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Best foam/mute for P Bass

#42
I use foam I got from packing material that protected something that was shipped to me. I cut myself 2 shapes - one was about the size and shape of a roll of dimes, and the other was similar but 3 sided, which gave less contact area. So, I have the option of the level of muting I want, it's basically free, and it takes just seconds to stuff it in and yank it out (let me save some of you the time and say "that's what she said"). Anyway, I stuff which ever one I want under the bridge and away I go. It's particularly useful when I have overly bright new strings on or I'm going for that muted sound. I'm a finger and sometimes pick player - no slap popping for me.
 
#43
I get mine from this guy Bob :)

Spongebob.jpg
 
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#46
halfjackson said:
I use a piece of foam, and I think that it works great. It's of moderate density and I have it pretty firmly pressed up against the strings.

I tried emailing these guys a couple of years ago and didn't get a reply. Worth checking out, though.

http://www.bassmute.com/bassmute/bm_mainframe.html

With three different settings (light pressure, more pressure, and off) and the ability to set it up to affect selected strings, I think that it'd be a nice way to go, if you could get your hands on one. Here's a video of a guy who has one. (Might be pt.2)

Mike Masuda's Fender PJ bass (part 1 of 2):
Click to expand...

I've used this in the past and it worked good. http://www.bassmute.com/bassmute/bm_mainframe.html
The same guy has decided to put it on a 6-string headless that will be coming up in a few months.
 
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#47
Wow! I'm impressed/surprised this thread has 3 pages of discussion on foam. I was certain that when I opened this thread it was going to be in the Bass Humor section. Took me reading through a few posts to realize that this is actually a real and serious debate/discussion... about foam...

Since we are discussing one of the least expensive accessories you could buy for a bass, why not just experiment? Try a cloth shoved under the strings, try dense foam, try soft foam, try a sponge, etc. You may even find that depending on the music you're playing, you may want a different type of foam or something like that.

What I do not recommend, however, is to go out and buy something expensive. Before you do that, grab a hand towel and shove it under your strings to see if you even like the sound of a mute.
 
#48
Just starting to experiment with a foam mute. I picked up some Armaly Proplus Grouting and Concrete sponges from Lowe's today. They were very affordable, $2.50 per sponge. It feels similar to the microfiber car sponges. On my first attempt I used dimensions similar to those on the feverinthefunkhouse article mentioned in this thread (4'' X .5 " X 1"). So far I like what Im hearing. Sounds nice and clear with some sustain. I didn't angle it as that seemed to mute the G too much for my liking. I kept it vertical, tucked up to the bridge. Here's a visual:
foam.jpg


Scott
 
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#49
I've got some regular soft foam that I put under the strings when playing at home, and foam works well in the studio, but on a gig? Forget it.

I need the bass to ring out loud an clear. Foam under the strings on a gig just takes too much life out of the sound and reduces the dynamics.

For me, on a gig, foam just makes the bass sound one dimensional.
 
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#51
+1 to the GROUT sponges. They work quite well. Easy to cut. Experiment with different sizes of cuts.(widths & heights ) . I notch out the bottoms of the sponge for each string and place the mute OVER the strings. I find that by having the mute over the strings the tuning is less affected. If the mute is slightly larger, your palm can work over it with slight pressure. Kind of a "Sponge Palm Mute."
 
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#52
nerkoids said:
My apologies for the yapping and silly basic skills:
Click to expand...

I love those days when you come into a big chunk of foam. :smug:

Thanks for posting your video Nerks.
I too am on a foam-quest.
The Mrs. used to give funny looks for bringing home odd chunks of foam packing from work.
Now she just doesn't even ask.

I asked her for a hair scrunchy and not even a peep.
Then she ordered one of those foam wedges to elevate while sleeping.drool
I had very specific instructions that it was off limits.
 
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#54
Cut a piece of foam 3" x 5/8 x 5/8 or so. Put it up against the bridge as usual. Now rotate it 45 degrees (+/-) at the G string end so the corner of the foam touches the string. At the E string end you can leave it flat or rotate it some. Voila, custom foam muting for each string--as much or as little as you like! I use just enough to take the highest twang off the G and the non-musical overtones off the E. Cleans up the sound and makes it fatter. Have lots of fun shaping and re-shaping, and trying different kinds of foam.
 
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