I'm getting tired of it...

Put some petroleum jelly, or some other lubricant specifically for guitars if you want to pay more.

 

The first time I tried the Brite Flats on my J a couple of summers ago, the only thing I did was to wipe them down with dry cloth before installation. I was so put off by the initial stickiness, they came off after only three weeks.

I just installed a brand new set on my P last night, but this time I made sure to use an isopropyl alcohol wipe to clean them thoroughly first. And what a difference, they're already starting to feel almost as smooth as real flats!

 

You might want to try using a glove on your fingering hand. Some music stores I have been in sell them. I don't personally use one but I have seen others on you tube ise them

 

Just a quick update on what I was saying...

The Brite Flats on my P-bass are only 3 days old, but they already feel as smooth as any flats I've ever tried. A night-and-day difference from the first time, and all it took was a simple alcohol wipe BEFORE INSTALLATION.

I always thought the half-round stickiness was mainly due to the tiny gaps left between the winding after the outer round wire is ground down. But as it turns out, it has more to do with all the gunk left on them during the grinding process.

 

Have a slice of pizza or fried chicken before playing.

 

Would an order of super-sized fries help even more?

 

This is why I really don't 'get' the Half Rounds hate. They feel smoother than ANY roundwound and prepared properly they will feel wonderful. I'm a big fan of D'Addario's Half Rounds - they feel great. The tacky feeling goes away with a bit of playing and even faster with isopropyl alcohol.

 

Summer vs. winter... Your original post was back in June, and now it's January. Is it drier in the winter than in the summer where you are? Could it have been the humidity that was affecting the way these strings felt before?

 

If you continue to play that bass, I won’t be surprised if they never feel
sticky again, even when the outside weather gets warm, and the humidity level increases.

I’ve been using Brite Flats for many years on one of my basses. I’ve definitely noticed when they’re new they feel sticky. I’ve never tried wiping them down with anything when they’re new, I just “suffer through it” until the stickiness goes away.

The next time I put a new set of Brite Flats on, I’m going to try a wipe down before I restring.

 

I wipe new flats down with naphtha before installing them and theres no stickiness at all after that

 

Yep! I put on a new set of D’addario Half Rounds just before Xmas and I was floored at how dirty & gritty they felt.

So after a day or so of that I took them off and rubbed them down first with 0000 steel wool then cloths and 99% iso alcohol till they were clean.

Huge difference! Now felt almost as smooth as flats and to me the tone improved as well.

What are your impressions of the D’addario Half Rounds vs the GHS Brite Flats? I was wondering this because I recently read somewhere that the Brite Flats were the original OEM string for EBMM Stingrays and I have one.

I’ve never used the Brite Flats but the Half Rounds (when clean) to me are a very good feeling and tonally neutral string. They were ok on my FSO’s. Not too bright, not too dark, not too anything but not a lot of pizzazz either so I thought maybe to try them on the Stingray.

 

I have no personal experience with the D'A Half Rounds, so can't do a direct comparison.

That said, a couple of things I like about the Brite Flats...
First, I'm a huge fan of Alloy 52 (nickel-iron alloy) for its unique properties and tonal character, so I like the idea that the BFs are also Alloy 52, vs. pure nickel of D'A HRs. And secondly, BF factory sets are better-balanced in terms of tension, the light set (45-56-77-98) being my favorite.

 

Any one try and reach GHS about this condition on new strings?
I have never had to wipe down new strings with Isopropyl Alcohol.

 

I'm in the habit of doing the alcohol wipe to prep ALL strings before installation just to make sure they're clean. I learned to do that when I had to deal with the black residue of the polishing compound that's left on D'A Chromes Flats and Fender Flats from the factory.

The initial stickiness of half-rounds are also due to the tiny gaps left between the outer winding after the round cover wire is ground down. Not necessarily a QC issue.

 

Its very easy to get rid of the stickiness of flats. Run a string through the ball end. Stand on the string and hold the tuner end of the string. Wrap 0000 steel wool around string and wipe the entire length of string briskly. This removes and releases the solids that are on the exterior of the string (dried machine oil, lacquer, dirt, whatever). Hold the steel wool tightly and use strong motions. After that, wipe residue off with DA, or Deoxit. Result is a flatwound that is smooth as a baby’s butt, and not sticky. Easy peasy. No soaking, waiting or coating needed.

 

Damn folks, i just buy strings that i don't have to clean before installing them. Never had this issue with flats, but then again i avoid GHS like the plague.