Black Precision pickguard with lower tugbar – does this even exist

[Matt O]

I hereby declare this thread open for everybody who wants to write everything on tugbars and thumbrests they know. Have fun!

Sweet!

I posted the history of the tug bar in another thread a few years ago, so I’m doing a copy/paste here so I don’t have to type it all out again. Enjoy!

It’s a little known fact that Leo put the so called “tug bar” below the G to prevent slap bass playing. He hated slap bass. It drove him nuts. When he sold Fender to CBS in 1965, Leo stipulated in the contract that the tug bar must remain below the G string as a slap guard for 9 years. Then, in 1974, having fulfilled their contractual obligation, CBS executives gave the long anticipated order to move the tug bar slap guard to above the E string to be used as a thumb rest. Finally, free of the restrictive anti-slap engineering control designed by Leo Fender, bassists started beating their instruments mercilessly with their thumbs. Much bass slapping ensued in the years since 1974. In the mid 1980s, the execs at Fender were surprised by research data showing the thumb rest was rarely ever used due to the preponderance of bassists slapping instead of plucking their basses, so the thumb rest was removed as a cost saving measure thereby saving the company from a most certain looming bankruptcy. Leo recognized he lost the “war against slap” years prior to Fender removing the thumb rest and had already designed the Stingray to cash in on the slap trend that he predicted would last until he invented punk rock the following year.

 

[micguy]

Hi!

Don't get me wrong, this has helped me a lot. Thank you. But this thread also shows the whole irony of forum posts.

I asked a simple question. I got a simple answer from one member. Meanwhile, this has evolved into a discussion on many different sorts of things.

• what is a tug bar? You can google it way faster than writing the question but ... whatever
• although I asked a question about black Precision Bass pickguards, someone pointed out that white Jazz Bass pickguards can have the tug bar below or above the strings
• I was also informed that Jazz Basses with black pickguards are 3-bolt
• someone else who did not read the post properly stated that Precision Basses are never 3-bolt (of course not, that was never the question)
• I was informed that WD can make any pickguard. I know that. It was never remotely the question
• a funny joke about tug bars

This is s public forum. Public - anyone is free to contribute what they feel is relevant. You don’t get to dictate rules or limits. Ask what you want to ask; just understand that noone is under any obligation to respond the way you want. If you get a good answer, fine, but if not, you didn’t pay for anything, roll with it.

 

[5StringBlues]

I hereby declare this thread open for everybody who wants to write everything on tugbars and thumbrests they know. Have fun!

How 'bout sammiches?

 

[waynobass]

How 'bout sammiches?

My favorite is hummus and cheddar cheese on 100% whole wheat.

 

[5StringBlues]

My favorite is hummus and cheddar cheese on 100% whole wheat.

That sounds great!

 

[96tbird]

Hi!

Don't get me wrong, this has helped me a lot. Thank you. But this thread also shows the whole irony of forum posts.

I asked a simple question. I got a simple answer from one member. Meanwhile, this has evolved into a discussion on many different sorts of things.

• what is a tug bar? You can google it way faster than writing the question but ... whatever
• although I asked a question about black Precision Bass pickguards, someone pointed out that white Jazz Bass pickguards can have the tug bar below or above the strings
• I was also informed that Jazz Basses with black pickguards are 3-bolt
• someone else who did not read the post properly stated that Precision Basses are never 3-bolt (of course not, that was never the question)
• I was informed that WD can make any pickguard. I know that. It was never remotely the question
• a funny joke about tug bars

Gregarious lot aren’t we? Hanging out.

 

[PNW Tony]

Stick around and study the 'inappropriate' answers. Eventually you'll suss out a formula to extrapolate the 'wrong' question to ask which will get the answer you really want by accident. Like this: say I want to know about string-through-body bridges, so I ask, 'What happens if I put two reverse-wind and two correct-wind tuners on the same '74 Musicmaster bass?' The gods of inapropos will cause someone to answer with something unrelated to my stated question but answering what I really wanted to know all along. Absurdist karma.

 

[Shadi]

I knew somebody would write that. Would you please care to read my question?

Well remind me to never respond to a jerk like you ever again....sheesh....

 

[sleddogn]

I knew somebody would write that. Would you please care to read my question?

