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GHS Pressurewounds -- Did I get a legit "pack"?

maj34

maj34

Apr 1, 2021
8
5
St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
#1
Hi all:

I bought a set of GHS Pressurewound strings for my Rumblekat. Bought them off Amazon.

I'm a guitar player mostly. The Rumblekat is my first bass and this is the first time I've bought bass strings. So I'm used to seeing strings packaged a certain way -- ideally vacuum packed.

The strings I received were just in an Amazon plastic bag. The contents inside were the strings in their individual paper sleeves and the GHS glossy printout was with them.

PXL_20250118_211545503.jpg


Did I get a legit set of strings? They look new, are oval wrapped the way I've heard Pressurewound described. Just something off-putting and I have to wonder if I have a set of returned strings.
 
#6
maj34 said:
Hi all:

I bought a set of GHS Pressurewound strings for my Rumblekat. Bought them off Amazon.

I'm a guitar player mostly. The Rumblekat is my first bass and this is the first time I've bought bass strings. So I'm used to seeing strings packaged a certain way -- ideally vacuum packed.

The strings I received were just in an Amazon plastic bag. The contents inside were the strings in their individual paper sleeves and the GHS glossy printout was with them.

View attachment 7128108

Did I get a legit set of strings? They look new, are oval wrapped the way I've heard Pressurewound described. Just something off-putting and I have to wonder if I have a set of returned strings.
Click to expand...
I’ve ordered strings from Bezos once. The package arrived minus the E string. I sent them back and got a refund. No issue there. But that was the first and last time I’ll order strings from there. There are plenty of great online string retailers out there. Give them your money instead.
 
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#7
Looks legit, but there is usually a plastic bag over everything. I have a couple of old GHS packs sitting around and they both came with a clear PVC (#3 plastic) envelope with a hang tab for the store display. I think nearly everyone was using this packaging for a quite a few years. It is looks like it is non-sealed, so I don't think there is anything specifically to worry about with your strings not having it. In a corrosive environment (salty air, high humidity) I suppose it could yield some potential for corrosion over time, depending on the metal used. I had a really old set of GHS Brite Flats (half rounds) that I kept for years without using them, and they had rust spots by the time I got around to installing them. I was just using them as temporary spares in an emergency situation and they seemed to play fine, but I didn't keep them on mainly because I don't care for these strings.
 
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#8
sloppy_phil said:
You got proper GHS strings, though they are at least 5 years old. GHS went to vacuum sealed packs of strings some years back (pre-pandemic). The packaging you received is legit, but very old!
Click to expand...
That's not true at all. That's the way GHS strings are packed even today. They do NOT use vacuum-sealed packs, at least not the ones I use. Bassics, Pressurewounds, Super Steels and Ken Smith Compressors (also made by GHS)... They all come in paper sleeves in a clear plastic pouch, not vacuum-sealed.
 
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#9
sloppy_phil said:
You got proper GHS strings, though they are at least 5 years old. GHS went to vacuum sealed packs of strings some years back (pre-pandemic). The packaging you received is legit, but very old!
Click to expand...
Just remembered something... GHS Boomers DO come in a sealed package as I recall from a few years ago. But they're the only GHS strings that come that way. Certainly not the Pressurewounds the OP is talking about. I order them regularly from Strings By Mail, where the stock is always fresh. They've always come in paper sleeves in a clear plastic pouch, but not vacuum-sealed.
 
#12
michael_t said:
Just remembered something... GHS Boomers DO come in a sealed package as I recall from a few years ago. But they're the only GHS strings that come that way. Certainly not the Pressurewounds the OP is talking about. I order them regularly from Strings By Mail, where the stock is always fresh. They've always come in paper sleeves in a clear plastic pouch, but not vacuum-sealed.
Click to expand...
Interesting. It was Boomers which I had been using exclusively, although they have seemingly axed the 40-95 gauge from production. Can’t find them new in stock anywhere in Canada, and only limited retailers in the US now. No problem with Boomers of any other gauge, just the light set :(

The reason I thought perhaps OP had an old set was the last time I went in store to pick up the “new” Boomers I ordered online (this was maybe a year ago), they came in the old non-vac sealed packaging. And were covered in rust spots.
 
