Precision Bass Bridge Cover

[Ron G]

What was used under the cover to mute the strings? (1962)

[Pilgrim]

Foam rubber between the strings and cover. Do a search here on TB - it has been discussed many, many times.

[Ron G]

In my search of TB all I can find is use foam rubber, I'm using foam under my strings now. I just wanted to know what did Fender use in 1962 was it the foam under the pick-ups?

[Billy K]

foam and I have seen some felt under quite a few P-Bass ashtrays.

[C.Linton]

What Fender used I don't know, but I would assume it was likely the same stuff that they used under the pickups. Myself, I use foam rubber weatherstripping stuck to the underside of the bridge cover, much like Fender did it, at about 3/8"-1/2" thick. l like it because it's not too stiff and doesn't totally deaden the strings, it mutes them just enough to suit me.

[Ron G]

Originally Posted by C.Linton

What Fender used I don't know, but I would assume it was likely the same stuff that they used under the pickups. Myself, I use foam rubber weatherstripping stuck to the underside of the bridge cover, much like Fender did it, at about 3/8"-1/2" thick. l like it because it's not too stiff and doesn't totally deaden the strings, it mutes them just enough to suit me.

Thanks, did you mount it straight or angled across the strings? I was reading to mount it angled (E string towards the neck and G string towards the bridge) under the cover.

[MetroBass]

Mine came attached to the cover and rest on top of the strings. Without a cover you can slip it underneath the strings. Whatever trips your trigger. I use old polyfoam that is used to wrap around water pipes or HVAC ducts. Weatherstripping works too. Nothing fancy so don't go spend 10.00 for a 4" piece of foam you can buy at Lowes or HD

[C.Linton]

Originally Posted by Ron G

Thanks, did you mount it straight or angled across the strings? I was reading to mount it angled (E string towards the neck and G string towards the bridge) under the cover.

What I did was, I took a piece of double-sided tape and laid it across the strings following the angle of the saddles, just short of being right up against the saddles, placed apiece of stripping on top of the double sided tape with the sticky side of the foam piece pointing up and carefully lining up the mounting holes of the cover with the holes already on the bass, lowered the cover down until the foam contacted and stuck to the underside of the cover.
Shorter answer, I angled the foam to match the overall angle of the saddles, so each string had the same amount of foam muting it, so the muting would be equal across all of the strings.
(sorry for the rather long-winded answer)
EDIT: I just wanted to mention, I had a '78 P-bass with the original bridge cover, and, although the foam had long since been removed, there was enough "residue" of the foam left that I could tell it had been aligned along the same angle as the bridge saddles, so that's why I did it that same way.
The way you describe sounds like the exact opposite.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by Ron G

In my search of TB all I can find is use foam rubber, I'm using foam under my strings now. I just wanted to know what did Fender use in 1962 was it the foam under the pick-ups?

I still have the original foam from my 1963 P which my parents bought in 1967. Perhaps you missed this - it was BETWEEN the cover and the strings. NOT under the strings.

The original P-bass foam rubber was about as dense as heavy weatherstripping foam, was a square strip about 3/4" thick, and had adhesive on one side. The adhesive stuck to the bridge cover and held the foam rubber in position to contact the strings. It was not angled, it was straight across.

It was not UNDER the strings. However, if you don't have a cover, that would be an appropriate option.. If you do have a cover and want the setup to replicate the original, put it between the strings and the cover.

Note that the foam was permanently installed, so over the course of a few months, the strings left permanent depressions in the foam which somewhat mitigated the amount of pressure it exerted on the strings. Therefore, if you're going to insert and remove it, a lighter, less dense foam would come close to exerting similar pressure. Cut it in a 3/4" square strip and slide it between the strings and cover.

I doubt you will get any better information. I did remove the foam rubber because I decided I liked the sound a bit better without it, but you're not going to find many people who still have the original foam rubber from a 1963 P and who can describe it. The 1962 would have been no different.

[Willicious]

Originally Posted by Ron G

… what did Fender use in 1962 was it the foam under the pick-ups?

Yes.
It's pretty stiff foam when new, and on the original cover I have, Fender had trimmed the foam at an angle, so it was full width over the E/A strings, then the width became thinner where it contacted the D/G strings. Kind of a wedge shape. I imagine that was to give a more even muting effect across all strings.

Two ways I've done it:
(lighter foam on left cover, heavy Fender foam in two sizes/thicknesses on right cover)

[Ron G]

I have covers for my basses when I removed them I put the foam under the strings. When I reinstall them I would like to use the same type of rubber used on a '62. I understand that no one would have the original foam, all I was asking is "what did Fender use?". I have found some old pick-ups I think I'm going to remove the foam and give it a try.

[Ron G]

Originally Posted by Willicious

Yes.
It's pretty stiff foam when new, and on the original cover I have, Fender had trimmed the foam at an angle, so it was full width over the E/A strings, then the width became thinner where it contacted the D/G strings. Kind of a wedge shape. I imagine that was to give a more even muting effect across all strings.

Two ways I've done it:
(lighter foam on left cover, heavy Fender foam in two sizes/thicknesses on right cover)

Thank You, I guess I was typing when you were typing. "Pick-up Foam"

[Willicious]

^
Click the link, and there you go. That's the stuff.

[Ron G]

Thanks

[SurferJoe46]

Here's Leo's original patented mute assembly:::



...but I use things like this:::



This is neoprene weather strip foam, one-sided with glue. Lowe's or Home Depot - in rolls that you can also use for your house and doors.