Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Why Fretwrap?
- Thread starter Pork_Chop
- Start date
It would only be useful if you neglect to damp unused open strings when plucking and you don't mind your open strings sounding a bit muted when you do play them.
I don't particularly happen to think that there is a use for one when not tapping
Norm Stockton has a good video about it, he does tap quite a bit and explains and demonstrates it's advantages of fretwraps in this capacity.
However, he makes sure to state that it is not to become a crutch for bad technique!
The only instance I can see it being of any use (and Norm does talk about this) is if you're in the studio, recording furious unison melodies up high on the neck, with a zingy modern tone. Some sounds from your strings/frets/hands could possibly get caught on tape that you wouldn't ever really hear live, but would definitely not want on your beloved recording.
Norm Stockton has a good video about it, he does tap quite a bit and explains and demonstrates it's advantages of fretwraps in this capacity.
However, he makes sure to state that it is not to become a crutch for bad technique!
The only instance I can see it being of any use (and Norm does talk about this) is if you're in the studio, recording furious unison melodies up high on the neck, with a zingy modern tone. Some sounds from your strings/frets/hands could possibly get caught on tape that you wouldn't ever really hear live, but would definitely not want on your beloved recording.
Interesting. This thread is the first I've ever heard of it. Back in the day we just used a scrunchie. Victor Wooten was the first guy I saw with one.
At the risk of sounding cynical, It seems like they found a way to get players to pay 30 bucks when they only needed to spend 30 cents
At the risk of sounding cynical, It seems like they found a way to get players to pay 30 bucks when they only needed to spend 30 cents
I bought some of these because I don't mute open strings, but for me they either mute the strings too much or not enough.
I use one, rarely, in some of the chord melody stuff I do. Usually I forget that it's on the bass.
Yeah it blows my mind that anyone would buy one of those things. A hair tie does the exact same thing.
But to the OP, they're really just for tapping. If you feel the need to use them to mute open strings when playing conventionally I'd make sure your technique is already as clean as it can be. Basically, don't use it as a crutch but if you have a use for it, go for it.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
I bought dozens of hair ties that didn't work worth crap before I bought some, money well spent. There are also not other alternatives (aside from sweatbands.) They also cost $10, not $30. $30 gets a 3-pack.
They are only to be used for tapping or instances where you have both hands busy, the tie does nothing but mute. I would never recommend them to somebody that doesn't do high-flying bass, they are a crutch when playing normally. A player is better served by improving their technique.
Oddly enough, it is probably the most commented on piece of gear I gig with. I double-tap live, so it helps me immensely. I slide it on and off as needed.
They are only to be used for tapping or instances where you have both hands busy, the tie does nothing but mute. I would never recommend them to somebody that doesn't do high-flying bass, they are a crutch when playing normally. A player is better served by improving their technique.
Oddly enough, it is probably the most commented on piece of gear I gig with. I double-tap live, so it helps me immensely. I slide it on and off as needed.
I use fretwraps for more than a year and love them. A fretwrap quells unnecessary overtones, especially when tapping (for instance I slide it just behind the first fret for the bass solo in Dream Theater's Metropolis part I). Apart from tapping, fretwraps are useful in places where I'm hitting open strings as part of a run and moving VERY quickly (again, Dream Theater stuff comes to mind, where as part of a very difficult run Myung plays a D on the fifth fret "A" string but for me the run is just too for me difficult to fully fret like he does so I'll hit a D string to voice the same note and then fret the rest of the the run, and the fretwrap will mute that open D string so that it doesn't muddy the run. Without the fretwrap I would not be able to mute the open string in time unless I grew a third hand). I'm not nearly adept enough with floating anchor to mute the strings with my thumb while racing through some overly insane runs, but have to use my thumb as a moveable anchor (I do try to use floating thumb when I can and maybe one day I'll be able to do it, but for some of these terminally sick runs it's a fretwrap or it's a noisy night in open string riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiingville).
