P-bass Rt-hand technique

[kreider204]

For you P-bass players (Fender, or otherwise - I just mean basses with a P-style pickup in the middle position), I was curious where you pluck with your right hand fingers: over the pickup, above it (nearer the neck), or below it (nearer the bridge). I don't like the feel of plucking over the pickup and hitting the pickup with my fingertips, and yet that seems like the perfect spot otherwise, as far as the sound, and as far as hand and wrist placement and angle.

Thanks in advance for your input.

(Edited: Apologies for not being clearer. Understanding that we all pluck all over the place as needed, I'm wondering where your default / most common position is, if you have one. If not, no need to reply. Thanks again.)

[Flipsnake]

I find the tone to be clearest and loudest when striking over the pickup. So that's where I usually hit.
Unless I want to add or remove some "thickness" from the sound, then I'd adjust accordingly.
But I'm usually hitting over the pickup. It also has the added advantage of being an anchor point for the thumb. I use the pickguard on my Squier P as an anchor point when hitting elsewhere, though...

[barbarbass]

Right over the PUP. You can adjust the tone either with the tone knob, or by altering the strength of your attack.

Attacking the string elsewhere will attenuate the strength of the signal coming out of your speakers, so the timbral effect (the "sweetness" of sul tasto, or the "hardness" of ponticello) will be lost as well. You'll just lose volume.

This is different, of course, if you use a pick.

[officialjlox]

I play with a pickup cover on, so I play with my thumb resting on the cover and my fingers plucking between the pup and the bridge, as close to the pickup as possible.

I'll occasionally go to the other side of the cover and rest my fingers on the cover Jamerson-style, but only in specific parts of the song if I'm looking for a deeper sound.

[kreider204]

Great responses, keep 'em comin'!

[tahoebass92]

i have the pickup cover on, and the jamerson style "hook" technique (using my index finger to pluck with the other fingers mounted on the pup cover) is super comfortable for me. I like the deeper bass response of playing between the neck and the pup.

[thombo]

all of the above

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by thombo

all of the above

My answer as well... for any bass.

[Audiophage]

P bass pickups are so sensitive to where you pluck, why would you want to limit yourself to one position?

I find that just in front of the pickup is a good place to get that nice thumpy sound typical of what people associate with a P bass.

[Mr wiggl3s]

Depends on the sound i want man.

Awesome thread:
Demystifying Metal styles, how to make fingerstyle playing heard in Metal

Metal - Near the Bridge
Most everything else - Over my P-Pickups
Slow-Melodic stuff - Near the neck

[Beginner Bass]

My flats get me a nice thump at the base of the neck, a good hard rock/metal tone at the bridge, and everything in between. There is no single answer.

[KrisH]

On any bass, I pluck all over -- even up the neck ocassionally. I also pound on the body to get the strings to vibrate, and in days past I even banged the butt of the instrument on the stage to get noise. That said, I have a pickup cover on my P-bass, so the first option is out for me.

[kreider204]

Apologies for not being clearer. Understanding that we all pluck all over the place as needed, I'm wondering where your default / most common position is, if you have one. (If not, no need to reply)

Thanks again.

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by tahoebass92

i have the pickup cover on, and the jamerson style "hook" technique (using my index finger to pluck with the other fingers mounted on the pup cover) is super comfortable for me. I like the deeper bass response of playing between the neck and the pup.

+1. I understand the Jamerson hook technique much better now that I have a pickup cover on my P. I drape my hand over the pickup cover, and let my index finger do the work. It's almost automatic!

[LowendinFL]

I use the carrots position. No, really I play over the pickup because I always rest my thumb on the pickup.

[kreider204]

Damn, I forgot the carrots option in the poll - sorry ...

;-)

[thegoob]

I usually play just above the pickup. It's where they keep the thump.

[Honk'n_down-low]

Originally Posted by Audiophage

P bass pickups are so sensitive to where you pluck, why would you want to limit yourself to one position?

I find that just in front of the pickup is a good place to get that nice thumpy sound typical of what people associate with a P bass.

+1 very responsive to hand placement, most common is thumb resting on the pickup, but depending on the Song, all the variations mentioned. P-Bass gets it done and I recently fell back in love with mine after playing quite a few different Basses.

[billoetjen]

I voted for above the pup (near the neck). But I pluck all over the place, depending on the tone I want. Not rocket surgery.

[J. Crawford]

Right on the pup.