Ever pass on a bass because the pickups aren't "comfortable"?

[micguy]

I have thumb rests between the neck pickup and neck, where I play. Don't use pickups as thumb anchors, so not an issue for me.

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

There was a nice Yamaha that I tried that I just had to pass on, because the pickups had a built-in "thumb rest" shape, but the hole for the screw was VERY sharp and hurt my thumb when I tried to rest my thumb on it.

I now play a Sterling which only has a humbucker at the bridge, so I've learned how not to rely on resting my thumb on a pickup. I prefer to play near the neck most of the time, so resting my thumb on the pickup wouldn't work here.

 

[40Hz]

If I like the sound of the thing and it's at all playable I'll figure out a way to make it work.

The only place I'll ever anchor my thumb is along the side of the fretboard right where it joins the body, And that's rarely. Most of the time when I play I use the floating thumb technique. So no...it's never been an issue for me.

 

[BAG]

I assume this is only an issue if you're a finger style player.

Actually, at least in my personal experience, you'd be wrong. I play mostly with pick and when I tried an EBMM Stingray I found the design and placement of the pickup meant that I was clicking the pickup poles quite a bit and it just didn't feel right. Doesn't pose a problem with any P or J style basses i've played.

 

[12BitSlab]

I have never rested my thumb on any part of a bass. But, I have passed on a bass because of the pickups.

I use my fingers. 2 of them most of the time, 3 of them for triplets, and occasionally, all 4 fingers on my right hand.

Before I purchased my Ibanez SR750, I tried an Ibanez SR500. It has 2 soapbar pickups. They got in the way of my playing. That's why I got the 750.

No offense to SR500 fans. It just wasn't right for me.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Dangit... After reading all the replies about thumbrests and floating thumb technique, I got to thinking... now what the heck do I do?

Thumb resting the E-string the whole time, muting it. Unless I'm PLAYING the E-string.

 

[ba55i5t]

Two words - floating thumb.

One more word - ramp.

I know I know thank me later.

 

[electracoyote]

With all due respect to the OP, I could not use the relative comfort of the pickup placement and anchor point as valid criteria to dismiss an otherwise great bass guitar. Just my .02 cents.

If the bass otherwise has great tonal and playability characteristics, I'll figure out how to anchor my thumb. On almost all my basses with widely varying pickup placements, I have at least two anchor points plus floating thumb technique and using the bottom string.

 

[superdick2112]

When I was 18, I anchored my thumb on the edge of the bridge pickup.
By the time I was 28, I was anchoring at the neck pickup.
By the time I was 40, I was floating my picking hand, and ever since then I usually pluck somewhere between the neck pickup & the end of the fingerboard.

 

[IamJohn]

I had some Mighty Mite pickups in a Cort A6 that were as sharp as a dagger so I took a file to the corners to smooth them out a bit.

Other than that, I made the mistake of using #0000 steel wool to clean my frets once and got a nice metal sliver in between my finger nail from a piece that got stuck to the pickups.

That was not fun.

 

[Element Zero]

Wouldn't say passed up but I can't stand the uncomfortable (for me) plucking hand position on Rickenbackers. Dig the sound, hate the playability.

 

[aaronious]

Note: I assume this is only an issue if you're a finger style player.

On the BPU group on FaceBook someone asked for thoughts on soapbar pickups vs MusicMan pickups, and while everyone seems to jump right into the TONAL aspects of these options, for me it's something completely different - I rely on using my pickups as thumb rests, and many of these are simply not comfortable feeling to me.

One bass I've always absolutely loved is the Peavey Cirrus. I think they are gorgeous to look at, they balance like a dream, and the tone just oozes from them for days. Truly, one of the most captivating experiences in my life was being glued to Donnie Castleman (he's a TB member and an absolute monster on bass) playing a Cirrus with Terry Fator at The Mirage in Las Vegas a few years ago. I'd always been drawn to Cirrus basses, but after seeing that show I was 100% sold on giving up all the other basses I owned and finally getting a Cirrus like I'd considered for years. I couldn't wait to go check one out at my favorite local music store where I knew there was one hanging on the wall. As soon as I started playing it my beaming enthusiasm turned to a slumping sigh. I understand they call these "VFL Pickups" and was shocked to learn it doesn't stand for "Very F------ Long". It really does feel uncomfortable (to me) to rest my thumb on the end of one of their pickups and play normally because they're so inexplicably lengthy. I had a similar experience trying out an Ibanez BTB, which is another bass I've long admired the look and sound of.

