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stingray bridge with sponges...???

Discussion in 'Hardware, Setup & Repair [BG]' started by whitester, Nov 7, 2001.

  1. Nov 7, 2001 #1
    whitester

    whitester

    Apr 23, 2001
    Aussie battler in Canada
    i have a stingray4 with the bridge with the sponges on it (piezo bridge?)

    just wondering if any one uses them or if their that usefull...i've played around with them but just insterested in the you views.

    cheers

    yt.
     
  2. Nov 8, 2001 #2
    ZoomBoy

    ZoomBoy

    Jul 24, 2000
    Sutton, Massachusetts
    Those sound like string mutes to me. They are attached to a knob that raises and lowers them.
     
  3. Nov 8, 2001 #3
    whitester

    whitester

    Apr 23, 2001
    Aussie battler in Canada
    yeah those are the ones..so they are just use to mute the strings, thats what i thought and heard when raising them. but still not sure why, cut sustain?... i can hear what i does when i try them out...(but dont use them to play regularly) but i just dont see the point and havent seen any other bass with them MM must have thought they were a good idea at some time....
    oh well

    cheers

    yt
     
  4. Nov 8, 2001 #4
    ZoomBoy

    ZoomBoy

    Jul 24, 2000
    Sutton, Massachusetts
    The old Fender's had foam under the bridge covers to mute the strings and Ric's have a mute assembly in the bridge as well. From what I understand the intention was to simulate the sound of the upright bass. Sounds to me like you have an older model Stingray, is it pre-Ernie Ball?
     
  5. Nov 8, 2001 #5
    whitester

    whitester

    Apr 23, 2001
    Aussie battler in Canada
    ah i get it....

    i dont think its an older model ray. (some older ones only have three knobs right..mine got four)...but not sure what year it is i i thought last five six at least...do yo know how to find out (use the serial # i guess...

    well i must get back to studying for finals and quit surfing.

    yt
     
  6. Nov 10, 2001 #6
    whitester

    whitester

    Apr 23, 2001
    Aussie battler in Canada
    do you know if it was an option for a particular year or years of rays or just always cos i'm trying to figure out what year my bass is

    cheers
     
  7. Nov 13, 2001 #7
    ZoomBoy

    ZoomBoy

    Jul 24, 2000
    Sutton, Massachusetts
    I think that Ernie Ball stopped using the bridge with mutes in the early to mid 90's. The bridge with mutes was standard issue starting in 1976 until that time.
     
  8. Nov 13, 2001 #8
    cubeenz

    cubeenz Guest

    Jun 25, 2001
    New Melle, MO (St. Louis area)
    The old StingRays were strung through the body so they had incredible sustain. The string mutes were to reduce the sustain, and they did give it more of an upright like sound. The newer StingRays are standard bridges and don't really need the string mutes.
     
  9. Nov 13, 2001 #9
    whitester

    whitester

    Apr 23, 2001
    Aussie battler in Canada
    yep

    yt
     
  10. Nov 14, 2001 #10
    jasonbraatz

    jasonbraatz Supporting Member

    Oct 18, 2000
    Milwaukee, WI
    my 94 sterling has them...but i had to trim them a bunch to be able to have my action low as i like it without hitting them.


    i never use them, but they make the bridge look a little more interesting, i guess. and if i wanted to use them (studio, etc) they're there.



    jason