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5 string just to anchor your thumb?
- Thread starter tekydon
- Start date
Look at that nice piece of ebony as a thumbrest on my '89 G&L SB-1. A violin maker installed it for me at $0 cost. An audiophile, he was tickled at the difference in tone it allowed. With it, I would pluck the strings in the sweet spot, emulating the tone of my other G&L bass: an L-1500.
Often vigorous in my right-hand technique, I anchor my thumb wherever and whenever it helps my playing. For the E string, that ebony thumbrest also allows the tonal option of plucking where the string is a little tighter.
Two advantages "floating thumb" could never provide.
OP: Try this!
Uh.. do not get a 5 string just for a place to anchor your thumb. Use a pickup to anchor your thumb when playing the E and if it's not got a lip big enough just anchor your thumb on the body of the bass.
Develop a floating thumb technique or moving anchor rather than just using the E all the time imo. My thumb is a mute for anything below the strings I'm playing notes on. It moves as I switch strings.
By all means get a 5.. but get it because you intend to make use of the B string. Not because of the approach you're taking with a 4 string that could be easily adjusted and gotten used to with some conscious thought and repetitive exercise.
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I anchor my thumb on the edge of the pickup on the basses I own that have magnetic pickups. That applies to 4 and 5 string.
On my basses with piezo electric my thumb floats, but I always play those basses sitting down.
On my basses with piezo electric my thumb floats, but I always play those basses sitting down.
Honestly, you'll use the B more often than you think and the same thing will happen, for B this time. Get a 6 string bass, and tune the rest of the strings BEADG?
When playing on the low e, try extending your thumb about the MCP joint and pretend there's an invisible thumbrest while maintaining a more "open" playing hand overall. In other words try maintaining the position you are in where you can play comfortably wherever you are, thus, essentially, floating. I highly recommend straying from a firm anchor. To the low b string as a thumbrest, i say "Don't buy a set of crutches if you can learn to walk on your own two legs. It's a lot harder to run with crutches when you need to" ~ me, just now
No, can’t say I do. I usually rest my thumb on a pick-up. Fortunately, I have long fingers and it’s pretty rare when the width of the string spacing is wider than my fingers are long.
Most experts suggest a floating thumb technique, but I started playing bass long before I bothered to listen to experts, and by then, it was too late. I guess I’m on my way to bassist hell..LOL.
JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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So, anyone who anchors their thumb is a hopeless hack who should be banished to bass hell? When I get down there, I'm gonna have a lot of company!
Where did you get that through 4 pages of this thread? Most of us anchor a thumb.. some people use only the pickup. ME? My anchor moves depending on which string I'm playing. It's kind of a mix of moving anchor/floating thumb. If the pickup is too small? I just put it right on the body with no problems at all.
The point people are making is that he doesn't need a bass with an extra string for this.. he just needs to adjust how he's playing and when and where he's anchoring.
But I mean by all means go buy you a 5 string just for a string to rest the thumb on. Personally.. i'd call it a waste of money.
I suspected a long way back but everyone just keeps answering even though the OP is nowhere to be found.
I know this may be a bad techniques, but feels good for me. I place my thumb on the pickup when playing the B string and then move it down to mute the B string when moving to the E string and so on for the rest. I haven't used one of those muting bands for my 5 string Lakland 55-02 when using the other four strings more. I have seen players talk about how this is great accessory to have on your bass. My other two basses are 4 strings.
Those bands help some but I still have to mute using them. What you're doing is called "Moving anchor" and there are lots of us that do that. Gary Willis's floating thumb technique (if it's his) is probably a bit more efficient, but it's only slightly different. Unless you're using your right hand's ring and pinky finger for muting, moving anchor/floating thumb are necessary to tame open strings that might ring out when your left hand is otherwise occupied.
At least with a two finger method. You can always opt for thumb + index and then palm mute.
And for those who might find themselves in the OP's situation.. the key is understanding that trying something new is going to feel uncomfortable until you've forced yourself to do for days/weeks/months while playing and it becomes second nature. Just like learning to pluck your first notes with any sense of rhythmic and dynamic accuracy.
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yes, I forgot that term for that technique. LOL! Sometimes I was even using my the back of my palm near my wrist to mute when I first started playing bass. It worked but learned to use the Moving anchor technique.
As for that band, maybe I will not get one then. What I'm doing is working for me so far.
I do prefer 4 string basses.
Getting a 5 complicates everything, but....it's temporary. It took me a year or two to completely feel at home on one (there were a few moments where I looked down and thought "I have a middle string!?!?!), but now that I'm over that hurdle, a 5 seems completely normal.
I assume you are someone who actually uses the B string for playing and not just a thumb rest.
