Possible to play slap bass with pickup covers?

[micguy]

Pick players also love resting their Palm on the pickup covers.
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When I play with a pick, I need the covers off so I can palm mute.

 

[Swamp_Ronin]

I think a little ribbing is ok here. Knowing about the artistry and significance of Marcus should be required for getting your bass license.

 

[Swings]

I've always loved the look of jazz pickup covers and I'm on the fence on whether to buy them or not. I'm new to basses and just started to learn slap bass. Will the pickup covers obstruct playing, like the palm or wrist hitting the covers? View attachment 5032986

I’ve often wondered if the covers being there get you to NAIL your RH technique and economy of movement.

Would consider installing one as a training aid

 

[micguy]

I think a little ribbing is ok here. Knowing about the artistry and significance of Marcus should be required for getting your bass license.

So, you can't play at the brew and brat on Saturday night if you got a C minus in Jaco or Jamerson history?

 

[Thegreatzambini]

Who is this?

So you’re asking about slap bass and someone shows you a picture of Marcus Miller and you have no idea who he is….LOL

 

[Les Fret]

They just get in the way for me

Yes, the pickup covers are purely optical, especially the bridge cover. Unless you want to rest your hand on the neck pickup cover like Jamerson or put foam under the bridge cover like the old Motown players did. For other techniques there are in the way (palm muting, artificial harmonics, using all fingerstyle nuances of playing everywhere on the whole length of the string etc.). That’s why I don’t like them. It looks cool though, but that can never be the only reason to leave them on for me.

 

[Swamp_Ronin]

So, you can't play at the brew and brat on Saturday night if you got a C minus in Jaco or Jamerson history?

Yeah I would say that’s about the size of it, according to my nebulous philosophical position.