#13
sloppy_phil said:
they have seemingly axed the 40-95 gauge from production. Can’t find them new in stock anywhere in Canada, and only limited retailers in the US now...
Click to expand...
I live in Canada and order my strings from Strings By Mail, which is based in Michigan where GHS is also based. There is no indication the 40-95 set (L3045) has been discontinued.

Invalid Link Removed

www.ghsstrings.com

SETS - 4-STRING BASS BOOMERS®

Since 1964, GHS Strings has been expertly winding high-quality electric guitar strings in the heart of southwestern Michigan. As a leading manufacturer, we blend tradition with innovation to produce a wide variety of strings for electric and acoustic guitars, bass guitars, classical guitars...
www.ghsstrings.com www.ghsstrings.com
 
#14
I kinda doubt that any counterfeiters would make pressure wounds. It’s an extra step in the manufacturing process that takes more time. Counterfeiters are looking for the cheapest processing, hence the poor quality. They want the most bang for their buck, and rounds are the easiest to fake.
 
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#15
Also ordered PW from Amazon UK a few weeks ago and came in a plastic sleeves, and glossy card insert. All strings in a paper envelopes. They are replacing my previous strings that had some corrosion (mainly from palm muting) that came the same format a few years back.

I'd say legit and also doubt pressure wounds are being counterfeited.

BTW I gave 2 coats of watered down pva onto the black silks before installing let them dry thoroughly first, just to make them last longer and stay tidy. I've tried both 'PVA and CA glue in the past an PVA is more effective, the CA just disintegrates after a while when messed with taking the silks with it.

I've goit some dead Precision flats on my other bass, but I'm enjoying fresh pressure wounds, If I could get a high C I'd put them on my 5 string, but nowhere in the UK seems to sell them.
 
#16
#17
HaphAsSard said:
Not in the UK so less than ideal, but, just in case you weren't aware:

GHS FB28 Longscale + single Precision Flatwound Flat Wrap Stainless Steel Bass Single strings

Single .028 longscale plus ( 38" winding) Precision Flatwound Flat Wrap Stainless Steel
lordofthestrings.com
Click to expand...
Cool, thanks, that's good to know. I'm not in the UK either (Vietnam), but I go back most years for a week, or a have a friend that's back there for a bit, which is how I got my last pressurewounds. I got my Precision flats along with a high C from FretNation a while back, who I don't think lists them but can get them. But it's best to avoid shipping and Vietnamese customs can be a chore.
 
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#18
La Faro said:
BTW I gave 2 coats of watered down pva onto the black silks before installing let them dry thoroughly first, just to make them last longer and stay tidy. I've tried both 'PVA and CA glue in the past an PVA is more effective, the CA just disintegrates after a while when messed with taking the silks with it.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I've changed lots of guitar strings but never bass. Never thought about having to do anything with the silks.
 
#19
maj34 said:
Interesting. I've changed lots of guitar strings but never bass. Never thought about having to do anything with the silks.
Click to expand...
I don't think most people do, but I'm not alone. My strings tend to stay on for a long time and the silks get messed up when cleaning, which bugs me. I've read some post by others on how to protect them, and both glues came up. When I put flats on my 5 string I put a high C as well, and applied CA glue to the exposed ends to protect. But the posts on my 5 string are thicker than my 4 string, and I cut the strings with same extra for winding as my 4 string, resulting in less wraps, and I wasn't that happy. The High C was fine, and I picked up another set of 4 strings and changed out the others. I applied PVA to the whole silk end this time, before installing. The silks on the High C became discoloured overtimes, and now they drop purple powder when rubbed against. So that bass inadvertidly became a teste comparison for CA vs PVA glue as a protection,
 
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#20
maj34 said:
Hi all:

I bought a set of GHS Pressurewound strings for my Rumblekat. Bought them off Amazon.

I'm a guitar player mostly. The Rumblekat is my first bass and this is the first time I've bought bass strings. So I'm used to seeing strings packaged a certain way -- ideally vacuum packed.

The strings I received were just in an Amazon plastic bag. The contents inside were the strings in their individual paper sleeves and the GHS glossy printout was with them.

View attachment 7128108

Did I get a legit set of strings? They look new, are oval wrapped the way I've heard Pressurewound described. Just something off-putting and I have to wonder if I have a set of returned strings.
Click to expand...
I bought my last set of PWs from Amazon, but I usually buy them directly from GHS. No danger of getting fakes that way.
 

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