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Praise Report: GHS Precision Flats

I've got a 32" scale SX fretless Jazz coming in the mail, and I wanted to get some Precision Flats. However, I can only seem to find them in short (30" - 31") and long (34" - 36"). Is there not a medium scale flat in this product line?

Not as of yet. There has been a lot of demand, and it's one of the things I'm hoping to get done this year.
 
I also have a new 55-105 set that I'm looking to trade for some Sadowsky flats or maybe TI's if anyone has or is interested.

I got a deal on a few sets of P-flats and am keeping the medium ones on my jazz. Still looking for "the" string, though and wand to try some other brands.
 
Well.....got the 3050's (.105-.055) from Jason and they're on. Hands down THE smoothest flats I've ever felt. Out of the package, they feel stiffer and tighter than the Fender 9050-CL's, but that sound! Noticeably deeper sounding than the Fenders; my son the jazz musician even noticed a difference from his side of the house. I had to notch the nut a little wider to accommodate the strings, and didn't have to adjust the truss rod either; just drop the nut slots a hair. Now I need to hang with the break in period....If they come close to the flexibility of the Fender 9050CL's.....I will have found the ultimate flats.
 
Well.....got the 3050's (.105-.055) from Jason and they're on. Hands down THE smoothest flats I've ever felt. Out of the package, they feel stiffer and tighter than the Fender 9050-CL's, but that sound! Noticeably deeper sounding than the Fenders; my son the jazz musician even noticed a difference from his side of the house. I had to notch the nut a little wider to accommodate the strings, and didn't have to adjust the truss rod either; just drop the nut slots a hair. Now I need to hang with the break in period....If they come close to the flexibility of the Fender 9050CL's.....I will have found the ultimate flats.


They will, and you did ! ;)

In a kinda reverse coincidence, my dad just called to say he went to play on a friends recording last night, and it was the first chance he had to try out the GHS P Flats I put on his P-bass, and he was in heaven with the tone and said the rest of the guys were raving about the sound being recorded. He's been playing round-wounds since the late 60's, never liked flats... Lol...

EDIT: Thought it was worth mentioning I use the 45-105 sets, which has an amazing tension for my playing style.
 
GHS P Flats on my James Johnston Jazz. I don't think I could have found a better set of strings for this bass. I completely intended on installing rounds on this bass but had a set of GHS laying around so I tried them. They will never come off this bass. I get a great slap tone, the bridge pickup "burp" and the neck pup "woof", all with perfect tension and feel.
 
Well.....got the 3050's (.105-.055) from Jason and they're on. Hands down THE smoothest flats I've ever felt. Out of the package, they feel stiffer and tighter than the Fender 9050-CL's, but that sound! Noticeably deeper sounding than the Fenders; my son the jazz musician even noticed a difference from his side of the house. I had to notch the nut a little wider to accommodate the strings, and didn't have to adjust the truss rod either; just drop the nut slots a hair. Now I need to hang with the break in period....If they come close to the flexibility of the Fender 9050CL's.....I will have found the ultimate flats.

I agree...you have. I string all my basses except my Hofner with GHS flats in a slightly lighter gauge (.45-.105) and keep them on. The only time a string gets changed is when it breaks...meaning hardly ever.

The key to P Flats' tone is playing them in and leaving them on the instrument. Time improves them even beyond one's initial impression. I have a Fender that wears a ten year old set, and they sound perfect.

You'll find that the stiffer set you bought will let you drop the action very low, if you haven't done so already. This might help to offset the higher tension and prevent left hand fatigue.

Now, if GHS would just offer a 32" set gauged for Hofner basses... ;-)

Enjoy!
 
I went scary low on the nut...there's NO difference in ht when fretting the first and second frets. Before I even dropped the nut ht, my Fender flats would mildly buzz when plucked hard. No buzz at all with the 3050's. Perhaps later when they loosen up.



I agree...you have. I string all my basses except my Hofner with GHS flats in a slightly lighter gauge (.45-.105) and keep them on. The only time a string gets changed is when it breaks...meaning hardly ever.

The key to P Flats' tone is playing them in and leaving them on the instrument. Time improves them even beyond one's initial impression. I have a Fender that wears a ten year old set, and they sound perfect.

You'll find that the stiffer set you bought will let you drop the action very low, if you haven't done so already. This might help to offset the higher tension and prevent left hand fatigue.

Now, if GHS would just offer a 32" set gauged for Hofner basses... ;-)

Enjoy!
 
I went scary low on the nut...there's NO difference in ht when fretting the first and second frets. Before I even dropped the nut ht, my Fender flats would mildly buzz when plucked hard. No buzz at all with the 3050's. Perhaps later when they loosen up.

Perhaps, but the stiffness is part of what prevents string buzz at a given height (there are differing opinions on this, but at least it's been my experience that heavier strings buzz less). In any case, sounds like you're enjoying them. :hyper:
 
Yes....I now need to get about 90+ hours on 'em. As new sounding as they are, I may take it with me to a session this weekend.






Perhaps, but the stiffness is part of what prevents string buzz at a given height (there are differing opinions on this, but at least it's been my experience that heavier strings buzz less). In any case, sounds like you're enjoying them. :hyper:
 
Threw a set on my parts bass, the night before a monthly jam. Played the bass for an hour or so, just to get the strings stabilized.
Played through the house bassist's rig...plenty of oomph on the E and A strings. The D and G strings were a little bright but not like roundwounds.
Great strings...probably will buy another set for my Stingray!
 
Threw a set on my parts bass, the night before a monthly jam. Played the bass for an hour or so, just to get the strings stabilized.
Played through the house bassist's rig...plenty of oomph on the E and A strings. The D and G strings were a little bright but not like roundwounds.
Great strings...probably will buy another set for my Stingray!

The D and G strings will mellow with use...then they'll all sound the same: just right.