I wonder if cobalt is hard on frets too.

bd

I'm with you on that one, Musicman.  Everyone keeps telling me that these strings have some nice sound quality but all I want to know is if they're gonna destroy my frets?   ???

That's the only thing keeping me from using them  (That and a personal vendetta against Slinkies).

aliensporebomb

Shrug.

I've been playing guitar for .... what?  34 years now?  I've never had a string destroy frets on a stringed instrument. 

So far I've used these cobalt strings on my strat since release and the only thing I notice about them is that they seem to sound newer longer.  I don't really notice any significant fretwear with these but I'll see if I notice anything.

I have 3 other guitars I'd like to try them on too.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

rolandvg99

Dunno about the Cobalts, but my '94 Fender Strat plus went through 2 refrets and 6 fret dressing jobs while using GHS set 1300, 011-058 gauge. My other guitars have had D'Addario 009's and 010's. These are much easier on the frets. My reversed Japanese Strat have only had 1 fretdressing since I got it back in '95.
To V or not to V: That is the question.

My little Soundcloud corner

Elantric

#45
I been playing a tad longer.
If you want to destroy your frets use Stainless Steel strings

The jury is still out on Cobalt string fret wear.
Also note that many cheap import guitars use soft material for frets (mid 1990's Japanese Fenders come to mind)

Back in 1996, Myself and a friend each bought matching Japanese 52 Tele reissues during a Guitar Center Saint Patricks sale for $245 each

I used DAddarios 10-46, he used EB Stainless Steel. He had an intense desires to play SRV pride and joy non stop for 3 years. Those Stainless Steel strings wore out all the frets on his Tele below the 5th

Meanwhile my Tele's Frets still looks new.

aliensporebomb

Quote from:  Machh_2 on June 16, 2012, 07:04:51 AM
This cobalt strings have many models,what model u use on your guitar?

I'm running .009-.042 at present.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

Machh_2

Quote from:  aliensporebomb on June 16, 2012, 10:01:57 AM
I'm running .009-.042 at present.

ok, but im refer about this models :

Cobalt Extra Slinky
Cobalt Super Slinky
Cobalt Hybrid Slinky
Cobalt Regular Slinky
Cobalt Skinny Top
heavy Bottom Slinky
Cobalt Beefy Slinky
Cobalt Power Slinky
Cobalt Not Even Slinky

i believe with so many models , each one must have some caracteristics than make sound  work better for each guitar model, and works better (or no) with GK...

[]´s

tnx for reply

lespauled

The names/models of the strings are just the different gauges of strings. 

aliensporebomb

My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.