Thanks. And I agree with you 100%. The cover gets in my way too, especially after a few beverages while gigging. lol.
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How to Play with Chrome Pickup Covers?
- Thread starter FunkyWilly
- Start date
Thanks. And I agree with you 100%. The cover gets in my way too, especially after a few beverages while gigging. lol.
I absolutely love the look and I've tried playing behind and in front but the sweet spot for me is exactly where the cover is, so now I take it off for gigs... put them back on if it's parked for any time though.
The bell (pickup cover) originally served as a handrest, because Leo Fender thought that bass players would pluck with their thumb, and anchor their fingers on the finger rest which was located on the lower horn. They also used to have the ground wire from the pickup attached to the bell, so you had to leave it in place for the bass to function properly. The bridge cover likewise was functional- and contained the foam mute which in those early days was designed to help emulate the thud of an upright bass.
If you currently play with your thumb on the plain pickup itself, then anchoring your thumb on the bell and plucking behind it should take no transitioning at all. It's basically the same technique. I would venture to guess most players who use the bell play like that. My first exposure to someone playing a P-bass with the bell in place was David Brown from Santana in the Woodstock movie. He played both in front of and behind the bell.
If you want to challenge yourself however, you can always work on anchoring your middle, ring, and pinkie on the bell and use just your index finger to pluck on the front side, ala James Jamerson. This techinique takes some getting used to - but once you learn it - you can see how it makes some of his rakes and runs actually a little easier to play.
If you currently play with your thumb on the plain pickup itself, then anchoring your thumb on the bell and plucking behind it should take no transitioning at all. It's basically the same technique. I would venture to guess most players who use the bell play like that. My first exposure to someone playing a P-bass with the bell in place was David Brown from Santana in the Woodstock movie. He played both in front of and behind the bell.
If you want to challenge yourself however, you can always work on anchoring your middle, ring, and pinkie on the bell and use just your index finger to pluck on the front side, ala James Jamerson. This techinique takes some getting used to - but once you learn it - you can see how it makes some of his rakes and runs actually a little easier to play.
My Sunburst 1973 Precision - which I got brand new for Christmas 1973 - came with the ashtrays/covers attached, with flatwound strings and a foam mute under the bridge cover.
There have been many stories as to why the ashtrays/covers were put on there, and what function they served, so I shall now explain the whys and wherefores as have been explained to me over the years...
Firstly, as they were never grounded to the the wiring loom (mine weren't anyway), anyone who says the ashtrays were there a for screening purposes is wrong - looks like they should be, but Fender didn't wire them up, so they weren't.
Next we should consider how the Bass was played in the 50s and early 60s - basically (sic) you plucked the strings with your thumb - there's a scene in the first ever James Bond movie - Dr. No (1963) - set in a beach bar in Jamaica, where you'll see a perfect example of this... (Jamaica Beach Bar, Red Stripe beer, beautiful ladies..... sorry, I got distracted
)
Now if you pluck with your thumb, you need to anchor your right (plucking) hand on the pickguard and, if you recall a '60s Fender Bass - if you don't then see the pic in the post above.., the finger rest is conveniently located under the G string at a slight angle - in fact the perfect angle to anchor your fingers and give you the leverage you need when plucking with your thumb.....
However, if you do this, then your right forearm is going to have to lay across the strings, so the pickup cover is there so your jacket sleeve and cufflink (you are wearing a tux aren't you?) doesn't foul/catch the strings.
To match the pickup cover, we need something similar over the bridge (which is an ugly piece of industrial bent metal that rusted anyway) and it is a convenient place to attach the foam mute over the flatwound strings to give you that dull thud we all know so well...
There have been many stories as to why the ashtrays/covers were put on there, and what function they served, so I shall now explain the whys and wherefores as have been explained to me over the years...
Firstly, as they were never grounded to the the wiring loom (mine weren't anyway), anyone who says the ashtrays were there a for screening purposes is wrong - looks like they should be, but Fender didn't wire them up, so they weren't.
Next we should consider how the Bass was played in the 50s and early 60s - basically (sic) you plucked the strings with your thumb - there's a scene in the first ever James Bond movie - Dr. No (1963) - set in a beach bar in Jamaica, where you'll see a perfect example of this... (Jamaica Beach Bar, Red Stripe beer, beautiful ladies..... sorry, I got distracted
)Now if you pluck with your thumb, you need to anchor your right (plucking) hand on the pickguard and, if you recall a '60s Fender Bass - if you don't then see the pic in the post above.., the finger rest is conveniently located under the G string at a slight angle - in fact the perfect angle to anchor your fingers and give you the leverage you need when plucking with your thumb.....
However, if you do this, then your right forearm is going to have to lay across the strings, so the pickup cover is there so your jacket sleeve and cufflink (you are wearing a tux aren't you?) doesn't foul/catch the strings.
