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  #21  
Old 02-11-2013, 08:41 AM
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I LOVE GHS Precision flats; the best flat you can buy IMO.

I just wish GHS would offer them in medium and standard long scale. :-(
  #22  
Old 02-11-2013, 08:53 AM
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I just tried flats for the first time on Saturday. Picked up a 1984 MIJ P bass. Went to guitar center with all intentions of getting some SS rounds like I run on my other basses and for some reason left with chromes! Can't believe I've gone 14 years as a bassist and never tried flats. I'm curious to try them on my stingray 5 next! I love their feel and tone!
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  #23  
Old 02-11-2013, 09:02 AM
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Flats are awesome, thinking about a fretless 50's P with some flats on it in the far-flung future
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  #24  
Old 02-11-2013, 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Pimmsley View Post
Thanks
well... just so happens I do play fretless and have a '82 Vantage VS600B (Japan) that I popped a Bartolini pup in knocking about, that's begging for some new strings... so I think it will indeed get a set of GHS P Flats

I played with a pick in the early 90's grunge scene about 50%, but since about 94 it's been fingers all the way... the pick comes out in some recording situations... but I must say, a dunlop .88 on those GHS P flats sounds fantastic too... such a round big thud that reminds me of so many 60's recordings that I love... this flat world is awesome...
I was just kiddin'. Occasionally I do use a pick as well , just like you, in recordings. Under certain conditions the thump of the fingers on my Ernie Ball flatwounds is not desired...
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  #25  
Old 02-11-2013, 01:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Jay2U View Post
I was just kiddin'. Occasionally I do use a pick as well , just like you, in recordings. Under certain conditions the thump of the fingers on my Ernie Ball flatwounds is not desired...
oops...

I'm just so glad I tried them... the flats also give that SCPB more variety of tones available using the right hand... more than I found with the rounds... plus palm mutting + pick sounds so fat... I'm even using my thumb to pluck (which I never have)... Just opened up a whole new world of tone and fun.
Im seriously considering trying them on my '63 Jazz now... hmmm...

If I had the cash I would try the TI's that everyone seems to love too...
  #26  
Old 02-11-2013, 01:41 PM
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Originally Posted by MoeGJBeener View Post
Can't believe I've gone 14 years as a bassist and never tried flats. I'm curious to try them on my stingray 5 next! I love their feel and tone!
Cool huh ? I went 20... feel stupid now... oh well... better late then never...
  #27  
Old 02-11-2013, 01:59 PM
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Switch over to flats for about 6 months. Loved the tone and feel and worked perfectly with the oldies tunes but, my gosh, they were tough to wrestle with. Thick, gangly and not very fast in the 1/4 mile.
Switch back to med. rounds. Wow, faster in the 1/4 mile but way too bright and guitar-ish sounding.
Then, speaking of bright, as in light bulb above head, I was struck by the obvious, med/light flats! Doh.
Before I was wrestling with heavier gauge strings.
Switched to the med/light flats and same great tone and faster in the 1/4 mile. Got'm on my Squier and G&L...awesome
BTW, my finger tips love'm too.
  #28  
Old 02-11-2013, 02:12 PM
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If you're a flat lover you should tray Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats, (if you haven't already). They have wonderful tone and the playability is terrific.

Jim
Love my TI's. Have not tried the GHS flats though. Now on my list.
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  #29  
Old 02-11-2013, 02:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Pimmsley View Post
Cool huh ? I went 20... feel stupid now... oh well... better late then never...
Indeed!
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MIM's are made in Mexico by Mexicans, the MIA's are made in America by Mexicans. (MIJ's are where its at)
  #30  
Old 02-11-2013, 03:12 PM
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...If I had the cash I would try the TI's that everyone seems to love too...
I've heard strings are very expensive down under. So I'm afraid TI's will cost their weight equivalent in gold.
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  #31  
Old 02-11-2013, 03:31 PM
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I've heard strings are very expensive down under. So I'm afraid TI's will cost their weight equivalent in gold.
it's madness... average shop prices around here... EB Slinky's $45, Rotos $ 48+ d'add $40 (4 string sets...) recently a chain store was closing and I got Rotos for $22 a set which was a life saver, as my basses were a little neglected...

