Palm muting with chrome bridge guard?

[datru]

I just got a 360, my first Ric. I usually play guitars with a stop tail and tun-o-matic bridge and rest my palm there for easy muting.

Is there a good trick to muting with the chrome cover on or should I just remove it? I have been able to mute, just not with the same amount of control I'm used to.

Thanks for any replies.

[Danotron]

On a 6 string, I always remove the guard and keep it in the case. I find that works best for my style of playing.

[collin]

Is there a good trick to muting with the chrome cover on or should I just remove it?

...just move your hand forward ?

That's what I do, at least....though a screwdriver takes care of the problem in about twenty seconds.

[teb]

I once made the effort to try palm muting with the cover in place - just because it looked nice and I thought it would be nice to keep it on the guitar. Muting ahead of the cover and so far from the bridge saddles just wasn't the same thing. Not enough control and not enough muting options. The experiment only lasted about five minutes before I was totally convinced that with the way I play, the cover had to go. I've never regretted removing it for a second. YMMV

[kiramdear]

The bridge cover doesn't bother me. It looks good and it may have saved me from skinning my knuckles on the saddles a lot. Sometimes it's a pain to get the ball end of the string through, though.

But most important, I do fine just slightly forward of it. I rely on my left hand for most of the muting that I do.

[kennyhowes]

Palm muting with the bridge cover on is better than impaling your hand on a saddle, which I did once or twice before putting the cover back on.

Hair metal made me hate palm muting anyway.

[jps]

Is there a good trick to muting with the chrome cover on or should I just remove it?

...just move your hand forward ?

That's what I do, at least....though a screwdriver takes care of the problem in about twenty seconds.

A screwdriver sure work fast on you, do you take it intravenously!

[datru]

Hair metal made me hate palm muting anyway.

Yes, but there is a lot of muting in surf music too!

I've tried muting forward of it, but find it turns out either very muted or not at all. More likely my technique at fault here, but I'll try removing it an see what happens. With tun-o-matic bridges I can get a good range of mutes.

I've never had an issue with the saddles hurting my hand, is this something I can expect with my 360?

I guess I'll know the answers later when I remove the guard.

[Clint]

I do love the look of the chrome bridge cover. So, every few years I put the cover back on just to see if I can find a way to mute with it in place. Nope, it goes back in the drawer everytime.

[teb]

As to the sharp edges...The bridges may all start out equal, but they don't always end up equal.
http://webpages.charter.net/tbradshaw/M ... ge%20mods/
It makes a BIG difference.

[Clint]

Palm muting with the bridge cover on is better than impaling your hand on a saddle...

I've never found my saddles to be uncomfortably sharp. I think the corners of the chrome cover are sharper than the bridge pieces. I suppose that's why they're held on by a couple of screws, so that everyone can set up their guitar however they want.

[datru]

Took it off - much better! With it on I wasn't able to smoothly go from full mute to nothing and get a full range in-between, now I can - to the best of my ability that is. I don't feel any sharpness from the saddles either. Maybe my palm is less sensitive. (go ahead, post your jokes!)

Too bad though, I do like the way it looks

[scott_s]

When I palm-mute, it's generally right on the saddles for a very subtle effect -- if you go too far forward, you sharpen the pitch and it sounds strangled.

Shame, 'cuz I like the look of the bridge cover. I think most Fenders look better with all the covers and guards in place as well.

- Scott

[paologregorio]

Is there a good trick to muting with the chrome cover on or should I just remove it?

...just move your hand forward ?

That's what I do, at least....though a screwdriver takes care of the problem in about twenty seconds.

ditto; I mute with my hand slightly forward of the bridge cover without any problem. Like Kira, I also do a lot of string muting with my fretting hand.

FYI; if you do find it necessary to remove the cover in order to plam mute on the bridge, I recommend replacing the cover screws in the bridge screw holes after you have removed the cover; it fills the holes so nothing looks like it's missing, and you won't have to look around for the screws (or have to order a new pair from RIC having failed to find them) if you ever decide to replace the cover!

[scott_s]

FYI; if you do find it necessary to remove the cover in order to plam mute on the bridge, I recommend replacing the cover screws in the bridge screw holes after you have removed the cover; it fills the holes so nothing looks like it's missing, and you won't have to look around for the screws (or have to order a new pair from RIC having failed to find them) if you ever decide to replace the cover!

Yep, I do that as well!