Thumbrests, yay or nay?

[u6crash]

I was talking to a friend who recently sold an old Fender bass to make rent and he was telling me how it had this thumbrest on it. So in my pursuit of all things retro/vintage/peculiar, I started trying to find basses with thumbrests and didn't find much, but find that a lot of places sell them as add ons. Anyone here feel like they really need one? Other thoughts?

 

The weirdest bit I found was a whole page on whether or not John Deacon used the thumbrest on any of his bass guitars: http://www.deaky.com/beat/bass1E.html

[Jazz Ad]

Old Fenders all came with either a thumbrest or a fingerrest. SO if you're hunting for vintage looks you must have one.

 

Whether you need it or not is another story.

[u6crash]

Does anyone here actually use them? It seems odd that Fender switched it from different sides, one side being a finger rest, the other side being a thumbrest. Wonder if they ever considered putting on on both sides

[Hunter6]

I use a thumbrest, just so my thumb stays stationary, it makes it easier on my wrist, and I can put more pressure on it without pushing my string too far anywhere.

 

I quite enjoy it.

[bassman1956]

I rest my thumb on the pups. I'd use a thumb rest if it was there along the bottom-end (B or E) bass string.

[Jazz Ad]

Yes, they did.

 

At first it was a finger rest because they figured people would play bass with their thumb, much like a finger picking guitarist.

 

Then they realized that first, it was worthless and unpractical and second, most bass players used their fingers and eventually moved it up to rest their thumb when playing higher over the neck.

 

I know I need a spot to rest my thumb. Most of the time the pickups will do, however some people prefer a rest in their signature spot.

[u6crash]

 

Originally posted by Hunter6 I use a thumbrest, just so my thumb stays stationary, it makes it easier on my wrist, and I can put more pressure on it without pushing my string too far anywhere. I quite enjoy it.

 

 

I'm reading tidbits here and there on the net that suggest this is how a lot of people do it.

 

In my brief days of bass ownership (when I knew even less than what I know now), I was playing with a pick and everyone is telling me not to do that now. Maybe it will even translate into making be be a better fingerpicker on guitar.

[DevilRaysFan]

.... for conventional fingerstyle playing, my thumb actually moves from string to string as part of the sympetheic vibration string muting process

[u6crash]

 

Originally posted by Jazz Ad Yes, they did

 

 

Oh, duh. I posted a Coronado Bass II earlier and never even noticed that.

 

I love the look of that bass and always thought the Coronado guitars were great looking too. I wish they'd bring them back just for a moment.

[psychepsilo]

The pickup seems to work just fine. In fact, I've seen guys playing basses with thumbrests who used the pickup instead. Seems to me that the thumbrest isn't spaced all that well from the strings... a little too far away for my taste.

 

I did have one on my acoustic for a while... I made it myself out of Fimo clay so it was shaped exactly like I needed it and looked kinda cool too. Since there's no pickup on the acoustic it gave me something to rest my thumb on.

I now play with a different sort of style on the acoustic, kind of similar to playing a classical guitar, and my hands have also gotten more practiced and steady, so I don't really "rest" or "anchor" my thumb, or hand, anywhere. When I do, just lightly touching against the body is enough and even more versatile... so I don't miss the little attachment that I removed.

[psychepsilo]

Originally posted by DevilRaysFan .... for conventional fingerstyle playing, my thumb actually moves from string to string as part of the sympetheic vibration string muting process

 

Exactly.

[psychepsilo]

Originally posted by Jazz Ad Yes, they did.

 

Man... that's PRETTY.

That yours?

[psychepsilo]

 

Originally posted by u6crash Maybe it will even translate into making be be a better fingerpicker on guitar.

 

 

That's very possible, especially if you actually think of it that way.

 

I finally got off my ass and learned to play on a nylon-stringed acoustic guitar (I don't call it a "classical" because I don't play classical music on it, nor do I play proper classical style).

I'm definitely not GREAT at it, but I can play enough to do a little one-man show and backup my voice with it.

 

The finger style of playing on the guitar DEFINITELY helped my bass playing in a few different ways, developed more versatility and coordination in my fingers and added a different style that I use fairly frequently when playing more melodic, intricate stuff on my bass.

[Detox]

I just bought a thumbrest from these guys:

 

http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/bass_thumbrest.htm

 

 

 

My MIJ RI Jazz came like this from the previous owner:

 

 

 

 

After I got done with it:

 

 

 

 

I love using the thumbrest. In fact, mine is positioned a little bit "off" from the way it would've come from the factory, as I stuck it on with putty first, and found the best placement for me before attaching it.

[bassman1956]

On this fretless P I think it looks about right for me:

[Thumper]

Originally posted by DevilRaysFan .... for conventional fingerstyle playing, my thumb actually moves from string to string as part of the sympetheic vibration string muting process

 

What he said.

 

The Thumb never rests...

[Billystrat]

I usually rest my thumb right on the neck pickup.

[Oddsock]

Originally posted by DevilRaysFan .... for conventional fingerstyle playing, my thumb actually moves from string to string as part of the sympetheic vibration string muting process

meaning that you mute the string just below the one you are playing with your thumb? I hadn't thought of doing that, but I guess I do it with my playing finger just after striking the string. That's partly why I like my 5 string, I get a string to end my stroke on when I'm playing on E.

[Ole Man Blues]

I just bought one for my Fender P Bass.........

 

I will be using it.......

 

OMB

[Ender_rpm]

I installed one on my SB-2, forward of the P pick up. It is like an additional tone control for me. Thumb on bridge pup= burpy mids, on P Pup = basic rock tone, on rest= jazz/raggae tone. no knob fiddling involved, and I never have to remember where my settings were:)

[JoeBlast]

Originally posted by Oddsock meaning that you mute the string just below the one you are playing with your thumb? I hadn't thought of doing that, but I guess I do it with my playing finger just after striking the string. That's partly why I like my 5 string, I get a string to end my stroke on when I'm playing on E.

just make sure you're not making too much noise when doing that - muting is all about only making the sounds you want made

 

I'll 3rd, 4th, or 5th that thumb idea, I do it too. I'll use either pickup or even the fretboard if I happen to be playing up that high (less overtones up there)