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chuckduffy
Well-known member
I've seen a few people write about 'dampening' with foam or something else for an old school pop/r&b sound. Can anyone give me some ideas or pointers? Thanks
bassbrad
New member
On old school P & J basses there was a piece of black fairly dense rubber foam on the inside of the bridge cover, the idea was to soften attack and cause a faster decay to simulate the sound of an upright bass and the strings were fairly dead flat wound strings compared to contemporary sets (even those claiming vintage specs). Rickenbacker, Ovation and early Music Man basses also had rubber foam or felt mutes that came from under the strings and were adjustable. As those bridge covers were removed and lost; string and electronic technology changed the overall sound of the electric bass has become more bright. With the resurrection of those classic tones we have to keep those mechanical and electrical issues in mind.
There are a lot of solutions from replacing or recreating those old school hardware devices and strings to using foam mutes of various sorts. Many of the old greats are reported to use a small piece of dampened sponge rubber under the strings, felt mutes, rubber tubing, even masking tape. There is also an interest in flat wound strings as well as tape wound strings.
I have several sets of mutes that I have fabricated over the years using all the above ideas from pieces of felt, foam rubber but my favorites and most successful with producer engineers were made from an old thick rubber mouse pad. I recently needed to whip up a quick solution and used a bit of pool noodle with really satisfying results.
If you absolutely positively must have the authentic tone then you gotta go as old school as possible, there is no substitute for some of those elements. I have a franken P set up old school style with rubber foam mutes and an ancient set of Rotosound TruBass tape wound strings, very thumpy and round.
There are a lot of solutions from replacing or recreating those old school hardware devices and strings to using foam mutes of various sorts. Many of the old greats are reported to use a small piece of dampened sponge rubber under the strings, felt mutes, rubber tubing, even masking tape. There is also an interest in flat wound strings as well as tape wound strings.
I have several sets of mutes that I have fabricated over the years using all the above ideas from pieces of felt, foam rubber but my favorites and most successful with producer engineers were made from an old thick rubber mouse pad. I recently needed to whip up a quick solution and used a bit of pool noodle with really satisfying results.
If you absolutely positively must have the authentic tone then you gotta go as old school as possible, there is no substitute for some of those elements. I have a franken P set up old school style with rubber foam mutes and an ancient set of Rotosound TruBass tape wound strings, very thumpy and round.
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notCardio
I walk the line
I agree with everything bassbrad just said, except that I would leave tapewounds for last while looking for your sound. I'd start off with regular flatwounds first. And the dirtier they get, the better they are (within reason). It, of course, depends on the exact sound your looking for. To me, tapewounds, while still dull sounding, have a brighter attack. Tapewounds with a pick gives you the classic late 50's through early 70's country sound, where you get a 'click' followed by rapid decay. Not that tapewounds didn't get used in pop and some soul, but like I said, it depends on the sound your looking for.
I remember in the '70s when we all wanted a bright sound, everybody with an old bass pretty much threw away all that foam rubber and felt stuff. What were we thinkin'?
I remember in the '70s when we all wanted a bright sound, everybody with an old bass pretty much threw away all that foam rubber and felt stuff. What were we thinkin'?
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
Guys - I really appreciate your replies! I'm slowly putting together bits and pieces of the puzzle. I have two basses - an early 90s J-bass and P-bass. Both were in bad state of repair. I recently had my J-Bass repaired, intonated, truss rod adjusted, nut replaced and strung with flat wounds. I'm thinking I picked the wrong bass to repair first as it has active pickups and the only tone that is remotely close to what I want is with the tone controls set at absolute neutral and 100% neck pickup. I think I will have the P-Bass repaired and set up this week. I really like the sound and style of Maccas bass on the white album for example - big, fat, round, not too bright and the parts kinda seem to me like a horn player thinks if that makes any sense. From what I understand a lot of those parts were played on a P-bass. The last mile for me is going to be my absolute shit playing. I'm not a bass player - I am a basement studio guy who plays a little bit of everything - enough to write and record tunes.
It's interesting that you mentioned classic country - as I am a huge fan of that bass sound too. I did a lot of reading about doubling parts on a 'tic-toc' bass or whatever it is called and tried that with good success to get a really nice attack with the round sound that pops on earbuds and really comes to life on speakers.
