Ernie Ball getting into the string mute game

[PinkMohawk]

Just seen this on an EB rundown of their new accessories offerings at NAMM. Could be an interesting option for those of us finding that none of the current mute options on the market are quite what we're looking for. No videos of them in use yet, as far as I can see on Youtube. 

[PinkMohawk]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNq5MGoyzbe

 

Not sure if anyone is paying much attention to this, but I noticed that these have gone up for pre-order on Long & McQuade, a Canadian retailer I believe, with an 'in stock' date of 30th November. Whether that'll carry over to the UK, I'm not sure. Managed to find an Instagram video of a guy who's got hold of one, no clue what his setup is apart from it being an MM style bass, but it's definitely an aggressively muted sound he's getting from it. 

Edited September 16 by PinkMohawk

[LeftyJ]

Interesting, I'm curious about this! Doesn't look very practical, in that it needs to be woven in, alternating over and under the strings so it's not something you place onto your bass on the fly like say a Nordymute. But it does look like a nice and simple concept that shouldn't be too expensive. Long & McQuade lists it for 7.99 Canadian dollars! And there's a guitar version too, that comes in a set of 3 (in 3 different widths for varying degrees of muting) for 7.99 as well. Not sure why the bass version costs the same as a set of 3 guitar mutes though. 

[fretmeister]

The Nordy mute is definitely the fastest on/off option but it is so expensive for a stick with some foam on it. And the foam is very hard and mutes massively.

 

A triangular shaped foam would allow the muting amount to be altered just but pushing it on more or easing it off - ideally with a softer foam...

 

That and the stupid price made me make my own ones. Plastic Ice Lolly stick. About £5 for 20 of them:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XY9JF3V?th=1

 

and then some adhesive backed foam tape:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VJXPD4B?th=1

 

(Just an example, you can get it a lot cheaper than that, for shorter amounts)

 

And you can make a bunch of them for various basses. Stick the foam to the lolly stick and then use a sharp knife to cut the slots to fit your instrument.

Can even shape the foam for more and less muting with just a pair of scissors. Cut the lolly stick down to size to remove the excess length.

 

I made enough for all my basses for about a quarter of the cost of a single Nordy one.

[LeftyJ]

Agreed, the price of a Nordymute is just silly for what it is. And still I bought two 

I've got one with 19mm spacing and one with 17mm spacing. I agree a triangular shape would have been massively better! I put mine on at an angle for that reason, but then it's not very firmly attached. They're a ton of fun though! 

[PinkMohawk]

 

It's now available in the UK, and from the demo's I've seen, it does an excellent job of muting without muting too much. That, and it's less than a tenner, so it's much better priced than the Nordymute. 

[Reggaebass]

20 minutes ago, PinkMohawk said:

 

It's now available in the UK, and from the demo's I've seen, it does an excellent job of muting without muting too much. That, and it's less than a tenner, so it's much better priced than the Nordymute. 

It looks good, I do like the muted sound especially on my P basses, unless I’m not seeing something, how does it mute the G string if it goes under it 

[PinkMohawk]

2 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

It looks good, I do like the muted sound especially on my P basses, unless I’m not seeing something, how does it mute the G string if it goes under it 

As far as I can tell, it's just making light contact with the G, I'm ordering one now so I'll report in later when I get it. 

[chris_b]

My piece of foam has been working well for pennies for about 10 years. I'm not sure I'd want to spend £££'s on something that does the same job.

[Reggaebass]

Of all the various mutes and devices I’ve got I usually resort to my trusty foam, but it’s good fun to try these things 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

I saw this listed on the Peach guitars website yesterday when I was ordering something else, I hadn't heard of it before but the demo sounded good and it looks practical, so I added one to my order. I'll have a play with it when it gets here.

[PinkMohawk]

9 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

I saw this listed on the Peach guitars website yesterday when I was ordering something else, I hadn't heard of it before but the demo sounded good and it looks practical, so I added one to my order. I'll have a play with it when it gets here.

I got an email saying that they're still waiting for them to arrive, though it should be in the next few days. Didn't buy from the same place as you though, so we'll see whose shows up first. 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Mine was dispatched via 2nd class post the same day I ordered, so it could be with me later today or sometime next week.

[dave_bass5]

Based on this thread and me not really needing one, I ordered one from Amazon last night 😅.  I play mostly with a pick and have good palm muting, but occasionally I do play finger style and like the thud a muted string gets. 

[Reggaebass]

I’ve ordered one too, should be with me in a few days 

[Obra]

I love muting a bass sound, so I bought myself one of the new Ernie Ball Noodle Mute.
Here is a sound test I made just now, comparing it with the non muted sound, as muted with other muters...

 

 

[PinkMohawk]

8 minutes ago, Obra said:

I love muting a bass sound, so I bought myself one of the new Ernie Ball Noodle Mute.
Here is a sound test I made just now, comparing it with the non muted sound, as muted with other muters...

 

 

Very nice, did you notice any issues with tuning or anything like that once the mute noodle was on?

[Obra]

4 minutes ago, PinkMohawk said:

Very nice, did you notice any issues with tuning or anything like that once the mute noodle was on?

 

Like with any other mute, you need to check the tune. Even the sponge under the strings slightly changes a tune. Nothing that a regular tuner can't fix in a second.

[Reggaebass]

Just arrived, shall report back later 😁

[dave_bass5]

Got mine a few hours ago. Had a quick play on my P bass (with and without pick). I like the thud im getting. It seems to work exactly as I was hoping. 

A mate asked me if it works on a 5 string, and it does. 

It's a bit fiddlly to get on and off for individual songs though. Guess it will get easier with practice. 

[Reggaebass]

15 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

Got mine a few hours ago. Had a quick play on my P bass (with and without pick). I like the thud im getting. It seems to work exactly as I was hoping. 

A mate asked me if it works on a 5 string, and it does. 

It's a bit fiddlly to get on and off for individual songs though. Guess it will get easier with practice. 

I’ve just given it a try with a P bass too, i like the amount that it dampens, it’s not too much, seems quite even across the strings aswell, quite pleased with it

Edited 8 hours ago by Reggaebass

[PinkMohawk]

Agreed, it's pleasantly even across all the strings, nothing gets muted too much, can go on pretty quickly as well, though it's a little fiddly at first. It'll get easier with time, but right now, I'm very happy to have it in my gig bag, ready for any classic moments I need to get thuddy for. 

[dave_bass5]

1 minute ago, PinkMohawk said:

Agreed, it's pleasantly even across all the strings, nothing gets muted too much, can go on pretty quickly as well, though it's a little fiddly at first. It'll get easier with time, but right now, I'm very happy to have it in my gig bag, ready for any classic moments I need to get thuddy for. 

yeah, im getting used to it now. I like how the E string doesn't get too cut off (at least on my P). 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Mine was disatched via 2nd class post on Tuesday. No sign of it yet but I'm hopeful that it'll arrive early next week. If so it'll be fun to give it a proper tryout at rehearsal on Tuesday evening.