Bridge Foam and Neck Wraps

@Anderson

I never liked the look of the additional chrome covers over the bridge.
I believe there are still manufacturers using the chrome bridge covers but I do not know if they include foam in them.

@terb

What on earth is the rubber band for? :laughing:

itā€™s more like a very hard foam actually

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It could be that the foam hardened over time as solvents it contained evaporated. You could just replace it with a new piece :slightly_smiling_face:

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Correct, the foam hardens over time.
There is a lengthy post on talkbass about the original foam in the P bass ashtray.
Net/net, it is simple weatherstripping.
I use 3/4" wide, 7/16" tall for my '61 relic P bass ashtray, from Home Depot, Frost King is brand but honestly doesnt matter.
I have also tried foam paint brushes cut to fit, pieces of microfiber sponges from auto parts stores for washing cars.

They all work. Pick one you like the tone of. tape on top letā€™s you ā€˜adjustā€™ how much dampening, underneath is neater looking but you are reliant on height of foam.

Some folks cut slits for the strings to dampen further.
They all work great and are all CHEAP. My zillion foot roll of weatherstripping will last me a lifetime.

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yeah thatā€™s a good point ! it would be easy.

that said, I donā€™t use this bass for music where a foam would be suitable, so itā€™s not that much important. I just removed the cover and thatā€™s it :slight_smile:

also if one day I want a foam on the Grabber, I will just use the block I use with Greenie, no problem at all.

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@Celticstar, I will use foam under the strings at the bridge to give me a bit of a deeper/mellow tone that I like when playing many of my Motown songs. I have not used what is being sold as a ā€œneck wrapā€, but have used everything from hair scrunchies to simple scarfs wrapped around the strings at the nut in an effort to help mute some string noise that I might get when recording certain songs that I might want to use open strings on while playing a little further up the neckā€¦ I donā€™t use the technique when I play either of my bassā€™s that are strung with half rounds since the harmonics are less noticeable - however, if I have a country or a rockinā€™ kick ass song that Iā€™m playing and using one of my bassā€™s with round wounds and there happens to be a spot where I really want some clean tones on open strings (when Iā€™m playing high), I will usually wrap a scarf around the neckā€¦ Hell, maybe it donā€™t do shit at all, but at least it looks kinda coolā€¦:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Keep on Thumpinā€™!
Lanny

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@Lanny

Me too. Thank you for your input.

This just made my day.
Sorta like putting streamers on bicycle handlebars :rofl:

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+1 to all of this.

I have 3 different pieces of foam (thickness and density) and a piece of piano dampening cloth that are in my gig bag. Depending on the gig / song / session Iā€™ll mess with shoving different combinations of things under the strings by the bridge.
Not pretty, but sounds great.

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also thatā€™s pretty grunge.

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Tony Levin once used a diaper @ the bridge

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Peter Gabriel - In your eyes-

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Ha!
Iā€™ll put on my flannel and Dr Martens and take a photo with my ratty foamy bridgeā€¦

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looking forward to the photo, @Gio
:metal::grin:

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Oh man. I miss my Docs. Eventually quit buying them though because the soles always wore out fast.

Switched to Fluevogs years ago and never turned back. Have over 30 pair (yes, I have issues)

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Once they are broken in, US Army jungle boots are actually really, really good. And the black ones even look good.

Super cheap too if you get them surplus.

Fluevogs really do look good too though! But not cheap :slight_smile:

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I buy paratrooper or Army boots. They last a pretty long time.

Iā€™ve owned many pairs. Both standard and jungle. Really like the black jungle boots actually; light, comfy and last forever. You can run in them (I have, many kilometers). Some of the best boots you can buy IMO.

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Iā€™m well aware of this @howard they even shouted and screamed at me all the way whilst I wore them. Happy happy military days :slight_smile:

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