• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

P Bass Rubber mute-above the strings or below

Michael King

Michael King

Guest
Dec 27, 2014
111
56
71
Virginia Beach Virginia
#1
I have a 1972 Fender Precision bass with flat wound strings and I play it through a Fender Rumble 200 with one 15" speaker. When I bought it the bridge cover did not have the rubber mute strip. It was long gone. Lately I've been wanting to get a more woody sound, closer to a stand up bass, and the James Jamerson sound. I purchased the same foam rubber and stuck it inside the bridge cover just like it originally was. The result was very nice, I was pleased. Then I started seeing videos of people like Bob Babitt and Bobby Vega with the foam under the strings up against the forward edge of the bridge. I took the bridge cover off my guitar and put a piece of foam in the same spot and the result was THE tone I've been looking for.

What is the consensus, do most of you that employ this muting have the foam touching the strings from above (the strip attached to the bridge cover) or slid under the strings resting on the body? Maybe both?
 
#2
In my experience, it works fine either way. The classic Jamerson sound was based on the mute in the bridge cover, but Bob Babbitt got a great sound with a hunk of foam under the strings.

image.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: spaz21387, fourtet102 and Aqualung60
#4
Michael King said:
You are correct it does work both ways but to my ears the foam under had less treble and more of the "thump" wood sound. Do you know what year the bass is he played? By the headstock decal it was a 1967 or later. Thanks for the reply and the picture.
Click to expand...

That's an interesting observation. The foam on the bridge cover of my 63 P Bass is very deteriorated, but it looks like it was fairly thin when new. Maybe this had less of a damping effect than a large piece of foam under the strings.

I think Bob's main P Bass during his later years was a 1970.
 
#7
Michael King said:
It would interesting to see what your '63 sounded like when comparing the two different types of muting with the foam.

By the way, of all the years of the rosewood board P basses, I have always thought that 1963 was THE year! Congrats on having such an instrument!
Click to expand...

Here's a picture of my 63, complete with eighteen year old heavy gauge LaBella flats. If I have some time over the weekend, I will experiment with some different muting locations.

image.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Steve Boisen, ColdEye, Jazzish and 7 others
#8
My experience is that under the strings gives a more muted thump sound, kind of like palm muting. I found under strings is best for making rounds sound more like flats. If you stuff the foam in the ashtray, you can back it off so that it's not contacting as much of the strings for a softer mute sound.

Those guys all had secret foam types that they would swear by. I seem to recall Babbitt talking about mattress foam and that's what it looks like in the pic above.

Also @jazz Bass 74 : drool
 
#11
MrMerrey said:
I don't think above or below the string make much difference, but the bridge cover put the dampening on the saddles while under the strings puts it in front of the saddles, so will damp the string more.
Click to expand...
I think this is it. Both methods make some contact with the part of the strings that is in front of the saddles, but the under the strings method results in alot more contact with that part of the strings and likely alot more actual muting effect.

I used to do this alot and I always put it under the strings, even when I had an ashtray on. I think it's time to play with foam again!
 
  • Like
Reactions: noeinstein and MrMerrey
#14
Michael King said:
I have a 1972 Fender Precision bass with flat wound strings and I play it through a Fender Rumble 200 with one 15" speaker. When I bought it the bridge cover did not have the rubber mute strip. It was long gone. Lately I've been wanting to get a more woody sound, closer to a stand up bass, and the James Jamerson sound. I purchased the same foam rubber and stuck it inside the bridge cover just like it originally was. The result was very nice, I was pleased. Then I started seeing videos of people like Bob Babitt and Bobby Vega with the foam under the strings up against the forward edge of the bridge. I took the bridge cover off my guitar and put a piece of foam in the same spot and the result was THE tone I've been looking for.

What is the consensus, do most of you that employ this muting have the foam touching the strings from above (the strip attached to the bridge cover) or slid under the strings resting on the body? Maybe both?
Click to expand...

When I started playing my brand-new '77 J bass, it took me about 10 minutes to realize I wanted that back cover - with the cheesy black foam "mute" - OFF. Never put it back on. I have always wanted to hear my strings *ring*.

That said, if I were playing a 100% motown gig and the eq on my bass did not allow a good mute/thump tone - then I'd do what Babbit did - just a piece of foam under the strings, by the bridge. And I agree - I saw him do a thing at BP live several years ago, and he got a cool tone for his style - but let's be really clear here: It was 99.9% in his hands, not his mute/strings/bass/mojo, that got that cool sound.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Thumper19605, noeinstein and bassbully
#15
SanDiegoHarry said:
When I started playing my brand-new '77 J bass, it took me about 10 minutes to realize I wanted that back cover - with the cheesy black foam "mute" - OFF. Never put it back on. I have always wanted to hear my strings *ring*.

That said, if I were playing a 100% motown gig and the eq on my bass did not allow a good mute/thump tone - then I'd do what Babbit did - just a piece of foam under the strings, by the bridge. And I agree - I saw him do a thing at BP live several years ago, and he got a cool tone for his style - but let's be really clear here: It was 99.9% in his hands, not his mute/strings/bass/mojo, that got that cool sound.
Click to expand...

I totally agree. Same for James Jamerson and the one index finger "the hook". Thanks.
 
#16
Dangit, I wish I had a picture but I found some really well-balanced foam in a camera package I bought a while ago. The foam is more porous than the kind DiMarzio includes with their pickups, but doesn't have as much give as a sponge does. It totally encompasses the top half of all the strings (I have it under the bridge cover for a 50's style P bass) and sounds GREAT. I tried it under the bridge and it really didn't give it more thump as much it just cut sustain and that's it...didn't notice much tonal change. Now with my P-bass I can get a super vintage sound with plenty of thump. Through a tube amp and 2x15s, whew...have to sit down after a few notes to calm yourself down :)
 
#17
Here's something to consider - watch your intonation:

I've been putting foam under the strings in front of the bridge for a long time and only recently checked my intonation with the foam in place and HOLY COW it was way off. Pulled the foam out and intonation was right back to where I'd set it previously.

I'm sure I could just use a softer type of foam or just cut it a little shorter next time so it's not pushing up quiet as hard, but what I'm actually planning to try next is to still use a thick piece of foam, and still put it under the strings, but this time cut slots into it for each string to ride through the foam instead of on top of it. I'm assuming this won't affect intonation, but I'm not sure if it'll provide enough damping. One way to find out....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Linnin
#18
paparoof said:
Here's something to consider - watch your intonation:

I've been putting foam under the strings in front of the bridge for a long time and only recently checked my intonation with the foam in place and HOLY COW it was way off. Pulled the foam out and intonation was right back to where I'd set it previously.

I'm sure I could just use a softer type of foam or just cut it a little shorter next time so it's not pushing up quiet as hard, but what I'm actually planning to try next is to still use a thick piece of foam, and still put it under the strings, but this time cut slots into it for each string to ride through the foam instead of on top of it. I'm assuming this won't affect intonation, but I'm not sure if it'll provide enough damping. One way to find out....
Click to expand...

I went to Lowes and got some of the black foam weather stripping. It is firm enough but I don't think it pushes on the strings too hard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gjohnson441496

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back