Better tone with bridge cover?

[bobyoung53]

I saw him on his solo tour for Centerfield. He was wearing that same shirt...I s--t you not!

He probably has a hundred of them.

 

[Bikeguy57]

He probably has a hundred of them.

Yea, like Jay Leno!

 

[chadds]

Do you mean like that blue lumberjack shirt John Fogerty was wearing In EVERY PICTURE of CCR?

That shirt is a db mute. Keeps stage reflections tame.

 

[Chrisk-K]

When I need a massive metal bass tone, I install a depleted uranium bridge cover on my American P.

 

[devnulljp]

This is something I might try. I tried a foam mute under the strings at the bridge, it just doesn't sound that great. But the idea of a foam mute in the bridge cover could be just what I'm looking for. Unfortunately this one didn't come with the foam mute. Now I'm wondering how I can put one in.

Weather strip from Home Hardware

 

[BassToGoGo]

And hear with our eyes.

In my defense i wrote this pre coffee. Lol.

I think you know what I think I mean...

What @Dirk Rockbottom said!

 

[Dirk Rockbottom]

I've heard if you put red bull in your coffee you can see sounds. LOL

 

[Dirk Rockbottom]

Weather strip from Home Hardware

Just ordered some. Thanks

 

[Dirk Rockbottom]

When I need a massive metal bass tone, I install a depleted uranium bridge cover on my American P.

Woof! Woof!

 

[sleddogn]

I put a bridge cover on a fender once. It sounded just as bad as without it and it was always in my way.

I put a bridge cover on a fender once. It sounded just fine and wasn't in my way

 

[Dirk Rockbottom]

No, the foam is just under the bridge cover. Aside from giving me the "authentic Vintage" sound, that piece of weatherstripping foam (and, yes, that's what Fender used originally) gives me the palm muting that I can't do - because of the bridge cover. It is kind of a trick to get the foam just right, but once it is... I do understand perfectly, why so many people took the covers off, that Fender finally stopped wasting their time (and money) with them. But, for some of us? We like the way the bass sounds with the mute & the covers. Besides, if you don't use rounds - and aren't one of those people who are constantly fiddling with things? The bridge cover is no problem at all. Remember; the Fender basses came with flats until 1979/80 for Jazz Basses, and until '82 or '83 for Precisions. I put Roto RS77LDs on my P-Bass when I bought it in 1988 - and the bridge cover didn't come off -except for having it refinished/re-fretted (long story) in 1991 - until I put Fender 9050L's on it in... about 2008. The current GHS Precision Flats went on it in... 2019, IIRC...

I have to confess - I use rounds and am one of those people who constantly fiddle with things.

 

[Dirk Rockbottom]

In my defense i wrote this pre coffee. Lol.

I think you know what I think I mean...

What @Dirk Rockbottom said!

 

[PennyroyalWe]

This is something I might try. I tried a foam mute under the strings at the bridge, it just doesn't sound that great. But the idea of a foam mute in the bridge cover could be just what I'm looking for. Unfortunately this one didn't come with the foam mute. Now I'm wondering how I can put one in.

I added foam to my bridge cover with an Elmer’s glue stick. Just rubbed it on the foam and a little on the underside of the cover, and stuck them together. You don’t really need a lot of adhesion, as the string tension will also be holding it in place once it’s screwed down. Best part, if I ever decide it don’t want it on there, a little bit of water will take it right off.

 

[Sharko]

I put a bridge cover on a fender once. It sounded just fine and wasn't in my way

Your mileage may vary. All I mean is that it didn’t change the sound.

 

[wiscoaster]

Well, they're both fruit.

I thought a tomato was a vegetable??

ooooops .... waaaaaay off topic, sorry!!

 

[jd56hawk]

I thought a tomato was a vegetable??

ooooops .... waaaaaay off topic, sorry!!

No, it's a fruit, just like cucumbers, green beans, peppers, okra, eggplant, pumpkins, etc.

 

[sleddogn]

Your mileage may vary. All I mean is that it didn’t change the sound.

Was jabbing your comment about it still sounding bad, fender hater? bad playing? lol

 

[wiscoaster]

No, it's a fruit, just like cucumbers, green beans, peppers, okra, eggplant, pumpkins, etc.

Shocking .... having to discover this in a bass guitar forum!!

.... but my basses are not "just guitars" !!

 

[Dirk Rockbottom]

I added foam to my bridge cover with an Elmer’s glue stick. Just rubbed it on the foam and a little on the underside of the cover, and stuck them together. You don’t really need a lot of adhesion, as the string tension will also be holding it in place once it’s screwed down. Best part, if I ever decide it don’t want it on there, a little bit of water will take it right off.

Okay I did it. Lightly glued a piece of foam strip under the bridge cover and it's providing just enough mute to take away the raspy sound of the new rounds. They are Dr LO-RIDER lights. It sounds BEE-YOO-TI-FUL!!! I attached a couple of pics for y'all. Thanks for the tip! And thanks to all of my talk-bass friends who gave some good advice and a few laughs!

 

[Baker69]

I play my Fender CIJ P Bass with EMG Geezer’s with the bridge cover always on. I have played it without the cover but can’t recall any difference in sound, however there is DEFINITELY a difference in sound with and without the chrome pickup cover.

If I remove the 2 screws and hold the cover in place while hitting open strings with the other hand and then do the same without the cover I notice an immediate difference. With the cover on it seems to give a deeper and more mellow tone to it? Whether this has anything to do with the EMG Geezer pickups I don’t know, they are quite powerful and as has been said the chrome cover will affect the magnetic field in some way.