Hitchhiker's Thumb - Curse or Gift?

[Leeforeman9]

I'm feeling a hitch hiker's thumb club?

 

[Volodymyr Yngv]

I've never given it much thought but while jamming, I noticed that most of my friends had their thumbs considerably over their neck, while mine generally never is, unless I'm doing thumbed-chords. The only other exception I use thumb-over-neck is while bending the higher strings. When it comes to playing 3nps string patterns or whathaveyou, my thumb is generally slanted and bent is a 90 degree angle.

Now. Is having a hitchhikers thumb a virtue or a curse? Granted, I've NEVER had any problems in terms of my thumb being a liability, but I generally find that some stretches I do, I could never be able to do without my thumb. I noticed that Shawn Lane had a hitchhikers thumb as well, where as players like Paul Gilbert clearly have their thumbs over-the-neck while playing fast stuff.
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Link Removed

 

[Dusty89]

That looks like a special gift that you can exploit. Wish I had superpowers .

 

[Mayers]

It's a godsend for those who like to do the double-thumb thing when they slap.

I absolutely cannot double-thumb at all due to my thumbs being as straight as arrows.

My thumbs are strait too and I don't have any problem with double-thumb trick. If you slap your thumb pointing down like Flea it is impossible but with your thumb paralelle to the strings it is possible without too much effort.

 

[TOOL460002]

ive always found it to be a gift. it makes slapping so much easier and consistent because you can bounce off it at the bend in your thumb, or extend it to thumb two strings at a time; kind of simple chord outlines.

 

[Rtdmn92]

Actually, I've never understood how people with hitchhiker thumbs double-thumb. I have the very straight thumbs, and although i thought i would never master the double-thumb, I've finally become pretty good at it. All it took was about a year of practice. I do like to play Victor Wooten's and Marcus Miller's music a lot, so that definitely helped. Once again, practice is everything.

 

[kdiggity]

TIL that I have Hitchhiker's Thumb. I never gave much thought to it, and I suppose that I just always thought that this was how everyone's thumbs worked.

BTW, I haven't noticed it hurting or helping my playing, because it's all I've even known. But now that I think about it, I can see where it may help with thumb rests/muting, and neck grip.

But now the real question is: do the ladies like it, and how can we use it to our advantage?

-kdiggity

 

[Jared21]

The hitcher

 

[tuner420]

Sorry for the necro bump guys, but my left hand's thumb can bend more than 90 degrees (image link in post) and when i try to play Newborn by Muse my thumb gets sore too quickly, any ideas on how to prevent it?
Image:http://i350.photobucket.com/albums/q424/tuner420/IMG_20130518_193601.jpg

 

[phillybass101]

I called them bass player thumbs. A new one for me hitchhikers thumb.