If you check that picture you see that this precise position it's intended by many people at their very first aproach to the bass... I think it's almost natural...
Edit: Gorgeous bass BTW!
Edit: Gorgeous bass BTW!
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whats up with thumb rests?
- Thread starter Jimmyplaysabass
- Start date
Yeah, I think it's vestigial, like the pickguard. Some folks came from the upright bass world, and floated their thumb while thumping with their fingers. Some came from the guitar world, and whanged away like Pete Townshend with a pick. Some came from Mars, and kind of plunked with their thumb. Leo tried to cover all the bases.
I take it that today, most of these things have become cosmetic. Nobody much uses the tug bar or thumb rest anymore. I play with a pick, and even at my wild and craziest, have never threatened a pick guard.
So now, they're traditional, maybe even beautiful, but not too functional. Maybe I should start a poll to see how many people here have ever scraped their pickguard with a pick, and been glad the guard was there.
I take it that today, most of these things have become cosmetic. Nobody much uses the tug bar or thumb rest anymore. I play with a pick, and even at my wild and craziest, have never threatened a pick guard.
So now, they're traditional, maybe even beautiful, but not too functional. Maybe I should start a poll to see how many people here have ever scraped their pickguard with a pick, and been glad the guard was there.
I'm old enough to remember going into music stores and trying out the 60's models when they were new. I still use the tug bar, but I don't tug on it. I rest my ring and little fingers on the topside, and fingerpick the bass. Just feels natural to me, but I can't say I've ever seen anyone else do it that way.
