PUTTING THE SCREWS...

[jingle_jangle]

...to the mute...

A customer who plays a lot of shows and does lots of recording, too, sent me two of his 4003s to recondition and set up. They both got a real going over: stripped to bare carcasses, all fasteners replaced with stainless or new, corroded parts replaced with new, full setups, bodies buffed and waxed, electronics checked, solder joints touched up, frets leveled and polished etc.

He's had a problem on stage with the mute engagement knobs. Be cause he perspires heavily, the factory screws had corroded to the point where he had to use a pliers to raise and lower the mutes on stage--not an ideal situation. Additionally, on one bass, he turned the screws too far one evening and the mute dropped into the body cavity, and had to be retrieved and refastened--a hassle for him.

Here's my solution to his problem--a pair of stainless steel thumbscrews, backed with nylatron washers. Nylatron is graphite-impregnated nylon, so it's self-lubricating.

After securing the mute, I added some super glue to the thread ends so it would be impossible to unscrew the mutes all the way without real effort--a reminder that the screw was approaching the end of its travel. Now, even with sweaty hands, a couple of quick turns of each thumbscrew, and he's set for the next number.

[johnhall]

So . . . that makes, what . . . four guys in the world that actually use the mute?

[cassius987]

Good thinking Paul. I once went the other way with it by replacing the knurled bolts with standard domed machine bolts, because I wanted a little more open room for the side of my hand near the tailpiece (so I could palm mute freely). Nowadays I just use the standard knurled part, however, my logic at the time was that I don't engage the mute mid-song or even between songs usually. That's still how I feel about it mostly.

By the way, I bought a vintage tailpiece once, and someone else had used your superglue trick at the end of the threads. It's very effective.

I'm curious how many players who use the mute use it as dynamically as Paul's customer or just set it and forget it a certain way based on the gig, which is more my approach.

@JH: I use mine a lot! It's pretty handy and palm muting sounds totally different, so one can't replace the other. And EBMM has brought their mute assembly back for the Stingray Classic, so apparently it's getting more popular among players.

[YZZ]

So . . . that makes, what . . . four guys in the world that actually use the mute?

Haha!
It's funny because it's true..

[johnhall]

Paul McCartney's currently has hex-socket pan head machine screws, which he adjusts with a hex key.

[ken_j]

So . . . that makes, what . . . four guys in the world that actually use the mute?

Then why continue production with it?

[jingle_jangle]

So . . . that makes, what . . . four guys in the world that actually use the mute?

And I was sooo proud...

But, actually, I had the same odd feeling that it's the first time in 5+ years that anyone has mentioned this problem...

[jingle_jangle]

Paul McCartney's currently has hex-socket pan head machine screws, which he adjusts with a hex key.

Now, THAT's convenient. But I suppose he's got some guy named Allen Key under contract.

[johnhall]

So . . . that makes, what . . . four guys in the world that actually use the mute?

Then why continue production with it?

I wish we could eliminate it and put something else in there; a quad pickup would be cool, for instance. But our customers just wouldn't have it, like Rick-O-Sound. If we change anything, everyone goes nuts. That's why we build new models, like the 4004, instead, so we can make updates that should be done.

[Tarrbot]

So . . . that makes, what . . . four guys in the world that actually use the mute?

Then why continue production with it?

I wish we could eliminate it and put something else in there; a quad pickup would be cool, for instance. But our customers just wouldn't have it, like Rick-O-Sound. If we change anything, everyone goes nuts. That's why we build new models, like the 4004, instead, so we can make updates that should be done.

Any thoughts to making a change like that on a 4003 and releasing it as a different version, like a 4003QPU (Quad Pickup)? Or doing a funky one-off and seeing what happens on the ebay outlet?

[cassius987]

If that's really how you feel, why not offer a "modern 4003" in addition to the current one? Probably just an S with other new features. I think the problem is a lot of players out there talk about wanting a 4003 with updated features, not a whole 'nother model entirely. Case in point: a lot of people would like to see a 5-string 4003 happen again, not a 5-string 400X that won't gain as much traction in the market. People are very attached to the look if not all of the features, for good or ill.

If the mute were eliminated from the tailpiece, it would be a bit of a loss for someone like me who uses it, but then again retrofitting wouldn't be too hard--and basses made before the elimination of the mute would go up in value. In addition, I know there are tons of people who talk about wanting a conventional tailpiece on a 4003, similar to what's done with the 4004.

I really don't know about putting a pickup in the existing cavity though, it would sound incredibly nasal and thin. Not sure what a "quad pickup" is however.

[coolhandjjl]

Wasn't Dane attempting something like that, but with a slimmer knurl, with the knurl being the full length of what sits on top of the tailpiece while not really sticking up any higher than the present hardware.

[kennyhowes]

So . . . that makes, what . . . four guys in the world that actually use the mute?

And I was sooo proud...

But, actually, I had the same odd feeling that it's the first time in 5+ years that anyone has mentioned this problem...

For the few times I play bass per year, I would use the mute a bit more often, but it is indeed hard to raise/lower it on the fly. I may try the PW approach and see how that goes.

[Johntheson]

I, like Cassius, use my mute too. One thing I like about the Ric mute, much better than the foam rubber type mute I use under the strings on my other basses, is that I have a different kind of control over the Ric mute. Even though I can cut, and shape the foam rubber mutes on the other basses; they still have to contact the strings to secure it. With the Ric system, I can actually have the mutes just shy of contacting the strings, yet the ellitical movement of the strings when plucked, still causes the strings to come in contact with the mute during vibration and thereby causing a different sounding type of mute.

[jingle_jangle]

So . . . that makes, what . . . four guys in the world that actually use the mute?

And I was sooo proud...

But, actually, I had the same odd feeling that it's the first time in 5+ years that anyone has mentioned this problem...

For the few times I play bass per year, I would use the mute a bit more often, but it is indeed hard to raise/lower it on the fly. I may try the PW approach and see how that goes.

PM me and I'll send you the parts, KH.