Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB)

Go Back   Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB) > Double Basses > Amps, etc. [DB]

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 07-06-2007, 11:39 AM
Jasper Bos Jasper Bos is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 07-06-2007
Location: Amsterdam
Posts: 3
Jasper Bos is on a distinguished road
Default practice mute and silent practice

Hi,

I would like to start up a thread on how to practice without rattling your neighbours teeth. I read on the internet various options for rubber practice mutes etc, but was wondering what everybody here uses.

I will start myself, if i practice with the bow later at nigth (say after 9 pm) i won't use my regular upright, but switch to electric upright instead. However, this is inconvenient, since my regular upright speaks much faster with the bow. For palying pizzicato, i just put a pillow or two under my endpin and play very soft.

cheers,

Jasper
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-23-2008, 10:54 AM
Martin Byrne Martin Byrne is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 05-21-2008
Location: Liverpool, England
Posts: 4
Martin Byrne is on a distinguished road
Default

I have an old handmade Brass mute that my Luthier had in the back of his shop. As far as we know, its made from an old world war 1 shell casing and has to be seen and heard to be believed. it looks like a knuckle duster with extra bits on and because of its weight, it really shuts the bass down when placed on the bridge.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-10-2008, 04:59 PM
Ray C. Parrish's Avatar
Ray C. Parrish Ray C. Parrish is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 07-20-2008
Location: Tucson, Az. USA
Posts: 3
Ray C. Parrish is on a distinguished road
Default Might not be enough....

This might not be enough but when I was playing in orchestra's as a kid, sitting up late night practicing, I would just put a big block of foam up under the strings against the bridge.

Last edited by Ray C. Parrish; 08-10-2008 at 04:59 PM. Reason: missed a comma LOL
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-11-2008, 01:44 PM
Eric Swanson's Avatar
Eric Swanson Eric Swanson is offline
Senior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 11-12-2007
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 199
Eric Swanson is on a distinguished road
Default

When I was in school I used to have a small diameter (about 2" dia x 3/4" thick), very heavy steel disc with a slot machined into it. Sort of a small, circular "C" clamp, similar to some that machinists use for setup, but heavier and made just to be a bass mute.

One side of the slot was padded with cork, and there was a padded thumbscrew, tapped into the circular body, that tightened against the bridge. The whole thing was essentially a small, very heavy clamp that didn't vibrate.

Looked sort of like the old Pac Man character from the 80's. The bridge top went into the slot, you tightened the thumbscrew, presto, nearly silent bass. Black anodized, knurled thumbscrew...nicely made.

I gave it away in a fit of generosity and have never found another one. Oh well. If anyone sees one of these, buy it.

I can't even remember where I bought it. Now I use the "Ultra" practice mute, which is not so good, compared to my old mute; the "Ultra" vibrates loose, doesn't mute that well, but is, of course, better than nothing.
__________________

Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-13-2008, 10:19 AM
Nick Skelton Nick Skelton is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 08-12-2008
Location: Houston / Jakarta
Posts: 8
Nick Skelton is on a distinguished road
Default Practise mute.

In my small appartment here(Jakarta) I set about getting a practise rig as last year my chops, as meagre as they were all but disappeared without a bass. Firstly I chose an appartment with the room to bee used on the corner of the building (no shared walls). Next went out and purchased a small piece of foam backed carpet as an offcut. Folded this in four. (four layers thick). Bass endpin sits on that. Brought an ultra mute back with me from US and a Coda Grunberger carbon fiber bow. Lastly set off to get a bass. I had already scoped out that the cost of a plywood bass here would be less than the airline shipping fee, and in the end dragged home a Chinese plywood bass for the princely sum of $400-00. Don't know the make but it was way better than the Cremona that stood next to it in the rack, and played quite well. Pretty much the same quality as the european Lisle bass I started off on. Serviceable tuners and a surprisingly good bag. It has no adjusters though. The shop (the only stockist of basses in town that anyone could direct me to) also sold sporting goods (good selection of golf clubs and treadmills), and high dollar Gibson guitars.
The end result has been that the sound in the room has been pretty good, with no complaints from the neighbours or the building magement. I don't fancy my chances with arco at fff, but for everything else it is serviceable.
I realise that the selection of an appartment is impractical for most, but I feel the folded up carpet, with both the damping and the mass, prevents transmission of some of the bass frequency energy through the floor.
The bass when fitted with a pick up would be great for the high volme blues gigs I used to do back in the USA.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-14-2008, 01:24 PM
carlopetro carlopetro is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 10-17-2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 6
carlopetro is on a distinguished road
Default Pics

Can any of you guys post some pics of these mutes?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 07-09-2012, 04:37 AM
Bryan Leinwand Bryan Leinwand is offline
Junior Posting Member
 
Join Date: 02-27-2012
Location: Amsterdam
Posts: 11
Bryan Leinwand is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Swanson View Post
When I was in school I used to have a small diameter (about 2" dia x 3/4" thick), very heavy steel disc with a slot machined into it. Sort of a small, circular "C" clamp, similar to some that machinists use for setup, but heavier and made just to be a bass mute.

One side of the slot was padded with cork, and there was a padded thumbscrew, tapped into the circular body, that tightened against the bridge. The whole thing was essentially a small, very heavy clamp that didn't vibrate.

Looked sort of like the old Pac Man character from the 80's. The bridge top went into the slot, you tightened the thumbscrew, presto, nearly silent bass. Black anodized, knurled thumbscrew...nicely made.

I gave it away in a fit of generosity and have never found another one. Oh well. If anyone sees one of these, buy it.

I can't even remember where I bought it. Now I use the "Ultra" practice mute, which is not so good, compared to my old mute; the "Ultra" vibrates loose, doesn't mute that well, but is, of course, better than nothing.

I have that exact mute. I bought it from Fantoni in N.Y. in the late 70's.
I'll dig it out and post a picture when I get a chance.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 07-09-2012, 04:49 AM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Thumbs up Fantoni?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryan Leinwand View Post
I have that exact mute. I bought it from Fantoni in N.Y. in the late 70's.
I'll dig it out and post a picture when I get a chance.
Fantoni was my Mentor. I think I have one of them too. It's circular, black coloured steel with a round headed screw with a white plastic tip that touches the bridge on one side and the steel of the open jaw on the other. Weighs close to a pound by feel as I've never really weighed it. Maybe I will.

That practice mute cuts at least half the volume off of the bass. One of my basses though was so powerful that from the basement where I practice (when I have a bass at home) woke up my wife two floors up in the bedroom on the other side of the house. Still, the other basses I have had home were on the dead-silent side with this mute on.

So did you go to Fantoni's at 130 w.42nd or his last address at 140 w. 42nd, the next building over where Biase is now?
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:33 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 2007 - Ken Smith Basses, LTD. (All Rights Reserved)