Problems doubing thumping my 'Ray

JLW · #1 03-06-2007, 04:16 PM

Because the neck is sort of raised from the body of the bass, I have trouble doing wooten's double thumb technique on my Musicman Stingray 4.

Does anyone else have this problem, and if so, is it something you eventually get used to?

Of course normal slap is easy as pie on this thing, but when it comes to double thumb, I seem to stumble a bit as compared to other basses I have used/owned.

Just curious, thanks in advance,

John

Figjam · #2 03-06-2007, 04:23 PM

Im not sure where the problem lies. I double thumb fine on my sterling and sr5, or any bass for that matter. Where are you trying to do it? I do it on the end of the neck, after the last fret.

JLW · #3 03-06-2007, 05:09 PM

I do it there too. Before, on my old bass, when my thumb would go through the string, my thumb would then hit the body of the bass. Now, since the strings are higher up from the body (the way the bass is designed), my thumb is kind of out of position to go back up.

I guess I'll just have to keep at it.

Figjam · #4 03-06-2007, 05:12 PM

I dont do it as far back as you. My thumb is over the neck. I go through the string and hit the end of the neck. Not the body. This is where a lot of people do it. Try it here. It is less efficient to go through the string down to the body.

JLW · #5 03-06-2007, 05:20 PM

I'll give that a shot right now. My 'ray just happens to be in my lap.

Thanks,
John

EDIT

I just tried it. Do you do it literally at the very end of the neck, like just beyond the very last fret? When doing that, I feel like it doesn't create enough of a punchy slap tone.

Can you describe a little more precisely where you actually have your thumb at? Or should I just watch some wooten videos?

Figjam · #6 03-06-2007, 05:28 PM

yes that is where I do it. It takes practice to get a nice tone from it. But that is where vic does it, IIRC.

Watch http://youtube.com/watch?v=M8hKjYg-FDg

JLW · #7 03-06-2007, 05:36 PM

Aw crap. Now I gotta re-learn the technique all over again.

I'm never going to learn "You Can't Hold No Groove"

Oh well.

vic_6 · #8 03-06-2007, 05:38 PM

i had this problem too since i learned to double thump on my jazz bass. then when i started trying to do it on my stingray, i couldnt do it. so yeah, i just moved my thumb to the end of the fretboard.

actually, from what i've seen, wooten doesnt actually play on the fretboard much. sometimes you'll see him play practically on it but most of the time, it seems like he's a little further from it.

i prefer to do double thump on the board itself, right after the very last fret. my problem comes in when im on the G string. i still havent learned to control it enough so that it doesnt go all the way to the body, which slows me down.

Figjam · #9 03-06-2007, 05:39 PM

Wootens fingers are dark and so are his fingerboards, so its hard to tell sometimes

vic_6 · #10 03-06-2007, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Figjam

Wootens fingers are dark and so are his fingerboards, so its hard to tell sometimes

LOL!!!

JLW · #11 03-06-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Figjam

Wootens fingers are dark and so are his fingerboards, so its hard to tell sometimes

Hooray for "off color" jokes.

I actually tried it for the past half hour or so (having my thumb at the end of the fretboard) and it's actually a lot easier, because there's less resistance there, and it isn't nearly as hard on your thumb.

I can easily go twice as fast now with much less effort. It's funny how much of a difference an inch makes.

gold_member_321 · #12 03-06-2007, 06:53 PM

Maybe you should try putting a ramp on it.

Just a thought, it could possibly help.

Tristan · #13 03-06-2007, 08:23 PM

would it be easier on a neck-thru bass? the strings are closer to the body on those usually right?

rockwarnick · #14 03-06-2007, 08:27 PM

thats strange cause i was at GC the other day and i found it a lot easier to double thump on the stingray's than on my bass(marcus miller 4)

santucci218 · #15 03-06-2007, 08:41 PM

my Fender P bass was easiest...i just got a Peavey Cirrus and its a little different, BUT i think will grow into it.

chrispy0712 · #16 03-07-2007, 03:05 AM

i rmb seeing the video that victor he says himself he does his double thumping out of the fretboard so he cud put his thumb under the string for the up-pluck motion

though he knows alot of people who can actuali do it over the fretboard...he keeps it off the fretboard

but i do it over the fretboard cz no space on my bass...
he uses a P for neck PU so he has lotsa space to spare

hav fun

gkbass13 · #17 03-07-2007, 03:25 AM

i dont have a problem double thumbing on different basses, i sort of use a floating thumb technique anyways so i got used to controlling my thumb. i do have trouble poppign or pluckign when there s extra space under the strings at the end of the fretboard....almost as if my fingertips get stuck for a fraction of a second too long for my liking. i need my fingers to hti th bass when plucking to be comofrtable.

Son of Bovril · #18 03-07-2007, 04:00 AM

I find double thumbing on a warwick 5 string to be really difficult because of the tight string spacing...

santucci218 · #19 03-07-2007, 05:28 AM

<h3>Hey JLW</h3> Dude if you wanna get creative you can do this! Buy another pickguard thats the same color as the one you have now and cut it into a square and than sand the edges flat and place it below your string between the neck and the neck pickup...people do this at times....one name that comes to mind is billy sheehan.

santucci218 · #20 03-07-2007, 05:29 AM

well...now i know we dont allow HTML in our posts!