Geezer on War Pigs

[Poop-Loops]

I've been wondering for a while how he got his bass to sound so dead on that song. Anybody know how to do that? I've been trying to get my fretless to sound like that.

[jim primate]

palm muting?

[Delberthot]

This is a complete guess but the Geezer used a precision in the early days with the chrome covers on. Geezer plays right up near the neck because he didn't realise that the covers came off.

So - covers on, they would've had the foam mute underneath them which would dampen the sound. If he didn't realise that the covers came off then there's a good chance that the strings are the original ones and completely dead and playing next to the neck would complete the deadness.

As I say, a complete guess

[Poop-Loops]

Wow, that's some guess.

So you're saying that without a lot of tinkering it would be near impossible to get that tone? I.e. I'd need to find a cover with foam on it?

[Dave Martin]

Originally Posted by Poop-Loops

Wow, that's some guess.

So you're saying that without a lot of tinkering it would be near impossible to get that tone? I.e. I'd need to find a cover with foam on it?

No, you could cut a piece of a sponge about 3/4 of an inch wide and put it UNDER the strings right at the bridge. That's what Bob Babbitt does. Flat wounds and a sponge. And of course, Geeer used flat wound strings (possibly really old). How all of this would translate to a fretless, I dunno...

[Poop-Loops]

I have a fretted I could do this to, so no worries.