Anyway - the pool noodle idea sounds cool and brought to mind something I actually have on hand to try - foam pipe wrap that is just about the same density. Thanks again for the help and suggestions!!!
It's interesting that you mentioned classic country - as I am a huge fan of that bass sound too. I did a lot of reading about doubling parts on a 'tic-toc' bass or whatever it is called and tried that with good success to get a really nice attack with the round sound that pops on earbuds and really comes to life on speakers.
Anyway - the pool noodle idea sounds cool and brought to mind something I actually have on hand to try - foam pipe wrap that is just about the same density. Thanks again for the help and suggestions!!!
bassbrad
New member
As far as McCartney's tone goes Fender was never his choice, Harrison and Lennon and some of the session players for sure - but not Macca. That was a period of transition at Abbey Road and recording from mic'ing small bass amps to using early DI boxes.
The P-bass is much more traditional for classic R&B and blues but there were certainly players using Jazz basses as well. I went with tape wounds because I prefer the feel and look over flats, ymmv.
The Pool Noodle was a panic quick fix, we were on a deadline and "that thrum tone" bass was more than an hour each way distant and we were on a deadline. It worked great to deaden a fairly brite bass with new strings.
The P-bass is much more traditional for classic R&B and blues but there were certainly players using Jazz basses as well. I went with tape wounds because I prefer the feel and look over flats, ymmv.
The Pool Noodle was a panic quick fix, we were on a deadline and "that thrum tone" bass was more than an hour each way distant and we were on a deadline. It worked great to deaden a fairly brite bass with new strings.
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
Huh - I had it wrong anyway - Maccas was a jazz bass given to him by fender. I forget which book I was reading (maybe The Beatles as Musicians ), but he played it on about 5 white album tracks. I guess he played a ric alot too? I dunno. Thanks for all the great info though!
witzendoz
Senior Member
Back in the 70's my P bass had a piece of foam between the strings and the body of the bass, placed right down near the bridge. I also had plastic (black) wrapped strings (flat wounds) you can still buy them, thy are the picato 777 . It was played through a 150 watt valve head and 2 x (2 x 15" Celestion) cabs. This sounded very 70's, Oh! Wait! it was the 70's LOL.
I would not dream of this now as I need a full on open sound with top end, that same bass (yes I still play it) has no dampening, and is fitted with Elixer 14052, but it depends what you want from the sound.
Alan
I would not dream of this now as I need a full on open sound with top end, that same bass (yes I still play it) has no dampening, and is fitted with Elixer 14052, but it depends what you want from the sound.
Alan
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notCardio
I walk the line
I consider the sound of White Album era bass to be a 4001 with flatwounds.
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chuckduffy
Well-known member
Thanks for the model number. I punched that in google and it let to some interesting stuff. Thanks again!
rayc
retroreprobate
I have a huge semi acoustic bass, (early to mid 70's Emperador - good japanese knock off), that has a bridge cover & came with foam under that cover to damp the strings.
I took the foam out pretty early on as I was struggling to be heard in a band of everyone louder than everyone else aesthetics.
After I moved on I reinstated the foam as I was chasing tone and was in a band in which I could actually hear the bass. I still have the bass, new foam & a fairly new set of fender flat wound strings. The foam isheld aginst the strings by the cover which can be slightly raised & lowered by a screw to add more or less pressure & increase/decrease the effect.
I've emplyed foam & masking tape on my electric guitar in the past for a similar effect.
It sounds great (big too).
I have a solid body bass with round wound strings as an alternative where & when appropriate.
I took the foam out pretty early on as I was struggling to be heard in a band of everyone louder than everyone else aesthetics.
After I moved on I reinstated the foam as I was chasing tone and was in a band in which I could actually hear the bass. I still have the bass, new foam & a fairly new set of fender flat wound strings. The foam isheld aginst the strings by the cover which can be slightly raised & lowered by a screw to add more or less pressure & increase/decrease the effect.
I've emplyed foam & masking tape on my electric guitar in the past for a similar effect.
It sounds great (big too).
I have a solid body bass with round wound strings as an alternative where & when appropriate.