Ernie Ball 7-String Power Slinky Cobalt (.011–.058) review: Jason Richardson's Drop G gauge
Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
Ernie Ball 7-String Power Slinky Cobalt (2729) is the .011–.058 Cobalt set, one full gauge heavier than the 2728 (.010–.056). Jason Richardson has said on Ernie Ball's own Striking A Chord podcast that he steps up to this exact 11-58 gauge for Drop G on his 7-string, one step above his usual 10-56 Drop A set. Cobalt's cobalt-iron wrap reads roughly 2 to 3 dB louder than nickel through passive pickups.
Anatomy
- SKU
- Ernie Ball 2729
- MPN
- P02729
- Gauge
- .011 – .058 (7-string Power Slinky)
- Gauge set
- .011, .014, .018, .028, .038, .048, .058
- String count
- 7 strings
- Core wire
- Tin-plated hex steel
- Wrap wire
- Cobalt-iron alloy
- Plain strings
- Tin-plated hex-core steel (.011, .014, .018 plain)
- Coating
- None, uncoated
- Winding
- Standard roundwound
- Intended scale
- 25.5" primary
- Intended tunings
- B standard, Drop A, Drop G
- Feel vs. the 2728 (.010–.056)
- Firmer across every string, not just the low end. A full gauge step heavier top to bottom.
- Feel vs. the 2730 (.010–.062)
- Lighter low string, heavier top. Uniform gauge spread instead of the 2730's mixed light-top/heavy-bottom build.
- Launched
- 2010s (Ernie Ball expanded the Cobalt line to 7-string and 8-string for the prog-metal market)
- Package
- Single pack
7-String Power Slinky Cobalt (.011–.058)
Tone
Voicing through a passive 7-string pickup
- Output
- Commonly reported 2–3 dB louder than nickel 7-string Power Slinky through the same passive pickup, the same voicing bump every Cobalt gauge shares.
- Low string definition
- The .058 low string reads tighter than nickel at the same gauge, with less bloom under palm mutes in Drop G.
- Upper midrange
- More present in the 2–4 kHz region than nickel, MusicRadar described the Cobalt line generally as tighter mids with more defined lows.
- Feel
- Heavier and more uniform than the 2728 across all seven strings. No lead-string/rhythm-string split the way the mixed-gauge 2730 has.
Where this set sits in the Cobalt range
7-String Power Slinky Cobalt is the middle-weight, uniform-gauge option among the three stock 7-string Cobalt sets:
- Lightest, lead-leaning: 7-String Regular Slinky Cobalt (.010–.056).
- Heavier, uniform gauge spread: This set, 7-String Power Slinky Cobalt (.011–.058).
- Mixed gauge, heaviest low string: 7-String Skinny Top Heavy Bottom Slinky Cobalt (.010–.062).
Full picking guide at Cobalt Slinky gauges explained.
Who plays this set
Jason Richardson is the documented user of this exact gauge. Speaking on Ernie Ball's own Striking A Chord podcast about his string setup across tunings, Richardson said:
Richardson answering a direct question about which strings and gauges he uses across his tunings.
I use Ernie Ball, primarily the Cobalts. Gauge wise, for a Drop A, which is just standard tuning with the low string dropped a whole step, I use 10 to 56 for that. And then a step down from that, Drop G, I use one gauge higher: 11 to 58.
Guitarist, solo / ex-Born of Osiris
His 10-56 reference is the 7-String Regular Slinky Cobalt (2728); the 11-58 he steps up to for Drop G is this set. He also mentioned reaching for Paradigm on occasion depending on what he has in stock, so Cobalt is his named primary rather than an exclusive, but it's the line he called out by name.
See Who plays Cobalt Slinky strings for the full documented roster across the line.
Best for
- Drop G on a 7-string. Richardson's own documented gauge for this exact tuning.
- B standard and Drop A rhythm work that wants a firmer top. The .011 top three strings hold up to hard picking better than the 2728's .010.
- Players who want one uniform gauge step, not a mixed build. Unlike the 2730, every string here is heavier than the 2728 by the same proportional step, no skinny top paired with a heavy bottom.
- Quad-tracked rhythm guitar. The added string mass versus the 2728 helps palm mutes stay defined under multiple takes.
Worst for
- Fast, bend-heavy lead work. The .011 top is stiffer than the 2728's .010. Players who lead more than they rhythm should stay on the 2728.
- Drop G# and below. The .058 low string is a size lighter than the 2730's .062. For anything below Drop G, the 2730 holds pitch and definition better.
- 8-string territory. Ernie Ball doesn't ship a Cobalt 8-string set. Use the nickel 8-String Slinky instead.
- Humid climates with heavy sweat. Cobalt is less corrosion-resistant than nickel plating, matching every other set in this line. Wipe down after every session.
Install and break-in
Most production 7-strings (PRS SVN, Schecter, Ibanez RG7, Ernie Ball Music Man Cutlass HH 7) ship with nut slots cut for a 7-string set in this general gauge family, so the .011 top and .058 low string typically drop in without filing. If you're moving up from a 2728 (.010–.056), check the top three slots aren't cut too narrow for the heavier top strings.
Break-in is roughly 30 to 45 minutes of playing before the initial bright top end settles. Stretch each string (press behind the 12th fret, pull up about an inch, retune, repeat 3 to 4 times) before you start, and expect to retune more than usual for the first day if you're coming from a lighter gauge.
Verdict
7-String Power Slinky Cobalt is the set to reach for if the 2728 feels too loose for your picking hand, but you don't need the 2730's heaviest-available low string. It's the uniform-gauge middle option: heavier top, moderate bottom, no mismatched build. Jason Richardson's own account of stepping up to this exact 11-58 gauge for Drop G, one size above his usual 10-56 Drop A set, is the strongest real-world usage signal this gauge has.
If your default tuning is Drop G on a 7-string, this is a well-documented starting point. For B standard or Drop A with a lead-forward playing style, try the lighter 2728 first. For Drop G# or lower, step up to the 2730.
7-String Power Slinky Cobalt (.011–.058)
Why this one: Jason Richardson's own documented Drop G gauge on 7-string: a heavier, uniform .011-to-.058 step up from the lighter 2728 without the 2730's mixed-gauge build.
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