Put on some GHS Precision Flats today...

[Real Soon]

I'm playing with a band that happens to love the sound of a Precision with rounds...so I sadly, slowly, and maybe drunkenly took my GHS Precision Flats off and put the stock Fender rounds back on last week.

On my 50s Classic, they sound just massive. Obscenely thick low end. Higher tension, yet not at all uncomfortable to play, and they don't get bent out of shape when I put my homemade string mute in for Motown tones.

Starting to think I need a second P to keep the flats on full-time. And to think I'm mostly a J & 5-string guy....

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

I'm playing with a band that happens to love the sound of a Precision with rounds...so I sadly, slowly, and maybe drunkenly took my GHS Precision Flats off and put the stock Fender rounds back on last week.

On my 50s Classic, they sound just massive. Obscenely thick low end. Higher tension, yet not at all uncomfortable to play, and they don't get bent out of shape when I put my homemade string mute in for Motown tones.

Starting to think I need a second P to keep the flats on full-time. And to think I'm mostly a J & 5-string guy....

Just for clarification, which strings sound better on your Classic 50's P, flats or rounds? I swear, it doesn't matter what strings go on the Classic 50's because they all sound awesome on that bass!

 

[Linnin]

Starting to think I need a second P to keep the flats on full-time.

^^^You Do!^^^

 

[leavetheconnoli]

^^^You Do!^^^

I concur!
I have one w labellas and now one w TI’s. Different flavors of awesome

 

[Yahboy]

I'm playing with a band that happens to love the sound of a Precision with rounds...so I sadly, slowly, and maybe drunkenly took my GHS Precision Flats off and put the stock Fender rounds back on last week.

On my 50s Classic, they sound just massive. Obscenely thick low end. Higher tension, yet not at all uncomfortable to play, and they don't get bent out of shape when I put my homemade string mute in for Motown tones.

Starting to think I need a second P to keep the flats on full-time. And to think I'm mostly a J & 5-string guy....

Stock Fender 7250 45-100 or 45-105 is a sweet tone nickel roundwound string for Pbass and Jbass.
The old Pre-mexico Superbass 7250 also sound nice with my previous Ibanez SR and Yamaha RBX.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Stock Fender 7250 45-100 or 45-105 is a sweet tone nickel roundwound string for Pbass and Jbass.
The old Pre-mexico Superbass 7250 also sound nice with my previous Ibanez SR and Yamaha RBX.

I agree, the 7250's are a great sounding round wound string. To my ear they are warm and mellow/fat/round compared even when new, compared to other rounds that can he harsh and clingy when new. The Fender rounds are my go-to's for rounds. I think they're a nice set of rounds for someone who usually plays flats. Felt similarly with GHS Boomers, too, but almost feel the Fenders sound a little better.

 

[LinusKarlsson]

I used GHS flats before and loved them. A couple of days ago I was given a set of light gauge Chromes, and put them on my MIA P-bass. So far I really like them sound of them, albeit I find them just a little bit stiff. I really love the GHS strings also, but they are very different from each other. For me the GHS strings works best on basses with a bridge pickup (I had them om my Yamaha BB414 with P/J pickups) to cut through better, but the Chromes sounds really good on my P-bass, played with a pick and some grit in the amp.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

9050's......

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Another update:

So the strings have been on for just over a week. They are evening out even more. I play the bass every day. The G string is sting a little brighter than the others, but the D string has mellowed and has evened out with the E and A strings now.

I thought maybe I'd try a lighter gauge and went with a set of GHS Precision Flats in 45-95. After putting them on my Classic 50's I couldn't stand the lighter tension and they sounded noticeably thinner in tone and just felt "weird". I know my Classic 50's is a VERY resonant and responsive bass, and every set of strings I've had on it has a very thunderous E. With the GHS flats the E had the same "thud" and very noticeable unevenness in tone between the other strings which were way more "zingy and brighter that I experienced when I put the 45-105 set on my American Standard that sparked me to start this thread, so I know it's not the bass. Just seems like it's a characteristic of these strings, regardless of gauge, and it's just something you either have to suck up and deal with until the rest of the strings mellow and even out with the E, or look elsewhere for another set/brand of flats.

Regardless, I couldn't stand the lighter 45-95 gauge and removed them and put a set of La Bella 760FL's on the Classic 50's P. they feel great, maybe a little "stickier" and less glide than the GHS Precision Flats. While the GHS Precision Flats have a fat, warm thumpy low end, the La Bella 760FL's seem to have a little bit of a high-mid bump with a tighter low end and less thump and thud than the GHS Precision Flats.Harmonics are much louder as well on the La Bellas. I'm not saying it's better or worse, just different, and in my case I think each set compliments each bass and is a good match. I will say this though, the La Bella are way more balanced in terms of volume and tone from string to string, unlike the GHS flats which you have to wait for weeks/months for them to even out.

