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Post subject: Bass Mute
Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2009 5:16 pm
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What would be the best to use for mute, foam or sponge? Ive seen the mutes on bassmute.com but 180.00 for a mute is a bit to much.


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Post subject: Two types of cheap home mutes
Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:43 pm
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For roundwound strings I use a wedge of spongy foam UNDER the strings as close to the saddles as I can get them. Kills the undesirable overtones. This is pretty easy and a bridge cover completely hides it. I usually make the foam wedge so that there is more foam on the E & A string and less on the D & G. Anyway you can use about any type of non-dense foam like packing foam or ATA case foam cutouts. I've got a lifetime supply of foam from one pair of surgical boots. If you use a bridge cover it doesn't matter what color foam you use. This is pretty easy to do.
I've seen Bob Babbitt play Motown stuff using a larger chunk of foam that sticks out more toward the top and lower bout so he can pull it out quickly. Here's my '51 foam mute...

Image

For flatwound strings it is a little more complicated. Foam kills too much sustain on flatwounds, so all you are left with is a short thump. So try a felt wrap. Felt rectangles can be bought at about any craft store in about 100 different colors. Take your bass with you for a closer match than I got.

1. From the felt rectangle cut a three-quarters to 1 inch strip as straight as possible from the LONG side of the rectangle.
2. Wrap the felt around the strings in overlapping layers around all four strings so that it makes contact but is not so tight you can see it bunching up the strings. The end of the felt strip on the inside next to the strings is NOT attached to anything.
3. Scotch Tape down only the outside end of the felt to the underlying layer of wrap. The tape should only contact the felt, taping felt to felt.
4. Once secured, then rotate the felt around slowly & carefully so as to not break the tape contact with the top or underlying felt. This will hide the tape and the seam from view when it is on the back side of the strings. This is not necessary with a bridge cover.
5. Slip the felt wrap as close to the bridge saddles as possible.

I've had felt mutes stay in place for months and months. When it comes loose I just add a little tab of fresh tape. The felt is like seventy cents US. One sheet will do your bass about 8 times. Here's my Flat mute setup applied to a new set of Thomastik-Infeld JF344's...

Image

These aren't flippable on and off like the expensive permanent mute modifications and fancy muting bridges...but they work and are cheap and reliable. The best part is they require no permanent modification to your instrument.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:13 am
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Years ago I made a cardboard backed foam pad with a cloth loop attached for easy removal but over time the thing used to break up and needed fixing.

So, about 18 months ago I decided to get a bass mute from bassmute.com (some guy in Holland makes them) and I have to say it's pretty good. It's easy to attach either by using double sided sticky tape or screwing it down.

It has three positions for use, once you've set it up - 'off', 'on a bit' and 'hard on' and is really well made for the price.

I'm just going through the process of taking it off my old Yamaha and sticking it onto my new P-bass for a test run. As long as you use the 'stick on' method there are no worries about permanent bad marks left on your bass should you wish to remove it.


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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 7:52 pm
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Thanks Guys I have been on line in a while.I will try all them out.I would like to get a bassmute but 180 a little much maybe later.Thanks


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Post subject: Sox
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 5:20 am
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I know for a fact that there are some players who use pieces of old socks and T-shirts too. They just shove them down around the bridge. Just whatever works! Experiment and see what you like. Buying a $180 muting system is probably not necessary at all. A nice luxury, but totally a luxury.


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