As for the MusicMan pickups, the 4-string versions have those "flanges" or whatever they're called where the pickup screws go, which aren't ideal (for me), and the 5-string versions suffer the same length drawback as the aforementioned long soapbars. I've owned a few basses with MM pickups, and while I've been able to manage, they never did feel very natural as thumb rests.

Anyone else have similar stories where you would otherwise love everything about a bass if it just didn't feel uncomfortable because of the pickups? A lot of time on this site is spent on the tone of this pickup or that one, and a lot is devoted to the feeling of certain necks and strings, but I don't recall the topic of pickup comfort ever being discussed. A quick search didn't turn up anything.

Jacob

It's the only reason I don't own a Music Man. No so much comfort. They are just in the wrong spot. And the HH is also awkard. But damn they sound good!

 

[PortlandBass77]

Just out of curiosity OP, what bass do you consider the most comfortable you have played?

 

[Rib 13]

The only time pickups factor for me is where they are located for voicing

 

[Charley Umbria]

Yup, I ultimately ended up selling my Ric 4003 because I could never find a comfortable position for my thumb.

Everything else about the bass was spectacular, though. Still…

 

[MojoPenguin]

Anyone else have similar stories where you would otherwise love everything about a bass if it just didn't feel uncomfortable because of the pickups?

Oh boy, been waiting for this one... I love P Basses, but the split pickup just rips my thumb because of its small screw... I think stuff like the Zero mod thumbrest would be my first choice if I was playing a P. I prefer round smooth pickups though.

 

[Korladis]

Note: I assume this is only an issue if you're a finger style player.

On the BPU group on FaceBook someone asked for thoughts on soapbar pickups vs MusicMan pickups, and while everyone seems to jump right into the TONAL aspects of these options, for me it's something completely different - I rely on using my pickups as thumb rests, and many of these are simply not comfortable feeling to me.

One bass I've always absolutely loved is the Peavey Cirrus. I think they are gorgeous to look at, they balance like a dream, and the tone just oozes from them for days. Truly, one of the most captivating experiences in my life was being glued to Donnie Castleman (he's a TB member and an absolute monster on bass) playing a Cirrus with Terry Fator at The Mirage in Las Vegas a few years ago. I'd always been drawn to Cirrus basses, but after seeing that show I was 100% sold on giving up all the other basses I owned and finally getting a Cirrus like I'd considered for years. I couldn't wait to go check one out at my favorite local music store where I knew there was one hanging on the wall. As soon as I started playing it my beaming enthusiasm turned to a slumping sigh. I understand they call these "VFL Pickups" and was shocked to learn it doesn't stand for "Very F------ Long". It really does feel uncomfortable (to me) to rest my thumb on the end of one of their pickups and play normally because they're so inexplicably lengthy. I had a similar experience trying out an Ibanez BTB, which is another bass I've long admired the look and sound of.

As for the MusicMan pickups, the 4-string versions have those "flanges" or whatever they're called where the pickup screws go, which aren't ideal (for me), and the 5-string versions suffer the same length drawback as the aforementioned long soapbars. I've owned a few basses with MM pickups, and while I've been able to manage, they never did feel very natural as thumb rests.

Anyone else have similar stories where you would otherwise love everything about a bass if it just didn't feel uncomfortable because of the pickups? A lot of time on this site is spent on the tone of this pickup or that one, and a lot is devoted to the feeling of certain necks and strings, but I don't recall the topic of pickup comfort ever being discussed. A quick search didn't turn up anything.

Jacob

I only use the pickups as thumbrests on my T-bird. On my other basses, I use either the edge of the pickguard, the edge of the body, or the pickup surround.

 

[Korladis]

Yup, I ultimately ended up selling my Ric 4003 because I could never find a comfortable position for my thumb.

Everything else about the bass was spectacular, though. Still…

I use the edge of the pickguard.

 

[Pops OB]

I've never passed on a bass because the pickups were uncomfortable. I have passed on basses, but for a combination of reasons, never for pickup comfort.

Soapbars. Depending on which one of mine I'm playing (balance, etc.), I'll use the pup as a thumb rest, or not.

P and J pups. I don't like the feel of the adjustment screw, just not comfortable for me, so I tend to either rest my thumb on the E, or again, depending on the bass, on the edge of the neck right at the corner. I end up there more often than not when playing any bass.

 

[NortyFiner]

Never understood why more basses don't include thumb rests. Fortunately, at least for Fender, MM, and some other basses with pickguards, there are the Zero-Mod thumb rests. Link: Home