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I've been a regular user of the Pressurewounds for the last couple of years and I love them.
No first-hand experience with the Brite Flats just yet, but considering try them out very soon.
The PWs (rollerwound) are closer to rounds both in tone and feel, but with added punch and crunch without the zing up top. Smoother in texture than typical rounds.
The BFs (half-rounds/groundwound) are closer to flats both in tone and feel, but with added brightness and bite compared to traditional flats.
I also should add that one thing the PWs and the BFs have in common is the special nickel-iron alloy (aka Alloy 52) used for the outer wrap, which is dynamically very responsive with a good output.
If you play Pbass, go with the PW which can give you Growl with tone wide open meanwhile smoothy warmth sound with just roll off the tone knob. The PW string surface is close to Elixir nano, smoother than roundwound string with less fretting noise.
i have no complaint with Halfwound string tone, but i hate it string surface.
i have no complaint with Halfwound string tone, but i hate it string surface.
I have not used the Brite Flats but the above is a very accurate description of the Pressurewounds, IME. People think of the Pressurewounds as a half-way point between flats and rounds, but to my ears, they are clearly in the roundwound family. They have the brilliance and punch of a traditional roundwound, but the top-end is less harmonically complex and has a rounded sound rather than the sharper, more overtone dense top-end of traditional rounds. Great strings, indeed! They are a good choice if you want a string that is going to cut through a dense mix on stage while not being too abrasive or sounding too lo-fi.
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Brite Flats suck and Pressure wounds don’t suck. The reasons for both have been reported here a multitude of times. Believe the reports.
I have BF's on my P5 and PW's on my J4. I like them both, depending on the music. I tend to use the P5/w BF's more, in that I play blues predominantly. However, IF I had to choose only 1 string set to use, it'd probably be PW's. The tone is a bit more complex, with more overtones/harmonics, and therefore more versatile for a variety of music. Both sets last a LONG time. I love the tone from the old PW's, which I found too bright when new. I also tried the Precision Flats, but they were a bit too "fundamental" for my taste, if that makes sense. Basically it comes down to the tone YOU like, and (in part) how the strings sound with YOUR bass and rig. Lastly, if it came down to just feel, I'd vote for the BF's.
I'm a fan of both Pressurewounds and Brite Flats. I agree 100% with Liquid Midnight's description of PW's: They're closer to a roundwound string tonally.
But wait, there's more!......
PW's are my favorite set of strings of all the brands and types of strings I've tried over the decades. IMO they have a stronger fundamental, especially in their lower register, compared to the roundwound strings I've used. A lot of users here describe them as sounding like "Broken in nickel plated roundwounds" fresh out of their package. I think that's a pretty accurate description, but they also have a boosted midrange that I haven't found in any other brand or type of strings I've tried or regularly use, with upper end bite, minus most of the "screech" of roundwounds.
IMO the BF's tone leans more towards a flatwound, -with a bit more top end, and harmonic content. Because they start out as a roundwound, that's ground smooth, they -of course, have a smoother outer surface feel than PWs. They have even less overtones than PWs and an even smoother sounding, less bright sounding high end. BFs also provide strong midrange.
I hope this helps, best regards.
But wait, there's more!......
PW's are my favorite set of strings of all the brands and types of strings I've tried over the decades. IMO they have a stronger fundamental, especially in their lower register, compared to the roundwound strings I've used. A lot of users here describe them as sounding like "Broken in nickel plated roundwounds" fresh out of their package. I think that's a pretty accurate description, but they also have a boosted midrange that I haven't found in any other brand or type of strings I've tried or regularly use, with upper end bite, minus most of the "screech" of roundwounds.
IMO the BF's tone leans more towards a flatwound, -with a bit more top end, and harmonic content. Because they start out as a roundwound, that's ground smooth, they -of course, have a smoother outer surface feel than PWs. They have even less overtones than PWs and an even smoother sounding, less bright sounding high end. BFs also provide strong midrange.
I hope this helps, best regards.
I have no experience with the Brite Flats but have just fitted my first set of PW to my 4003 after 18 years of RW. Straight off the mark, excellent tone and noticeably smoother to play than the RW.
Part of the PWs unique tonal character comes from the special nickel-iron alloy (ie Alloy 52) and its responsiveness, which results in the "boosted midrange" you speak of. I'd call it "extra crunch". And it's this Alloy 52 thing that's making me very curious about the Brite Flats, which are groundwound Alloy 52.
