Using P bass single coil pickup as thumb rest - will I damage the pickup?

[dmac1961]

No, the pickup is more susceptible to damage than other conventional pickups. Since it has no cover, there is nothing securing the top bobbin except the pole pieces. I made a thumb rest from a piece of ebony and used the existing screw hole to mount it. Of course, this pic is with a dual blade pickup.

 

[Arizona Jones]

I've seen a couple of those single coil pickups busted apart. I wouldn't think it would be a good idea if you really dig in; like John Bazz of the Blasters.

But Ronnie James Weber doesn't seem to have a problem using it -

(Go for it, if it breaks buy another)

****

 

[CGremlin]

For the traditional split-coil P pickup, no you're not going to damage it. You will likely wear the plastic, making it shiny and rounding the edge a bit, but that's not going to hurt it electronically.

 

[MrSidecar]

Tossing in the one voice to the contrary.

They can break in two different ways that experienced first hand. The easier and most common is a string getting caught under the bobbin and breaking it. I've had it happen and I've also seen it in a few telecaster basses. The other way is that sweat, beer, grime, and everything else gets in and shorts out the pickup which I've had happen. Since you're using the pickup as a thumb rest, I'd say that the latter is more likely than the former.

No, the pickup is more susceptible to damage than other conventional pickups. Since it has no cover, there is nothing securing the top bobbin except the pole pieces. I made a thumb rest from a piece of ebony and used the existing screw hole to mount it. Of course, this pic is with a dual blade pickup.View attachment 646437

+1: these are the voices of reason.

My first hand experience with this is:

a) Do NOT use the '51-style P-bass single coil as a thumb rest. And I mean NOT.
b) Be careful with your E-string, as it also can be potentially dangerous.

Why is this? The pickup in question is a long way from covered pickups when it comes to ruggedness. The pole pieces only sit somehow tight in the bass plate, and this is what holds the pickup together, there's no glue or anything involved. On my first school-bus/mango colored '51 reissue, I had the E-string "hook" under the pickup a few times from playing really hard, and the last time it did this, it tore the pickup apart.
The thumb didn't cause any problems for me, but I am sure that it can, having seen how fragile the pickup actually is. You can really easily pull the thing apart.

If you want to be period-correct, you can always use the ashtray. No wait, your jazz pickup is maybe in the way... I have been doing this since, and I also changed to thicker flats (as opposed to light rounds) that stay a little more over the pole piece.
best
sidecar

 

[Batmensch]

Yeah, I've heard plenty of stories about these falling apart after a while. Like I said, if you can see the coil/wire wrappings, then DON'T use it as a thumb rest. I think the Squier CV 50's bass' pickup has a plastic cover, one like that would probably be safe.

 

[twinjet]

OP brings up a good point. Is this potential fragility mostly found on P basses or on J basses too? Though I rarely use my pups for rest, as I play with my thumb.

 

[Quilbert]

Wow, people really running out of questions to ask about bass guitars.

 

[cnltb]

Using P bass single coil pickup as thumb rest - will I damage the pickup?
Why would you?

 

[gjohnson441496]

Sorry for a dumb thread...

This has been bugging me for a while though so decided to ask. I have a early P style bass with the single coil PU and really could use something to anchor my thumb as I´m used to doing it with jazz / split P. Question is the single coil PU seems to sit right in there where I like to have my thumb so is are there probs in using the edge of the pickup as a thumb rest?

Yes, I could use a dedicated thumb rest but would like to have the bass clean without accessories if possible.

So: yes / no, and why, please...

Thanks,

J.

No. Why... I don't know, but I have done it for years.

 

[Lo-E]

Will you damage it? That's hard to say. Could you? Yes. You could. There's no cover on that pickup and it's only press-fit together, as others have pointed out.

 

[Batmensch]

OP brings up a good point. Is this potential fragility mostly found on P basses or on J basses too? Though I rarely use my pups for rest, as I play with my thumb.

It's just the early 50's and Telecaster type bass single coil pickup that doesn't have a plastic casing like P's and J's that has this issue. Split coil P pups and J pups are OK to use as a thumb rest.

 

[96tbird]

Here is a vintage bobbin sans windings. Four magnets holding the bobbin plates together. If you think that is indestructible then have at it. If you think that it is fragile, you are correct and won't expect it to live up to the rigors of using it as a thumb rest.

Some modern bobbins are plastic and are one piece that have tubes the mags slide into. They are much more durable.

 

[Pyrat]

I've broken bass BODIES and the p/u was fine, soooooo.....PLAY IT.

 

[Imaginary Pony]

 

[Ed Bass]

Get a pickup cover and put your thumb on that.

 

[Martin Beer]

I've found the top flatwork of one of these pickups on the floor of a venue I played in, so I guess it has happened to someone.

 

[gidbass]

Maybe if you are this guy...

 

[GreyBeard]

Just use the "floating thumb" technique where you rest you thumb on the string beneath the one you are plucking. Problem solved............

 

[MegaSwing]

There just aren't enough things to worry about, are there?

 

[96tbird]

Maybe if you are this guy...

Seems to me that you don't understand that we are not talking about a split P pickup under a plastic cover. We are talking about the exposed single coil "Tele" head p bass pickips.

They are fragile.