Palm muting with chrome bridge guard?

[JakeK]

I always take off the bridge cover. It looks cooler and it's easier to palm mute. Of course, before I sell the Ric, I always put it back on.

[fabandgear]

6 string Ricks-OFF, 12 string Ricks-ON! Yeah, the cover looks really boss, but it does get in the way of my technique (such as it is), especially when I'm attempting some Chet Atkins stuff. The only 6 string Rick I've left the cover on is my 325JL. I don't believe John Lennon did much palm muting on early Beatles stuff (Oh wait! "I Want To Hold Your Hand"!)

[Mike Duncan]

I took mine off my 360/12 years ago - probably thought it would make restringing a little easier and of course the palm muting - and seem to have lost one of the screws! D'oh!

[lennon211]

I took mine off my 360/12 years ago - probably thought it would make restringing a little easier and of course the palm muting - and seem to have lost one of the screws! D'oh!

When I take the covers off, I always put the screws back into the holes and then stow the cover away in the case. It keeps the screws from getting lost.

[Mike Duncan]

That woulda made sense.

[brian_l]

The first thing I have done to ANY Rick is to remove the cover. I also like to palm mute strings and the bridge cover just gets in the way. Some people think the cover looks cool but I think it's just plain useless. The one I took off my prized 360 will NEVER go back on.

[bitzerguy]

I simply taught myself a technique of rolling on to and off of the guard instead of the saddles. Took a couple of days to get the jist, and a lot of practice, but now I am so used to it, that there is no point removing a stock part. Plus I now have a new technique in the toolbox. Over the years I have been consciously attempting to not rely on habitual techniques, but to continue to experiment. Muting with the bridge guard on was simply a new challenge.

[jimk]

I've figured out how to roll my hand over and palm mute with the bridge cover still on my 12er. And I did that because I didn't want to lose either the screws or the cover.
JimK

[JakeK]

All of the bridge covers (and their respective screws!) to my Rics have their own assigned Ziploc bag, should I ever want to sell (which I don't!) down the road, simply pop 'em back on, easy as pie!

[360girl]

I'm on my 2nd 360, and just like the first one I had, I took off the the bridge cover and put it in the case. Not only for palm muting reasons, but because I rest my hand by the bridge, and pick from my wrist (like I did when I was a Gibson Girl). For that style of picking, the bridge cover makes my hand sit too high off of the strings, and I am NOT about to start slinging my arm around, in order to pluck the strings (like many players who don't anchor thier hand at the bridge do). I've always put the screws back in the bridge plate, so I wouldn't lose them. Also, it keeps crud from getting into the screw holes.

[trosse]

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

I believe Leo Fender invented the "ashtray" for the Telecaster as part of the screening/grounding the guitar. This way of designing it clearly showed that Leo never was a guitar player but a radio engineer and yacht designer.

Muting is an intregrated part of almost all guitar playing styles - completely impossible to do with bridge guards and ashtrays and other chromy creatures like that screwed or clicked on

[bitzerguy]

- completely impossible to do with bridge guards and ashtrays and other chromy creatures like that screwed or clicked on

I could not disagree more. I have no problem palm muting with the stock Rickenbacker bridge cover on. It is most definitely possible. It is a different technique than an uncovered bridge, but it is absolutely possible.

[Grey]

Yeah I palm mute just fine with it on, and use the technique with some degree of regularity. I take it off when I change strings because its easier.

[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.

Yep. I move my hand forward; works great for palm-muting, and slightly changes the tone of the mutes string, giving you a more unique sound.

I have had to remove a couple of the covers, but not for palm muting reasons; I use an E-Bow intermittently with my picking, so I turn the E-Bow towards the back of the guitar and hold it with my little finger; with the cover on, the E-Bow is too prone to hitting the cover, so I removed the cover on my 12 string, and on "Big Red."

FYI; if you do remove the cover, replace the cover screws in the holes in the bridge; it looks better aestheitically b/c if fills in the holes, and you won't lose the screws! I do not advise putting the screws in the case with the cover, even in sealed bag, b/c the screws are small and can get lost, or else the threads will wear a hole through the bag eventually and fall out.

[jdawe]

I took the cover off my 430 bridge years ago and at some point lost the screws, and when I bought a used 620 a few months ago it was missing the cover entirely. I was recently down at POTR and picked up a cover for the 620 and new screws for the 430 so that I would have them available if I ever wanted to sell the guitars. Although I wasn't planning on keeping them on I found that I adjusted very quickly to palm muting just ahead of the bridge rather than direcly on the bridge, and at this point think I will leave them on.