I got these strings a little over a month ago, absolutely love them. Deep, thick, thumpy, and nice crisp upper register without any of those nasty overtones from rounds, or even other flats, like my Fender 9050CLs that I took off to give these guys a whirl. Very glad I did. I have a VM Squier Jazz bass (all maple) and these babies certainly help me get those vintage tones. AFA tension is concerned, they aren't nearly as stiff as D'Addarios or Fenders. My bass neck is really liking them.
I have only tried the Rotosound 77 flatwounds (which are my regular strings right now), but these GHS flatwounds do sound nice. I need to give them a try.. :P
Do it! I think you'll find that our flats tend to be a bit darker than the ones you're used to, but the thump they have is awesome. Once you put a set on, let us know how you like them.
Really cool video. I have had a Mike Dirnt P Bass for around 11 years now, and always had a preference for flatwounds. I have tried LaBella (nice but too high tension), D'addario (too sticky feeling), and Thomastik (really sticky, expensive and too low tension). Have settled on Rotosound 77's as a really good all rounder but these GHS sound really cool. I'll give them a try.
@TheGHSStrings The problem with top loading is that GHS only offer these flats in "Long Plus," which means you have to wrap some of the wound string around the tuning post, which isn't ideal. I really wish GHS would offer the Precision flats in standard long and medium length - along with the current long plus.
Hi Tom, what I would start with is either our Boomers or Brite Flats. Both are darker than our steels, but still will have some clarity and brightness (the Boomers more than the Brites) to help you cut through the band, playing with or without effects. All depends on personal preference after that, but those are the two we'd recommend first.
@blueman2bass I agree with you 100% that james jamerson paved the way, and paul mccartney was influenced by him, but to me Paul McCartney took it a step further in his career, and became the better bass player, but it is like comparing apples and oranges-2 different kinds of music- so to each his own.
I want to thank you for such an informative video I am going out and get some flat wound strings. I'm form the era of melow bass sounds and I think GHS has the right strings. Thank you Thank you
Thanks! After many years of bass work, I still learn new stuff. A decent EQ curve can maximize whatever sound you want with flats or rounds. I use the giant Fender triangle picks on my P Bass with Fender Super Bass rounds. It's a brand new bass so will change over to flats in the future.
I totally just bought some GHS precision flats cuz of this video (and a talkbass thread kinda)...great marketing & info GHS!! I do reggae and hip-hop so this guy couldnt have hit the nail harder on the head! Thx again.....
Nice to see others use flatwound strings on a fretted base. I really never see anyone around where I live play that way. I love flatwound, they are exactly what I need for my bass style. And as you mention, they feel good to play/
This is great. I'm thinking about getting a violin bass and I had a feeling that I should put these on it immediately. This only makes me more excited to do it.
GREAT sound from these strings; it's extremely even and consistent across the neck. I'm a GHS player exclusively and won't go anywhere anytime soon. I play Boomers on my two fretted basses but I think I'll go with Pressurewounds on my upcoming fretless J-bass purchase. Still, it's all preference and these strings are awesome and if I ever own 25+ freakin basses like this guy does (O_o revealed in the Pressurewound video) I'll definitely have these on several of them.
@EastCoastJew Not sure about these in particular, but D'Addario chromes work wonders when set up in a progressive tension. With these I'd say do the same thing, order a custom set of these in .126 for the E, .090 for A, .065 for D, and .045 for G that usually does the trick with getting aggressive tones out of flats, they'll still sound clanky, but you get more mass to the lower strings, which results in a larger volume growl.
In terms of actual string tension, we will have to look to the numbers and find where they sit in comparison to other flats out there. But if you're comparing a set of flats to rounds, flats will have more string tension as a whole. In terms of stiffer feel (under your fingers), a lot of that is more attributed to using a hex core wire for the strings, which lends to a stiffer feeling string.
I have had players top load and go through the body. This will sometimes present a problem depending on scale length. It is suggest to top load the strings to counteract this problem.
