Where do most people rest their thumb when playing a P Bass

[johndough247]

sorry man, but I like to float...makes life easier when switching basses (had no idea there was a term for that til recently)

 

[dozicusmaximus]

As far forward on pup. Any other bass im on the neck pickup. Sometimes I use the E string but not to often.

 

[jumbodbassman]

pickup and float...

 

[Coop Soup]

The pick up or sometimes even the base of the neck... all the while contemplating installing a thumb rest.

+1

 

[NKBassman]

I naturally find my thumb resting on the neck side of the pickup screw, but for some riffs that require it I float it back towards the bridge. In fact, I'm considering installing a horizontal thumb rest back behind the pickup at some point, relatively level with the top of the pickup.

 

[maturanesa]

On the E string when playing A, D, G. On the pickup when playing E.

 

[omnimutant]

Never really noticed until I just took a look... I'm definitely a floater. I think it's because I'm a big guy and I like my bass to hang as low as I can get it. No Need to rest the thumb since my arm is extended pretty far maybe? Not really sure, but that's my guess.

 

[Evil Undead]

My thumb goes wherever it wants to. I'm busy trying to make sense out of and control my plucking and fretting fingers to be worrying about where my thumb is!

I guess I'm a floater as if I look at my thumb when I play, it's just hanging around the strings but rarely resting on them.

 

[dogofgod]

My thumb is usually on the E string 80% of the time unless I playing the E, then my thumb is floating. However if I am playing punk rock I will put my thumb on the pickup for better strength.

 

[Nashrakh]

My ramp.

 

[Lazylion]

I used to rest my thumb on the bridge side of the pup. A dent in the pickguard eventually developed there. I also used the thumbrest, but it was too close to the E string. I tried moving it from it's forward position to a spot between the pup and bridge, but I was never fully satisfied with either spot. So I wound up cutting a piece of coathanger wire and attaching it between the two former thumbrest positions. This allows me to play anywhere from the end of the fingerboard to just in front of the bridge. And the price was right: $0.

See it here:

I still spend most of my time near the pup, but I have options!

I've put in a Duncan 1/4 Pounder since this pic was taken.

 

[giacomini]

As of now, I don't think about thumb placement anymore. I used to have to find a good spot to rest it, but now it just goes along with the song.

It may rest on:
-top of pickup
-the string below the one I'm playing
-the bevel of the pickguard
-thumbrest (if there's one on the bass side)
-top of J pickup if it is a PJ
-the body itself
-the end of the neck
-none of the above, sometimes it just floats

 

[ricca]

In all my precisions I left the chrome pickup cover so I can rest my thumb on it, I found this position very comfortable.

 

[Chris K]

I'm a multi-rester. Sometimes, on the string, sometimes on the pickguard, sometimes floating, other times resting my right hand in the pickup cover. It's never one thing all the time, I'm far too ADD for that!

IMHO variation is very good and helps to prevent RSI.
As long as you keep up the arm using the shoulder muscles (and are not really resting on the thumb) you should be OK.

Allow me to draw your attention to:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=689398

 

[stoolpigeon]

Floater

 

[leegreenman]

pickup

 

[Emanuel Apascaritei]

I used to rest my thumb on the string just above the one I'm playing. When I played the E (four string) I floated.

Now I float on all strings.

Does that mean you play a 3 stringer???

 

[mndean]

Floater, but with a difference - I use the pup cover to rest my pinkie and ring fingers. I used to anchor on the pup until I got the cover, but floating sorta followed putting the pup cover on. Now I even do it on my shortie which has no pup cover, although I start backsliding if I play it too much.

 

[SharksFan]

It rests on the outside edge of the pickguard, kind of pushing against it.

 

[Shakin-Slim]

All over the show! Pup mainly. Sometimes at the base of the neck, particularly on the fretless. Sometimes on the E. Disciplining myself to float as of about a week ago though