Felt

[butchblack]

I've heard on the earliest Fender Jazz basses they used felt to deaden the sound. Where was the felt placed and could that be done with a newer bass?

[PilbaraBass]

the felt was fitted to these metal "fingers" under the bridge to deaden the sound...

you can easily get a very similar effect by sticking a strip of foam rubber or a bit of synthetic sponge under the bridge just in front of the saddles...