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cliff78

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Jun 5, 2006
Messages
92
what are the string mutes made of? the black kinda rubber thing. is it foam? im planning to put one on my musicman bridge. what glue is used?
 

Rod Trussbroken

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Bris Vegas. AUSTRALIA.
what are the string mutes made of? the black kinda rubber thing. is it foam? im planning to put one on my musicman bridge. what glue is used?

It's similar material to that used for computer mouse pads. That's what I use. After cutting to size they can be attached to the metal mute springs with "3M" double-sided tape.
 

Caca de Kick

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Joined
Sep 29, 2006
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Location
South Seattle
Restoring the mute bridge

I find mouse pads to be too rubbery and 'sticky' although they will work fine. My original mutes seemed a little more foam than rubber, and I found my pad material through an automotive source, and it was adhesive-backed exactly like the original stuff. Here's a post I made on another forum about a month ago;

Well I did some spring cleaning on the Rays. The mutes on my '78 Ray were hard crusty lumps, and cumbling off if you just breathed on it wrong.

I had a very small bit of foam material that appeared was exact same as the original mutes, it even had the same adhesive backing. I removed the bridge and removed the spring assembly, and had to use brake parts cleaner to get the crusty old material and adhesive off. I then cut new pads to size, stuck em on, and reassembled. It was also a good chance to clean every nook and cranny on the bridge and body while it was apart. Turned out great....

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bolombo

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Apr 7, 2007
Messages
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Location
EMPIRE STATE
According to EB cust. service, "the material used for the mutes has always been essentially the same as weather stripping material, available at hardware and auto parts stores"
 

T-bone

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Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
1,274
Cliff78,

I have these foam dots we use in our assembly plant for adhearing CD's and DVD's to paper sleeves. I'd be happy to send you some to try out if you like. They certainly look much better than what's pictured, and just might be what you are looking for.

Let me know.....tbone
 

Caca de Kick

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Sep 29, 2006
Messages
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Location
South Seattle
petruccirocks02 said:
What exactly is the purpose of the mutes? I'm just confused on what they're for....

I don't mean to make this sound bad...but are you new to bass? Mutes have been around for decades.

Mutes are to deaden the string, give it more like an upright "thud" and fast decay.
The thing I liked about the Musicman mutes, is you can set how much muting you want by adjusting those thumbscrews; no mute, little mute just to take off the edge, or motown thud.

-Mike
 
Last edited:

Alz®

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Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Messages
266
Location
Cardiff, UK
Fair play, they have around for decades, but you just don't see them anymore. A complete waste of time in the sense that they try and undo sonic benefits associated with round wound strings. Today, I would assume that 99% of basses with string mutes don't actually use them. But hey, I think i'm overstating the obvious.....so I think i'll just shut up and apologise to all of you for reading my continuous drivel.
 

cliff78

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
92
Cliff78,

I have these foam dots we use in our assembly plant for adhearing CD's and DVD's to paper sleeves. I'd be happy to send you some to try out if you like. They certainly look much better than what's pictured, and just might be what you are looking for.

Let me know.....tbone

thanks tbone, i'd love to have that but i live in the philippines(asia). could you mail them to me?
 

cliff78

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
92
It's similar material to that used for computer mouse pads. That's what I use. After cutting to size they can be attached to the metal mute springs with "3M" double-sided tape.

thanks so much for this info rod. this is a great idea. my 78 stingray is almost finished. i'll post some pics soon
 

cliff78

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
92
I find mouse pads to be too rubbery and 'sticky' although they will work fine. My original mutes seemed a little more foam than rubber, and I found my pad material through an automotive source, and it was adhesive-backed exactly like the original stuff. Here's a post I made on another forum about a month ago;

Well I did some spring cleaning on the Rays. The mutes on my '78 Ray were hard crusty lumps, and cumbling off if you just breathed on it wrong.

I had a very small bit of foam material that appeared was exact same as the original mutes, it even had the same adhesive backing. I removed the bridge and removed the spring assembly, and had to use brake parts cleaner to get the crusty old material and adhesive off. I then cut new pads to size, stuck em on, and reassembled. It was also a good chance to clean every nook and cranny on the bridge and body while it was apart. Turned out great....

great pics and info man. i'll be on the look out for this foam in the automotive sections of malls
 

T-bone

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
1,274
Hey Cliff78,

Shoot me your address and I'll see what we can do.

tbone
 

petruccirocks02

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Joined
Oct 22, 2006
Messages
1,923
Location
Levittown, PA
I don't mean to make this sound bad...but are you new to bass? Mutes have been around for decades.

Mutes are to deaden the string, give it more like an upright "thud" and fast decay.
The thing I liked about the Musicman mutes, is you can set how much muting you want by adjusting those thumbscrews; no mute, little mute just to take off the edge, or motown thud.

-Mike

No offense taken, I actually have been messing around with bass for a couple years now, but I just really have gotten into playing full time, before that I played guitar for 8 years. I just never saw mutes before, so I figured I'd just try to get some info on em. Thanks for the reply though, that cleared up the confusion.

-Phil
 
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