Why did basses stop coming with mutes?

[Tupac]

They really do open up a lot of more options technique wise. I know they were standard on old Fenders, and I think maybe some Music Men. Is there any reason they stopped? I mean, what's the downside of making an instrument better to play?

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I have heard at least for Music Men that over time the foam material degraded and cracked off. Logical reason if that is true.

 

[StereoPlayer]

Rickenbackers still do... 4003

 

[MarthaSamira]

Because in the 70's and 80's bass players started craving sustain instead of thump.

 

[hugebob]

early fender basses came with mutes, but poeple liked more to mute the strings with their palm instead. so fender removed thoses because they were "useless" .

 

[Batmensch]

Probably the same reason thye stopped installing ashtray/p'up covers. Everybody was taking them off anyway, so I guess Fender (et al) thought they ccould save a few bucks by not putting them on in the first place.

 

[megafiddle]

Because in the 70's and 80's bass players started craving sustain instead of thump.

Probably even in the 60's.

I would guess that the first electric bass players were almost all upright bass players.
So at least initially, the damped sound was necessary for the style of music back then.

Styles changed and most new bass players never played upright to begin with.
The electric bass became even more of a different instrument (than the upright).

 

[millsbass5]

They really do open up a lot of more options technique wise. I know they were standard on old Fenders, and I think maybe some Music Men. Is there any reason they stopped? I mean, what's the downside of making an instrument better to play?

They just went away with the times. For example: When was the last time you seen a bass come with flats on it?

 

[Pilgrim]

Because everyone took the mutes off. Clearly, the majority did not want them.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

...they could save a few bucks by not putting them on in the first place.

Exactly what I thought

 

[Shakin-Slim]

Not to be too picky, but seeing as it's a brand you would say Music Mans not Music Men.

 

[MarthaSamira]

For those looking for a muting solution, I have these on one of my basses and it works great with 2 levels of muting...

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

 

[CTC564]

For those looking for a muting solution, I have these on one of my basses and it works great with 2 levels of muting...

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

I've been looking at those for over a year...emailed him with no response :-(

Vaguely recall seeing here that he's not making them anymore...

Anyone have recent contact???

 

[sevdog]

For those looking for a muting solution, I have these on one of my basses and it works great with 2 levels of muting...

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

That thing looks awesome but I've emailed those guys a few time over the past couple years and never gotten a response.

When did you buy yours?

 

[sevdog]

Looks like I'm not the only one.

 

[Moonbass Alpha]

Aside from all of the other reasons listed, It was also a function of the limited volume available from amplifiers at the time: as bands became louder & genres of music evolved, basses with mutes were lost in the mix because they weren't loud and/or articulate enough. So, players removed them simply to be heard, and then the next generation removed them to emulate their influences (and to get gigs). All of these factors contributed to the sound of the bass in popular music changing radically in the early-to-mid-'60s.

 

[hdracer]

Not to be too picky, but seeing as it's a brand you would say Music Mans not Music Men.

No, It would be Music Man basses. The name isn't multiple but the basses are.

 

[Shakin-Slim]

I dunno, you'd say "I have a couple of Fenders" without having to say Fender basses.

 

[Ric5]

Why did basses stop coming with mutes?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Because nobody wants them. If customers wanted them then the manufacturer would make them that way.

I hate mechanical mutes. Palm muting is so much better.

I played a 1968 4001 as my main bass for 35 years. I never used the mechanical mute.

 

[elgecko]

They really do open up a lot of more options technique wise. I know they were standard on old Fenders, and I think maybe some Music Men. Is there any reason they stopped? I mean, what's the downside of making an instrument better to play?

What options are those?