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Praise Report: GHS Precision Flats

#61
Linnin said:
Please tell the winders I send them my utmost appreciation for the fruits of their labor.
Click to expand...

I wholeheartedly agree! GHS Precision flats are the best feeling flats in the world if you ask me; they're incredibly smooth, great sounding strings. They feel as good or better than Pyramid Golds and Labellas (Which are much more expensive) in my opinion.

I do have basses strung with Labellas & Pyramids, but GHS flats are easily my fave.

I've always wondered how GHS makes them so smooth! I can barely see the ribbons unless I whip out the magnifying glass!
 
#62
Root 5 said:
I've always wondered how GHS makes them so smooth! I can barely see the ribbons unless I whip out the magnifying glass!
Click to expand...

Well, a lot of that is due to the winder behind the machine; many of our workers here have decades of experience, and are very VERY good at what they do. But with that, the final step for the flats is that they are polished smooth. If you look at the first ~1" or so by the ball end, you can see the unfinished wrap that doesn't get polished.
 
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#63
Love the GHS precision flats. Have the .045 to .105 on my VM Squier 70s Jazz bass right now, and loving the tone. The volume right now is a little uneven, but they are getting better the more I'm playing on the thing.

They do record beautifully. I've had them on there for about 1.5 months now.

I have to say, I can't understand why some folks are finding them stiff, I find they're actually quite slinky. Certainly slinkier than the Fender 9050CL (same gauge strings) I had on before -- although I loved the sound of them, they were turning my neck into a banana. These GHSs, I'm able to play with the neck much straighter and with a lower action, although the E string does flop a little bit. And they sound a lot deeper than the Fenders, straight up. I usually record direct in, and I find with some compression and or limiting, I can get a perfectly punchy bass sound without too much EQ fiddling.

I've tried other flats on my other bass, a small violin bass copy like the Chromes, Rotosound Monel 77s, their Trubass 88s, etc... these babies sound the best. Would be curious as to what the light GHS strings would sound like on my VB...
 
#64
Kudos to the OP for a very nice and very accurate review of these strings. I have them on my PBass and they are exactly as described. I plan to try some LaBella Flats this month just to get a feel for the differences but the PFlats aren't going anywhere. They're just taking a break while I evaluate another string for a bit. Mine are as well broken in as a 10 year old pair of jeans so I have none of the issues some have experienced. They're just a great fundamental old school kind of string.
 
#65
Precision Flats are great. Smoothest strings I know!
I always have them on at least different 2 basses, and have since 2004 when I first tried them. They settle in somewhat quickly, and have a full fundamental and sweet overtones/upper harmonic content. They also maintain their tuning stability for a long long time.
Great string in all regards!
 
#70
I just ordered a set of GHS Precision Flats (.055-.105) to go on my 73 Fretless Precision Bass with a Model J Dimarzio at the bridge.

I could not find many reviews of people using these on a fretless, but based on what I'm reading (thump) I'm hoping I'll like them on this bass.

I'm after a solid fretless thump with less mwah.

Am I on the right track with these?

How are they volume-wise?
 
#71
Groover said:
I just ordered a set of GHS Precision Flats (.055-.105) to go on my 73 Fretless Precision Bass with a Model J Dimarzio at the bridge.

I could not find many reviews of people using these on a fretless, but based on what I'm ready (thump) I'm hoping I'll like them on this bass.

I'm after a solid fretless thump with less mwah.

Am I on the right track with these?

How are they volume-wise?
Click to expand...

I just had them on my fretless 6 for a couple of months.

They do have a solid fretless thump with less mwah, especially after they've been broken in a bit (for me, playing on them for 3-4 hours at a hit, 7 days a week, it only took about two weeks for me to hear them settle in). I needed my electric to "play nice" with the tonality of the string players I was with (violin, viola, cello) and the strings (and technique adjustment) helped me slide into that nicely.

