Question 1

Which artists use Ernie Ball 7-String Slinky Cobalt (.010–.062)?

Accepted Answer

Mark Holcomb (Periphery) has cited Ernie Ball 7-String Slinky Cobalt (.010–.062) in a sourced interview. See "These artists use this product" above for the full citation.

Question 2

What gauge is 7-String Slinky Cobalt?

Accepted Answer

.010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046, .062. Same six gauges as Regular Slinky Cobalt (.010–.046) on the top six strings, with a .062 added on the bottom to handle the low B at standard tuning or G# in Periphery's Drop G# tuning.

Question 3

Why do Periphery and other djent bands tune to Drop G#?

Accepted Answer

Drop G# (G#-D#-G#-C#-F#-A#-D#) is a step below standard 7-string Drop A. It puts the low string at G#, which gives djent rhythm parts a half-step lower harmonic context than Drop A while keeping the upper six strings in 7-string-standard pitches. The .062 low string at G# tension on a 25.5-inch scale is firm enough for palm-muted chug without losing pitch definition.

Question 4

Does this set work on a 26.5-inch or 27-inch scale 7-string?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with slightly more tension. Most multi-scale 7-strings (Strandberg, .strandberg* Boden, Kiesel Aries-7, etc.) ship with a 25.5–27 inch scale span. The .062 on a longer low-string scale gets noticeably stiffer in Drop G#; some players prefer a .064 or .068 for those longer scales. For pure 25.5-inch the .062 is the sweet spot.

Question 5

Will this work for Drop A on a 7-string?

Accepted Answer

Yes, .062 in Drop A sits at about 24 pounds tension, slightly firmer than the same string in Drop G#. Older Periphery material (Periphery I, Periphery II) is in Drop A; the PRS Holcomb SVN spec covers both.

Question 6

How does Cobalt compare to nickel on the low B / low G# string?

Accepted Answer

Bigger difference than on the upper strings. Wound low strings benefit most from cobalt's higher magnetic permeability, the low end reads tighter and louder, with less of the bloom that nickel can show on heavy gauges through high-gain pickups. This is part of why 7-string djent has gravitated toward Cobalt over the last decade.

Question 7

Who else plays 7-string Cobalt sets?

Accepted Answer

Wes Hauch runs a 7-string Cobalt in the .009–.062 range. Keith Merrow's Schecter KM-7 MKIII ships factory-strung with a Cobalt 7-string custom (.009–.062). Mark Holcomb's PRS SVN ships with this exact 2730 set. The line is a defining gauge for modern prog-metal and djent.

Question 8

Are these the strings on the PRS Mark Holcomb SVN out of the box?

Accepted Answer

Yes. PRS specifies Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt 7-String (.010–.062) as the factory-strung set on the Mark Holcomb SVN signature. Sweetwater and PRS product documentation both reflect this. So if you're picking up a SVN new, this is what's on it the day you take it home.

Ernie Ball 7-String Slinky Cobalt (.010–.062) review: the Drop G# djent set

Anatomy

Tone

Where this set sits in the Cobalt range

Who plays this set

Best for

Worst for

Install and break-in

Verdict