What are those 'hair bobble' thugs called on a bass?!

[Jaykingfunk]

Anyone know what those 'hair bobble' things are that go around the stings near the top nut on a bass called?! I've spotted a few people using them and notice that Victor Wooten always has them on his basses!

From what I understand they help to 'deaden' the open strings that can ring out when you catch them whilst playing? Anybody own one?

Just curious really! J

[tredders]

Fret wraps!

http://www.gruvgear.com/fretwraps

Been wanting to try them myself for a while but just haven't got round to it.

[Trueno]

Scrunchies... for ponytails. Buy them from a cheapo ladies' accessory style shop for tuppence a ton... or otherwise pay a lot more money for a fretwrap.

[Sibob]

Yeah I use scrunchies, 3 for £3.50 from Claire's Accessories. Kitted out all three of my basses.

[url=https://imgbb.com/][/url]

The fact that Gruvgear have people £15 each for them is amazing to me.

Si

[ped]

I was given one at some point and I use it on my fretless to help mask my poor tekkers

[mark76]

Hair bobble thugs sound like people I want to avoid.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='mark76' timestamp='1501927437' post='3348255']
Hair bobble thugs sound like people I want to avoid.
[/quote]

+1

I've started using these because I'm having to use a pick a lot more for the stuff I'm playing in one particular band, and my palm-muting technique is just terrible.

First time I brought one to rehearsal, the drummer asked me at the end why I was using a capo.

I use the ridiculously expensive ones because I know they work. Si, are the Claire's Bobbins ones really as effective?

[NancyJohnson]

Emperor's New Clothes.

[Sibob]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1501927820' post='3348261']


+1

I've started using these because I'm having to use a pick a lot more for the stuff I'm playing in one particular band, and my palm-muting technique is just terrible.

First time I brought one to rehearsal, the drummer asked me at the end why I was using a capo.

I use the ridiculously expensive ones because I know they work. Si, are the Claire's Bobbins ones really as effective?
[/quote]

They're certainly perfect for what I want. Tight enough to deaden a note quickly, not tight enough to completely kill an open string if I need it (sounds Palm muted). Loose enough to naturally slide back down mid playing.

Si

[bazzbass]

Si Si Si , and I had so much respect for you

OK I still have the utmost respect for you, but a Fretwrap does it a lot better as it surrounds the string like a nut slot does and does a better job of muting unwanted overtones etc.

[Delberthot]

Is there a particular style where I would need one of these? I'm guessing that after nearly 30 years without one I probably don't need one.

I play almost exclusively with my fingers and learned early on how to mute the other strings so that they didn't ring out

This is a genuine question BTW, I'm not trolling or dissing them, only I can't imagine why I would need them but it's good to learn new things / techniques etc

[ped]

[quote name='bazztard' timestamp='1501938538' post='3348349']
Si Si Si , and I had so much respect for you

OK I still have the utmost respect for you, but a Fretwrap does it a lot better as it surrounds the string like a nut slot does and does a better job of muting unwanted overtones etc.
[/quote]

Si just likes an excuse to pop into 'Accessorise'

[Sibob]

[quote name='ped' timestamp='1501940862' post='3348363']


Si just likes an excuse to pop into 'Accessorise'
[/quote]

Wash your mouth out!! Claire's Accesories TiLl i DiE!

But in all all seriousness it's just about finding something that works for you. I rarely use mine, but they're an easy 'addition' to make, cheap, don't get in the way, nice to have and. It need than the other way around.
As above, I've worked hard on my muting with both hands, but if I can add to that even further without any pay-off, I will

Si

[Wolverinebass]

Being quite serious here, people such as Wooten don't need this except for the endorsement money. He's incredibly technically gifted (regardless what you think of his stuff) and he doesn't need this nonsense to mute his strings.

Quite frankly, after hearing Sibob play at a bass bash a few years ago, I wouldn't say he does either as I thought he had excellent chops.

For me, as I quite often play 12 or 8 string basses, the stuff that this hairband is trying to stop is one of the things that is integral to the sound of them.

If it helps people out, great, but I do think it has a slight whiff of snake oil about it. Marketing tripe to make you doubt your ability to mute a string with your left hand. At least, it could be argued that way. Some people would consider the noise "character." Others would say it's "rubbish." No opinion is exclusively right.

[ead]

I stick a bit of foam next to bridge for light deadening. Pretty much FOC if you have bought anything with a bit of packaging.

[tony_m]

The iBassline Bass Mute is another option, I believe the guy behind them (P J Phillips) is a member on here...

[url="http://www.ibassline.com/store/p6/iBassline%C2%AE_%7C_Bass_Mute_%5Buk_sales%5D.html"]http://www.ibassline...k_sales%5D.html[/url]

[Bassassin]

I've seen people using these things for years - but exclusively for string-muting whilst doing tippy-tappy two-handed fretboard stunt bass gymnastics. Which I can't do and have no particular interest in learning to do.

The idea of needing one to play cleanly using conventional fingerstyle or plectrum techniques seems odd, and from the perspective of my own hamsifted technique, unnecessary.

[Graham]

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1501940851' post='3348362']
Is there a particular style where I would need one of these? I'm guessing that after nearly 30 years without one I probably don't need one.

[/quote]

They seem quite popular with modern prog-metal/djent types who do a lot of slap/tap playing on ERB tuned down to something like low F#

[ped]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1501955203' post='3348487']
I stick a bit of foam next to bridge for light deadening. Pretty much FOC if you have bought anything with a bit of packaging.
[/quote]

That's a different sort of mute, though. A wrap will only dampen open strings.

[ead]

Good point Ped, clearly I'd not thought that through

[Rocker]

Do these things affect the open string when tuning up. You do tune up before playing? Don' you?

[bubinga5]

Why do bass players need them. ?? Unless your playing a bass with 9 strings. A huge point of playing a bass is your in control of its sound

[Happy Jack]

Or not, as the case may be.

[CamdenRob]

I can understand how these might help but part of playing bass (especially an ERB) is learning how to mute the other strings...

[Sibob]

No it doesn't effect tuning as long as you put it past the nut when you choose to tune, that's as easy as moving your hand down the neck.
And quite right, it's about control, and this affords even more control .
Everyone knows they're not 'on' all the time right?! You just shift them up and down as needed.

But as with any gear, it should be used as an addition to your technique, never a substitute!

Si