Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby des mcneill » Thu Dec 27, 2012 5:21 am

I played a Burns Artist bass around1961-63 and it and everything else I saw around that time came automatically with flatwound strings. I later changed to a Precision and it also had flatwoulds. I stopped playing for quite a while by which time roundwounds were the norm and my local music shop didn't stock flatwounds. For me roundwounds were virtually unusable on my '63 Precision,I usually play with a pick - when new they could out-twang Duane Eddy. A damper definitly helped and the problems lessened when the strings got older, - I have always maintained the "ashtrays" but am now back on flatwounds and find it less critical whether I use a damper or not. There is no question in my mind that some of the early Jet material used the damper but it may have been removed at times, - indeed for some numbers I install it and for others remove it, - I did the same with the Artist even though I was not aware the Precision had a damper.
An encourageing note is that my local shop now stocks flatwounds and I have managed to persuade a few people to use them !

Des.
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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby Iain Purdon » Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:04 am

Thomastik Infeld Jazz strings on a P-bass is my recipe. Not the cheapest but great sound, very easy on the fingers and (see Rostill & Jamerson) no need to change them :)
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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby cockroach » Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:26 pm

JImN

Surely the black nylon coated bass and guitar strings were around earlier? Didn't the Burns basses come with these as OE from about 1963 on?

Don,

the Ernie Ball flatwound bass set I have is Group II (2)- 50-70-85-105. Haven't tried them yet however. I would have preferred LaBella flats, like those which my wife still has on her Fender Precision Lyte after about 15 years! I tried to talk her into letting me remove them so that I could put them on my Yamaha bass - but she said NO! Flatwounds are also easier to play for female bass players...and they can still keep their long polished nails!
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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby MMStingray54 » Fri Dec 28, 2012 5:11 pm

Iain_P wrote:Thomastik Infeld Jazz strings on a P-bass is my recipe. Not the cheapest but great sound, very easy on the fingers and (see Rostill & Jamerson) no need to change them :)


Good choice Iain - I believe these to be the Rolls Royce of flatwound bass guitar strings - OE on the Fender CS Pino Palladino signature Precision (which is in.....Fiesta Red - and only circa £3000 :o - one Fender I would love to have)

John - although LaBella flatwound bass strings may have been around in the 60s/70s, you should find the EB flatwounds do the job - I have them on my fretless bass and they're been excellent - I don't expect to be changing them for years to come!!
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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby Jay Bass » Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:45 pm

Heres A interting tip from carol kaye's web site

Yes, Fender had that in their tailpieces but it wasn't adequate. The mute thing is so tricky, too much and you have that "plunk" sound that you don't want, you want the strings to ring. And they couldn't ever get it so that every string was muted about the same -- just wasn't that useful. I loved that tailpiece tho', it held the piece of doubled-up felt just great if you stuck a pick or two in between the tailpiece and the body, using them as shims to it kept the tailpiece up to let the strings ring but the felt sat on top of the strings just right. I just use some masking tape and tape the felt on top of the strings right next to the bridges, and that works just fine (altho' it might not look that great, sure gets a lot of questions and others have followed suit who use a pick). It has to be *on top* of the strings when using a pick. For finger players, it has to be *underneath* the strings and NOT felt, has to be foam rubber. The foam doesn't work that well for the pick sounds, just a nice piece of doubled-up felt (buy it cheap at any sewing center, even at Target, etc.). This is so critical to get a good clarified sound that will project through from either a combo or a big band. Works every time, and is a critical necessity also for recording. I believe that bassists have over-bought all kinds of gear trying to define their sounds when all it takes is a mute (the accessory gear manufacturers will hate me).

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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby Iain Purdon » Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:27 am

Interesting indeed. Thanks Jay as always.

I reckon side of right hand over the bridge while picking gives a pretty good effect.
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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby cockroach » Wed Jan 02, 2013 11:57 am

Jay

You just have to be careful when buying the material!

My wife's sister-in-law once embarrassed herself and gave the staff of a shop hysterics when she asked a shop assistant...'excuse me, where can I get felt?' :lol:
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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby MMStingray54 » Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:29 pm

Iain_P wrote:I reckon side of right hand over the bridge while picking gives a pretty good effect.


I agree - this technique gives a great effect.

Carole Kaye looks in the photo to have the assistance of a leopard skin sleeve as well as the bridge arrangement providing damping :) I think I'll pass on that one, however!!

May enquire about getting felt though, as you say :oops:
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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby shadows_guitarist » Thu Dec 12, 2013 5:46 pm

Apparently Jet used foam in his last years as well but thucked under the strings (large image so decided to give URL instead)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pQhiwKA3GMU/TYPk7b00IhI/AAAAAAAABEs/xCZUAt4aK6k/s1600/R.I.P%2BJet.jpg
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Re: Precision Bridge - Foam Dampening

Postby abstamaria » Sun Apr 27, 2014 12:05 am

I had some friends over a few months ago to jam. Two were bass guitarists from the 60s and took turns with a 60th Anniversary PBass (a "modern" instrument). They were quite surprised by how good the sound was after we inserted foam beneath the strings. I had been experimenting with the right density and taper of foam. They loved the sound.

We ordered a master built PBass to 1959 specification last year and had almost forgotten about this. I received an email from the dealer the other day asking whether the dampener should be installed, as the guitar was finished. (He also asked whether the covers should be installed.) I said "yes" to the dampener and the covers and am now curious how it will sound. I'll let you know.

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