Rickenbacker 4003: Where do you rest your thumb?

[GIBrat51]

No, I haven't removed the p/u cover on either of my Ricks. While I'm not a floating thumb-style player like Jeff, I don't rest my thumb anywhere, either. I rest the back edge of my hand on the bridge p/u cover - and always play... with a pick. But, I suppose you could rest your thumb there, too...

 

[Skybone]

Neck pickup or edge of the fretboard. I prefer the neck pickup.

 

[flashgod]

go with a pick, sounds better anyway

 

[John Swartz]

I mostly use my zero-mod thumbrest, and I have the bridge pickup cover removed - this has my fingers sitting comfortably over the bridge pickup.

John

 

[georgiagoodie]

Zero-Mod
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[Musheenhed]

I have experimented with several types of thumb rests on my RIC basses. This was one of my more successful designs and comes mounted on a custom bead-blasted and clear lacquered pickguard. There is skateboard grip tape and some holes drilled for even more stability and grip. This particular design is screwed through the backside of the pickguard with flathead capscrews that are countersunk flat since there is no routed pocket behind it.

 

[Mark76]

Rest your thumb? Vas ees dees?

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Thanks, man.
Beautiful basses all.

Who's the Northern Middle Eastern dude playing the Ric?

 

[Snakeman1066]

 

[arbiterusa]

I always rest my thumb in the strings, so not an issue.

 

[Paul Boyer]

Who's the Northern Middle Eastern dude playing the Ric?

Jeff is one of those Young Turks!

 

[Paul Boyer]

Who's the Northern Middle Eastern dude playing the Ric?

Technically, he's a Northern Mid Westerner!

 

[Axstar]

Who's the Northern Middle Eastern dude playing the Ric?

That is Dr. Tobias Fünke!

 

[StereoPlayer]

That is Dr. Tobias Fünke!

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You forgot to add the ““

 

[Gaolee]

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

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I think we are finding out why Rickebackers are sometimes kind of expensive. There's a vortex they get sucked into, and they all go looking for Jeff Scott. Once there, they deplete the rest of the universe of Rickenbackers.

And, floating thumb. It works for me, sometimes even on the upright. I used to anchor, now I don't. I couldn't even tell you when or why that happened.

 

[Jeff Scott]

We (I) need all your Rickenbackers (not just basses, guitars, too - I have 5 or 6 of those over the years).

Hatched and raised in the good Ol' US Midwest (Oh-Hiya).

I have been asked over the years if I was related to Bobby Rahal, James Taylor, and others who go to the same barber.

I will say thought that there are far larger vortexes than me, Paul Boyer and Jeff Rath among them.

 

[Gaolee]

We (I) need all your Rickenbackers (not just basses, guitars, too - I have 5 or 6 of those over the years).

Hatched and raised in the good Ol' US Midwest (Oh-Hiya).

I have been asked over the years if I was related to Bobby Rahal, James Taylor, and others who go to the same barber.

I will say thought that there are far larger vortexes than me, Paul Boyer and Jeff Rath among them.

I had two 4003s over the years. Both are gone. Maybe you have them. It would be fitting. I'm just a Thunderbird player, not a Rickenbacker player. It may be a personality defect, but it's my personality defect, so I'm happy with it.

 

[Mark76]

We (I) need all your Rickenbackers (not just basses, guitars, too - I have 5 or 6 of those over the years).

Hatched and raised in the good Ol' US Midwest (Oh-Hiya).

I have been asked over the years if I was related to Bobby Rahal, James Taylor, and others who go to the same barber.

I will say thought that there are far larger vortexes than me, Paul Boyer and Jeff Rath among them.

Vortices.

 

[NecroticImbecil]

Used to have a 4001. Rarely if ever rest my thumb, left the pickup cover on. It is crucial to the look of the bass, right along with binding, sharkfin inlays, that unmistakable bridge and the shedua stripe down the neck. 4003 looks better with it on too.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Vortices.

Thanks, I knew what I wrote didn't look write butt eye wuz two lacey too luuk et ep.

 

[farace]

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.

Funny, I was reading down this thread and for the life of me can't remember where my thumb is I when I'm playing. I never think about it. And I was playing earlier tonight, where I help with a Youth Open Mic. If everything wasn't still packed up I'd go and see, but I have the feeling that there is no one place I leave my thumb, since I pluck in different spots depending on the tone I'm after for that song. I have the treble pickup covers in place, and I know that sometimes I rest the edge of my palm on there. Guess I'll have to pay attention next time.