Bridge Mute Tape found on old Fenders and MusicMen

[Guest BassKS]

Hey there bass know-it-alls,

Im playing some Chic/Sister Sledge numbers in a cover band and have been learning all the No1 hits by them such as: Everybody Dance, Dance x 3 (yawzeee), We are family etc. and ernard Edwards used to do all the crazy stuff on his Pre EB MM. I know that part of his sound and crazy chops was due to having bridge mutes so that he wouldnt worry about muting any strings. Everybody dance is one where you really have to mute strings and by the time you do that you skipped a beat.

Question: how do i get hold of the mute material that was used in the Fenders and MMs? its some sort of a tape that can be cut to lengths of bridge saddle and out underneat strings. An old MM thats being sold here on BC has some of it and the Fender Bass Book shows that material. it has some braided cloth on top (and probably bottom) with some foam/sponge in between.

If there are any replacements/substitutes please hit me! Id be much obliged and if anyone has some Id buy it and buy them a pint if they live in London.

Thanks

[Mr. Foxen]

There is some nasty melted looking goo on the pre EB MM I've seen, looks like it used to be foam rubber stuff.

[Guest BassKS]

yep thats the one.... It starts off as a nice bit of mute... Typed in bass mute on ebay and someone is selling a few strips from US...Might give them a try. its the old stuff.

[Dave]

Someone on the EB board mentioned the foam underbelly of a mouse mat is almost identical to the material used in the original Musicman Stingray bridge string mutes, and as I examine the one currently sitting beside my computer I'd have to agree. Probably too thin to reach a string, but I assume you could possibly stack and glue a few pieces together and it should work a treat.

Hope that's helpful!

[budget bassist]

A lot of people just buy bits of foam and wedge it under the strings, seems to work well. You can also buy actual mute assembles to fit your bass too, i remember someone fitting one to a musicman bongo.

EDIT: [url="http://www.bassmute.com/"]here[/url] you go

Edited December 4, 2008 by budget bassist

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

A bit of sponge cut to size does the job.

mmm sponge

[phil_the_bassist]

i'm guessing any expanded polystyrene foam would work, as it's just gotta stop the vibrations...I'm gonna try using some old packing foam I've got upstairs, and if it works I'll send you some for nowt if you like?

PM me if this floats your boat