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problem wresting my thumb...

I

iSka

May 31, 2008
66
0
#1
basically its not very comfortable for me to wrest my thumb on the pick up. the pick ups are both raised under the strings so would unscrewing the pickup to give myslef more room be a good idea?
would it affect anything else??
 
#4
Unscrewing the pickup will raise it and cause the E and A strings to be louder. You want to have your pickups raised/lowered to a point where you've got even volume across the strings.

If it were my bass I'd install a Invalid Link Removed just behind the E/A string side pickup, so that the edge you rest your thumb on lines up with the end of the pickup cover (almost like it's an extension of the pickup cover pointing toward the bridge). The screws will go through the pickguard, so if you end up not liking the look later you could replace the pickguard and no one would be the wiser.

Are you using a static or floating thumb technique?
 
#5
iv only just started taking plying with my fingers more seriously and as im self tuaght honeslty have no idea what u mean but atm i keep my thumb on the pickup wen playing with my fingers unless slapping
 
#6
I made a small thumbrest out of wood and glued and screwed it to my Gibson Ripper 30+ years ago and it's still there. I use it unless I want a fatter tone, in which case I play closer to the neck by resting my thumb on the pickguard. Not sure how the mod will affect the resale value if I ever decide to sell it.
 
#8
1793631.jpg

Ignore the fat ugly guy holding onto the bass. It's not a great photo of the thumb rest, but I like it a lot! Nice and thumpy by the neck like that, and the strings are nice and bouncy too.
 
#9
I have a OLP bass and since the pickups are at the bridge, I cant rest my thumb. So I just let it float then move it down to the top of the E string to mute. It was a little uncomfortable at first but then I got used to it. I hope this helps at all. Trying different techniques is alot more sensible then trying to adjust the pickups IMO.
 
#10
i use a 1/4"x 1/4" piece of plexi-glass and round its sharp edges. then i apply it to the pickguard adjacent to the pickup with super strong 3M clear double stick tape. it works great and the pickups can be adjusted for the best tone independent from the thmbrest. its completely removeable with no holes drilled or glue used and almost invisible.

jbassthumbrest-1-w.jpg


if you set the pickups too high, their magnetism will actually create a thing that i call "tri-toning" (for lack of a better term). where the fundamental as well as two or three other notes are also produced due to the magnetic field pulling on the string while also killing the sustain.
 
#11
iSka said:
iv only just started taking plying with my fingers more seriously and as im self tuaght honeslty have no idea what u mean but atm i keep my thumb on the pickup wen playing with my fingers unless slapping
Click to expand...

Gotcha. Anchoring your thumb on the pickup when playing the E-string works well, but if you keep it there when you're playing the other strings then you're slowing yourself down. In the "floating thumb" you anchor your thumb on the string above the one you're playing. It takes a little time to get used to, but it makes it easier to play fast without extra strings vibrating.

Let's say you're playing on the E-string and then move to the A - you would then anchor your thumb on the E-string. When I'm playing on the D-string my thumb is planted on A-string and I'm using the side of my thumb to mute the A string. As I move back down to the A or E I stop the D from vibrating with the index/middle finger that isn't going to play the next note. Like I said, it takes a little bit of getting used to, but it's a much better way of playing, IMHO.
 
#13
johnk_10 said:
i use a 1/4"x 1/4" piece of plexi-glass and round its sharp edges. then i apply it to the pickguard adjacent to the pickup with super strong 3M clear double stick tape. it works great and the pickups can be adjusted for the best tone independent from the thmbrest. its completely removeable with no holes drilled or glue used and almost invisible.

jbassthumbrest-1-w.jpg
Click to expand...
CLEVER! I'm going to steal this idea!
 
#15
fourstringbliss said:
Gotcha. Anchoring your thumb on the pickup when playing the E-string works well, but if you keep it there when you're playing the other strings then you're slowing yourself down. In the "floating thumb" you anchor your thumb on the string above the one you're playing. It takes a little time to get used to, but it makes it easier to play fast without extra strings vibrating.

Let's say you're playing on the E-string and then move to the A - you would then anchor your thumb on the E-string. When I'm playing on the D-string my thumb is planted on A-string and I'm using the side of my thumb to mute the A string. As I move back down to the A or E I stop the D from vibrating with the index/middle finger that isn't going to play the next note. Like I said, it takes a little bit of getting used to, but it's a much better way of playing, IMHO.
Click to expand...

ok this seems like my best option then im sure other people may disagree but to me this makes more sense and i get that you should play how its most comfortable to u
 
#16
Yup E string anchoring is the way to go!! Just gives you that extra bit of reach for the G and is easier on the thumb.

I place my thumb without even thinking about it now :)

Also, RE floating thumb - I find the muting argument to be a moot point for me - I mute with my fretting hand and also with my right hand technique.

It's all about finding your comfort zone I guess but I find floating thumb to offer no significant advantage to me over resting on the E string :)
 
#17
iSka said:
not sure i want a thumb rest although ill look into it.

does playing on the neck have any drawbacks?
Click to expand...

It will give you a different tone than playing at the pup or close to the bridge. Spend some time experimenting with playing in different locations and see how the sound changes. I will often change my fingering/picking location to produce a different sound if that's what the song needs.
 
#18
fourstringbliss said:
CLEVER! I'm going to steal this idea!
Click to expand...

be my guest!
here's another one on my 55 p bass (a custom built bass that i made for my self) that uses an existing pickup cover hole and is notched to go over the pickguard. I used the 3M clear doublestick on it as well. Again, no extra holes drilled, reversible and almost invisible.


55pbass_thumbrest-1-w.jpg
 
#19
johnk_10 said:
be my guest!
here's another one on my 55 p bass (a custom built bass that i made for my self) that uses an existing pickup cover hole and is notched to go over the pickguard. I used the 3M clear doublestick on it as well. Again, no extra holes drilled, reversible and almost invisible.


55pbass_thumbrest-1-w.jpg
Click to expand...

I've got a Lakland 55-01 coming in tomorrow and might just make one of these here clear thumrests so that I'm not pushing on the pickup. Now that I think about it, I think I'll make an extra long one that will span from pickup to pickup so that I have somewhere to rest my thumb when I want to play between the pups. Stellar!
 

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