GHS M3050 Precision Flats Stainless Steel Medium Bass Strings 45-105

Quick response. Great with scheduling a local pickup and really cool guys.

I wanted something different after using Thomastiks and Labellas all my life,

Overall, not bad quality strings, but man, the "medium gauge" was still SUPER stiff for a 45-105 set. It felt like 55-115 round wounds, but even stiffer lol.

Also, for some strange reason, GHS makes their silk ends up to 38" on ALL strings, even the E string, which means that part of the actual string (and not just the silk end) is forced to wrap around the tuning post, which requires a lot more tension.

IMO, better flats out there , Labellas for actual old-school feel, and Thomastiks for less tension.

Thanks as always to StringsByMail for their great selection of brands!!

Best flat I’ve ever used

Here are my impressions of GHS bass strings that I have direct experience with, in an effort to help a potential shopper. Overall, GHS’ description of these strings seems quite accurate. Another thing I notice is that GHS strings seem to play and sound consistently across the fingerboard and they provide a clear fundamental note. The differences appear in where the midrange sits and in the extension of the treble response. GHS has a tension chart online and it’s very informative. I prefer higher tension sets but I’ll go to a lower tension set if it works better for a particular bass.
Precision Flats: I’ve used these for many years on long (M3050 set) and short (3020 set) scale basses. They feel slick. GHS’ description is accurate. In addition, they have a more of a lower midrange focus than Labella Deep Talkin’ Flats, so they may cut through a busy mix more. They also will give you a nice ‘click’ when using a pick and muting. The M3050 set has a tension of 184.6 pounds.
Brite Flats: I just tried these recently on a long scale (M3075 set) bass. They feel a bit grabby. Online information states that this goes away over time. We’ll see. They are a unique tool. They are like very aggressive flats with an emphasis on the upper midrange. GHS says ‘Motown with an attitude.’ I hear these as sound of early 1970’s TV shows and early disco and Philadelphia R&B / soul. The M3075 set has a tension of 181.1 pounds, but they definitely feel tighter than the other sets I’m writing about. Perhaps that is because of the relatively grabby feel. Regardless of whether I keep these on, I appreciate that GHS makes these. It’s good to have a variety of tools available for the job at hand.
Balanced Nickels: I’ve used these on long (4M-NB set) and short scale (4700 set) basses. These are exactly as described, with incredibly even tone and feel. These are warmest roundwounds I’ve played, with a kind of smoky high midrange and low treble overtones. Tension for the 4M-NB set is 184.2.
PressureWound: I’ve used these on long (M7200 set) and short scale basses (7700 set). These are silky feeling for a roundwound. They provide a solid fundamental with a crisp top end and reduced finger noise. This is a great all-around string. Tension for the M7200 set is 187.1 pounds; higher than the other sets I’ve described, but does not feel as tense as the Brite Flats.

The silk on 3 of the 4 strings is dark purple, the other is pink. Reached out to GHS customer service and they said there was nothing they can do. There are too many great string companies to do business with a company like this