Praise Report: GHS Precision Flats

[Linnin]

97 days ago I had my luthier instal GHS Precision Flats with totally new pro set-up on this bass.

At first I was so completely disappointed that I called GHS in anger. They were the most horrendously unbalanced stringset I had ever played in my entire life! I've been playing bass for 44 years, so Grrrrrr! is a vast understatement. I was ready to rip them off my bass and demand a full refund. The GHS customer service rep told me that they would balance out after about a month of being played in. I was not happy and more than a little leary.

If the E-string hadn't have sounded GREAT straight away I wouldn't have given these strings another chance. What follows is my real life experience with GHS Precision Flats on a 1976 Fender Precision bass.

They did play in and begin to balance out very slowly. For me it was over two months, or about 100 hours of playing time. Additional tweeks of both string height and pick-up height were also required to bring the stringset into string-to-string volume balance. Fine adjustments are to be expected with any change of string brand even if of the same type & guage.

What I have come to Love about GHS Precision Flats:

1) They are very strongly focused on the fundamental tone. Sure there are some over and under tones, but they are subdued and decay quickly leaving the pure tonic tone. I've never experienced this extreme purity of tone with any other string. None. This is reason enough to love them.

2) Smooth - While the strings themselves are super smooth so is the sound. Dark. Focused. Smooth. Intense. They sound as good as Ghiradelli Intense Dark Chocolate tastes. Yes, that good.

3) ATTACK! GHS Precision Flats have an intensely purcussive attack on a thermonuclear scale. If you want to rock a true assault bass, you need these strings.

4) Sustain - Long & Lovely. Pure Fundamental Sustain with smooth slow decay. An earful of joy.

5) Tune - GHS Precision Flats hold their tune better than any string I've ever played. These strings are stable, and I expect them to stay that way for a long time.

6) Tension - Yes, it's high. Flats are higher in tension than rounds, and hex core is higher than round core. No flippy-floppy strings in this set. Just know you're going to need to keep an eye on your neck and that some truss rod tweeks will be needed from time-to-time. All basses need that here and there anyway, so no big deal.

And that Bass Bros is why I love GHS Precision Flats.

 

[Jon Moody]

Thanks for the words! I'm glad you gave them a chance to let them settle in a bit!

And... NICE BASS!!!! I've been seeing more of the double P-pickups in basses lately and am now pretty curious/intrigued.

 

[Linnin]

Thanks for the words! I'm glad you gave them a chance to let them settle in a bit!

And... NICE BASS!!!! I've been seeing more of the double P-pickups in basses lately and am now pretty curious/intrigued.

You are quite welcome GHS Official, and thank you for your kind comments.

I first hot rodded that P in 1985 with two pairs of the then new Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders. I just put in the DiMarzio Split P's in bridge position. The combination of humbucker & single coil tonality is completely complimentary.

They Rock!

 

[mntngrown]

Mine are worn in, like a favorite pair of jogging/walking shoes. They are on a G&L P/J with mfd pickups.
I hope they never get too warn. Don't want to replace them

 

[iiipopes]

Because of the fundamental emphasis, I have come to like a GHS Precision Flats G string with whatever other flats I am using on the bass to eliminate twang and promote better string-to-string tonal balance.

 

[shawshank72]

Problem i have with these flats is the d and g take sooo long to break in and they sound horribly unbalanced for a long time.
But when broken in after a handful of months they do sound amazing. Thump masters.

 

[Richard Sabines]

I agree, totally awesome strings. I've tried rotosound flats and chromes, but for flats is GHS all the way. I have 8 months with them on my MIJ P bass, I hope I never have to replace them

 

[Batmensch]

I like them, too, IMO, much better than the popular Fender flats (smoother feel, less stiff, better tone, cheaper). I've never had the problem with them being unbalanced until they're broken in, though. they sounded pretty well balanced right out of the package to me.

 

[MICKUSS]

I have 100-45 Chromes on my P-bass now. I'd like to try GHS Precisions but I'm not sure what gauge to get. I little less tension would be good.

 

[Jon Moody]

I have 100-45 Chromes on my P-bass now. I'd like to try GHS Precisions but I'm not sure what gauge to get. I little less tension would be good.

You would probably be best suited with our Light gauge set (45-60-75-95).

 

[MICKUSS]

You would probably be best suited with our Light gauge set (45-60-75-95).

Thanks GHS! I'll probably give them a try.

 

[Jeff K]

I've never had a balance problem with GHS Precision Flats. They have been my favorite flats for years mainly BECAUSE they sound so great right out of the pack. I also like Chromes, but only after they've been on a long time.

But here's my only suggestion to GHS (are you listening, GHS Official??): Please bring back the regular long scale for the Precision Flats. The Long Scale Plus are great for thru-body, but I prefer the old regular long scale for top-loading. Can ya' help a brotha' out with that?!

 

[Twocan]

I bought some recently through bassstringsonline for a song and put them on my 83 P. Love the feel and tone. Found my favorite flats!

 

[Jon Moody]

But here's my only suggestion to GHS (are you listening, GHS Official??): Please bring back the regular long scale for the Precision Flats. The Long Scale Plus are great for thru-body, but I prefer the old regular long scale for top-loading. Can ya' help a brotha' out with that?!

That was brought up last week, and as far as I know, has been taken care of; I spoke with our production manager personally.

 

[donn]

Checking out the "long+" story, I see there are several gauges, including a 55-105 (whoopee!) I guess most of the satisfied customers here have the 45-105 medium gauge, since that seems to be the default option? I'd prefer a plain 34" string, too, by the way.

 

[MisterFabulous]

Bassstrings online set me up with a great low-tension set of Precision Flats, .040-.060-.075-.095. And in the normal long-scale length too.

Great low, thuddy sound.

 

[shawshank72]

Bassstrings online set me up with a great low-tension set of Precision Flats, .040-.060-.075-.095. And in the normal long-scale length too.

Great low, thuddy sound.

How do they feel?
Do they still have tension or are they floppy? (TI's)

 

[Jeff K]

That was brought up last week, and as far as I know, has been taken care of; I spoke with our production manager personally.

Cool! That was probably based on my phone call last week. I called to ask if they had been discontinued, and said I hope they "resurrect" them if so. You guys are all right!

 

[iiipopes]

That was brought up last week, and as far as I know, has been taken care of; I spoke with our production manager personally.

Thank you. These are especially important for the E string on instruments with Fender-style top load bridges and in-line pegheads so only the silk goes around the tuner post and doesn't bind the speaking area of the string. The A, D, & G, of course, have more "wiggle room" between the nut and the tuner.

 

[Jon Moody]

Cool! That was probably based on my phone call last week. I called to ask if they had been discontinued, and said I hope they "resurrect" them if so. You guys are all right!

Actually, one of our sales reps has been hearing it very regularly from his dealers. We grabbed an E string and a couple of basses, and showed how it's far too long for anything other than a string-through-body bridge.