Archtop Guitar Mute

[gardo]

My wife had been working from home these days so morning jams are unplugged. I’ve been dialing in the acoustic sound of my hollow body electric. I started by replacing the pickup springs with surgical tubing. This helped to reduce some of the strange overtones ,I think it’s called sympathetic resonance. I also found that some guitarists use a small strip of leather or a piece of shoelace or even Velcro to mute the strings between the bridge and tailpiece . I cut a piece from a rubber O ring and laced it between the strings by the bridge. I tried different locations and this works as good as any. The next step was going to be an ebony saddle but that may not be needed. .

[Grant Harding]

Nice one - I completely agree. I use strips of foam for this.

I also use foam or not on the springs of my vibrato depending on the tone I'm after 

[Mikeo]

 

 

 

I use nothing on my hollowbodies.

I has 4 hollowbodies, love em

 

2 of them have dAddario chromes on them.

 

1 of them is this

montreux burst

The last electric gigs I did I used the ES 275 and  Gretsch Tennesee Rose

 

 

[badpenguin]

I personally have never muted the strings behind the bridge on any hollow or semi hollow. ( I have 8) Never felt the need to, since that's kinda part of the tone of the instrument.

[daddymack]

I've never done that; I know a few jazz players who put a piece of foam behind the bridge, but I think, and this is just my opinion, that it alters the transfer of vibration to the body, especially with a trapeze tailpiece. With a vibrato, maybe a bit different because of the increased mass?

[DeepEnd]

On 7/17/2020 at 9:03 PM, badpenguin said:

I personally have never muted the strings behind the bridge on any hollow or semi hollow.

When you say "behind the bridge" I presume you mean between the bridge and tailpiece? From what I can see the OP has the mute between the bridge and neck. FWIW, several years ago Mrs. DeepEnd decided she wanted to learn to play the mandolin. I bought her an inexpensive one and took it in for a setup. As part of the setup, the tech put a piece of cork under the tailpiece (in fact, from what I can tell that's all he did but that's another story). I understand that's fairly common.

[daddymack]

Deep, look again, you can see the colored wrap on the strings at the tailpiece...it is behind the bridge...

 

[badpenguin]

 

2 hours ago, DeepEnd said:

When you say "behind the bridge" I presume you mean between the bridge and tailpiece? From what I can see the OP has the mute between the bridge and neck. FWIW, several years ago Mrs. DeepEnd decided she wanted to learn to play the mandolin. I bought her an inexpensive one and took it in for a setup. As part of the setup, the tech put a piece of cork under the tailpiece (in fact, from what I can tell that's all he did but that's another story). I understand that's fairly common.

Yes, it's Gardo's, First post, first picture.