Rickenbacker 4003: Where do you rest your thumb?

[Corbusier]

My pastor plays bass most Sundays and has a beautiful black Rickenbacker 4003 (pickup cover intact). I've plucked around on it and the bass is very well-balanced and the neck feels beyond great to me. The sound is incredible and smooth. I want one. I'm new to the bass. On the Ric, my plucking hand thumb ended up at the top edge of the pick guard above the neck pickup.

My questions for Rickenbacker players are:
1) where do you rest your plucking hand thumb?
2) have you removed the bridge pickup cover?

 

[Karl_V]

Anytime I've played one I rest on the fretboard edge playing over the neck p/u. Personally I'd leave the bridge p/u cover on as I like the look YMMV. I will post this for prosperity sake and to throw it out into the world. Zero Mod 4003 Ric Thumbrest - Best Bass Gear I'm sure there's about a dozen and a half companies selling them and probably just as many manufacturers, but a decent idea is a decent idea. Full disclosure I don't own one.(Ric or rest)

 

[Jeff Scott]

Rest your thumb? Vas ees dees?

 

[Jeff Scott]

You're best off losing that nasty habit, you will be the better player for it, really.

 

[Corbusier]

Rest your thumb? Vas ees dees?

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Thanks, man.
Beautiful basses all.

 

[12BitSlab]

Floating thumb technique.

I have a ‘15 4003 in FG. Good technique is your best friend.

 

[callofcthulhu]

And where do you float your thumb when you’re on the low string?

How do you gallop dozens of bars of 16th notes at 190 bpm without a hard anchor?

You can also play MUCH more aggressively with a hard anchor.

I use floating thumb and I also have a ZeroMod thumbrest for when it’s beneficial.

I’ll also anchor off the bridge cover from time to time.

 

[mapleglo]

Zero-mod

• mapleglo
• Sep 19, 2018
• zero-mod

Zero-mod thumb rest

Zero-mod thumb rest. Works like a charm.

 

[12BitSlab]

And where do you float your thumb when you’re on the low string?

How do you gallop dozens of bars of 16th notes at 190 bpm without a hard anchor?

You can also play MUCH more aggressively with a hard anchor.

I use floating thumb and I also have a ZeroMod thumbrest for when it’s beneficial.

I’ll also anchor off the bridge cover from time to time.

Each of us have different styles. Glad you have something that works for you.

I encourage new players to adopt “textbook” technique. They will then get to the point where they know when to break the rules.

 

[catcauphonic]

I just learned of this, and have never personally used it myself >



Saw a different 4003 demo video with a similar one a couple days ago the guy briefly talked about, but can't find it right now.

 

[HELLonWHEELS]

You can get a treble bezel with a thumb rest off ebay

Rickenbacker 4003 Bass aftermarket Treble Bezel Deluxe Smooth Chrome | eBay

 

[callofcthulhu]

Each of us have different styles. Glad you have something that works for you.

I encourage new players to adopt “textbook” technique. They will then get to the point where they know when to break the rules.

My point is that neither technique ought to be the “rule.” They both have advantages and disadvantages. So to just spout off on some guy for “doing it wrong” when he’s asking for advice on how to do it doesn’t really add much to the conversation.

I agree a well rounded player should be able to do both. The shortcomings of each style will become readily apparent if you just try them out, at which point the “correct” technique for any given situation will become self-evident.

FWIW the “textbook” that I learned out of (some Hal Leonard book or another) taught only anchored thumb, so I had to “break the rules” and teach myself floating thumb.

 

[mapleglo]

Regarding the floating thumb technique, I've been playing bass for going on 50 years. I've never used, nor thought to start using the floating thumb technique. Anchored thumb seems to have done well for me. I see no reason to mess with success. That's not to say that the floating thumb is bad, it just never was something I thought I needed.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Good luck in your quest. Whenever I've played Rics I spend the whole time trying to find a comfortable place for my right hand. It's so distracting for me that I've pretty much forgotten about ever having one. Maybe the 4004, but probably not. No disrespect to any die-hard Ric players out there. Just not my thing.

 

[StereoPlayer]

I honestly don’t even think about how/where/why I place my thumb. Or even how I use a pick when playing.
If I did, I probably couldn’t play at all.

 

[Mastermold]

You're best off losing that nasty habit, you will be the better player for it, really.

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Nice!

 

[Mastermold]

...
My questions for Rickenbacker players are:
1) where do you rest your plucking hand thumb?
2) have you removed the bridge pickup cover?

1) Floating or on the E-string behind the bridge pickup.
2) Nope--it's a great hand rest when using a pick.

 

[DAB]

1: You don't. You play with a pick.
2: You keep it and play in front of it, with a pick.

 

[Kombo]

You're best off losing that nasty habit, you will be the better player for it, really.

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Pretty much what Jeff does here - floating thumb and if I’m the E I’ll hover above the pick guard like the first black bass picture.

 

[sawzalot]

This is one of the reasons I gave up on Rickenbackers.