I got a new straight mute (used), and the paint on it is chipping and it looks crappy. Would it be safe to paint it? It`s made of cardboard if the material it`s made out of matters any. Thanks!
-Caroline

Alright, that first sentence didn`t make sense. I got my first straight mute, and it`s used. Sorry about that little typo.

i think you will be ok painting them as long as your not laying it on thick. by adding weight youll be increasing how dark itll be. At least thats the theory i have in my head.....

im thinking about painting some mutes. So if you do go through with it get back to me and tell me how it sounds.

Well. cardboard mutes are painted when they come, so I don`t see much of a difference. I would also recomend a thin paint if possible, and not too much.

As a mute recomendation, I would try to stay away from cardboard mutes. They just aren`t as good quality or put out as good a sound as metal.

thats not really the truth. I dont like the sound of ANY cup mute made from metal for my bass. I love the sound of the humes and burg cup .


i think the humes and burg style mutes just sound better in jazz though.

You can paint the fiber mutes without any problems and without changing the sound. They still sound bad, but all mutes sound bad, so what`s the difference. I wouldn`t reccomend painting a metal mute because the paint would chip off to leave it with an ugly finish.

actually if you take a 300 or so grit sandpaper you can get metal to take on paint.

I painted a metal harmon a couple years ago and it did make it darker so i sanded it all off then sanded into the matal a little and repainted it. I wanted it to match my purple king 3b. (why was it purple ? somone had it laquered it was a wild lookin horn) then the sound was prety close to how i remembered it. If you paint cardbord/fiber (from personal experience)it doesnt change there sound as far as i could hear.

I have all the Humes & Berg mutes that have ever been made. Their all painted so It should be ok to paint yours. but dont paint yours with a thick coat of paint, paint the mute lightly.