Where along the string do you pluck?

[jasper383]

Fingerstyle players; where along the string do you pluck by default?

For example, I like the rich sound of playing up by the fretboard (reggae on the brain?), and would play there all the time, however I get a lot more fret clicking up there, so generally on a Jazz bass I move my hand down to the neck pickup.

I see a lot of Jazz bass players way down by the bridge pickup. Isn't the sound down there too "tangy"?

I realize most players move around based on what the music asks for, but what is your "default" hand position?

[joebingo]

neck pickup on a jazz.

[MonetBass]

Usually I play over/around the neck pickup, but if I want a thinner tone I play down by the bridge.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

By default I play between the pickups where my ramps are. I often pluck with just my ring finger right next to the fingerboard as well.

[Jumbotron]

I pluck just to the neck side of the bridge pickup. That's where I like the tone, and it felt natural back when I used to anchor my thumb on the neck pickup.

[fourstringdrums]

It depends. If I want a more upright sound I'll pluck up by the neck, if I want a P tone that has more of a pick clarity to it I'll play alittle bit in front of the bridge pickup. But by Default I usually anchor off the neck pickup and play in between both pickups.

[VanillaO]

Depends on what tone I'm looking for really.

Most of th etime (slapping included) I'm between my hummers, finger/pick.
When I want that dirty dirty sound that stingrays can make (I play one go figure), I hop on down the to the bridge and make it. And then clean up my pants.

[Baryonyx]

Mostly over the bridge pickup, though I sometimes move over the neck pickup if it's a very tricky line.

[SteveC]

I am all over the place depending what the song calls for.

[alexclaber]

Originally Posted by SteveC

I am all over the place depending what the song calls for.

Exactly!

Alex

[akuma12]

Depends on the kind of music I'm playing, but by default it's between the neck and bridge pickups, with my thumb on the neck pickup.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

I normally play a fretted bass like this:



With the exception of my Rickenbacker 4003 because the metal plate is placed on the exact spot I normally play, so I have to move my hand slightly more towards the bridge (no problem for me):



Fretless is a different story: For fast stuff or harmonics, I play in the same spot as my fretted Bongo, but for a not so fast line with lots of "mwah", I always play over the last "fret". No pictures, unfortunately, but you can see both approaches here.

[jasper383]

Lots of players down by the bridge, it would appear. Isn't it too bright sounding down there?

In the new Bass Player magazine there's a picture of John Paul Jones playing way up by the fretboard on his Jazz. Was he always up there?

Do you eq the amp to compensate for the brightness in sound down by the bridge?

[duo8675309]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

I normally play a fretted bass like this:



With the exception of my Rickenbacker 4003 because the metal plate is placed on the exact spot I normally play, so I have to move my hand slightly more towards the bridge (no problem for me):



Fretless is a different story: For fast stuff or harmonics, I play in the same spot as my fretted Bongo, but for a not so fast line with lots of "mwah", I always play over the last "fret". No pictures, unfortunately, but you can see both approaches here.

I just watched your videos. If my future wife cheats on me, I want it to be with you.

[tplyons]

Anywhere from the neck to the bridge, depending on who I'm playing with. But naturally, it comes to me about where the bridge pickup is on a jazz bass.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

I normally play a fretted bass like this:

You mean screaming in agony?

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by duo8675309

I just watched your videos. If my future wife cheats on me, I want it to be with you.

Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler

You mean screaming in agony?

Originally Posted by jasper383

Lots of players down by the bridge, it would appear. Isn't it too bright sounding down there?



Do you eq the amp to compensate for the brightness in sound down by the bridge?

I don't think that playing near the bridge produces a brighter tone. It's a "less rounded" (as many people call it = Less bassy or boomy) tone with much more definition and attack. That's the reason why I play there. I always set my EQ based on that and no need to change if I play near the neck.

[PrimusNut]

Either at the bridge pickup, or between the two pickups with my thumb anchoring on the pickguard on my Rick 4003.

And Alvaro, how do you play with your bass that high? I think both of my wrists would cramp at that height...

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by PrimusNut

And Alvaro, how do you play with your bass that high? I think both of my wrists would cramp at that height...

When I started playing bass 20 years ago, I wore my bass at "normal" height:



I got the idea of raising it up after watching the first instructional video from Stu Hamm "Slap, Pop And Tap For The Bass", which was a HUGE influence for me. Nowadays I feel so uncomfortable when I pick another bass with a long strap since playing the way I do feels extremely natural for me. It makes me feel "at home".

[Linkert]

I play "the whole neck" for any style of music