GHS Brite flat strings

[Don Sanders]

Any one have any experience with GHS Brite flats I was wondering how much brighter they are than regular flats ?
Thanks

 

[micguy]

I tried 'em and hated them - they're awfully close to as dead (and stiff) as flats, in my experience.

 

[abarson]

Mods, please move this to “Strings”

 

[michael_t]

Any one have any experience with GHS Brite flats I was wondering how much brighter they are than regular flats ?
Thanks

Yes, I've used the light set (45-98) a few times. The only thing about these half-rounds/groundwound is they feel very sticky compared to typical flatwound. In terms of their tonal quality, they're somewhat brighter than the traditional flats, such as La Bella and GHS, but not any brighter than some of the "semi-modern" flats, such as Fender 9050, D'Addario Chromes and Ernie Ball flats (both cobalt and stainless steel). Given the choice, I would take Fender 9050 flats (currently on my J) and EB stainless steel flats (currently on my P) over the Brite Flats any day. (I'm not a fan of EB Cobalt Flats or D'A Chromes.)

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Not really much brighter at all, once they're broken in. But they sound/feel more like very dead and very stiff roundwounds than flats IMO. Which I guess makes sense as they aren't really flats at all but "groundwounds".

I really hated them at first. Very sticky feel, very stiff, lifeless tone. But after giving them a chance and playing them for a while the stickyness disappeared and they mellowed out into something quite unique. I can only describe the tone as unusually "dry". It makes me think of "dry" sounding 70s recordings/mixes. I bet they could be great for a 70s funk/slap tone.

It's not a tone I personally want, and they're a bit on the stiff side for my taste (I mainly play fingerstyle). Most people seem to hate them but for the right style of music I think they will sound great in the mix, if you can handle the stiffness and want a "dry" bass tone with no sparkle/zing whatsoever but without the thump and bouncy feel of actually flats.

 

[mikeswals]

They are stiff. I didn't like em. I didnt find them all that "bright" either...I thought they were rather dull with no bloom to the tone.

 

[iiipopes]

Yes, I've used the light set (45-98) a few times. The only thing about these half-rounds/groundwound is they feel very sticky compared to typical flatwound. In terms of their tonal quality, they're somewhat brighter than the traditional flats, such as La Bella and GHS, but not any brighter than some of the "semi-modern" flats, such as Fender 9050, D'Addario Chromes and Ernie Ball flats (both cobalt and stainless steel). Given the choice, I would take Fender 9050 flats (currently on my J) and EB stainless steel flats (currently on my P) over the Brite Flats any day. (I'm not a fan of EB Cobalt Flats or D'A Chromes.)

I concur with @michael_t . Moreover, to me, there is a slight nasal quality, or upper mid edge, that doesn't quite drive or grind, but just sits there. I have one set that I'm thinking about putting on a bass project with a mudbucker so that upper mid quality enhances the mudbucker, but doesn't come out to far in the tone.

 

[Dincrest]

I'm curious to try Brite Flats on one of my basses in the future. I think they'd be a nice match. And the OCD part of my brain likes the balanced tension numbers of their 45-98 set.

What would you say is the longevity of those strings? I don't expect the years-long life of flats but hopefully longer than a handful of months like on rounds.

(My experience with GHS strings is limited to Boomers, which I felt broke in quickly and held that yummy broken-in tone for several months before starting to go plop).

 

[michael_t]

What would you say is the longevity of those strings? I don't expect the years-long life of flats but hopefully longer than a handful of months like on rounds.

Once you get through the initial break-in period, they should stay in their broken-in state for quite a while, although I've never had them on any of my basses long enough to know for sure. I can usually go one year with the Pressurewounds; I could probably go even longer with the Brite Flats.

 

[Dincrest]

Thanks!

The bass I aim to put them on is my retired bass (a 4-string) that I only play every once in a while, but want to have something different in terms of feel/tonality on. So they'll probably last longer than usual in my case.

My daily drivers are two 5-strings with rounds.

 

[donk]

Brite Flats on my Jack Cassady Bass was a great sound!

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Any one have any experience with GHS Brite flats I was wondering how much brighter they are than regular flats ?
Thanks

I’ve been using Brite Flats on one of my basses since the early 80’s. I don’t feel that they’re much brighter than the few brands of flatwounds that I’ve tried.

Brite Flats and Half Rounds take quite a beating on this forum, IMO.

I personally like them for what they are, which is to me a smooth surfaced string with slightly more fidelity than flats.

 

[trothwell]

It seems to me that Brite Flats are unusually prone to pairing well -- or pairing poorly -- with a particular bass. If they don't work on your bass, the combination might sound really mediocre. But if they do work well on your bass, you might absolutely love these strings. Hard to say without trying it!

 

[Hounddog409]

Just put Brite Flats on my American Performer Pbass.

I like these. Note - I bought medium scale, not long scale.

Actually keeps the "meat" of the E string off the tuning post.

I like the sound of these. Time will tell, but so far I am a fan.