Is there way to wear in flats quicker?

shawshank72 · #1 03-13-2013, 12:28 PM

Besides the obvious playing them.
Was just wondering if there was some secret brew that could get them in a more used condition.

exidor · #2 03-13-2013, 12:40 PM

maybe spray some finger ease on them.

brandau · #3 03-13-2013, 01:15 PM

de-tune them then bring them back up to tension a few times... But just keep playing em. What strings are they?

Stev187 · #4 03-13-2013, 01:19 PM

Lots of methods suggested here on TB. Search the archives. There are many suggestions of eating fried food before playing, etc. I used petroleum jelly (Vasaline) to deaden a set, and it worked great.

Of course, someone will chime in and say just wear them out by practicing. I guess I just did. ;-)

--Steve

jefkritz · #5 03-13-2013, 01:23 PM

yeah, don't wash your hands. ever again. and eat lots of fried chicken. until your strings are sufficiently dead at least

you can keep eating lots of fried chicken if you want, but i do suggest resuming the washing of the hands...

bkbirge · #6 03-13-2013, 01:28 PM

shawshank72 · #7 03-13-2013, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkbirge

too funny

shawshank72 · #8 03-13-2013, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stev187

Lots of methods suggested here on TB. Search the archives. There are many suggestions of eating fried food before playing, etc. I used petroleum jelly (Vasaline) to deaden a set, and it worked great.

Of course, someone will chime in and say just wear them out by practicing. I guess I just did. ;-)

--Steve

did you coat them in jelly then wipe away or let it sit for a bit?

shawshank72 · #9 03-13-2013, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandau

de-tune them then bring them back up to tension a few times... But just keep playing em. What strings are they?

im starting up playing again and i have ghs precision fender and labella flats

Ian_Flash · #10 03-13-2013, 08:24 PM

Damn!!!! Now I'm HUNGRY! Actually, the best way to shorten break in time is to remove them completely, put 2 coils in them (not tightly coiled as they are in the package), then re-string them. This is a close simulation to what happens to strings after they've been "played in". (And it's a lot less messy than soaking them in BISON DROOL!!!!!)

shawshank72 · #11 03-14-2013, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian_Flash

Damn!!!! Now I'm HUNGRY! Actually, the best way to shorten break in time is to remove them completely, put 2 coils in them (not tightly coiled as they are in the package), then re-string them. This is a close simulation to what happens to strings after they've been "played in". (And it's a lot less messy than soaking them in BISON DROOL!!!!!)

No kidding!
Was never tempted to do the chicken thing.
thanks
Ill try this and the detune and retune.

**mjac28** · #12 03-14-2013, 07:03 AM

Give them to me for a week I promise they will be more than dull enough.

bassbully · #13 03-14-2013, 07:33 AM

IMO nothing beats just playing the heck out of them.

wshines1892 · #14 03-14-2013, 09:10 AM

I've found that if you hold down the strings on the first fret, and then one at a time pull them upward, stretching them, working your way up the neck and then retune them and repeat until they stop going out of tune and all of the slack is gone from the string. It stretches out and stiffens the core so it kills some of the sustain and some overtones.

It does half the work of aging, of the stretching and retuning to work out slack over time, and then all that's left is to work all your hand funk into it.

**lmfreeman9** · #15 03-14-2013, 12:33 PM

Fast Fret works, temporarily. Enough for a rehearsal or a set.
BTW, this is only a problem in humid areas.

Frenchy-Lefty · #16 03-14-2013, 10:31 PM

Not classy but I wipe my sweat on it when I work out and it kills them real quickly.

dj5 · #17 03-15-2013, 05:27 AM

Some flats don't like being taken on and off at all.