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Ex - Or Current Guitar Players & Thumb Position

SurferJoe46

SurferJoe46

Feb 22, 2010
9,057
763
The Bitterroot Mounts, Montana
#1
I played a lot of guitar for many years when I had quit bass -and I find that almost every guitar player puts their thumb over the side of the neck even when playing bass.

I know I use that technique to quiet the E string on guitar and I find I still do it a lot on the bass.

Although I have no physical pain nor am I having playing troubles with this pattern, I still see and hear people all the time raggin' on players who DO hang their thumb over the neck.

I think it's maybe not such a bad technique, it just worries some people a lot.

Ever notice that?
 
#2
I've played guitar for 34 years and bass for 31 years.

As to your points:

Bass players who don't do something rag on it.

Bass players who can't do something rag on it.

Bass players that won't do something rag on it.

Bass players that don't know theory rag on it.

As for the thumb thing, I use it on guitar more to play F# or F when my hand is consumed elsewhere. But I also use it on bass on occasion. And I've seen members here ragged on for it. If it doesn't hurt, cause risk of long-term injury, and it doesn't result in bad bass lines, then do it. @#$% the world while you're at it.
 
#3
I've been watching my students alot lately and watching myself in regards to thumb position.....for an experienced guitar or bass player the thumb moves all over the place depending on the style of playing and song.

I don't subscribe to the classical guitar school of playing the the thumb is centered at the back of the neck....its a waste of resource.....the thumb as you point out is a muting power house.....however..the classic positioning of the thumb is good for beginners because for whatever reason beginners tend to do strange and unusual things with their neck hand thumb.
 
#4
#7
I was looking at Chris Squire on Invalid Link Removed and in one of the videos, he used the thumb of his fretting hand. So, naturally, I came right over to TB to see what ideas TBers had on this technique.

Lo and behold, this thread.

Being a somewhat newbie, I've heard the general consensus that the fretting hand thumb goes on the back of the neck. I've always played that way, but wondered about using my thumb, and why not? My technique, such as it is :rolleyes: hasn't suffered from *not* using it on the fretboard. The feeling I got from some quarters was that letting the thumb hang over the 'board was sloppy....

Hmm. Maybe not so much. I'm going to give this a try, in moderation at first, of course, just to see how it works for me. Another tool in the tool belt!
 
#9
As far as i've found, it's more comfortable and convenient to have the thumb on the back of the neck, and to slightly arch your fingers. Easier to pivot on the thumb, than bend the whole wrist.

I used to have my thumb on the of the neck, almost around it actually, but that had much more to do with a poorly balanced instrument.

To each his own. :bassist:
 
#10
I wrap my thumb over when I play guitar. Makes muting the E and A strings easier while playing some chords.

For a long time I did that with bass too, but recently I've been working on breaking that habit because it caused me some serious grief and pain playing upright like that.

My thumb is also pretty odd, it bends back to a 90 degree angle quite easily and it hurts after a while. So having the thumb over the neck instead of pressed against the back is a lot more comfortable for long shows/practices. It also makes finding comfortable necks pretty difficult.
 
#11
My thumb is usually somewhere between the center of the back of the neck and the edge, although sometimes it is at the edge while I hold the neck in my palm. I don't believe you have to have it dead center on the back. There are times, though, when that helps with a particular lick, but mostly I think it's best to feel relaxed, whether it fits any mold or not. I use my thumb a lot for the 6th string on guitar (and I prefer a 7-1/4" neck radius for that very reason).
 

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