Thumb rest under the G string??

JFrankParnell · #1 03-01-2010, 10:25 AM

Howdy,
Just fyi, i play 2 finger style, with my thumb on a thumb rest that is just about where a low B string would be on a 5 stringer. I like my thumb to be a little higher than where it would be on my pup.

but anyway... I've seen occasionally, a thumb rest under the G. well, i guess it couldnt be a thumb rest, but what the heck is it?

hmm, maybe theyre a mustang bass thing:

but here's one on a P:

G00D+~VIBES · #2 03-01-2010, 10:28 AM

I suppose you could call it a 'tug-bar' When the design first came out the concept around it was that most individuals (guitarists and bassists) would play with their thumb. This piece of plastic was positioned to give one leverage for just such a technique. Calling it a 'thumb rest' is not accurate.

Warfender · #3 03-01-2010, 10:30 AM

I think it is for a somewhat classical finger style approach. You rest your pinkie and/or ring finger tips on it and use your thumb for the E & A strings on a 4 stringer and use your index and middle for the higher D & G strings. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure.

JTE · #4 03-01-2010, 10:40 AM

Leo Fender envisioned that the electric bass would be played with the thumb, sort of like strumming a guitar. The chrome cover over the pickup gave you a place to rest the palm of the right hand, you curled your fingers under the tug-bar (what Fender called it then), and struck the strings with the side of your thumb. That's what it was, not at all a classical guitar style.

Get a hold of a copy of Jim Roberts' "How The Fender Bass Changed The World", and on page 13 there is a photo of Leo Fender playing an early Precision exactly that way. On page 33 Roberts says "Anticipating that musicians would pluck the strings with their thumb, Leo included a finger rest mounted below the strings..."

John

JFrankParnell · #5 03-01-2010, 05:51 PM

ah, ok. thanks guys. i was scratchin my head over that one.

maybe sometime i'll post my custom made ebony thumb rest, man that thing sounds good

Turock · #6 03-01-2010, 05:54 PM

It's for bassists that have UDHD.

Warfender · #7 03-01-2010, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTE

Leo Fender envisioned that the electric bass would be played with the thumb, sort of like strumming a guitar. The chrome cover over the pickup gave you a place to rest the palm of the right hand, you curled your fingers under the tug-bar (what Fender called it then), and struck the strings with the side of your thumb. That's what it was, not at all a classical guitar style.

Get a hold of a copy of Jim Roberts' "How The Fender Bass Changed The World", and on page 13 there is a photo of Leo Fender playing an early Precision exactly that way. On page 33 Roberts says "Anticipating that musicians would pluck the strings with their thumb, Leo included a finger rest mounted below the strings..."

John

Thanks for clarifying.

JFrankParnell · #8 03-01-2010, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turock

It's for bassists that have UDHD.

K, i'll bite...

UDHD stands for???

Caca de Kick · #9 03-01-2010, 06:58 PM

It's the most asked question since October 1951

brachal · #10 03-01-2010, 07:27 PM

My 60's Gibson EB-3 has one too.

Turock · #11 03-01-2010, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFrankParnell

K, i'll bite...

UDHD stands for???

Upside Down Hand Disorder

Mr_Sore_Fingerz · #12 03-01-2010, 07:34 PM

Yeah all the descriptions for the basses ignorantly call them a "thumbrest" so it confused me for the longest time too.

I prefer pickup covers for thumb support...looks WAY better IMO

mrnasty · #13 03-01-2010, 07:45 PM

I've read a few places where Leo Fender envisioned the electric bass to sound almost like a double bass but only louder. That is why on the early Fenders (through the mid 1970s?) you see not only the "thumb rest" below the G string but covers shielding the pickups.

Mr. Fender thought bassist should use their thumbs to play (the reason for the place to rest your other fingers) and since playing right over the pickups gave too bright a sound (I believe he thought it sounded too much like a guitar) he started putting covers over the pickups keep people from playing right over them.

I've reinstalled the pickup covers on my 65 Jazz. They make the bass a real pain to play, but WOW does it make the instrument look cool. And the finger rest is still there - I think I used it one time back in 1980.

FromTheBassMent · #14 03-01-2010, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrnasty

I've read a few places where Leo Fender envisioned the electric bass to sound almost like a double bass but only louder. That is why on the early Fenders (through the mid 1970s?) you see not only the "thumb rest" below the G string but covers shielding the pickups.

Which is kinda goofy, considering that no upright double bass player in the world plucks the strings with their thumb.

Blue Moose · #15 03-01-2010, 08:52 PM

My first bass was a really cheap J-copy and it had a "tug bar." I thought they'd just put the darn thing in the wrong place. It was years before I realized what it was for and why it was there.