putting a sweatband on the neck...

Discussion in 'Technique [BG]' started by slickhare, Nov 22, 2005.

  1. slickhare

    slickhare Guest

    Feb 2, 2005
    i was wondering if anyone else did this. i can't remember where i saw it but i saw some pro with a sweatband (like the fuzzy ones you wear on your wrist) on the neck. i tried it and it made a kinda cool deep punchy tone. i just wanna know what people's impressions are on this effect and if you recommend it?
     
  2. sloppysubs

    sloppysubs

    Nov 24, 2002
    Tarboro, NC
    I saw a picture once of Paulo Jr.'s (Sepultura) Zon bass, one of his many, that had something similar too a sweatband, but certainly was not, tied around the neck. More up toward the headstock. I don't know why, but I always it would give the strings a muted thud.
     
  3. slickhare

    slickhare Guest

    Feb 2, 2005
    i put it up at the very top above the first fret. the lower down the neck it goes the more muted the notes become. but up near the top it's punchy and deep. i wanna try it on my j bass but i don't think i can get it over the headstock
     
  4. jazzbassnerd

    jazzbassnerd

    Aug 26, 2002
    I am in no way an electric expert, but I have heard of guys doing this so that when they do two hand tapping, it mutes the string behind where they tap so those don't sound through the pickups. Maybe? I've tried it out and it works, but I'm really bad at tapping so I didn't leave it.
     
  5. Figjam

    Figjam

    Aug 5, 2003
    Boston, MA
    those are scrunchies, diff thing
     
  6. slickhare

    slickhare Guest

    Feb 2, 2005
    hmm come to think of it, the pic i saw looked kinda like a scrunchie... hmm maybe i'll start a new revolution with this sweatbang thing
     
  7. spidersbass

    spidersbass Guest

    Nov 29, 2004
    Downtown L.A.
    VIVA LA REVOLUACION!!!

    i gotta try it now
     
  8. Figjam

    Figjam

    Aug 5, 2003
    Boston, MA
    It most likely was a scrunchie. if you put it after the nut, towards headstock, it makes tapping cleaner.
     
  9. tplyons

    tplyons

    Apr 6, 2003
    Madison, NJ
    most definately technique, not effects... moved
     
  10. Bently

    Bently Guest

    Jul 3, 2005
    Saltillo, Mississippi
    I just tried it, but my neck was too small for the sweat band be tight on it. It kept sliding down to the 12th fret. Maybe if I put a rubber band around the it?
     
  11. tplyons

    tplyons

    Apr 6, 2003
    Madison, NJ
    sweatbands are way too big unless you're playing something like a 7 stringer.

    go to the girly aisle in your local store and look for scrunchies. borrowed a few from my girlfriend that work great.
     
  12. slickhare

    slickhare Guest

    Feb 2, 2005
    i meant a sweatband like the little ones you put on your wrist. not the ones that you put on your head. mines fit my four just snuggly. the only problem was getting it over the head which wasn't that bad.
     
  13. tplyons

    tplyons

    Apr 6, 2003
    Madison, NJ
    Guess you get the really tiny ones. I know what you're talking about, I use them while playing long gigs for wrist support. Some are TOO tight, must be what you're using ;)
     
  14. slickhare

    slickhare Guest

    Feb 2, 2005
    lol i did have to stretch it out a little bit, like find something to wrap it around that would loosen it up. i'm still trying to figureout how to get it over the headstock of my SX J. i really wanna try out a little jaco-esque growl with my new invention! :hyper:
     
  15. bill_banwell

    bill_banwell

    Oct 19, 2002
    England
    Victor wooten uses this technique, i will have to try it if it helps your tone/cleaner tapping..
     
  16. labgnat

    labgnat Inactive

    Oct 29, 2005
    outta this world
    yeah most notable user of the hairband is victor wooten, to help with muting the strings. jean baudin of the band nuclear rabbit, on his pacman he has a wrist sweatband with pac man on it. basically anything that you can fit over your headstock and will just lightly lay on ur strings is perfect for helping with the muting. i've been jacking with it lately, i can put what actually looks like a sweatband but is a hairtie, on the first fret and still get a pretty good sounding open note, but its not gonna ring too long and therefore it's good for muting. pointless rambling. i know :meh:
     
  17. Mr_Phunk

    Mr_Phunk Guest

    Nov 19, 2005
    Melbourne, Australia
    This is probably a great idea for recording. I can see it reducing sympathetic vibrations when you are going for a really clean sound. Your muting technique should cover this but we aren't all perfect :)

    You'd lose some sustain and tone on open strings though. I tend NOT to use open strings much but you could always tune down if this was a problem I guess.
     
  18. troll

    troll Guest

    Aug 31, 2000
    Chicago area
    Funny I stumble across this thread now. I have had a wristband on my 5 for about 2 weeks now. I doubled it over inside itself to decrease it's inner diameter and it works fine. Of course it pinches a bit and mutes the G and B more than others, but oh well.

    I tried it when I was messing with some tap, also my odd slap technique and hot bass (cirrus) often leaves a string or two resonating, no matter how much I try to mute. And remembering Cats like Jean using it, I tried it. It hasn't left the neck since. It easily slides far enough up over the nut to not affect normal playing. I just pull it down when tapping and doing slap that isn't going to be using lower frets. Usually first or second fret is sufficient. And even on the fly it's easy to reset, you're just sliding down to hit the first fret and push it out of the way easily, and there you go...
     
  19. ratamahatta

    ratamahatta Guest

    Sep 8, 2003
    selah
    ok so this is something that i dont get, using it ofr tapping/ muting unwanted notes while slapping seams appropriate, but if u think it will chang the tone, it will only work when u play an open not, as soon as u fret the band dosnt do jack to the tone.......
     
  20. I never figured out how to get mine on lol... its too tight, are their specific tibes of hairbands I should use?