I would do anything for mutes...

[zEch1]

...except buying another bass! Don't get me wrong, its not that I don't WANT to get one of those new Classic Rays, I just can't afford one.

I always thought one of those bridges with mutes would be nice, but mostly for cosmetic reasons...I mean hey, those things just look so classy!

But yesterday I did this:

And it was like 'hoooly sh**!!' How can this piece of foam make the SR sound so great to me??

I know there are this foam mutes with flip switches out there, saw it once in the forum, but I don't like modding any of my basses with other things than the 'real deal' !

So, I don't know if this had been asked already but is there any way (and I really mean ANY WAY) to get a bridge with mutes for my Ray? I guess the bridge of the new Classic Rays won't fit since they are string through (hit me if I'm wrong), maybe Flea bridge?
I don't know, but l like I said, I want a 'real deal foam-mutes-bridge' so badly

 

[MadMatt]

Yea, I hear you. My 25th with mutes would be sweet!

As far as I can tell, the mute bridge would require drilling holes in the body to accommodate the mute adjustment screws. I'm not 100% sure as I don't have an older SR or classic but somewhere I recall seeing a picture of the body without the muted bridge installed and there where additional holes.

I have an idea how an after-market "No drilling" solution could work with the existing bridge and look vary similar to the original but I'd have to build a prototype (= even less time to play) and I doubt there would be enough interest to actually produce them.

...So I just use a piece of foam as you do and it works just fine. That leaves me more time to play.

 

[oli@bass]

So, I don't know if this had been asked already but is there any way (and I really mean ANY WAY) to get a bridge with mutes for my Ray?

Unfortunately not. AFAIK, the mute bridges have the same position for the screws to hold them, mainly because the bridge was shifted to have asymetric saddle slots but straight string pull over the saddles.

 

[Caca de Kick]

Use the foam on your bass for now, and buy an older model when you can afford it.

Swapping a mid 90's era mute bridge will need modification either way. Since the thumbscrews extend below the body surface, you will have to drill four holes in that pretty bass of yours.

 

[phatduckk]

in the past MM has not sold bridges. if a warranty issue comes up they do a swap, old bridge for new one (old neck for new one etc).

even then, as others pointed out, you'd have to drill n stuff. ive seen folks buy the mute assemblys on ebay etc so you might wanna keep your eye out to see if something pops up used

 

[drTStingray]

I have an SR4 with a mutes bridge and whilst it is cool, I also, like you, sometimes put foam rubber under the bridge on my SR4HH. To be honest, apart from cool looks (the mutes bridge really is a neat design), the only major advantage the mutes bridge has is the ability to increase or reduce the pressure of the mutes - thus giving a little more sound variation - and also the ability to vary this across different strings. You could possibly even achieve this with different thicknesses of foam.

Whilst you're saving for your Classic I suggest using the foam pad does the job pretty well.

You could always look for a 2nd hand late 80s early 90s Ray with the mutes bridge which you'll probably get for a good price, and suffice until you get the Classic.

BTW love your Ray - great colour.

 

[rhythmCity944]

You could always look for a 2nd hand late 80s early 90s Ray with the mutes bridge which you'll probably get for a good price, and suffice until you get the Classic.

Good deals out there all the time of that era of Stingray...I have 3 late 80s and having the foam mutes is nice when needed but I find I don't use them enough (takes too long to raise and lower the mutes between songs) so to me it's really just a cool looking bridge

 

[JohnnyBoy]

Mutes... Ed Friedland in the Blues Bass Book recommends doing just exactly what you have done - use foam. I recall seeeing a Motown 50 years concert where the bass player did the same thing. The Fender basses used to have foam on the underside of the large chrome cover over the pickup (or was it the bridge? can't recall my 78 Precision now)

Another option is to place a silk scarf over the strings (like Jack Casady did in the Youtube White Rabbit video).

On my Bongo I mute the strings partially at the bridge with my palm, plucking over the end of the fretboard to get the damped sound, put the control settings to bass boost.
Works well for Reggae Dub plus old RnB, Rock.

