What's Your Thoughts On This Thumb Rest Positioning?

[TeeSee]

AKA "does my bum look big in this?"
I'm a finger only player, just can't use a pick at all as I'm left handed using a right handed guitar. I'm just too long in the tooth to sway to the many LH guitars now available that weren't around in the time I started playing.
This Jazz bass, I really love it and I only play the neck pickup as I Iike a more mellow sound, but on my split pup P I can rest my thumb on the E&A pickup, but the jazz doesn't seem to have really anywhere to rest your thumb, the P has big old chunky pickups but the jazz pickup is Slim Jim and uncomfortable to play after a while.
Honest opinions please, I've bought a cheap thumbrest and placed one screw half in to the pickguard screw hole and oriented it to an angle where it stays on the pickguard. I've not yet made any permanent fixings yet but I think it looks strange. Alternatively there's position 'B' which I think looks stranger. Have any of you seen something like this before on none standard thumb rest positions, I know the Fender way was to put the rest in the tug bar position above G but that's not really practical in my eyes.
Thanks,
Tony

 

[ToddB1963]

IMO thumb rests are an unnecessary encumbrance that just get in the way. Why not get rid of it altogether, and anchor your thumb on the end of the neck, or, if you need to move a little further back, rest it on the top/edge of the pickguard?

 

[KevInDaBassment]

If it's comfortable, go for it. I've rested my thumb on the jazz neck pickup before and been ok, personal preference though. I also dig using the chrome pickup covers on jazz and P basses, good place to rest my thumb and a cool retro look.

I've seen numerous jazz basses that added a thumbrest where you're showing in pic 1, so no worries on it being odd

 

[butterfingers1]

All my bass guitars (Fender precisions and one jazz) have a thumb rest. One screw is in the pickguard screw hole closest to the neck (I think). More comfortable, versatile, and better tone than thumb on pickups. More comfortable than thumb on edge of pickguard. Nothing to lose, can be removed in a minute.

 

[klejst]

If it works for you, who am I to tell you to put it somewhere else?

 

[TeeSee]

IMO thumb rests are an unnecessary encumbrance that just get in the way. Why not get rid of it altogether, and anchor your thumb on the end of the neck, or, if you need to move a little further back, rest it on the top/edge of the pickguard?

I usually do use the end of the neck (far more natural IMHO) on most basses where the neck pickup is higher toward the neck, but I like a bit of expression above the pickup too, I just feel the JB's 'neck' pickup is too far down the body for me, but who am I to argue with Jaco? Thanks anyway mate.

 

[TeeSee]

If it works for you, who am I to tell you to put it somewhere else?

I dunno, I just thought it looked odd but looking @butterfingers1 photo's I think it looks good, It is a strange place to put a rest but everyone's guitar is different I guess that's what makes them unique to you. I'm happy to say I think I'm going for the first take, and copy BF's guitar, thank you. I wanted people's thoughts and I guess it's not too much 'out there'.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

They look too close to the string in most of the pictures. The string can touch it when plugged hard. Also, it will be in my way when I slap. Thumb rests and PU covers get in my way, and I find ramps unnecessary, but that's just me.

 

[Smith357]

Back when I started the rest was on the treble side.

 

[mikeswals]

A thumbrest right there is a slap blocker for me. Fingerstyle plucking: I play 99.99% of the time with my thumb anchored on the pickup. The odd time I want to play up by the neck, doesn't warrant installing a permanent thumbrest mounted up there.
But as the others say... if you do, then you do you.

 

[Lobster11]

My only suggestion is that you focus less on how it looks and more on what position will be most comfortable and effective for the way you play.

 

[DrBnz]

That's all up to you and your style of playing. Personally I'd have to take that off. I use the floating thumb technique. It would just feel like a "B" string to me.

 

[lethargytartare]

I play a sterling but we cover some songs where I need to play near the neck. So I made a thumbrest out of scrap ebony that is shorter than ones you buy so it doesn't interfere with any of my other playing.

Now here's the main thing: I struggled with positioning it, so I took painters tape and put it where I wanted the thumbrest. Then I superglued the thumbrest to that. To my surprise, it's rock solid. I played like that for the past several months, and just repositioned it last night to try a different place (parallel to strings, spaced above the E the same distance the E is from the A, slightly closer to the neck than the mm pickup).

I assume it helps that it's shorter than a common one, so I don't put a lot of leverage on that glued connection. But I dig in like hell, so it withstood a lot of abuse. At a minimum, you can do this get a feel, and when you are happy, mark it for permanent drilling, pull up the tape and you're good to go!

Good luck!

 

[loukash]

I'm using specific self-adhesive rubber feet (or are those door stoppers? I don't know…) on some of my basses:



Benefits:

• exactly the size and position that's comfortable for me
• removable if needed without leaving any traces
• easily replaceable

Those on the Eko ABG are there since at least 15 years…

 

[Killing Floor]

I think everyone has different hands except for me, my hands are normal. But you are the only one who can know where your hands fit on your bass.

If you want to use a rest, if you play more comfortably with it, do it. Maybe try double sided tape to move it around until it feels best.

 

[micguy]

I'd say that location is too far from the string; here's where I put mine:

Yes, it kinda blends in - that's intensional. The edge closest to the string is under the string. The thumb rest is about .3" tall - less than the store bought thumb rests you see. The point is, when I'm not playing the B string, my thumb is on top of the rest, and against the B string (muting it). Then I'm playing the B string, my thumb moves to the side of the thumb rest. I can move between the thumb rest, the side of the neck, and the pickup to get some variation (I never play south of the neck pickup) That's as far as I need to float my thumb (huge hands help there).

 

[Sawido]

I guess it's up to how much tension/resistance you like to feel when plucking the string. Personally it's too loose at that point, I prefer to rest my thumb on the pickup itself since I find it has a nicer balance tension wise.

But it's whatever works best for you

 

[Wasnex]

You should put it wherever you find it most useful, and that is something I can't help you with. For me, the only acceptable place for a thumb rest is off the bass.

 

[Low Main]

I put thumb rests parallel to the E string spanning the gap between the neck pickup and the neck heel.

Just like micguy did in the photo a few posts earlier.

Attached with a sparing amount of double sided tape. With good quality tape, a little goes a long way. No need for screws.

I make my own rests out of scraps of plastic from a vacuum forming company. Or I use wood if I don't have any plastic handy.

 

[FRoss6788]

You should put it wherever you find it most useful, and that is something I can't help you with. For me, the only acceptable place for a thumb rest is off the bass.

Exactly.

Floating thumb for me, simplifies everything.