You can play any genre of music with Flatwounds but because of the material and winding process they can be a bit mellower than our roundwound strings. If you are looking for something with more volume and pop I would try The Boomers.
@amnesiac1975 The Pressurewound and Brite Flats series is made with Alloy 52 which contains Nickel and Iron. The Precision Flatwounds however, are stainless steel.
I play a Schecter Pbass and mainly play at church and bluegrass. I'm trying to get closer to an upright sound. Would the flatwounds with maybe some foam be the answer? I don't have room for an upright so i'm stuck with what I got for now.
@moronslave You probably want to try the Presswound series which is a semi-flat wound string. They use a specific material that's more magnetically active and more suited for a bass guitar's magnetic pick-up. All of our strings are made to resonate well through a pick-up but these are specifically designed to give a little more.
Kind of. The ribbon wire that is used on a flatwound electric bass string is similar to the material that is used on an upright bass string, however, there are still many differences in materials, core wires, winding, etc.. that there are not a lot of similarities.
Played bass thru' the 60's & didn't play again 'til the 90's & noticed that the E & A string had plenty of weight but the D& G were thin sounding & bright like a guitar string. Are those two strings now made with a thinner core to accommodate modern styles? Any old guys out there who know the answer? Used both flat & round wound.
@greyhall1 Hey, Thanks for the suggestion. Our Long Scale plus sets fit most bass guitars, but it is true that the extra length can pose a problem. I'll make this suggestion to the factory. Thanks, GHS
We would recommend our GHS Bass Boomers for a great rock/alt/metal tone. They are widely used by rock/alt/funk artists like Flea to Metal bands like Miss May I.
Lol that guys site is funny...some people think its offensive but I was kinda giggling. So is that "progressive tension" pretty sweet? Just bought some GHS's but Ive heard about the ZOGs lol..
ha, what a cool video. i was wondering what kind of strings they used on those old basses. thanks for the info! what year is your bass? im guessing 1968...
I would like a string that can play some nice garage rock, a little bit fuzzy and also a kinda surfy/tinny sound as well - i do like a bit of a darker sound sometime and something that comes through when i'm playing in my band. What do you recommend?
My bridge allows top load or string through the body. Can GHS flatwounds be strung either way. I know some brands discourage string through(labellas). Also cant find tension specs for these.
Is it normal that when the strings are new (let's say less than a month old), the D and G strings are a bit clanky? In comparison with the A and especially the E string? Those two strings kick butt, but the other strings are too clanky/bright IMO.
Anyone ever try half & half? 2 flats on E/A for your low end thump, and 2 rounds on D/G for the bright/punchy mids. Never tried it myself, but would be an interesting experiment.
Hey man really nice talking. I see you're an expert in this area :) Very nice vid, I enjoyed it. You look and act and talk like Steven Seagal ;) Anyway, cool vid, peace!
actually, i've never played flats on bass guitar. Only on the upright...... how much are the pressure-wound flats? i want to put them on my newly modified fretless bass guitar....
Your best bet would be to give the Precision Flatwound set # 3020 .045-.095 or heavier gauge Bright Flats set # 3070 .049-.108 a try. Let me know what you think!
@MrAzziz90 GHS Flats are good for all types of basses, they give a bit of a smooth and mellower sound. You should give them a try and me know what you think!
I got these strings a little over a month ago, absolutely love them. Deep, thick, thumpy, and nice crisp upper register without any of those nasty overtones from rounds, or even other flats, like my Fender 9050CLs that I took off to give these guys a whirl. Very glad I did.
I have a VM Squier Jazz bass (all maple) and these babies certainly help me get those vintage tones.
AFA tension is concerned, they aren't nearly as stiff as D'Addarios or Fenders. My bass neck is really liking them.
Glad you like them; thanks for the kind words.
If your wanting to sell those fender flats let me know :)
+carol swedyk Get these instead. I gifted the Fender Flats to a friend.
I go for Precision Flats on a short scale with a pick. It is a very distinct sound, and goes perfectly with my style of playing.
