'thumbrest'...?

[nick_uk]

ok i know this is probably the oldest and most widely known bass question in the whole wide world......but... can someone tell this ageing, ignorant englishman why leo put the thumbrest below the strings?

 

[Hounddog]

Nick,

I have always wondered this myself. I am glad you asked. Now if we could get one of the Fender experts to answer.

 

[waxcomb]

Ever seen Sting play with his thumb?

 

[nick_uk]

GLAD I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE!

 

[FireAarro]

I think that about covers it. I'm on a roll. Anyone wanna know how the Great Pyramids were built? Huh ??

yeh

 

[Turock]

ok i know this is probably the oldest and most widely known bass question in the whole wide world......but... can someone tell this ageing, ignorant englishman why leo put the thumbrest below the strings?

Leo didn't put a thumb-rest below the strings, he put a finger-rest down there.

 

[Sammy Camden]

Just as a side note, it wasn't always a "finger rest" either. Even in the beginning, a number of bassists used it as a "tug bar". You placed your fingers under it, pulling up with light pressure as you used your thumb on the strings. I know, I was one of those that did that.

 

[rockdoc11]

Check out old Beach Boys videos. You'll see Brian Wilson playing bass using his thumb, with several fingers under the tug bar.

 

[DanGouge]

You rest your fingers on it so you can pluck with your thumb. Originally cats played thumbstyle rather than fingerstyle. It became a "thumb rest" (above the strings) later on.

On a whim about a month ago I tried playing thumbstyle with my fingers on the rest. I was pleasantly surprised that it can be a very useful tone in the right context.

 

[PolkaHero]

Okay, so why did Fender move it to the other side in 1974?

 

[remo]

I think that about covers it. I'm on a roll. Anyone wanna know how the Great Pyramids were built? Huh ??

Great big whips?

 

[rockdoc11]

Okay, so why did Fender move it to the other side in 1974?

Playing styles had changed by the 1970s, with fewer players using thumbs with the other fingers anchored below the strings.

More players were using finger styles.

 

[mikeswals]

Just as the other guys said, you rest your fingers and pluck with the thumb.
The first fenders were built to replace upright basses, and Leo wanted the P bass to sound exactly like an upright, just louder. He wasn't a musician and figured people would play it in that position (of course he was wrong). But if you ever get a chance to play a 50's or 51RI in Leo's original intended position with the finger rest, flatwounds and a mute installed, it will sound exactly like an upright.

To answer the "why did they switch it in '74" question...isn't it obvious? They realized people needed to anchor their thumb somewhere while playing fingerstyle.

 

[I-Love-Ratm]

The inventor of Marshall amps was a drummer

 

[PolkaHero]

To answer the "why did they switch it in '74" question...isn't it obvious? They realized people needed to anchor their thumb somewhere while playing fingerstyle.

Okay, fair enough. So then why did Fender eliminate the thumbrest altogether around 1980? Did it take them 6 years to figure out the pickup itself makes a decent thumbrest?!

 

[peabody]

Leo Fender and Freddie Fender are not related. Amazing, huh?