So for now I have the 45-105 set of GHS Precision Flats on my American Standard P and La Bella 760FL Deep Talkin' Flats on the Classic 50's P and I think I will just keep things this way for a while. The gauges are somewhat similar to each other, but the La Bella are noticeably lower tension and feel less stiff. I had TI Flats for a short while and didn't care for the floppy feel, and I'd say the La Bella 760FL's are somewhere in the middle as far as feel/tension between being tighter than the TI Jazz Flats but noticeably less tension than the GHS Precision Flats 45-105 set.

 

[michael_t]

So for now I have the 45-105 set of GHS Precision Flats on my American Standard P and La Bella 760FL Deep Talkin' Flats on the Classic 50's P and I think I will just keep things this way for a while. The gauges are somewhat similar to each other, but the La Bella are noticeably lower tension and feel less stiff.

For those who are contemplating trying out the GHS Precision Flats, it should be noted that GHS introduced a new factory set, CM3050 (45-60-80-105), just a few months ago, which would compare more closely to the La Bella 760FL (43-60-82-104) in terms of overall string-to-string balance.

 

[dagrev]

Another update:

So the strings have been on for just over a week. They are evening out even more. I play the bass every day. The G string is sting a little brighter than the others, but the D string has mellowed and has evened out with the E and A strings now.

I've got a set on on a '71 J. They have been on there for possibly close to a year and they still aren't even sounding. I love the stings, but that does bug me. I realize that sounds contradictory. I do not play that bass all the time but it's had a fair amount of playing on it. In a band setting I'm not sure its noticeable, but when it's just me it certainly is and the little bit of OCD I have flares up.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

I've got a set on on a '71 J. They have been on there for possibly close to a year and they still aren't even sounding. I love the stings, but that does bug me. I realize that sounds contradictory. I do not play that bass all the time but it's had a fair amount of playing on it. In a band setting I'm not sure its noticeable, but when it's just me it certainly is and the little bit of OCD I have flares up.

I've got a set on on a '71 J. They have been on there for possibly close to a year and they still aren't even sounding. I love the stings, but that does bug me. I realize that sounds contradictory. I do not play that bass all the time but it's had a fair amount of playing on it. In a band setting I'm not sure its noticeable, but when it's just me it certainly is and the little bit of OCD I have flares up.

I think I understand what you’re getting at. They have a unique fatness and thump that La Bella’s don’t have and they feel good and balanced from string to string tension-wise. But just aren’t balanced tone-wise from string to string. When I’m playing with a band it’s not as noticeable but I do swear the low E disappears at times and it does bug me when I’m practicing at home. If they don’t get any better I’m most likely going to switch to a set of La Bella 45-105’s for the American Standard.

 

[Yahboy]

Another update:

So the strings have been on for just over a week. They are evening out even more. I play the bass every day. The G string is sting a little brighter than the others, but the D string has mellowed and has evened out with the E and A strings now.

I thought maybe I'd try a lighter gauge and went with a set of GHS Precision Flats in 45-95. After putting them on my Classic 50's I couldn't stand the lighter tension and they sounded noticeably thinner in tone and just felt "weird". I know my Classic 50's is a VERY resonant and responsive bass, and every set of strings I've had on it has a very thunderous E. With the GHS flats the E had the same "thud" and very noticeable unevenness in tone between the other strings which were way more "zingy and brighter that I experienced when I put the 45-105 set on my American Standard that sparked me to start this thread, so I know it's not the bass. Just seems like it's a characteristic of these strings, regardless of gauge, and it's just something you either have to suck up and deal with until the rest of the strings mellow and even out with the E, or look elsewhere for another set/brand of flats.

Regardless, I couldn't stand the lighter 45-95 gauge and removed them and put a set of La Bella 760FL's on the Classic 50's P. they feel great, maybe a little "stickier" and less glide than the GHS Precision Flats. While the GHS Precision Flats have a fat, warm thumpy low end, the La Bella 760FL's seem to have a little bit of a high-mid bump with a tighter low end and less thump and thud than the GHS Precision Flats.Harmonics are much louder as well on the La Bellas. I'm not saying it's better or worse, just different, and in my case I think each set compliments each bass and is a good match. I will say this though, the La Bella are way more balanced in terms of volume and tone from string to string, unlike the GHS flats which you have to wait for weeks/months for them to even out.

