Does Anyone Use A Precision Tug Bar/Thumb Rest?

Actually, "Thumb Rest" and "Tug Bar" are two different uses for the same little piece of plastic. And they were located in different places on the bass. So, NO, I'd say that nobody uses a thumb rest to play with their thumb - I don't think it's possible, to tell the truth.
If you were to play my '78 P-Bass right handed? You're looking at what would be a tug bar, in that case. Hook your fingers under it, and then yes, you could play with your thumb. But, since it's a lefty? When I play it, it's a thumb rest. I anchor my thumb there and play with my fingers. Except that I always play this bass with a pick - which means I usually rest the heel of my hand on the pickup cover when I play, and don't use the thumb rest at all...
Confusing, isn't it?

 

As a thumb rest I find it way too far away. As a tug bar.......what were they thinking?

 

I put thumb rests on my basses. I have no use for a tug bar.

 

This:

 

Tug bars are as useful as square wheels or wet origami, but here is my Zero-Mod PB2.

 

While I would use a thumb rest if there was one on a bass, I would remove a tug bar without hesitation. it gets in the way as I play a lot of funk.

 

I use it sometimes when I play with my thumb, especially on the D and G string. Wrist/palm on the pickup cover.

But most of the time, when I play bass with my thumb, it's using something close to classical guitar technique. I introduce the thumb when I have a part that has simple "thumps" on the low strings, and also has notes on the high strings that need to be plucked at the same time. Or I sometimes use thumb and middle finger to pluck simple "power chords."

I mainly use the tug bar to "tug" the bass back up when it has slipped down a bit on my lap.

I definitely use it as a thumb rest when it's mounted on top ('70s style).

This bass was my #1 gigging axe for about 10 years. MIJ body. MIA vintage neck. Thumb rest on top. Same with my #2 bass, a '76 Musicmaster Bass. Thumb rest on top.

View attachment 3858112

 

I use mine! P + flats + thumb + tone knob on full makes for a cool sound on sparse songs.

 

I put one in between the pickups on an old J/MM cheapo bass I had years ago, so as to make kinda a continuous thumb rest situation, but I can't imagine finding one very useful in either of the factory Fender locations.

 

Nope

 

I've got tug bars on both my 4- and 5-string Japanese Jazzes. I use the one on my 4-string from time to time for a nice thumpy tone, especially when I'm playing very basic quarter-note rhythms or something on tunes that require very simple bass. I rarely use the one on my 5-string, it's just there to look vintage.

in terms of aesthetics, I'm one of those oddballs who prefer the look of the tug bar position over the thumb rest position - personally I feel the thumb rest being placed right at the edge of the pickguard makes it look like an afterthought, whereas the tug bar's position in the middle of the pickguard makes it look like a proper design (and no, it doesn't get in the way when I pop the high strings while slapping). Just my opinion, I can understand others preferring the thumb rest, it just doesn't work for me as much as the tug bar does

 

The “above the E string” thumb rest is kind of no man’s land for me, I can play off the end of the neck heel for that type of thing. The “below the G string” tug bar is a mystery to me, I have no problem planting my index and/or middle finger anywhere down there and using my thumb to pluck. I’ve always removed either of these from any basses I’ve owned.

 

Tug bar, no.
Thumb rest, yes.

Although my current bass has a pickup exactly where I want my thumb, so no need for either.

 

Mostly Thumb.. I have a TugBar on my '51 reissue,I use it for certain thumb progression's..

 

I love thumb rests. In fact, now that I think of it, I was never a serious player until I bought a Precision with a thumb rest and suddenly could never put my bass down after that.

 

Got 3 with tug bars, never used, there only for nostalgia.

 

Have a 57 AVRI with a tugbar, and no, it is not useful. It can get in the way if anything. But it looks cool and has a vibe so I won’t remove it.

 

A tug bar would have no practical use for my style/technique, and I would surely remove it if present. A thumb rest, while not necessary for me, does give me an anchor point if I want to dig in for hard/fast eighth or sixteenth note lines on the E string... it's just not usually in the location I'd like it to be. I've actually been toying with the idea of applying an adhesive thumb rest closer to the bridge on my P (Lakland 44-64).