That's a great, vintage sound with just enough attack and definition. Nice choice! I rely on that as well, when the gig calls for it.
I have only tried the Rotosound 77 flatwounds (which are my regular strings right now), but these GHS flatwounds do sound nice. I need to give them a try.. :P
precision flats also great with distortion
Do it! I think you'll find that our flats tend to be a bit darker than the ones you're used to, but the thump they have is awesome. Once you put a set on, let us know how you like them.
Really cool video. I have had a Mike Dirnt P Bass for around 11 years now, and always had a preference for flatwounds. I have tried LaBella (nice but too high tension), D'addario (too sticky feeling), and Thomastik (really sticky, expensive and too low tension). Have settled on Rotosound 77's as a really good all rounder but these GHS sound really cool. I'll give them a try.
@TheGHSStrings The problem with top loading is that GHS only offer these flats in "Long Plus," which means you have to wrap some of the wound string around the tuning post, which isn't ideal.
I really wish GHS would offer the Precision flats in standard long and medium length - along with the current long plus.
Hi Tom, what I would start with is either our Boomers or Brite Flats. Both are darker than our steels, but still will have some clarity and brightness (the Boomers more than the Brites) to help you cut through the band, playing with or without effects. All depends on personal preference after that, but those are the two we'd recommend first.
@blueman2bass I agree with you 100% that james jamerson paved the way, and paul mccartney was influenced by him, but to me Paul McCartney took it a step further in his career, and became the better bass player, but it is like comparing apples and oranges-2 different kinds of music- so to each his own.
Ben Kenney from Incubus uses these exact strings. His tone is awesome!
I want to thank you for such an informative video
I am going out and get some flat wound strings. I'm form the era of melow bass sounds and I think GHS has the right strings.
Thank you Thank you
Thanks! After many years of bass work, I still learn new stuff. A decent EQ curve can maximize whatever sound you want with flats or rounds. I use the giant Fender triangle picks on my P Bass with Fender Super Bass rounds. It's a brand new bass so will change over to flats in the future.
Great to hear! You'll love the GHS precision flats.
These sound amazing Im thinking of getting ones for some og metal like Sabbath.
Jaco Pastorius spoke highly of James Jamerson...you can't get a better endorsement than that!
Excellent video. I'm brand new to bass from guitar and looking to get that Pino sound. Thanks for posting!
I totally just bought some GHS precision flats cuz of this video (and a talkbass thread kinda)...great marketing & info GHS!! I do reggae and hip-hop so this guy couldnt have hit the nail harder on the head! Thx again.....
Dave is the man, the president of the Nashville musician union!
Met him February 2023, cool dude
Nice to see others use flatwound strings on a fretted base. I really never see anyone around where I live play that way. I love flatwound, they are exactly what I need for my bass style. And as you mention, they feel good to play/
"We are jamming on GHS strings" lol nice one man...great vid
i just put a set of flatwounds on my precision today, and wow; I love them!
I'm sold! Thanx Dave, ur the best!!
This is great. I'm thinking about getting a violin bass and I had a feeling that I should put these on it immediately. This only makes me more excited to do it.
GREAT sound from these strings; it's extremely even and consistent across the neck. I'm a GHS player exclusively and won't go anywhere anytime soon. I play Boomers on my two fretted basses but I think I'll go with Pressurewounds on my upcoming fretless J-bass purchase. Still, it's all preference and these strings are awesome and if I ever own 25+ freakin basses like this guy does (O_o revealed in the Pressurewound video) I'll definitely have these on several of them.
@EastCoastJew Not sure about these in particular, but D'Addario chromes work wonders when set up in a progressive tension. With these I'd say do the same thing, order a custom set of these in .126 for the E, .090 for A, .065 for D, and .045 for G that usually does the trick with getting aggressive tones out of flats, they'll still sound clanky, but you get more mass to the lower strings, which results in a larger volume growl.
I have used flat wound strings from gospel to rock for many years !!!!