So for now I have the 45-105 set of GHS Precision Flats on my American Standard P and La Bella 760FL Deep Talkin' Flats on the Classic 50's P and I think I will just keep things this way for a while. The gauges are somewhat similar to each other, but the La Bella are noticeably lower tension and feel less stiff. I had TI Flats for a short while and didn't care for the floppy feel, and I'd say the La Bella 760FL's are somewhere in the middle as far as feel/tension between being tighter than the TI Jazz Flats but noticeably less tension than the GHS Precision Flats 45-105 set.

Now you are just start your honey moon with Labella FL tension and stiffness.
When she fully broken in, the stiffness become like bridge cable and far less string vibration, but the tone is absolutely woody old school vibe.

Enjoy.

 

[DavidEdenAria]

Now you are just start your honey moon with Labella FL tension and stiffness.
When she fully broken in, the stiffness become like bridge cable and far less string vibration, but the tone is absolutely woody old school vibe.

Enjoy.

Curious if folks adjust the string height to compensate for the 'floppiness' or lack thereof?

My only flats are Fender 9050's on a pair of Peavey basses, a well broken in set on a late 80's Fury (p bass with a j neck) and a mid 80's Foundation (j neck but j pickups on steroids 'Super Ferrite' pickups).

In both cases, i spent quite a bit of time with the trussrod adjustment and string height as the 9050 are fairly stiff.....both were unplayable with high action before the adjustments.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Curious if folks adjust the string height to compensate for the 'floppiness' or lack thereof?

My only flats are Fender 9050's on a pair of Peavey basses, a well broken in set on a late 80's Fury (p bass with a j neck) and a mid 80's Foundation (j neck but j pickups on steroids 'Super Ferrite' pickups).

In both cases, i spent quite a bit of time with the trussrod adjustment and string height as the 9050 are fairly stiff.....both were unplayable with high action before the adjustments.

I put minimal relief in the neck and go a little lower with the action. Stiffer strings allow for less relief and lower action.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Now you are just start your honey moon with Labella FL tension and stiffness.
When she fully broken in, the stiffness become like bridge cable and far less string vibration, but the tone is absolutely woody old school vibe.

Enjoy.

I really don’t understand how they could get stiffer over time. Changes in tone, yes, but having trouble understanding that they get stiffer.

 

[grimjim]

Always been a GHS guy, welcome to the club.
Really don't like flatwound strings though. But that's why they make all different kinds.
Enjoy!

 

[nerkoids]

Been going through a bit of a string search lately. Have used Chromes on different basses off and on for a few years and thought they were the best of both works since they are a pretty versatile string that works for different genres, finger style, playing with a pick etc., but have always felt they were a compromise in tone (which seems to be the case with most things that are sort of a jack of all trades, where they are good at a lot of things but don't really excel at any one particular thing, right?)

A few months ago tried some TI Flats, and although I know I'm in the minority here, I HATED them. They felt unmatched from string to string tension-wise, and super floppy. They sounded ok I guess, but nothing life-changing, and I just couldn't see what what all the fuss was about, plus they are F@$king expensive! Went with rounds for a bit, and settled on some GHS Boomers and Fender 7250's, and really liked both of those sets, but was still hoping to find a nice flatwound string I liked.

Got some GHS Precision Flats today and put them on a 2008 American Standard Precision. Coming from Chromes, these sound sort of broken in already out of the package, and love the feel and tension from string to string I can't really tell much as far as if they are more of less tension compared to the Chromes (but I went from light Chromes to medium GHS Precision Flats), and think the GHS flats feel great, and nothing like the TI Jazz Flats that felt like floppy mis-matched rubber bands that someone just whipped together from several random sets they had sitting around. Soundwise I REALLY like them. Deep, thump but not a dead thud, STRONG fundamental, and man, at around $24 and change for a set, they are a screaming deal if you ask me. I bought two sets just in case I loved them, and I do, so I'll be putting the other set on my Classic 50's P this weekend. Probably makes more sense to put rounds on one and fits on the other, but the stuff I play currently, which is in a old school/Outlaw country cover band works well with a P and flats.

If you're looking for a flatwound string that's easy playing and great feeling that won't give you sticker shock I really can't see how you wouldn't like these strings.

View attachment 2844766

They also sound phenomenal on a Jazz.

 

[nerkoids]

It's funny, but the flats on three of the basses I've used the GHS, all within 2 months tops, sounded at their peak. On my project P-bass, it took all of two weeks to have them sound the way I wanted them to sound. Then again, I do put foam at my bridge...

 

[dagrev]

Foam helped tame the D and G and made them sound like the E and A.