I also use them to add a slow mute to harmonics by putting the fretwrap about halfway between the nut and the first fret, if I'm playing harmonics in A and have to change keys and play harmonics in a different key and don't want any bad tonal over-ring.
Apart from tapping, playing open strings in fast runs and as a slow mute for harmonics, strings on six string basses can unintentionally produced overtones and fretwraps can help keep things quiet if they're used just after the nut. I sometimes pull them towards the headstock past the nut to get them out of the way completely if I need a ton of sustain for something, but I don't keep them there for long.
I've incorporated them into my playing so that moving them into place and out of place is as much a natural part of the song as anything else. When I play a bass without them, I find myself reaching for them unconsciously and going, "Oh yeah - ***!"
They are a great purchase, easy to use, and work exactly as they should. I wish I had invented them myself... My only complaint is that they don't make one in purple to match my bass (a metallic purple plum Yamaha RBXJM2)!
If you play six string basses, and do stuff with tapping, harmonics and open strings, they provide a huge benefit, but YMMV.
I also use them to add a slow mute to harmonics by putting the fretwrap about halfway between the nut and the first fret, if I'm playing harmonics in A and have to change keys and play harmonics in a different key and don't want any bad tonal over-ring.
Apart from tapping, playing open strings in fast runs and as a slow mute for harmonics, strings on six string basses can unintentionally produced overtones and fretwraps can help keep things quiet if they're used just after the nut. I sometimes pull them towards the headstock past the nut to get them out of the way completely if I need a ton of sustain for something, but I don't keep them there for long.
I've incorporated them into my playing so that moving them into place and out of place is as much a natural part of the song as anything else. When I play a bass without them, I find myself reaching for them unconsciously and going, "Oh yeah - ***!"
They are a great purchase, easy to use, and work exactly as they should. I wish I had invented them myself... My only complaint is that they don't make one in purple to match my bass (a metallic purple plum Yamaha RBXJM2)!
If you play six string basses, and do stuff with tapping, harmonics and open strings, they provide a huge benefit, but YMMV.
I've noticed that even when placed behind the nut they make a difference on some of my basses. They dampen notes that occur between the nut and tuning key, and the notes sound cleaner.
Seems plausible. On a guitar, you can clean up a lot of extra pinging sounds by dampening behind the nut, and also dampening vibrato springs, too. It doesn't matter 90% of the time, but when playing very percussive stuff on a very clean amp, it certainly makes a real difference.
Batteries always come more than needed, and have you noticed the price these days... Couple of 9 volts is the same as dinner.
I just got mine today.Ordered from Musician's Friend through Ebay.Opened them up.
I have a 7 string bass.The nut is 2.5 inches wide.The circumference of the neck at the first fret measures 6.250 inches around.
The largest Fretwrap is about 6 inches long.NOT long enough!!
It BARELY has enough fabric left to hold on and is too tight.Too tight to push over the nut out of the way!
Now,I will have to go through the return process!
Beware!
I have a 7 string bass.The nut is 2.5 inches wide.The circumference of the neck at the first fret measures 6.250 inches around.
The largest Fretwrap is about 6 inches long.NOT long enough!!
It BARELY has enough fabric left to hold on and is too tight.Too tight to push over the nut out of the way!
Now,I will have to go through the return process!
Beware!
Last edited:
UPDATE:I was sent the wrong size.It was marked large.
These are small.
Large Fretwraps are 7.5 inches long!
These are small.
Large Fretwraps are 7.5 inches long!
Last edited:
Since my local G.C. and Sam Ash don't seem to have them in stock,(Although they both suggested I order them through them)I've ordered a set through the
Gruv Gear site.http://www.gruvgear.com/fretwraps
At least they SHOULD have less likelihood of an order error.
Gruv Gear site.http://www.gruvgear.com/fretwraps
At least they SHOULD have less likelihood of an order error.
Last edited:
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
Fretwraps do not last forever. I find they go about 6 months before the foam pad comes loose and they start working poorly.
