Yes, another question about double thumb... sorry!

[dreadhead]

Hello guyz, sorry for the silly post.
I'm a big Marcus Miller fan, and I'm actually playing an older '69 Jazz bass (it's not mine, though!).
The sound I'm getting from it is really close to the Miller's one, but with a little less punch (alder body, no active electronics, all original bridge). However I did notice that the double thumb is a lot easier with the Jazz bass... I've played/owned a lot of different basses, but it seems that the distance between body top/fingerboard is perfect to slap the strings with my thumb. Sure, I'm still stuck in learning, but I'm positive about it!
I wanted to know if is there anyone who did think the same about the Fender Jazz... am I strange/unique?
I also wanted to know if I should use my thumb like a pick OR the string must smack on the frets in the usual way... it seems that the plucking is more "orizzontal" than "vertical" (i.e. from frets towards the string).
I'm really understanding that the old Jazz bass have a lot more to say in this world of active electronics and neck-thru $5,000.00 basses...
Thanx!

[pd_5string]

I use the last "half space" on the fretboard to double thump against, so each downward (really a stroke with the thumbtravelling in the direction of the treble side of the neck) lands on the fretboard at this spot...this way you are more approaching the string from a side to side motion than an up and down motion, and your thumb won't get as mangled and caught up in the string. The tone sounds good here too

Exmple of this in my song below, solo section is double thumping on a Fender Jazz.

[dreadhead]

Originally posted by pd_5string
I use the last "half space" on the fretboard to double thump against, so each downward (really a stroke with the thumbtravelling in the direction of the treble side of the neck) lands on the fretboard at this spot...this way you are more approaching the string from a side to side motion than an up and down motion, and your thumb won't get as mangled and caught up in the string. The tone sounds good here too

Exmple of this in my song below, solo section is double thumping on a Fender Jazz.

Yes, I already did listen to your song... it's really nice, but I don't like the effects
About the double thumb, I guess we use the same technique... but it seems that you handle it a lot better than me

[pd_5string]

Originally posted by dreadhead


Yes, I already did listen to your song... it's really nice, but I don't like the effects
About the double thumb, I guess we use the same technique... but it seems that you handle it a lot better than me

BUT...

the solo section has NO effects. Just a Fender Jazz with the double thump. Just using the song as an example...my other songs don't really have any effects on the bass.

[jaybo]

pd_5string: So you do a motion much like that of using a pick? I've yet to get a good tone doing double thumbing like that... I am using a six string bass with tight string spacing though. I bet that's the problem.

[pd_5string]

Originally posted by jaybo
pd_5string: So you do a motion much like that of using a pick? I've yet to get a good tone doing double thumbing like that... I am using a six string bass with tight string spacing though. I bet that's the problem.

Not the problem...head over to my website and listen to "Funk Groove of the Month" which is double thumping on a 6 string Zon.

My downstroke is probably around a 45 degree angle from the fingerboard.

[jaybo]

It appears my rather high action was the problem. I lowered my strings and the double thumping seems to be coming along nicely, hopefully I can 'get it'.

[Amoilbasso]

Hey Dredhead,

One of the many factors why I sold my sadowsky,to get my'78 j-bass was just that I feel much more comfortable when double-thumbing the Fender.It is due to the narrower space between the strings and the body!I completly agree with what you said!
And one more thing:
it is much more easy to make the fender's g string sound full and loud than Sadowsky's,when(single) thumbing it........
you know...those kind of Marcus's phrases,like the one at the end of Run For Cover(live) slap intro,
G-Gb-E-D 16th note......cool Marcus

[pd_5string]

Ohhhh yeah...a must have. It is such a subtle and delicate move, requiring less hand motion than actual slapping. I can actually do a lot of my DT stuff just moving my thumb at the joint, and my thumb ONLY. A lot of times I take my index and anchor it below the G string, resting lightly on the body as an "anchor" of sorts.

As mentioned in other posts, my action is 4/64" on the G, going to 5/64" on the E/B strings.

Originally posted by jaybo
It appears my rather high action was the problem. I lowered my strings and the double thumping seems to be coming along nicely, hopefully I can 'get it'.