To match the pickup cover, we need something similar over the bridge (which is an ugly piece of industrial bent metal that rusted anyway
) and it is a convenient place to attach the foam mute over the flatwound strings to give you that dull thud we all know so well...Gibson Thunderbird owners can get in on the pickup/bridge cover game too. I have a set ordered that I'm adding to one of my T-birds to give it more "vintage vibe"...
Looks purty when it's on:
Plays better when it's off:
Just my personal preference though (obviously).
Plays better when it's off:
Just my personal preference though (obviously).
My Sunburst 1973 Precision - which I got brand new for Christmas 1973 - came with the ashtrays/covers attached, with flatwound strings and a foam mute under the bridge cover.
There have been many stories as to why the ashtrays/covers were put on there, and what function they served, so I shall now explain the whys and wherefores as have been explained to me over the years...
Firstly, as they were never grounded to the the wiring loom, anyone who says the ashtrays were there a for screening purposes is wrong - looks like they should be, but Fender never wired them up, so they weren't.
Next we should consider how the Bass was played in the 50s and early 60s - basically (sic) you plucked the strings with your thumb - there's a scene in the first ever James Bond movie - Dr. No (1963) - set in a beach bar in Jamaica, where you'll see a perfect example of this... (Jamaica Beach Bar, Red Stripe beer, beautiful ladies..... sorry, I got distracted
Now if you pluck with your thumb, you need to anchor your right (plucking) hand on the pickguard and, if you recall a '60s Fender Bass, the finger rest is conveniently located under the G string at a slight angle - in fact the perfect angle to anchor your fingers and give you the leverage you need when plucking with your thumb.....
However, if you do this, then your right forearm is going to have to lay across the strings, so the pickup cover is there so your jacket sleeve and cufflink (you are wearing a tux aren't you?) doesn't foul/catch the strings.
To match the pickup cover, we need something similar over the bridge (which is an ugly piece of industrial bent metal that rusted anyway
^ very informative. I appreciate that education. Sure makes sense.
Just gotta play where its comfy! I play (on my jazz) right in the middle. (My) sweet spot. I say definitely put them on. Makes it look real cool and vintage. Theres something classy about it. But hey, it's not like you're drilling out pickup slots, or replacing a neck. If you hate them, take them off. If you drill it correctly, the holes wont chip and wear. Unless you want it to look road worn, but thats another story. Worst comes to worse you'll only have 2 noticeable holes. The other 2 will be hidden beneath the pickguard. Here's me rockin out...
As for it being a good thumbrest, I have to disagree. Sometimes it's a little too high up off the string. The pickup is my favorite thumbrest, but the covers wont ruin your plucking. Who knows, you may find it MORE comfortable.
As for it being a good thumbrest, I have to disagree. Sometimes it's a little too high up off the string. The pickup is my favorite thumbrest, but the covers wont ruin your plucking. Who knows, you may find it MORE comfortable.
That is patently incorrect. Paul Balmer in his "Fender Bass Handbook" (pgs.22, 97) has a number of pictures plainly showing the ground wire from the pickup leading to the screw mounting hole for the pickup cover on an early 50's P-bass. Granted it didn't work well as shielding (which is why they stopped doing it) but it was there.
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wrong. from 1952-1956 the chrome pickup WAS grounded on the precision bass, and it clearly still is on my 55 p bass.
Well then I stand corrected - I certainly have never seen one where this was the case and Fender must have decided at some point it wasn't worth doing - 1956 was it?. The first Fenders only arrived in the UK from around 1962 when Cliff Richard bought Hank Marvin his Red Stratocaster...
^ very informative. I appreciate that education. Sure makes sense.
Of course I took the covers off (still got them actually), put Rotosounds on and tried hard to sound like John Entwistle - who's face was on the string packet -(used and recommended by..)
Of course I took the covers off (still got them actually), put Rotosounds on and tried hard to sound like John Entwistle - who's face was on the string packet -(used and recommended by..)
Haha! You have good taste!!
All those pickup covers do, IMHO, is prevent you from being able to pluck the strings at what I consider critical points. Why would anyone want to restrict their options??
The only possible use I could see is on a J Bass, ala Marcus Miller, because he and others like to rest their palm on the cover when they slap. On a P Bass it's a real hamper to resting your thumb on the pickup for the FATTEST and PUNCHIEST Tone available. Looks aint everything..
Depends on the player, though, doesn't it? I've seen plenty of players that do quite well with the covers on. Doesn't interfere with either their playing OR their sound. Not every bassist is the same.
^THIS. I anchor my thumb like that and play behind the cover on my p-bass. When I use a pick and play between the covers and my hands rests nicely on the bridge cover.