In terms of volume, my fretless has a hot signal, but I didn't notice any volume difference between these and rounds (that are normally on the bass).
 
#72
Good deal, thanks for the reply GHS! I was just reading the tension chart you posted on a different thread. Good stuff, and thanks!

I'm looking forward in trying these Flats. The break-in may be a challenge as I'm not playing-out currently, so at 15 minutes per evening, I may be in for a long break in... :p
 
#73
Hello everyone
I’m a newcomer jumping in this conversation cause I just had a GHS revelation today, and I was looking for some insights when I bumped into this thread :

First of all, I’m a short scale “craving for sixties tone” kind of player, my heroes being Ronnie Lane (small faces era), Bill Wyman, and all countless session players on 60’s soundtracks and pop music going “donk donk” on their basses. I really do appreciate funk/soul classic P-bass delights, but it’s just not my field as a player…(yet) ;) I have a more garagey approach to tone.

I play a Harmony H27 and Hofner 185, and I’ve been an intense "pyramid gold flats" fan, since it matched exactly the tone I loved, much more than the fender and d’addario flats I had tried before. (which are suited to play post-punk new wave, am I wrong ?)
Since then I was convinced that Nickel was the thing, until I got this 1975 Musicmaster bass, one week ago. (tested with basic rounds, so I did put all the blame on the strings, relied on my pyramid faith, and got it.)
I was looking for something different, loved the neck, and the look.
I immediately armed it with pyramid golds, but was disappointed when I found out that this infamous 6-pole pickup + pyramid flats was creating such a ringy, metallic tone. I wouldn’t say bright, but it definitely has some kind of modern ring to it…

Then today, I just had the chance to play a 60’s P-bass with ghs precision flats, and I thought it was sounding absolutely great, retro, thumpy, with this incredible attack. And even more "dead" and mellow, than the pyramids. (maybe less harmonics though). My nickel snob certainties have been shaken in a bliss.

So I have a few questions, if anybody has a clue for me :
- If you played both, do you think that pyramids have more treble than GHS stainless steel flats ?
- Do I have to get rid of my Musicmaster 6-pole pickup, cause it’s definitely the cause of my troubles ?
- Musicmaster/stock pickup/ghs anyone ? What do you think ?

- Is there any stainless steel GHS strings suitable for 30' short scale bass ?

Well I'm gonna tried GhS on it anyway, but wondered if anybody would give an opinion
Hoping I'm not being to intrusive with this long "first post"

cheers
 
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#76
After 12 years playing a Stingray (fretted) with different kinds of strings, some weeks ago I tried with GHS Precision Flats, same I have in my Tony Franklin fretless, and it was amazing. I'm really impressed and surprised with it. It sounds fantastic. The feel in the fingers is smooth, but the best is the sound.. is the tone, bass tone. It's a very focused tone in it's fundamental. Very easy to EQ with the preamp. In each string and in each position. Now I have more fun than ever playing my Stingray.

If you have a Stingray, give a chance to the GHS Precion flats.
 
#77
kid victrola said:
So I have a few questions, if anybody has a clue for me :
- If you played both, do you think that pyramids have more treble than GHS stainless steel flats?
Click to expand...

In my opinion there about equal in terms of brightness; both are a go to string for old school thump; both mellow out nicely & quickly.


- Is there any stainless steel GHS strings suitable for 30' short scale bass ?
Click to expand...

GHS make short scale Precision Flatwounds.

To determine if they're long enough for your bass, measure the strings you have on now: Mark the E string with tape on the headstock side of the nut.

Take the string off and measure the distance from the inside edge of the ball to the tape.

If your measurement is more than 32", GHS flats may be too short for your bass; they're too short for 30" scale Mustangs for example.

Good luck!
 
#78
Have a set of custom ghs flats on the way from jason.
34" scale not the +long
45-63-80-95
Was going to go for EB because i could go 50-65-80-95
But i wanted to give these a try.
Hoping for magic right out of the package.
 

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