I'll be picking up a brand new bass (my third) next week (hopefully), which is my very first 5-string, my very first active bass and my very first non-Fender. And it will wear my trusted PW ML7200 + 128B. So, I'm thinking of trying out the BFs on my P to take it a bit closer to the flatwound territory without going all the way.
- Sep 9, 2007
- 5,309
- 4,977
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
TBH, reports are really more opinion.
But yeah, the Brite Flats are a different beast entirely. They're ground down (so they start as a larger string), which results in a VERY stiff string at comparable gauges. However, because of that I can usually dial in the action on my fretless so low that you can breathe on the string and it'll make a pitch.
They "can be" a bit grabby out of the package (I haven't really noticed), but that does go away in time. Tonally, I dig the sound that they have on a fretless, as you can get that smoother, flatwound tonality of out them while still keeping some definition and clarity on the notes.
You really can't go wrong with either. They're both good choices.
GHS Pressurewounds are good all around utility infielder type strings that work with just about any bass and style of music. They're one of my two goto strings. Whenever I'm up in the air about what string to use I'll load a set of those on whatever I'm playing. Sound-wise they sound (to me) something like a set of well broken in nickel rounds - still got all that growly, frothy roundwound character we all know and love. But without all that bacon frying sizzle and zing on the top end.
I think of bright flats (I.e. Chromes, Cobalt And GHS Brites) as a traditional flatwound sound - but with additional clarity rather than brightness. Of the three I like Chromes the best so far. Like any flatwound they'll take a bit of time to settle in and fully open up. But once they do they sound really nice. Nice feel too.
GHS Pressurewounds are good all around utility infielder type strings that work with just about any bass and style of music. They're one of my two goto strings. Whenever I'm up in the air about what string to use I'll load a set of those on whatever I'm playing. Sound-wise they sound (to me) something like a set of well broken in nickel rounds - still got all that growly, frothy roundwound character we all know and love. But without all that bacon frying sizzle and zing on the top end.
I think of bright flats (I.e. Chromes, Cobalt And GHS Brites) as a traditional flatwound sound - but with additional clarity rather than brightness. Of the three I like Chromes the best so far. Like any flatwound they'll take a bit of time to settle in and fully open up. But once they do they sound really nice. Nice feel too.
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I agree that the “reports” are more opinion than anything. It is just that when many people have the same opinion, it has to be looked at being fact.
Sorry Jon, for some reason I tend to be more brutally honest about strings than most other topics. Just be glad you don’t work for Ernie Ball!!!!
- Sep 9, 2007
- 5,309
- 4,977
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
Sorry Jon, for some reason I tend to be more brutally honest about strings than most other topics. Just be glad you don’t work for Ernie Ball!!!!
Oh that's fine, but usually as soon as someone says that something (anything, really), "sucks," I immediately write it off as that gives me absolutely no background. Same with a report that says "this is the best!" as those two absolutes aren't helpful.
As for working for Ernie Ball, their strings have a lot of favorable "reports," so...
I have medium scale brite flats on a SWB-1 and couldn’t be happier. I can get a 60s flatwound sound or turn up the tone for more ‘crunch’. Tension feels great; not floppy but certainly not too tight on this setup. FWIW.
Look what came in the mail today...
This is my first time trying out a set of half-rounds (groundwound), which tend to get polarized opinions - some love them while others hate them. They can be "the best of both worlds" (rounds/flats) or "the worst of both worlds", depending on who you're talking to. I used to say half-rounds were only half of what's good about either rounds or flats.
Well, I figured there is only one way to find out for myself. And since these will be replacing the Pressurewounds (ML7200) on my Fender Jazz, I thought this thread would be a good place to post my findings. So, stay tuned...
This is my first time trying out a set of half-rounds (groundwound), which tend to get polarized opinions - some love them while others hate them. They can be "the best of both worlds" (rounds/flats) or "the worst of both worlds", depending on who you're talking to. I used to say half-rounds were only half of what's good about either rounds or flats.
Well, I figured there is only one way to find out for myself. And since these will be replacing the Pressurewounds (ML7200) on my Fender Jazz, I thought this thread would be a good place to post my findings. So, stay tuned...
I'll miss the old classic packaging too, at least that's what I assume Linnin's ack! is referring too. It couldn't possibly be in regards to their sound and feel because in that area Brite Flats are unsurpassed. Hope they'll still have baby blue silks on the short scale sets.
I played Brite Flats in the 90s and loved them. Twenty years later I cannot play them due to their tension or stiffness. Still, they had a sound that is superb.
