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I believe George Van Eps designed the one such as Herb Ellis used (-see pic). I don't think those are made anymore. Amazon sells something that looks like a sweatband (-follow link below) and I wonder how well it works.
Amazon.com: FretWraps String Muters / Guitar String Dampeners Size: Large: Musical Instruments
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01-25-2013 10:39 AM
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Apparently Jennifer Batten has come up with a new design:
Jennifer Batten Official Homepage - String Damper Evolution.
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Interesting. I'm wary of anything that requires installation. I'm looking at the "FretWraps," which look like sweatbands for guitar necks. They come right off (when not needed, or to change strings) which is a nice feature.
Originally Posted by Tom Karol
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In fact you can use anything which can go under the strings at the nut - no need to buy any expensive gizmos. For that matter a piece of a Kleenex tissue will work.
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I use a scrunchie on my bass. I just stick it over the strings on the first fret. I stole it from my daughter.
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I heard about that, using a Scrunchie. Never tried it. Originally Posted by DRS
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And when you don't want to damp the strings, roll it on the other side of the nut. I believe Marcus Miller started this.
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From the FretWraps website, a satisfied customer playing "Sunny," though it's not that jazzy. Fleet fingered though. Two-hand tappers seem to be the target market for muting gear. Makes sense. I don't need it for that but I do need something....
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Found another vid by the same player using a FretWrap on the same tune, only this time with a clean tone. I think I'm gonna have to get one of those things....
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Please buy something. It's your duty as a consumer.
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Ha! I don't buy much of anything besides cigars and the occasional guitar book. I'd rather not buy this but unintended string sounds irk me no end. I figure this is cheaper than seeing a shrink about that! Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
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That looks serious enough but it requires installation I a) cannot do and b) would rather avoid having someone do for me. The "wraps" seem cool because you can add or remove them in a snap. Can you imagine having someone install something like Herb had and then realizing you don't like it??? Or don't want it all the time? I wonder if it's a hassle to change strings with one of those on. Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
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You have to ask but the impression I had from the van eps style dampers is that they use the TRod mounting holes so installation should be simple on a Gibson. Maybe less so on other models (ie. Chibson lol)
What I WOULD like to see is how it fits on a guitar while the guitar is in the case...
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Mark, Reg uses a piece of felt wedged between the strings and neck that partially mutes the strings. You have to look close as it blends in well with the neck.
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I hadn't thought of that. Now I can't stop thinking about that. Originally Posted by SamBooka
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Tapping bass players and guitarists just use hair squishes that you can get at any drug store to dampen strings. Shove above the nut when not in use, and pull down on strings when you do. A couple dollars and no installation required.
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Good eyes, Frank! I've seen several of Reg's vids but never noticed that. It seems ideal for me and I'll ask him about it. The "FretWraps" are easy to set in different places on the neck (-they're like capos, only for muting) but that's not something I care to do. Thanks! Originally Posted by fep
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You can use whatever you have at hand around the house - it doesn't have to be felt. Just make sure it only dampens the strings and doesn't lift them higher than what the nut does. Velcro works well for me, because it lets the strings "sink in" into it, so they stay where they are at. A piece of firm felt might lift the strings if it is too thick.
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You know, I just tried using a very loosely but precisely adjusted capo to do this. Mine's a Shubb. It seems to work fine, but it's not actually something I think that I would normally need or want to do.
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Maybe I'm vain, but to buy a beautiful guitar and then put a hair scrunchie or a Herb Ellis damper contraption and god forbid a toothbrush wedged in the tail piece... yikes.
I'd do something as inconspicuous as possible, like felt the same color as the neck.
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Well, I don't think the Herb Ellis damper is ugly. Maybe it's because I've never seen him play a guitar that didn't have one on it! I'm used to it. But those have to be installed and if you have one on, I suppose you ALWAYS have it on. The advantage of Scrunchies or FretWraps is that you can take them off when not in use, and they leave no marks on the guitar. Originally Posted by fep
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I found a piece of felt around the condo and will try it on the guitar when I play again later this evening. If it works, great; if not, I"m not out anything. And I'll see if there's a bit of Velcro lying around.... Originally Posted by oldane
I have a terrible habit of sometimes touching the string ABOVE the one just played when picking a new note on the string BELOW the one just played. (When I watch myself to see what the heck I"m doing, I don't do it!) Also, when playing in F and making an F6 that uses the open D string, it sounds out of balance with the fretted notes. That really bugs me. (And, generally, I'm an easy-going guy...)
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I tried the piece of felt and it made a difference. I thought a pick was the only thing under a dollar that could make such a difference in one's sound! Much cleaner sound.
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I think those who have issues with the Van Eps Damper have never used one.
For those of you paying attention, Geo. Van Eps developed one for use on his 7 String
Epi Acoustic guitar. So in it's original intent, it had nothing to do with feedback, because
Geo.'s 7 never, ever had a pickup!
What Geo. achieved with the damper foremost was to reduce the duration of the chord length
(as in quarter notes, i.e. four-to-the-bar) while playing rhythm guitar. he was trying to play
better rhythm guitar(back when he was in Big Bands, not later playing finger-style chord melody).
Other players such as Herb Ellis also used the Damper for the same effect- it reduces note duration.
Lift your fingers off the strings- nothin'!
Electric Guitars, by design and when linked to an amp, want to sustain and this leads to messy, long notes
while trying to play rhythm. With the Damper, you can simulate the same quarter note length as if you were
playing an acoustic archtop guitar.
The genius behind Geo.'s design is that you can turn it on and off mid-song in a split second. It also makes
playing solos really enjoyable, which is a bonus.
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