Bob Babbitt - Foam at the bridge

[woodsideh]

I was looking at Bass Player mag and noticed in the ad for Asterope (discussed in another thread) that Bob had some sort of foam apparatus at the bridge of his P that I have never seen before. I may have just had my head in the sand but can anyone tell me more about this thing? I wouldn't mind trying one.

 

[Jim Carr]

Simple old trick. Get some cheapo packing foam. Cut to the size of a soap bar. Push foam under strings right at the bridge. Adjust to taste.

 

[AndrewMagrini]

I would agree, but I recently saw the picture and it looks like a string-to-string mute similar to the new Music Man Classic models.

Cutting foam and stuffing it under is probably just as good and very cheap though.

 

[TolerancEJ]

How does this affect the sound of the instrument? Is it like a sound dampening effect. I keep a 50 cent hair elastic near the nut on the neck of my bass.

 

[woodsideh]

I understand the foam thing. You can also use a household sponge (damp). Works pretty well. I that picture there is some device mounted on his bass that looks as if you can raise or lower the foam.

 

[woodsideh]

How does this affect the sound of the instrument? Is it like a sound dampening effect. I keep a hair elastic near the nut on the neck of my bass.

I guess the best way to describe the sound is by listening to some if the Motown classics. Jamerson did it pretty much exclusive and Babbitt continued the trend.

 

[BrBss]

How does this affect the sound of the instrument? Is it like a sound dampening effect. I keep a hair elastic near the nut on the neck of my bass.

Its basically like palm muting. It gives notes more "thump" and less sustain. I find it increases my note definition when playing in a mix, because the notes don't ring out as long and blend into each other.

Chances are, if you try it when you're playing by yourself, you won't like the tone at first. But bring it to a practice with the rest of the band before you decide not to use it!

 

[TolerancEJ]

I think I get it. If I'm imagining this correctly, this would provide short, quick notes.

 

[5string5fingers]

old fenders had string mutes on them that could be raised and lowered,hence why the string ray classics have them because the originals had them because leo designed the sting ray. In an interview he stated it was a custom made bridge designed like the old fender mute system. Foam works as well. Heres a rough sound clip of my p bass with foam at the bridge.
http://www.zshare.net/audio/78559921d480fc85/

 

[cripula]

Probably one of these, IIRC his new Sig bass has one:

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

 

[Jim Carr]

How does this affect the sound of the instrument? Is it like a sound dampening effect. I keep a 50 cent hair elastic near the nut on the neck of my bass.

Yes, it is a way to achieve muting, but is on a different order than the "hair-band at nut" trick. It is a little like palm muting, but less drastic. It does give you something like the dead-flats tone of yore, and also actually provides a bit of mechanical compression.

If you watch Babbitt in "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," you will see him use a home made packing foam mute under the strings on his P-bass.

 

[woodsideh]

I'm not surprised it's a custom bridge. What caught my eye was that simply speaking it can be turned on and off. Does anyone know of any after market bridges like this? I would like to try it.

 

[5string5fingers]

This is a much better sound clip than my crap

 

[woodsideh]

Probably one of these, IIRC his new Sig bass has one:

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

Bingo!

 

[Osprey]

Every bass player ought to have a bit of foam as part of their equipment. How many hundred pounds (ok,dollars) worth of electronic kit do you have and how many different basses not just because they play well but because they give you a variety of sounds? A bit of foam (experiment with size, and move it nearer to or further from the bridge) provides another range of possibilities..for nothing. Just now I use my foam for only one number my band plays live but if (for example) we ever get a singer who can make a decent job of "Rescue Me" I'm all set up and ready to go.

 

[Jim Carr]

Every bass player ought to have a bit of foam as part of their equipment...A bit of foam (experiment with size, and move it nearer to or further from the bridge) provides another range of possibilities..for nothing.

+1

I always carry one.

Just now I use my foam for only one number my band plays live but if (for example) we ever get a singer who can make a decent job of "Rescue Me" I'm all set up and ready to go.

I am waiting for the same thing! Fontella Bass, baby!

 

[cazksbass]

According to Carol Kaye, the function of the foam under the bridge is to kill some of the overtones and harmonics. This allows more of the fundamental to show through, while forcing a muted upright tone. Apparently this allowed the bass to sit in the mix on all the hit records better than the same bass played without the foam.
I sure hope you know about Carol Kaye - if you play bass, she and James Jamerson are mandatory names in your lexicon.

Edit: guitard players foam at the mouth, but bass players foam at the bridge! Sorry, I couldn't resist it.

 

[LaklandWest]

I saw a Carol Kaye clinic and she still uses just a piece of foam stuck in there. Looks like something you could get at a hardware or craft store.

 

[DavidLopezJr]

Kinda off and on topic. So what's the difference between using a neck tie near the nut and using a foam near the bridge? Anyone try both at the same time?

 

[5string5fingers]

Kinda off and on topic. So what's the difference between using a neck tie near the nut and using a foam near the bridge? Anyone try both at the same time?

From what I've heard putting something around the strings at the nut just makes open notes ring more like fretted,for tapping. They don't ring out as long so you don't have this blurring of notes when trying to tap.