Why rest your thumb on a pickup?

[WarMan]

When I started playing bass I was convinced like many that you are supposed to rest your thumb on the pickup. I had a Warwick Corvette. I always found it hard to reach the G string. My fingers had to cover a lot of space. When I first got a Sterling I got stressed out because my first one didn't have a neck pickup and trying to play the strings between the bridge pickup and the bridge were like plucking piano strings. Someone suggested resting my thumb on the E string and moving it up when I needed to play the E string. It sounded difficult, but it took me minutes to learn and became natural very quickly. When you test your thumb on the E string you only have to stretch three strings to the G string. You have to stretch four strings when you rest on the pickup. In addition, you automatically mute the E string when you rest your thumb on it.

In the past I didn't like playing a P Base because the adjusting screw was on the top of the pickup where I thought I had to rest my thumb. I ended up returning the single pickup Sterling for the Sterling HS. But I kept using a floating thumb technique. I now find it very easy to shift between basses regardless of the pickup placement. A Stingray and P Bass are no more difficult than my Sterling HS and Warwick Thumb.

I highly suggest transitioning to this technique if you are currently using the pickup as a thumb rest. It makes things easier.

[Nick Kay]

Or you could go a step further and use the completely floating thumb technique. Check out the thread in the Technique forum.

[Eric Boyer]

I'm pretty sure there's no rules as to where you rest your thumb (especially when it come to the floating thumb technique).

I rest my thumb everywhere: E string; B string on a 5; top of a J pickup; to the side of the mounting screws on P and MM pickups or sometimes on the mounting screws of said pickups; pick guard between the front pickup and neck; on the neck...etc.

-Eric

[mongo2]

I float across and along the length of the string depending on the tone I want, but I will rest my thumb on the neck when plucking up there for certain tones.

[Baird6869]

+1.

I rest my thumb on the neck pickup on a Jazz but with other basses, I am all over the place. Top edge of the pickguard, E string, edge of the neck, you name it.

Originally Posted by Eric Boyer

I rest my thumb everywhere

[UncleBalsamic]

I rest my thumb on the pickup or a string normally.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

As I tell to my students: If ALL basses were EXACTLY the same, I'd agree on resting the thumb on a pickup. That's why I never (or hardly) do it.

[TrevorOfDoom]

i rest my thumb on the top of the pickup with my Jazz or fretless P, and when i need to play the D or G string, i drop my thumb to the E string. then when i need to play the A or E string, i put my thumb back on the pickup.

in all honesty (IMO) i find it a little absurd to think that you couldn't figure out to move your thumb when you had to play the G string. was there a little man in the back of your head saying "If you move your thumb from the pickup, it'll fall off! don't do it! a secret squad of ninjas will jump out from behind the couch and beat you with sacks of doorknobs!!!"
it's common sense.
thumb holding you back? move it.

/rant

[grace & groove]

www.thgknobs.com

Get them to make you a thumb rest and end your woes.

[thebassguy]

I find it much more versatile to rest my thumb against the body of he bass, right above the E string. Instead of pressing down against something, I press into the bass, anchoring my pivot point against the wood. This gives me the ability to move freely when I need to stretch to the G string (or C string on my 5-string) and also doesn't limit my ability to play the E.

Peace

[MichaelScott]

I have big hands and have never had a problem resting said thumb on the pickup.

This should probably be in the technique forum.

[tplyons]

Different strokes for different folks. I wouldn't recommend anyone particularly CHANGE their technique, but I would recommend everyone learn the floating thumb technique so that one might have another tool in his arsenal.

[lord toranaga]

check this video
http://www.youtube.com/user/toddjohnsonmusic

[dreadheadbass]

i had the same problem i was TOLD to rest on the pickup but then i saw people like jaco resting on the E string and i thought "hey that looks easyer"
after a week or so of practicing i was back up to speed with my new tech and more i found i could get different tones by playing near the bridge or near the neck
it also made annoyin pickups like P bass pickups and soapbars a thing of the past as i no longer needed the anchor

[syciprider]

Playing a Ric fingerstyle forced me to change my technique.

[edbutler3]

Guess where I rest my thumb?



:-/

[ModuMan]

I find that for the most part I rest my thumb on the lowest string (in my case usually the B) and then it's a "ramp" in any position and as a by-product mutes the string. When I'm playing the lowest string (depending on the attack I want) I either use the thumb or if I'm using my fingers then the thumb will usually rest on a pickup but it could just as easily be pressed against the body. I like having it be an anchor somewhere. Also, I play pretty much anywhere between the bridge and the neck depending on the sound I want so resting it on a pickup all the time doesn't really work for me.

I'll have to check out this "floating thumb" business though.

EDIT: Okay, read the link... turns out I do something like that anyway! So when I'm playing on the D or G my thumb is on the E. Anything lower then it's on the B.

[Jeff K]

This is just another way to say some of the things that have already been said:

On a 4-string, when I'm playing the E string, I rest my thumb on the pickup. When I'm playing the A string, I rest my thumb on the E string. When playing the D, I rest the thumb on the A; and when playing the G, it's on the D. Works for me.

[chaunceytoben]

The only problem with the 'floating thumb technique' is when you have to move between strings quickly. Its easy to get confused on which string your thumb is resting on. I find anchoring my thumb on the p/u acts as an anchor, so i stay more organized. but to each his own.

[RapierSix]

I also discovered the moving thumb technique on my j bass... I have a question regarding pup wresting... Can long term resting damage the pups?