It's a Fender Precision Bass, bro. Not sure of what exact year, but judging from the patina on the bridge there, she's seen quite a few years.
Flatwounds would definitely give you a more upright sound for an electric bass. You may want to try the Taperwound set!
This guy is one of the best reviewers, playes grealy and talks very interesting.
In terms of actual string tension, we will have to look to the numbers and find where they sit in comparison to other flats out there. But if you're comparing a set of flats to rounds, flats will have more string tension as a whole.
In terms of stiffer feel (under your fingers), a lot of that is more attributed to using a hex core wire for the strings, which lends to a stiffer feeling string.
Best strings on the market!!! Will never change them...
@EastCoastJew These strings might be a little mellow for Grind Death metal, but I would encourage you to try them and let me know what you think!
I have had players top load and go through the body. This will sometimes present a problem depending on scale length. It is suggest to top load the strings to counteract this problem.
You can play any genre of music with Flatwounds but because of the material and winding process they can be a bit mellower than our roundwound strings. If you are looking for something with more volume and pop I would try The Boomers.
@amnesiac1975 The Pressurewound and Brite Flats series is made with Alloy 52 which contains Nickel and Iron. The Precision Flatwounds however, are stainless steel.
Great demo! Very thorough.
I play a Schecter Pbass and mainly play at church and bluegrass. I'm trying to get closer to an upright sound. Would the flatwounds with maybe some foam be the answer? I don't have room for an upright so i'm stuck with what I got for now.
I';ve been using GHS tapewounds, love 'em, but must try these. Heard nothing but good about em. Thanx for the vid (& yr music) Dave.
I've been using the Daddario Flats for about three years, and I'm aching to try these out.
@TheGHSStrings Its a Schecter Diamond P Custom with high mass bridge.
Glad to hear it, David! Let us know what you think once you have them on your bass.
@TheGHSStrings Thank you. I believe I will give these a try! Great videos too.
@moronslave You probably want to try the Presswound series which is a semi-flat wound string. They use a specific material that's more magnetically active and more suited for a bass guitar's magnetic pick-up. All of our strings are made to resonate well through a pick-up but these are specifically designed to give a little more.
thank you so much for putting this up. can you please tell me which strings would sound best on a beatle type of bass?
Kind of. The ribbon wire that is used on a flatwound electric bass string is similar to the material that is used on an upright bass string, however, there are still many differences in materials, core wires, winding, etc.. that there are not a lot of similarities.
@TheGHSStrings Thanks! I'll try it. I have Fender highway one Jazz bass.
Played bass thru' the 60's & didn't play again 'til the 90's & noticed that the E & A string had plenty of weight but the D& G were thin sounding & bright like a guitar string. Are those two strings now made with a thinner core to accommodate modern styles? Any old guys out there who know the answer? Used both flat & round wound.
@greyhall1 Hey, Thanks for the suggestion. Our Long Scale plus sets fit most bass guitars, but it is true that the extra length can pose a problem. I'll make this suggestion to the factory.
Thanks,
GHS
@hofnerbass24 , I think there were 4 major players that laid the foundation for modern bass; JAMERSON. ,OSBORN, KAYE & McCARTNEY. ;-]
Very helpful Dave, Thanks!
Nice Info Dave!!! blessings
Glad we could help!
If you're using a solid body bass (such as a Fender), the tapewound black nylon strings will sound very McCartney-esque.
@xgcbossman I would think that any grounding issues would remain the same regardless of strings.
03:29 ... “even when you grab ‘em” ...
String pops out of nut.
Casually checks that it’s back in place with left hand.
Pro.
We would recommend our GHS Bass Boomers for a great rock/alt/metal tone. They are widely used by rock/alt/funk artists like Flea to Metal bands like Miss May I.
Juan, our Bright Flats or Precision Flatwounds would be a great choice!
Lol that guys site is funny...some people think its offensive but I was kinda giggling. So is that "progressive tension" pretty sweet? Just bought some GHS's but Ive heard about the ZOGs lol..
ha, what a cool video. i was wondering what kind of strings they used on those old basses. thanks for the info! what year is your bass? im guessing 1968...
