I don't like playing over the bridge pickup

[catcauphonic]

Overall, it sounds too anemic the closer to the bridge i play. I suppose it would sound thicker if the P pup was soloed and the bass eq boosted a little more, but there's still the quicker decay of notes since the strings don't vibrate as much because of the higher tension (I reckon if i was pumping 8ths the whole time, the decay would matter less.)

TL/DR: Would do it for certain accents, but not on the regular ... fingers or pick.

 

[Matt_784]

I like to play in the middle of both just to get an even balance of tone from both pups.

 

[Pilgrim]

The title says it all. I play finger style almost exclusively. Floating thumb. I see many other bass players playing almost exclusively over the bridge pickup. Many times I like their tone. When I try it, I don't like the sound or feel. Feels "cold".

I like it most just behind the neck pickup. Sometimes, when doing country, I'll even play right up at the neck for a more upright sound...but never bridge. Been playing 22 years.

Anyone here feel the same?

Yup. I seldom play over a bridge pickup - strings are too tight there (lots of tension next to the bridge), and I prefer fingers and a less bright sound. (And old flats.)

 

[39-Bassist]

I have found playing over the neck PU gives me the tones I prefer MOST of the time, BUT I also will use a pick over the bridge pu and sometimes even use my palm for slightly different tones...It really just comes down to technique of course. And whatever the song requires.
Practice different things with different types of songs you may be surprised at the tones you get and may like.

 

[kenneffdupriest]

When I dig in hard, I usually go toward the bridge. For me, the strings are more predictable there as they're swinging less far.

It's like I'm talking to myself. Couldn't have said it better and was about to try. I go back n forth between the two on a j bass but the pickup position on a Stingray is, IMHO, perfect.

 

[gidbass]

I play over the bridge pickup of my Ric 4003.

It sounds heavenly...

Good Luck!

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

Tone is in the fingers.

Depends on the song and what sound you're trying to get. With my PJ, I can go from the darkest, fattest tone (P-pickup, tone off, play fingerstyle near neck), to the brightest, twangiest tone (J-bridge pickup only, play with a pick near the bridge)

 

[Hounddog409]

The title says it all. I play finger style almost exclusively. Floating thumb. I see many other bass players playing almost exclusively over the bridge pickup. Many times I like their tone. When I try it, I don't like the sound or feel. Feels "cold".

I like it most just behind the neck pickup. Sometimes, when doing country, I'll even play right up at the neck for a more upright sound...but never bridge. Been playing 22 year
Anyone here feel the same?

well, I currently cannot play over the BPU - refer to pic. I used Neck PU as thumb rest on the LB70, so not over a PU there. between the 2 pickups is where I hang out. sometimes go up just where fret board ends if I want a mellow tone.

 

[shawshank72]

I don't trust people who play close to the bridge as their default tone.

Thread should have ended after this post.

 

[Lowness]

So....don't play over the bridge pick up.

 

[CalBuzz51]

I palm mute sometimes right on top of the bridge (heavy handed) and use a pick sometimes to try copping both parts of tictac lines at the same time.

But fingerstyle I'm between the pickup and neck.

 

[FunkHead]

The harder I am digging in, the closer I get to the Bridge period. It's just to cut back on string noise and the tone doesn't change too much for me. Because I'm banging the strings so hard at that point, they sure as heck don't sound anemic. Live with my band, I usually let the amp do the heavy lifting and play lightly nearer the neck.

 

[staccatogrowl]

Jaco laughs at this thread. .

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I'm all over the place...

 

[GrooverMcTube]

I wear my basses where the neck plate is right at my navel.

I tend to default to playing where my right hand is right above my navel, so about the 17th fret on a Fender. But then I'm kind of a long-armed galoot...

 

[ThuzzleFump]

I play close to the fretboard, even over it sometimes. I'm more Willie Dixon than I am Jaco, and I'm OK with that.

 

[Jloch86]

I hate the sound and feel of the bridge pickup.

I'm somewhere between Geezer...

and Timmy C.

 

[bassinflorida]

I don't like to play near the railroad bridge.

 

[RyanKW]

I should give a small caveat. The ONLY way i can get a usable tone out of my EB-0 is to play with a pick down by the bridge...but that's about 35 inches away from the nearest pickup.

 

[RyanKW]

Jaco laughs at this thread. .

I know. I wasn't saying that people shouldn't....