Old Fender question

[4string4ever]

This has bothered me for years, but I'm only now asking why. On the older Fenders, the thumbrest is located on the lower bout. WHY??? You can't possibly use it from there unless you're a lefty playing a righty!!!

Someone please make sense of this for me.

 

[LWatford]

Remember Leo was going for the Double Bass tone, so the idea was to rest your fingers on that rest, and pluck the strings with your thumb. They also had mutes at the bridge to work towards that sound.

 

[pyrohr]

On the bottom it is called a finger rest, on the top it's called a thumb rest.

 

[Anti_Wish]

exactly, you put your palm on the pickup cover, fingers on the finger rest, and thumb on the strings. it is actually very comfortable.

 

[4string4ever]

It's all so clear to me now.....thanks guys.