Early-60s J-bass mutes?

Yeah, it is. Most people do take them off or don't use them nowadays. And quite frankly, if you didn't like the foam, it's doubtful you'll like the mutes, and to install them requires drilling holes, which is an irreversible mod.

 

I think a good hunk of foam or weatherstripping (in the ashtray) sounds much better than the stock Jazz mutes. Not a fan of the stockers.

 

I'm not sure if this gives you the same effect but, I know a guy who leaves the bridge pickup guard (the big ashtray looking one with the "f" on it) in place on his jazz bass. He then takes a regular kitchen sponge and trims the edges a bit and puts it in there... it mutes the strings quite nicely.

I mute with my palm... but I thought about putting an "ashtray" on my Squire VM '70's Jazz just to give this a try. My fear is, that I will lose some area to play with. I tend to move my right hand around a great deal as I play... different tones and such.

If you purchase that bass mute contraption let me know how it works out...

Another idea: I have experimented with using my daughters hair "scunchies" some times as a mute when I am recording in my bassment studio. You could probably use a sock. Or cut strips from an old T-Shirt.... experiment! experiment! experiment!

 

The ones from BPR aren't sold out, they're discontinued. Fender stopped making those mutes a few years ago and has no plans to resume production. I had a similar thread about this a long while ago when I was restoring a '60 Fender Jazz.

 

My Fullerton era 62 reissue was drilled for the mutes...I use them every one in a great while, like at a blues jam when I'm feeling it.
Quite frankly, they are very stiff and extremely thuddy. They kill the sustain way more than the foam type mutes. It's gotta be some kinda sound you're really after to want to drill holes.

BTW. very early Led Zep, JPJ was still using the mutes.