It is the last part of the thread title that plants the idea you might be looking for one. "Does this even exist". Yes many places can make you one. So yes, your question is pretty straight forward, but your title does plant that idea...the fact you got so mad is just dumb

 

[mikeswals]

With apologies, what on Earth is a tug bar?

You see the finger rest aka tug bar below the G string on my 65 Jazz.

 

[J-Bass RMR]

Have you ever seen an early 70s Precision Bass with an original black pickguard and the tugbar below the strings?

Yes.
I saw a Reverb listing a year or so ago that grabbed my attention; a '73 or '74 sunburst P.
Everything checked out, but what struck me is it had a black guard with the "tug bar".

There always seemed to be anomalies with Fender.
Fender produced Black pickguards as early as 1966 these were used on another "anomaly": the slab-body Precision exported to the UK.
Entwistle famously used one.

Fender (pre & post CBS) not being ones to waste anything, quite possibly could have used up some old stock when they decided the make the black pickguard a standard offering in 1974???

More likely, it's just another case of - with Fender - nothing is ever absolute with "cut-offs".
I think the Black Pickguard was (re) introduced just before someone at Fender finally realized that, about 20 years prior, the majority of electric bass players had evolved to using their fingers - and not their thumbs - to pluck the strings, and decided to move the position of the thumb rest.

Oh - and there's this; https://www.talkbass.com/threads/1973-p-bass.1366067/

 

[sonic boogaloo]

just understand that noone is under obligation to respond the way you want.

 

[pbassnut]

Hi everyone. This is sort of a geeky question: Have you ever seen an early 70s Precision Bass with an original black pickguard and the tugbar below the strings? Or was it all-white-and-tortoise and they started making black ones only after the had moved the tugbar above the strings? I can't find a single pic of an original-looking one ...

I had a '73 Fender P-Bass that I bought brand new. It was alder with a 3 color sunburst finish, a black/white/black pickguard and a maple/rosewood neck. The tugbar was located below the strings. I think Fender switched to locating the tugbars above the strings sometime in '74. As an aside, it was a wonderful bass that served me well and I regret selling it. I used it while in a Country & Western band that was on the Holiday Inn circuit playing six nights a week for a coupla years in the mid 70's. The singer in the band had a '62 Fender Jazz bass that he brought on the road with us and let me play whenever I wanted to. This is where I attained my earliest "pre-CBS" awareness and it was in an era where you could still buy old Fenders at regular used prices or at only a slight premium so I started buying old Fenders and turned that '73 P-Bass over to finance purchases. It was just as good as any of my pre-CBS Fenders ever were and, in retrospect, the "B" neck contour on it was the most comfortable I've ever played. Oh well ... live and learn.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

The only thing I've ever used my tug bar for is as a handle to lift my bass while adjusting my strap.

 

[MonetBass]

The thumb rest.

If you can show me a video of you playing a bass with your thumb on the tug bar below the G string (right-handed, of course -- see @mikeswals pic above), I will give you 100,000 bonus points.

 

[jd56hawk]

View attachment 7481218

Thank you...I'm glad someone knows the difference.

 

[J_Bass]

If you can show me a video of you playing a bass with your thumb on the tug bar below the G string (right-handed, of course -- see @mikeswals pic above), I will give you 100,000 bonus points.

 

[DTF]

Hi!

Don't get me wrong, this has helped me a lot. Thank you. But this thread also shows the whole irony of forum posts.

I asked a simple question. I got a simple answer from one member. Meanwhile, this has evolved into a discussion on many different sorts of things.

• what is a tug bar? You can google it way faster than writing the question but ... whatever
• although I asked a question about black Precision Bass pickguards, someone pointed out that white Jazz Bass pickguards can have the tug bar below or above the strings
• I was also informed that Jazz Basses with black pickguards are 3-bolt
• someone else who did not read the post properly stated that Precision Basses are never 3-bolt (of course not, that was never the question)
• I was informed that WD can make any pickguard. I know that. It was never remotely the question
• a funny joke about tug bars

I know someone selling a tug boat , I can put you in contact with them

 

[Longwheelbass]

Precision basses NEVER had a 3 bolt neck.

I think the dude you're referring to was referring to Jazz Basses.

 

[Giffro]

My specially made Zero-Mod custom tugbar for my 4003 RIc. I use a pick and floating right hand technique picking anywhere between the bridge and over the bridge treble pickup, so the elongated tugbar suits my playing style very well. Now that's a tugbar loll