Well, I think I just just finally (for now), found my (flatwound) string...

[blowabs]

I just found my strings the GHS Brite Flats- are it!!!! (light gauge set)
No more searchin' around ...off go the Chromes (orig love)....(not enough hi's tho). No more either of, Fender, Sadowsky (non-plus sounding to me- took em off in 5 minutes), GHS Black Nylon flats, La Bellas (which I still may keep on my P/J), or even rounds... for me, the BF's are what my Theatre Group needs, as we play R&R and Soul. Hope the drummer likes em like i do..??

I put them on a copper shielded Squier VM J fretted with DiMarzio Ultra Jazz pickups..... gonna put a set on my Geddy Lee when i get 4 more sets (for the price you cant beat it)... and I am trying to get them from the same batch, as this first set are balanced very nicely. They have the warmth of Chromes with the zing of rounds,, so it cuts a lil, while staying right in with the mix. Also the notes are deep and defined--finally. I do hope that they do not lose any of their nice warm brightness (as best as i can explain it)...

[5string5fingers]

maybe you shoulda tried half rounds?

[blowabs]

Originally Posted by 5string5fingers

maybe you shoulda tried half rounds?

hmmmm.....now you tell me this....:-)....I am happy b/c I still wanted that flatwound tha-tha-thump!...Thx (someday I will tho try 1/2's)

[ogrossman]

Originally Posted by 5string5fingers

maybe you shoulda tried half rounds?

I'm pretty sure "half rounds" are just a different name for "brite flats". I think they're also sometimes called "ground round wound" and "compression-wound" strings.

I've been putting D'Addario Half Rounds on most of my basses for five years now.

[JTE]

You know GHS Brite-Flats are NOT a flatwound string, don't you? Like D'Addario's "Half-Rounds" and Dean Markley's "Ground Round Wound", the outer wrap is a round wire just like any other roundwound sting. Then they grind, polish, burnish the outter wrap after the string is wrapped to give the exterior a flattened finish. But the vibrate inside like a roundwound.

"Compression wound" is different. Instead of removing material by grinding it off like Half-Rounds or Brite-Flats, they compress the outer wrap so it isn't as rough as a regular roundwound.

So if you like the GHS Brite Flats, perhaps trying the D'Addario Half-Rounds would be a good idea. But, don't confuse either with a real flat wound string.

John

[ogrossman]

Originally Posted by JTE

...GHS Brite-Flats are NOT a flatwound string...

knew that

Originally Posted by JTE

..."Compression wound" is different. Instead of removing material by grinding it off like Half-Rounds or Brite-Flats, they compress the outer wrap so it isn't as rough as a regular roundwound...

didn't know that, thanks

[blowabs]

Originally Posted by JTE

You know GHS Brite-Flats are NOT a flatwound string, don't you? Like D'Addario's "Half-Rounds" and Dean Markley's "Ground Round Wound", the outer wrap is a round wire just like any other roundwound sting. Then they grind, polish, burnish the outter wrap after the string is wrapped to give the exterior a flattened finish. But the vibrate inside like a roundwound.

"Compression wound" is different. Instead of removing material by grinding it off like Half-Rounds or Brite-Flats, they compress the outer wrap so it isn't as rough as a regular roundwound.

So if you like the GHS Brite Flats, perhaps trying the D'Addario Half-Rounds would be a good idea. But, don't confuse either with a real flat wound string.

John

thankQ, John

[snappytom]

I like GHS Brite Flats a lot. Put them on a G&L SB-2 and have been playing the crap out of them for the past 10 months.
They seem to improve with age.

[drugdoc]

So do the GHS Brite-Flats feel smooth like a flatwound string? I have been trying to get a brighter sound out of my flatwounds. Nothing seems to work. They just sound dead. I love the feel of flatwounds and hate roundwounds.

[snappytom]

Originally Posted by drugdoc

So do the GHS Brite-Flats feel smooth like a flatwound string? I have been trying to get a brighter sound out of my flatwounds. Nothing seems to work. They just sound dead. I love the feel of flatwounds and hate roundwounds.

They are smooth, but not as smooth as GHS Precision Flats (great strings too).

Brite Flats tend to feel a bit "sticky" when new, but once broken in they feel real nice.

[JohnnyB53]

Originally Posted by drugdoc

So do the GHS Brite-Flats feel smooth like a flatwound string? I have been trying to get a brighter sound out of my flatwounds. Nothing seems to work. They just sound dead. I love the feel of flatwounds and hate roundwounds.

What kind of flatwounds are you using? And on what bass with what kind of pickups?

Part of the equation is flat vs. compression vs. half-round vs. round, but the other parts include the geometry and the type of alloy used in the wrap. Most true flatwounds use a stainless steel wrap, but the Pyramids and Thomastik-Infelds use pure nickel.

Concerning Brite-Flats, GHS doesn't really say what the wrap formula is, but I suspect nickel-plated steel. D'Addario Half-Rounds use a pure nickel wrap, AFAIK the only string in their lineup to do so, Ken Smith Compressors are wrapped with Alloy 52, a near-even mix of iron and nickel.

Another possible alternative is coated round wounds, but I can't speak for the D'Addario, Elixir, or DR coated strings. I use a set of Black Diamond Black Coated roundwounds and they're some of the best overall strings I've used for a warm traditional sound but with outstanding clarity. I was using them on a G&L Lynx (somewhat similar to a J-bass), but I just swapped 'em over to an ASAT fretless and I like them there much better. They're not as smooth as flats, but definitely easier on the hands and fingers than bare roundwounds, especially stainless. These Black Diamonds use a pure nickel round wrap, and the strings are very clear-sounding and full-bodied with lots of sustain, but are not snarly or overly bright. I really like'em now for a fretless.

I'm now using TI Flats on my G&L Lynx and that was an improvement as well. Very easy on the hands, full-bodied warm tone, but they aren't woofy. They sit well in the mix and don't get lost in it.

[drugdoc]

Originally Posted by JohnnyB53

I use a set of Black Diamond Black Coated roundwounds and they're some of the best overall strings I've used for a warm traditional sound but with outstanding clarity. I was using them on a G&L Lynx (somewhat similar to a J-bass), but I just swapped 'em over to an ASAT fretless and I like them there much better. They're not as smooth as flats, but definitely easier on the hands and fingers than bare roundwounds, especially stainless.

I do a lot of sliding. Do the black diamonds give that annoying whisping sound when sliding on a string? By the way, thanks everybody for the input.

[ProfGumby]

Originally Posted by 5string5fingers

maybe you shoulda tried half rounds?

The Brite Flats are half round/ground rounds. And I have them on my shielded CV Jazz with D Marzio Ultra Jazz pups and they KILL! I was also amazed at how much smoother the GHS feel vs the D'Addario half rounds.

[dannybuoy]

GHS Brite Flats feel very much like flats. I had em on my fretless for a while but now use Status half rounds as the GHS are impossible to get hold of in the UK! Both are great strings.