@hiphopsucks96 I would try the Precision Flats, they are very percussive and deep without being too bright.
@glenmatlock94 Yes they sound awesome with a pick, especially on a Fender.
imagine yourself as paul mccarney, he deffinetly used flatwounds throughout his career, and deffinelty the greatest bassist of all time.
I would like a string that can play some nice garage rock, a little bit fuzzy and also a kinda surfy/tinny sound as well - i do like a bit of a darker sound sometime and something that comes through when i'm playing in my band. What do you recommend?
What flats would u recommend for a Beatles/Paul McCartney type tone? He used a hofner 500/1 and a rickenbacker 4001S and used flats on both
@hiphopsucks96 - absolutely .
Which flatwounds should I choose for fingerstyle funk?
@TheGHSStrings If I go with the GHS nylon tapewound on my schecter p bass will I get any humm due to grounding issues?
My bridge allows top load or string through the body. Can GHS flatwounds be strung either way. I know some brands discourage string through(labellas). Also cant find tension specs for these.
At 2:09 my cat went batshit!!
Is it normal that when the strings are new (let's say less than a month old), the D and G strings are a bit clanky? In comparison with the A and especially the E string? Those two strings kick butt, but the other strings are too clanky/bright IMO.
you can also use black nylon tapewounds
Are these the strings that originally came out on the 70s Stingrays with black silk? They sound sweet
Those would be what we call our Brite Flats. They are pretty sweet, for sure!
Would the sound still be as warm if I use flatwound strings on my acoustic electric bass?
@TRJBASS ping sounds great when slapping!
Great vid.
Really helpful !!
Considering buying these for my '67 Jazz Bass. Could the medium gauge fit with the faster neck?
Anyone ever try half & half? 2 flats on E/A for your low end thump, and 2 rounds on D/G for the bright/punchy mids.
Never tried it myself, but would be an interesting experiment.
Hey man really nice talking. I see you're an expert in this area :)
Very nice vid, I enjoyed it.
You look and act and talk like Steven Seagal ;)
Anyway, cool vid, peace!
@TRJBASS I think that is an excellent list and would agree 100%
Matt, Bright Flats or Precision Flats would be perfect choices for Reggae!
@TheGHSStrings Great thank you!
Have you tried our Pressurewound Flats for slap?
Does Paul McCartney use flatwounds? I want a similar sound like what he gets with his Hofner.
I want to sound like John Paul Jones (Led zep) with a precission, what strings do you reccomend me?
Does flats have more sustain or neither string type affect sustain?
What is that bass a 70’s Fender P bass? It’s gorgeous 😊
You'd have to ask Dave Pomeroy; offhand I don't know. But yeah, it's definitely a looker for sure!
Yes Paul McCartney has used Flatwounds since the Beatles. Big part of his sound.
actually, i've never played flats on bass guitar. Only on the upright...... how much are the pressure-wound flats? i want to put them on my newly modified fretless bass guitar....
I've heard that the GHS flats don't fit a 34" scale P or J bass that has a top-load bridge; that they're too long. Is this true?
What strings would be good for Progressive rock?
Your best bet would be to give the Precision Flatwound set # 3020 .045-.095 or heavier gauge Bright Flats set # 3070 .049-.108 a try. Let me know what you think!
@TheGHSStrings: Can "Brite Flats" be used for slapping?
@MrAzziz90 GHS Flats are good for all types of basses, they give a bit of a smooth and mellower sound. You should give them a try and me know what you think!
can you do pick slides with these?
would these be good for my rickenbacker bass?
does ghs have higher tension strings? like stiffer higher tension?
@hofnerbass24 Flatwounds usually work well with Rickenbacker and that classic sound!
I want to sound as much like a upright as I can. any tips.
@RogueRotting360 No, I can. I just prefer that thudding flatwound late 60s sound. Warm, not metallic.