Thumb on pickup? Why?

[chaosMK]

Yes, the early P's had the tugbar on the G side....

Every time I see one of these I think- that cover is right where I'd want to pluck.

 

[BassmanSBK]

Early Fender bass guitars actually had a thumb rest device attached to them above the E string near the neck. I'm not sure why such thumb rests were present, but evidently bassists who switched from upright to electric bass found them useful. As electric basses evolved, many basses (maybe MOST, in fact) no longer had the device. My guess is that it could really get in the way of slapping technique.

Jason Oldsted

No. The "thumb rest" one early was placed below the G string, and was intended to be a finger rest for thumb pickers--which is how Leo Fender the instrument would be played. (See the pic in the post above.) It's really a "tug bar." Some people place tug bars above the E string to act as thumb rest.

IMHO, doing so is a bad idea, but I am so wedded to the floating thumb technique that I don't even anchor the tip of my thumb to any string--it hangs down across all the strings.

 

[xxjazzbassist]

my EBMM has molded pickups on the thumb side so i anchor my thumb on the bridge pickup

 

[funkybass]

IMHO, doing so is a bad idea, but I am so wedded to the floating thumb technique that I don't even anchor the tip of my thumb to any string--it hangs down across all the strings.[/QUOTE]

I myself use the floating thumb. It took awhile to get used to, but I can't anchor my thumb now if I wanted to. Floating thumb is the way to go IMHO.

 

[whitefuneral]

When I started I use to put my thumb on the end of my neck, problem? none.

 

[carlthegroover]

I'm seriously working on my floating thumb technique, and it's already paying off in terms of stable and consistent sound and dynamics across all strings. Another variation I'm starting to use a lot is to just rest the thumb on the next lower string (and on the pickup when plucking the E string, of course).

When I used to "lock" my thumb on the pickup I tended to lose a lot of plucking definition especially in the D and G strings.

It has also had the added effect of faster fingerpicking. But that's my own experience.

P.S. By the way, I'm seriously in need of a pickup cover for my new P 50's tele bass, because when I place my thumb in the pickup itself, the hum is next to unbearable

 

[Tommygun_ted]

I usually plant my thumb on my pickup, but on my fender jaguar I find the best spot for the way I finger pick is right between the pickups, so a thumb rest would be helpful in that situation. On my Gibson however, I prefer picking over the bridge pickup.

 

[mbeall]

This one refuses to die. Someone get a shotgun.

 

[thewildest]

It seems the original OP was crushed by a meteorite and the only thing they could rescue was actually his thumb

 

[Hamlet7768]

This one refuses to die. Someone get a shotgun.

Noooo! This is fun!

I myself use the pickup or the E string, depending on what strings I'm playing. I realized why the other day: for some reason, it lets me pluck with more strength when I have an anchor to push against with my thumb, or something like that, I think.

 

[Mushroo]

All of the above. If you keep your right hand anchored in one place, then you are limiting the tonal range of the instrument.

 

[Batmensch]

Holy dead thread! Did anyone else realize this thread went 11 years before getting new posts today?

Yeah. Check my post #14 for a perhaps vague reference to a zombie thread.

 

[NickBEADG]

I was self taught, I never paid attention to other bassist at the time I started playing. I used the pickup as a thumb rest out of natural instinct I guess you could say lol.

 

[msaone]

Early Fender bass guitars actually had a thumb rest device attached to them above the E string near the neck. I'm not sure why such thumb rests were present, but evidently bassists who switched from upright to electric bass found them useful. As electric basses evolved, many basses (maybe MOST, in fact) no longer had the device. My guess is that it could really get in the way of slapping technique.

Jason Oldsted

The thumb rest was at the bottom below the g string. Mainly as a finger rest because back then, most plucked with their thumb.

 

[msaone]

I live on the pick up. The corner is worn down from resting there so much.

 

[klokker]

Never touch the pickup on any of my basses. I guess I did when I first started playing bass, but now never. Ever.

 

[dincz]

Never touch the pickup on any of my basses. I guess I did when I first started playing bass, but now never. Ever.

OK, I'll ask. Why?

 

[InternetAlias]

People say I use weird technique. For example, if I play something on the G string, my thumb is rested on the D string, but the rest of the thumb and the part of my right palm is muting strings A and E. Downside? This only works on 4 stringers with small string spacing at the bridge, but is still nice technique for muting.

 

[BassAlchemy]

I always anchor my thumb to the top of the pickup on my Fender. I used to play only with a pick prior to getting a Fender. The problem for me now is that I would love to put the nice vintage pickup cover on my bass. but since I rest my thumb in the pup I would have to probably get used to resting my thumb elsewhere and modify my picking technique.

 

[InternetAlias]

I always anchor my thumb to the top of the pickup on my Fender. I used to play only with a pick prior to getting a Fender. The problem for me now is that I would love to put the nice vintage pickup cover on my bass. but since I rest my thumb in the pup I would have to probably get used to resting my thumb elsewhere and modify my picking technique.

What's more important, aesthetics or playability?