Thank god for ebay and that Amazon ship to Aus now.. I got 2x GHS P flat for $55 delivered... so verry happy... gonna try bassstrings online in future too I think... the TI's might be on the horizon... these GHS beauties are so smooth and thumpy... two weeks now and no turning back (at least on the CV 50's P)
  #32  
Old 02-11-2013, 03:57 PM
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Got A question! I was wondering if anyone has tried flats on a Thunderbird, Gibson or Epiphone. I used them on my Rick 4003 for a time, and they sounded incredible! Not so sure with the Gibson Pups though, maybe they would be a bit too muddy. I posted on some threads about the Epi Tbird pro asking the same question, but as of yet had no response. Any ideas?
  #33  
Old 02-11-2013, 06:17 PM
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Originally Posted by 1stnamebassist View Post
Got A question! I was wondering if anyone has tried flats on a Thunderbird, Gibson or Epiphone. I used them on my Rick 4003 for a time, and they sounded incredible! Not so sure with the Gibson Pups though, maybe they would be a bit too muddy. I posted on some threads about the Epi Tbird pro asking the same question, but as of yet had no response. Any ideas?
I didn't have the chance to try any Gibson or Epiphone on my flatwounds.

Being a little more serious, I think the bridge pickups will do fine with flats. About the neck pickups I'm not so sure, they tend to be muddy, even with roundwounds.
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  #34  
Old 02-12-2013, 08:25 PM
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Half of my basses wear flats, up from 10% 2 years ago. I love GHS Precisions for rock due to the slightly higher tension, and use TIs for country and my home practice bass (20-30 hours a week). Chromes I still can't get behind, not putting them down, just not for me.
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  #35  
Old 02-12-2013, 11:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Thumper View Post
Half of my basses wear flats, up from 10% 2 years ago. I love GHS Precisions for rock due to the slightly higher tension, and use TIs for country and my home practice bass (20-30 hours a week). Chromes I still can't get behind, not putting them down, just not for me.
I had a chance to try the GHS's out at rehearsal last night and they rocked !!! Massive thumpy bottom end that don't get lost, they are fantastic... and sooo easy on the fingers.. a touch more effort on my left hand (fretting hand) but i could have been imagining and playing harder in excitement, i do love these strings, waiting for a gig trial

I did just order a set of lighter 50-100 fender flats for a medium scale 32" fretless bass trial... not enough funds for the TI's but I wanted to try something different to the (super long) GHS's, the Fender flats also get a good report from what I've read here, and it was a good chance to compare.

that will make two out of eight basses with flats... I could be in trouble here

Last edited by Pimmsley : 02-12-2013 at 11:36 PM.
  #36  
Old 02-26-2013, 06:52 PM
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ok, the Fender flats arrived, and I must say they are very different to the GHS P's... they are not nearly as buttery smooth and also being meant for a long scale instrument would not fit the Vantage medium scale properly... so i put them on my Ibanez Roadstar II RB960 and they work realy well on that instrument... I'm stunned how bright they are compared to the GHS... granted the Ibanez is active with huge humbuckers.. so I'm sure that is also bringing out the top end in these strings... I do prefer the GHS P's to the Fender flats...

So that's 2 of 8 basses with flats now... Very happy about this... might order some medium scale Chromes for the Vantage so I have tried 3 different brands...
  #37  
Old 02-26-2013, 09:04 PM
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Originally Posted by jsbarber View Post
If you're a flat lover you should tray Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats, (if you haven't already). They have wonderful tone and the playability is terrific.

Jim
^^THIS!^^
AMAZING strings! Worth every penny.
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  #38  
Old 02-26-2013, 09:09 PM
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you know after 3 hours with the Fender 9050ML flats... I'm really digging them too, they are higher tension than the GHS P's 45-105's, but it's kinda nice for this bass.. 16th's are tight, round and clean with the extra tension... and the .050 'G' has a great fullness to it... very happy so far that I gave them a go, and I did order the Chromes to try too, 45-100's




  #39  
Old 02-26-2013, 09:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Pimmsley View Post
you know after 3 hours with the Fender 9050ML flats... I'm really digging them too...
OMG...I LOVE those strings! Some people have said they are almost identical to Chromes (which I current have on my P-bass) but I actually like the Fender 9050ML flats better. On a P-bass those Fender flats are super sweet!
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  #40  
Old 02-26-2013, 09:38 PM
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Originally Posted by totallyfrozen View Post
OMG...I LOVE those strings! Some people have said they are almost identical to Chromes (which I current have on my P-bass) but I actually like the Fender 9050ML flats better. On a P-bass those Fender flats are super sweet!
Cool beans... Feders have a really nice top end to them on the Ibanez too, nice green silks... and very excited about the chromes for my Vantage fretless, I think the TI's may be too low tension if I like the Fenders and GHS's.

this flat world I've stubbled on has given me a whole new bunch of sounds (way better than new pedals) enjoying pick and palm mute style again and giving some of my less used basses a new life... all great stuff... how did I not try these for 20 years ?!?

Last edited by Pimmsley : 02-26-2013 at 09:41 PM.
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