Thumb placement on single pickup

[MS224]

Just bought my first bass yesterday, a Squire Vintage Modified Jaguar with a single pickup.

A couple of the videos on youtube said to place you thumb on the pickup while playing the e chord and then move your thumb down accordingly while plucking the next string down.

Problem is, putting my thumb on the pickup is not in a comfortable position for me. Can I add a pickup or put something above the strings to rest my thumb on?

Thanks for any help, this is something I've wanted to learn the last few years and my wife bought me lessons for Christmas forcing me to finally bite the bullet and get a bass and I'm excited to start learning so I can jam!

[TheFenderBender]

If you look on some fender models and even early epiphones, they have a thumb rest, personally, they feel a bit high up on the body for me, but they may be good for you, and you can probably easily install one.

[kreider204]

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/acces...-and-jazz-bass

[Silver Blues]

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trks...at=0&_from=R40

--Silvie

[bill reed]

here is one i fitted to my Yamaha, lets me use the pickups and the thum rest.
i tend to play on or above the neck pickup most of the time so that why its there and not between the pickups.

[MaddAnthony_59]

On a Fender Bass I find it Very Comfortable to place the Thumb at the End of the Neck, A La Geezer Butler!

[thedudebrah]

You didn't mention which hand position is more comfortable. Closer to the neck or closer to the bridge. I would personally screw a thumb rest into the body wherever is comfortable.

[Pilgrim]

You can use a thumb rest, but be aware that its position will affect the sound by changing the place where you pluck the strings. It also depends on whether it's a single or double pickup - ut yours is a single, so plucking near or away from that pickup makes a difference in sound.

Finger placement over the end of the neck or right below the neck is a bit softer, "thuddier" sound. Placement over the pickup has a lot of attack at the start of the note. Placement near the bridge tends to give me a bit sharper, more treble-ish sound, but that's more noticeable with a dual-pickup bass than your single pickup Jag.

Point is - make sure that if you mount a thumb rest, you position it so that it's in a place where you will do most of your playing and gives a sound you like.

Also - it's hard to believe that you have trouble with bracing your thumb on the side of the pickup. That's one of the most common anchor points to use. You're just starting out, so it would be a good idea to learn how to play in different spots on and away from the pickup.

IMO at this point you would benefit more from practice than from a thumb rest.

[sven kalmar]

ive added a typical thumbrest on my RWpb. I put it up so it starts just about where the
neck starts, close to the pickguard. the original placement was as a fingerrest under the neck. mine is above for fingerplaying. When using a pick i rest my hand on the PUguard.
I love that alu pickguard and the covers.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

IMO at this point you would benefit more from practice than from a thumb rest.

+1

if this is your "first bass", then you honestly aren't ready to start modding it like that; you could very easily steer yourself into learning a bad technique, which becomes really hard to unlearn later.