Strings for Retro sound

**Coolhandjjl** · #1 11-09-2011, 02:33 PM

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi have a couple of tracks I just heard, "Her Hollow Ways" and "Black" with Norah Jones.

Her Hollow Ways - Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - YouTube
Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi - Black - starring Norah Jones - YouTube

The bass line is more of like a sharp attack or thunk with almost no over tones or harmonics at all. Almost like the mute was used on the bridge, but not McCartney at all. Is this what Pyramids or TI Flats are geared towards? Or is it not strings at all?

Sparkdog · #2 11-09-2011, 02:40 PM

I get that tone with flatwounds and a pick. A mute will produce an even more pronounced "thunk".

mccartneyman · #3 11-09-2011, 02:51 PM

You'll get more of an old-school '60s sound with LaBella flats and a foam mute either under the strings or, if you have a Fender, by getting a bridge cover and gluing some foam under it. The P and J basses of the day had that arrangement. If you play fingerstyle, you can get somewhat of a pick sound by letting you fingernails grow a bit.