 

[tommixx]

I have a couple of different pieces cut to give me more or less muting. One is thicker than the other and provides more muting than the other....Works like a charm!

Peace,

T

 

[MrMusashi]

i am surprised nobody have mentioned the new classic series..
they are a nice mix of old and new skool and they also come with fabulous flame or birdseye necks!

mmm.. tigerstripe heaven

MrM

 

[zEch1]

Yeah, I will definitely get one of those new Classic Rays one day! As a vintage guy who also loves new things (i know this doesn't make much sense ) it's a holy grail! But it also would have been nice to have a bridge with mutes on my 'Ray-chan'

in the past MM has not sold bridges. if a warranty issue comes up they do a swap, old bridge for new one (old neck for new one etc).

even then, as others pointed out, you'd have to drill n stuff. ive seen folks buy the mute assemblys on ebay etc so you might wanna keep your eye out to see if something pops up used

I guess the main problem with mute assemblys would be that I would need a whole bridge, wich is nearly impossible to find, as far as i've heard.
And even if BP himself has one lying in his office desk and could send it to me (haha! ) I'd still need to drill holes, thats right....hmmm...

Thanks btw. to ALL of you for your advices...and you are right, the pad does it's job quite well for an old cleaning sponge

Mutes... Ed Friedland in the Blues Bass Book recommends doing just exactly what you have done - use foam.

..and even Ed tells me to use a foam pad...but it would have been nice to have such a bridge on 'Ray-chan'

 

[bassmonkeee]

i am surprised nobody have mentioned the new classic series..
they are a nice mix of old and new skool and they also come with fabulous flame or birdseye necks!

mmm.. tigerstripe heaven

MrM

Apart from the second sentence of the 1st post?

I 've made it perfectly clear over the years that I love the BassMute on my fretted Bongo.

With the adhesive, there is no modification on a Stingray 4 required at all. It looks a helluva lot classier than a chunk of foam stuck under the strings. And, it's a heck of a lot more versatile, too.

I don't see how it's any less "real deal" than a chunk of re-purposed cleaning sponge, either, but whatever.

 

[danny-79]

OMG!!! to the OP, just done that !
My dad is a Banjo player, few weeks ago, he cut a piece of foam for his banjo to create the "mute" effect for the practice purpose (i.e can practice rolls etc with out .... offending people with in ear shot,) (in other words to shut the thing up while practicing the three finger roll technique).
While the foam and blades were out i cut a few different sized pieces for my Ray's to experiment with to simulate mutes, different sized pieces to compensate amounts of pressure, (will post pics later) but it is a simple and effective method, (just used a lot of foam getting the cuts right ) it was either a too muffled suffocated sound or with different sized foam (the right sized piece) a nice full thud... (the banjo sounded great !!! very quiet, still think a duster wrapped around the neck when practicing rolls is the best solution for that though )

 

[MrMusashi]

Apart from the second sentence of the 1st post?

oops

cant blame anybody but yours truly there.. hehe

MrM

 

[bassmonkeee]

 

[danny-79]

Bass mutes

Bass mutes in the making " One Size Fits All !! to answer the O.P with out any mods at all apart from the foam that you are cutting from !

Mutes shutting up a Banjo !!!

(Still think this is the best method though )

 

[AnthonyD]

Block of foam is exactly what I reached for a week ago - perfect solution.

There are just a few tunes I play in my Band where I've been thinking mutes would help - with the foam I grab it and slide it in position then pull it out when done.

Easy and supremely effective.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Heh--I'll use a block of foam shoved under the strings around the same time I'll use a piece of duct taped rope for a strap.

 

[zEch1]

I guess it's going to be the foam block then also for me. Just have to get a prettier piece of foam to replace that cleaning sponge

 

[Psycho Ward]

One of my StingRay's has the transitional bridge, I sure would like to get a mute replacement kit. It already has the screws.