dumb question!

[romansito]

I'm about to ask something that to some of you might sound stupid, but I'm learning bass and I like to watch bass players play, and I've notice some players have a little thing around their bass neck almost at the end of the neck, that to me it looks like something a girl would use to tied her hair.
thank you for your help again!!

and where could I get those thing too?

[Rick Auricchio]

That sounds like it's just a decoration of some type. It doesn't provide any function---otherwise we'd see it on lots of instruments.

[ffutterman]

Some people do that to help dampen the strings, or mute strings that you're not playing. For example, sometimes if you pluck the E string, the A string might ring a little bit and you may not want that. Having one of those ties between the nut and first fret helps solve that problem without worrying about muting notes with your hand.

You might be able to buy a special bass thing like that somewhere, or you can just get a hair thing from the dollar store. I got mine when my sister crashed at my place during a road trip and forgot to take her hair tie with her.

[gard0300]

I have seen some bassist hang charms and crap off the end of the neck. One guy I seen had a tiki head on his.

[romansito]

thank you for the help!

so it's basically about the sound of the bass.. depends what the bass player wants the bass to sound like?

[dmusic148]

It's a 'scrunchie,' used by folks that do a lot of tapping. It mutes the unplayed strings for a cleaner sound.

[WilliamSandoval]

Guitar players use a capo...

[walldaja]

Gruvgear makes a less girly replacement, they call it a fret wrap and it is intended to reduce sympathetic vibrations in strings when you are unable to mute them. There is a demo video on the gruvgear website. There's a picture of Victor Wooten in this month's magazine carrying his bass with a fret wrap of some type on the neck. By the way, guys can wear these things too to keep their hair in check.

[Gord_oh]

Thread Hair Tie/Scrutchie at the nut? | TalkBass Forums: The Bass Guitar and Double Bass Online Community | BoardReader

[DeivoxCarnal]

Also, I've seen guitarists use these to get really easy harmonics.
I've never tried it myself, but I've seen some of my metal-playing friends do it.

Though I don't know how well it would work to get harmonics on a bass.

[M.Wrenn]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

It's a 'scrunchie,' used by folks that do a lot of tapping. It mutes the unplayed strings for a cleaner sound.

Yup, a scrunchie or a hair tie. I've always used hair ties, don't look quite as obnoxious.

[romansito]

thank you guy! you have helped me a lot!!!

[testing1two]

Also, if I can make a general suggestion regarding your post: next time, instead of naming your post "dumb question" try including the subject or part of your question. That way it will show up in searches. Sometimes I wonder how much good information is overlooked in searches because of all the posts called "dumb question" or "noob question" or "I need some advice."

Cheers.

[deathbassist]

Originally Posted by dmusic148

It's a 'scrunchie,' used by folks that do a lot of tapping. It mutes the unplayed strings for a cleaner sound.

He's right. Actually I think that's called a "dampener". Used mostly by Warr Guitar users because they tap alot. But they are used on bass and guitar also. Wish I could find one.