Templates for installing Fender thumbrest

[Beefbass]

Hey guys, when you buy a Fender thumbrest, it has a template for mounting in the late 70's position, for jazz and precision bass.

I'd like to mount mine in the vintage position. I have the Fender pearloid pickguards-they don't have holes for a thumbrest. Anybody know where I can get a template for a vintage mounting?

Thanks in advance

[Mike N]

You want to mount yours like this, Tim?

If this is it, I could trace out my pickguard on a piece of paper and mail it to you, if that would help.

[Beefbass]

Originally Posted by Mike N

You want to mount yours like this, Tim?

If this is it, I could trace out my pickguard on a piece of paper and mail it to you, if that would help.

PM sent!

[Mike N]

Originally Posted by Beefbass

PM sent!

PM replied, and template on it's way.

[Beefbass]

Originally Posted by Joshua

Mike N, you rawk. This is what makes TB so great.

Agreed 100 percent!!

[Mike N]

Thanks, guys.

My pleasure to help out.

[the_element]

can you sent it to me too? thanks

[Thangfish]

Somebody along the line should take Mike N's tracing and make a .pdf file from it.

[Pilgrim]

I could trace the right half of the pickguard on my '63 P with the vintage mounting holes and post it as a PDF if anyone's interested....let me know.

[Mike N]

I wound up sending Tim an extra pickguard I had with the holes already in it.

[Pilgrim]

OK, I have a scanned image of the right side of my '63 Pickguard. I pulled the screws, slid paper under the PG, traced around the outside and punched out the holes where the PG screws and tugbar screws go. Also traced the tugbar, providing both side view and top view in case anyone wants to make one of wood. Funny - the original tugbar on mine is plastic, but I know it's original to the bass.

A PDF of the file is attached - it's a full 8.5 x 11 in size, so anyone wanting to use it should be able to print and use it as a template. Note that since I traced around the outside of the PG, the trace line is about 1/16" inch outside the PG. However, it should be very easy to use the trace line to locate it on a PG.

I printed it on an HP 1200 scanner/printer (very basic unit) and it worked. However, when you give it the print command, make sure NOT to scale it to the printer margins. Check the printer setup and options on the printer screen before giving it the GO command. It prints perfectly for me.

[Oren Hudson]

Above are examples of what forums should be about, helping brother bass thumpers and sharing so much knowledge. Just a clarification. I know Fender calls them thumb rests and so do most other folks, but they were originally called finger rests and still are finger rests if you play with your thumb like I learned to play way back in the early 60s. Actually is more of a finger stop, since I plant my fingers in there pretty hard to dig into the strings with my thumb. My first great bass was a April '66 Fender Precision in custom white with tortoise guard. The finger rest on it has indentions in the plastic that match my fingers after years of digging in to thump with my thumb. Don't see many bass players use just their thumb. Might make a good forum question.

[selfblessed]

Originally Posted by Oren Hudson

Above are examples of what forums should be about, helping brother bass thumpers and sharing so much knowledge.

+1

[Pilgrim]

Oren, you're right that they have been called finger rests and thumb rests; tugbar is a colloquial epression that fits well to me. As you note, Fender assumed that bass players would use their thumbs - but very few did. My theory is that when you anchor your fingers on the device, it essentially becomes a "tugging" motion to play with your thumb.

And I like the word "tugbar". It's cool!

[Oren Hudson]

To sorta paraphrase John Wayne, "Well Pilgrim" I like tugbar and agree that it is indeed cool. I'll probably use it someday and get some funny looks from some band mates or musicians. Anyway, the tugbar works for me in another way since I got short fat fingers and it's a stretch to grab the bottom of the bass and do much digging on the E string, my fingers don't have as much to tug on that way. It was just a few years ago that I realized that I did have such short fat fingers. A guitar player was watching me play and said something about how I did this or that with them. It have never occured to me that they were in fact short. Good thing I didn't know or think about that when I first started to play or I may have had a complex. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Remember to keep those finger and thumb ends thick. Wait, I got more!!! I just looked at your info Pilgrim and see that not only are you my age, but you play in a surf band. Now that's COOL! I love surf music too and I'm proud to say that I have 2 Mosrite Ventures basses, a '65 with pickguard autographed by Bob Bogle, Don Wilson, Nokie Edwards and Leon Taylor (Mel's son) that they did when I went on what ended up being the first and only Surfin' To Baja Cruise with The Ventures about 5 years ago. What a blast and way COOL. My band normally plays 3 surf songs to start the second set. Wipe Out, Pipeline and Misrilou (not sure I spelled that right) but I'm sure you know the Dick Dale tune. Saw and met him about 10 years ago. About 4 feet in front of a very short stage, almost ground level. Never realized that he plays with the strings upside down with high E on top etc. I'll quit now.

[Pilgrim]

It takes some of old guys areound here, doesn't it? I'd love to have a Mosrite, or a Univox Hi-Flyer, but with 8 basses it's pretty hard to justify. Seems like everyone likes surf music - at least when they hear it live.

Cheers....