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Stan Townsend

 

Post  Posted 17 Sep 2003 8:12 pm    
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Question for the Honorable Jody Carver:
I have a early '70's Fender 800 with the sponge damper mechanism. The sponge has deteriorated. Do you have any advice as to what I can use to replace it? What type of material was it originally, and what I might replace it with?
Thanks.
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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 17 Sep 2003 9:25 pm    
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Hi Stan
The material or sponge damper material you make reference to was just a dense composition of foam tightly woven. I had a Jaguar that needed that same material and I was able to locate something as good as the orginal at a shoe repair shop.It is a rubber
substance but not as dense. I have seen this material used as an insulation on air conditioners to seal the unit around the A/C
being installed through wall installation.

You might try an auto salvage yard as that same material was used as a weather stripping
on older vehicles. As a last resort check with a hardware store in the plumbing supply section and I'sure you will find something suitable.A shoe repair shop or a plumbing supply store such as Home Depot may have just what you need. Take what is left of the original material with you to make a comparison.

If all this fails,contact me and meanwhile I will check with a few vintage Fender shops that may have something similar.

There were always changes at Fender back then and many of these parts were purchased
from suppliers of leather goods outlets.

I'm certain that this material or something as good if not better is available.

If you have no luck in finding what you need
let me know and I'm sure I can help you.

Thank You.
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Stan Townsend

 

Post  Posted 17 Sep 2003 9:38 pm    
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Thanks Jody! I'll look around. There isn't much of mine left to tell what it was like. Was it as dense or denser than say the peel-and-stick weatherstrip for around doors?
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basilh


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 3:25 am    
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Denser...and for the desired effect you should try and get something "Rubbery" that's quite dense.(I've used the foam from "Odour Eaters" doubled up for thickness)
Baz www.waikiki-islanders.com



------------------
Quote:
Steel players do it without fretting





http://www.waikiki-islanders.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

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Joey Ace


From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 4:48 am    
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AH, finally a use for my used "Oder Eaters"!
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Carl West

 

From:
La Habra, CA, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 5:07 am    
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Stan,
That thing was gimick to begin with. Try leather. It does the same thing and don't wear out

Carl West
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Carl West

 

From:
La Habra, CA, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 5:10 am    
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Joey,
Make sure your oder eaters have been in your shoes for about 6 months . . !

Carl West
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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 6:20 am    
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Carl
Why dont you mind your own business? and tell
the truth ..you know that this composition used back then is the same material as used on the sole of sport shoes by Bass and other
saddle type sport shoes like Pat Boone wears.

Its a reddish color and can be found at any
shoe repair shop. If need be,you can buy the
heel replacement they use to re-heel those rubber gummed soled shoes and BAM,,,its a done deal.

Now Joey,,if you visit me.keep your shoes on
Its no wonder my dogs were sniffing at your feet.

You were lucky they didnt lift their legs..

The Middle Leg

All foolishness aside,,Stan try what I suggested first,then listen to Carl he's older than I am It will work.
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George Kimery

 

From:
Limestone, TN, USA
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 6:40 am    
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Look in the yellow pages under Rubber Products. Even a small place where I live has a rubber and gasket company. I bought some good, really dense rubber strips that were about 1/4" thick and 1 1/2" wide there. They also use some high density, self stick rubber strips to go between a camper top and where it attaches to the pick-up truck. Check your dealers in camper tops.
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Michael Johnstone


From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 7:23 am    
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The rubber in question is called neoprene.The wetsuits that Scuba divers and surfers wear are made out of it. I've seen sheets of it for a couple dollars in surplus stores and I would take a look at Home Depot because I've seen heavy duty weather stripping made from it.

The other question is: Are just trying to restore the 800 to stock condition or are you wanting to actually employ the mute in your playing? Whoever owned my 800 had discarded the mute and even the Jazz Bass lookin' bridge cover - probably for the same reason I never used the mute on my 64 Jaguar - it's a solution in search of a problem. In other words,you can mute with the heel of your picking hand with a great deal more control plus,you can get in and out of it instantly without having to stop and flip a lever. I am not alone in my thinking - in fact every Fender Bass player I ever knew took the rubber mute out from under their strings to the point where Fender quit putting them on basses. -MJ-
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Roger Shackelton

 

From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 9:49 am    
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Hey Jody, Who had the bright idea of putting that mute on Fender PSGs. I think every guitar I saw had the mute removed.

Roger
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Stan Townsend

 

Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 11:04 am    
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Michael,
I know it was kind of gimmicky, and I don't intend to use the mute as a substitute for palm blocking, I just thought it would be cool to see what it was supposed to do, and the effect it produced if it was working like it should. I think you said you have one of these guitars...what a tone huh? About as heavy as a Hammond B3 organ, though.
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Stan Townsend

 

Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 11:17 am    
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[This message was edited by Stan Townsend on 18 September 2003 at 09:01 PM.]

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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 18 Sep 2003 11:39 am    
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Roger
I'll give you one guess.
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Carl West

 

From:
La Habra, CA, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2003 7:25 am    
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Roger, Your correct about most being removed. That's the best way to resolve it.

Carl West
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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2003 7:29 am    
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And The Winner in my opinion is what Mike suggested.

The rubber in question is called neoprene.

Yes and that is what most all soles and heels
of shoes are comprised of. Thank you MJ.

And to you Mr.West as well.

Ima Heel
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Joey Ace


From:
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2003 7:37 am    
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Quote:
"I'll give you one guess."


Leo?

It's the kind of idea a non-player, but inventor, would have.

-Shue Fitz
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Roger Shackelton

 

From:
MINNESOTA (deceased)
Post  Posted 19 Sep 2003 10:55 am    
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I will go along with Joey on this. It must have been Leo.

Roger
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basilh


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2003 3:33 am    
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I you wanna hear one in use click here :- www.waikiki-islanders.com/assets/multimedia/1-25clip.mp3

there are 115 clips on that site and ALL of the live album work is a '64 Fender-1000
Baz www.waikiki-islanders.com

Hey I Just found another :- www.waikiki-islanders.com/assets/multimedia/1-17clip.mp3

------------------
Quote:
Steel players do it without fretting





http://www.waikiki-islanders.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

[This message was edited by basilh on 20 September 2003 at 04:40 AM.]

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basilh


From:
United Kingdom
Post  Posted 20 Sep 2003 7:04 pm    
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Well Stan did the clips let you know what the damper sounds like ?
Baz
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Stan Townsend

 

Post  Posted 23 Sep 2003 12:27 pm    
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Baz,
That's a cool sound...almost banjo-like (Guys, don't start with the banjo jokes again!). Of course, you could sound good with a cigar box rubberband steel guitar.

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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 23 Sep 2003 12:55 pm    
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It's a medium-density, closed-cell neoprene foam. Should you not be near a rubber packing-products place, a refrigeration repair or supply place would have it too. I always cut it with a double-edge, or single-edge razor blade, as that gives the smoothest and straightest cut.

If you can't find it, e-mail me your address, and I'll send you a piece.
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Jody Carver


From:
KNIGHT OF FENDER TWEED
Post  Posted 28 Sep 2003 6:56 pm    
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Stan
I found an original piece of material for your 800 mute.Let me know where to mail it.

Thanks.
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Stan Townsend

 

Post  Posted 29 Sep 2003 6:55 pm    
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Jody,
That's great. Thanks so much. Email me so I can give you my address.
Groovy!
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