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- Sep 9, 2007
- 5,309
- 4,977
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
It really depends. Brite Flats (which are a groundwound string) have very polarizing opinions. People love them or hate them.
Personally, I like them on my Willcox Saber VL fretless as the stiffness of those strings allows for very low action with no buzzing at all. Plus, they do tend to bark a bit when you dig into them, but have a mellow tone when you don’t.
Personally, I like them on my Willcox Saber VL fretless as the stiffness of those strings allows for very low action with no buzzing at all. Plus, they do tend to bark a bit when you dig into them, but have a mellow tone when you don’t.
Being a GHS fan, I was once considering trying the Brite Flats, but decided they would be a little too close to flats tonally.
The Pressurewounds, on the other hand, take me a step closer to rounds in tone, except without the zing or excessive finger noise.
I think they're good strings. I personally tend to like more of the so-called "mwah" on a fretless bass, which I don't get as much of as I would like from the Brite Flats, but they help achieve a good fretless tone otherwise. Here's a sound clip of them on a fretless Fender Jazz bass:
Listen to the chase scenes from the old TV show "CHiPS". That's a fretless Music Man Sabre with Brite-Flats played by Abe Laboriel.
The strings are a modified round-wound, with the outer wrap wires ground smooth. I used them for several years on my StingRay as that's what MM shipped on the bass. Ultimately I decided for me that the combined the least attractive features of rounds and flats.
The strings are a modified round-wound, with the outer wrap wires ground smooth. I used them for several years on my StingRay as that's what MM shipped on the bass. Ultimately I decided for me that the combined the least attractive features of rounds and flats.
I have them on a fretted P5, and like them. Somewhat more punch and versatility than flats, a bit brighter, and a hint of growl. They work well for my needs. Pretty similar to D'adarrio 1/2 rounds IMO. At home they sound OK, but in a live setting, they sit nicely in the mix.
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+1. I've used Brite Flats and Half Rounds on my Rick 4001 for decades. IMO they work very well in a live mix.
That sounds great! I love the extra growl and bite they have while maintaining that flat wound mellowness. Thanks
Thanks for posting this. I don't own a fretless, but if I did, this is exactly how I would want it to sound.
Which specific set/gauges do you use?
That's the L3075 light gauge, 45/56/77/98
I tried the M3075 49/62/84/108 first, and found it a little on the stiff and high tension (both) side. Haven't tried the remaining set in between those two.
Not unlike the ongoing quandary of flats-vs-rounds on a Precision bass, I think Brite Flats vs rounds/pressurewounds on a a fretless bass is a challenging question to answer!
Looking at the tension numbers, I would go for the light set as well. Nicely balanced right from the factory.
I posted this back in Mar 2018. Then later in Aug 2018, I did decide to try them on my fretted J more out of curiosity than anything else. I ended up taking them off after only 3 wks after confirming my own initial suspicion they were too "flatwound" in their tonal character. Since the GHS Precision Flats on my P bass were only 2 mths old at that point, I ended up putting the Pressurewounds back on my J for more of the roundwound tone.
Fast forward 10 mths...
I've just replaced the Precision Flats on my P with a brand new set of Pressurewounds, and put the same set of the Brite Flats back on my J for a second test run. As much as I love the P Bass/P Flats combo for the classic old-school vibe, that's not exactly what I NEED right now in terms of my tonal goals.
When it comes to my preferred "flatwound tone", I've always liked the "smooth and mellow" flavor of a J with semi-modern flats (Fender 9050) over the "thump and thud" of traditional flats (GHS/LaBella) on a P. So, my hope in giving the Brite Flats a second chance is to be able to designate my J for the "semi-flatwound" duties going forward. And I do intend to stick with them for longer than 3 wks this time around.
Have you ever had an experience where you tried a set of strings for the first time and said "meh" and never bonded with them, only to try them later for the second time and went, "wow, I never knew these sounded this good!" Well, that's how I'm feeling right now about the Brite Flats.
It's all about EXPECTATIONS; I was disappointed with them the last time I tried them (last Aug) because they didn't meet my expectations at the time. My perspective on them seems to have changed a bit, resulting in a pleasant surprise.
Half-rounds (= groundwound) tend to get polarized opinions and reviews around here; some love them, others hate them. I used to say, "half-rounds are only half of what's good about rounds and what's good about flats". Now I can say they ain't half bad.
It's all about EXPECTATIONS; I was disappointed with them the last time I tried them (last Aug) because they didn't meet my expectations at the time. My perspective on them seems to have changed a bit, resulting in a pleasant surprise.
Half-rounds (= groundwound) tend to get polarized opinions and reviews around here; some love them, others hate them. I used to say, "half-rounds are only half of what's good about rounds and what's good about flats". Now I can say they ain't half bad.
Have you ever had an experience where you tried a set of strings for the first time and said "meh" and never bonded with them, only to try them later for the second time and went, "wow, I never knew these sounded this good!" Well, that's how I'm feeling right now about the Brite Flats.
It's all about EXPECTATIONS; I was disappointed with them the last time I tried them (last Aug) because they didn't meet my expectations at the time. My perspective on them seems to have changed a bit, resulting in a pleasant surprise.
Half-rounds (= groundwound) tend to get polarized opinions and reviews around here; some love them, others hate them. I used to say, "half-rounds are only half of what's good about rounds and what's good about flats". Now I can say they ain't half bad.
Interesting. I went the opposite. Loved the GHS Pressurewounds and had them on a couple of basses. I changed them out with various flats & went back to try the PW's and I was like "meh". So, now I'm removing the PWs off my Warwick (only used for like 30 min) and putting them & a new set in my closet. Probably never to be used again. And putting on some GHS Brite Flats Med Light 052-103.
Interesting. I went the opposite. Loved the GHS Pressurewounds and had them on a couple of basses. I changed them out with various flats & went back to try the PW's and I was like "meh". So, now I'm removing the PWs off my Warwick (only used for like 30 min) and putting them & a new set in my closet. Probably never to be used again. And putting on some GHS Brite Flats Med Light 052-103.
It's all subjective and personal... I find my tonal tastes changing from time to time. For example, I've never been too crazy about the sound of the Pressurewounds on my P bass...until now. After a short stint with Ernie Ball Group IV flats, I decided to give them one more try, and lo and behold, they're perfect this time.
I recently discovered there is a Music Man Stringray 5 at one of the church campuses I play at regularly that hasn't been played in a long while. It's in desperate need for some serious maintenance work and setup. I'm thinking of dressing it up with the Group IV flats and the Brite Flats .129 low B I happen to have in stock as an orphan.
It's all subjective and personal... I find my tonal tastes changing from time to time. For example, I've never been too crazy about the sound of the Pressurewounds on my P bass...until now. After a short stint with Ernie Ball Group IV flats, I decided to give them one more try, and lo and behold, they're perfect this time.
I recently discovered there is a Music Man Stringray 5 at one of the church campuses I play at regularly that hasn't been played in a long while. It's in desperate need for some serious maintenance work and setup. I'm thinking of dressing it up with the Group IV flats and the Brite Flats .129 low B I happen to have in stock as an orphan.
Sounds good! Let us know how you go with the MM StingRay 5
