Why don't they sell "dead" flats?

[Frenchy-Lefty]

It seems that a lot of us like the sound of old "dead" flat. I have always wondered why string manufacturers don't attempt to engineer a flatwound string that sounds like a 10 yrs old string right out of the box.
From my experience the GHS 95-45 I got on my P-Bass are the closest ones to that idea. They sound thumpy without much sustain from day one.
Anyhow, it could be a marketing concept similar to "distressed" instruments...
Thoughts? Am I a dumbass?

[Ric5]

hmmm ... the reason I went to rounds is because flats were too dead ...

Try a block of foam rubber at the bridge. That will make any string dead.

[chuck norriss]

Nylon tapewounds.

[One Drop]

Because after a while it'll sound like a 20 year old set.

[mjac28]

No sir it's really a nice idea I wonder what "dead" dead flats would sound like .

[tylerwylie]

Isn't dead flat a bit redundant?

[mjac28]

Originally Posted by tylerwylie

Isn't dead flat a bit redundant?

LOL HEYYYY OHHHHH ...!!!

[oniman7]

How would they achieve this? Coat it in oil?

[mjac28]

They could give me a news set and wait a week.

[Bassamatic]

Just eat a bucket of chicken while you are installing your strings and before your first practice session. If that is not enough, add some foam near the bridge. It makes a huge difference.

[ggvicviper]

I bought some DR flats once. They sounded dead right out of the package.

[Frenchy-Lefty]

Full disclosure, I did not express that as a personal need because I do own at least a dozen sets of (very) old and new flatwound sets from various brands, including some Nylon Taperwound (indeed very close but not quite the same as an old dead Stainless) and I also own quite a few basses with flats or rounds.
It was just my marketing idea of the day aiming at entertaining the good folks who hang out in the TB String section.
So back to the concept, technically, an old strings, gets corroded, accumulates some gunk which leads to losing its elasticity and it's sustain making it less bright and more thumpy (and that's good) right?. So, can't they engineer them with those properties? Hey? Hey? Whatcha think?
(I am also a member of a Tire maker discussion board called "Talktires" where I proposed the concept of selling pre-worn tires LOL!)

[bertbassplayer]

Hey good idea. Sell used D'addario, Labella, Rotosound flats for like the price of TI Flats. Pre-worn flats. That's like the idea of charging more for jeans that are beat up with holes in it right?

[skychief]

Very good ideas in above posts! ^ ^ ^

Tapes, Chicken wings, soak in motor oil(), Foam mutes @ bridge, etc.,,,,this stuff works for getting that beloved thump tone!

Thank heavens flats break in quickly, so theres really no need for "pre-shrunken" flats.

7 or 8 good hard hours of play time will usually break in a set of flats.

If you're really hard-up (can I say that on TalkBass?) for some dead sounding flats, theres always the classifieds...

[ReiPsaeg]

They should be stock on those roadworn Fenders.

[blipndub]

Relic-ed strings, good idea!

[Frenchy-Lefty]

Originally Posted by blipndub

Relic-ed strings, good idea!

Exactly!
Doesn't Seymour Duncan use an aging process on his Antiquity pickups? Something like that...The difference with used strings is they are not cut or twisted...
Now we are going somewhere!

[blipndub]

No no, cut and twisted exactly the way an flat dead set would be if someone has been playing in bars for 20 years smoking cigarettes and spilling beer on their bass. They could even funk them up with real hot wings sauce so they smell authentic.

and

Flat Dead is a great band name!

[Frenchy-Lefty]

Originally Posted by blipndub

No no, cut and twisted exactly the way an flat dead set would be if someone has been playing in bars for 20 years smoking cigarettes and spilling beer on their bass. They could even funk them up with real hot wings sauce so they smell authentic.

and

Flat Dead is a great band name!

With a few enigmatic stains of blood on it!

[blipndub]

Blood adds some serious funk