Thumb rest position

[paul h]

Just bought a thumb rest to put on a P bass but I am planning to put it between the pickup and the bridge because that's where I rest my thumb on a two pickup bass. I figure I have the side of the neck or the pickup to use in that direction and I just need something the other side.

Does anyone else use a thumb rest in this position or is it just me?

[thisnameistaken]

On the only P bass I ever owned, I did indeed move the thumbrest to that position, where the J pickup should be.

[fatback]

Isn't that what strings are for?

[JMT3781]

on my p bass i use the edge of the chrome pickup cover to play in that position, then a thumb rest above the neck position.. works well, so i can imagine the thumb rest down there would work niceeee

[paul h]

I think I could do wit one t'other side too. But a bridge cover and two thumbrests is going to look stoopid.

[mrtcat]

I've put a thumb rest on my battered Pbass between the bridge and the pickup and it works well and sounds good. My P is a fake tho (very convincing with nice pickups but a fake nontheless)which has been "aged" so I was not too reluctant to screw in a thumb rest in a new position. If it were a more valuable genuine usa or something I would be worried about de-valuing it by putting more holes in it.

[paul h]

[quote name='mrtcat' post='1043951' date='Dec 1 2010, 03:46 PM']I've put a thumb rest on my battered Pbass between the bridge and the pickup and it works well and sounds good. My P is a fake tho (very convincing with nice pickups but a fake nontheless)which has been "aged" so I was not too reluctant to screw in a thumb rest in a new position. If it were a more valuable genuine usa or something I would be worried about de-valuing it by putting more holes in it.[/quote]

It's a £115 copy! I can drill all I want !

[mrtcat]

[quote name='paul h' post='1043957' date='Dec 1 2010, 03:50 PM']It's a £115 copy! I can drill all I want ! [/quote]

At that price you may not even choose to use a drill?

[paul h]

[quote name='mrtcat' post='1043979' date='Dec 1 2010, 04:05 PM']At that price you may not even choose to use a drill?[/quote]

A hammer it is then!

[Delberthot]

I had one there on my first '51 reissue P bass for an entirely different reason - I had recently gone from playing 5s and 6s for the past 10-15 years back to 4 and I missed the feeling of having the B string to stop my fingers so I put one there for that reason, just so my fingers would hit against it when I played on the E string

[Cat Burrito]

All my Precisions have the thumb rest in the same position - see pic

[paul h]

And you use the pickup cover when playing closer to the bridge?

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='paul h' post='1044170' date='Dec 1 2010, 06:58 PM']And you use the pickup cover when playing closer to the bridge?[/quote]
I do, although I don't tend to play there very often.

[paul h]

I play at the front for rock and the back for funk.

[KiOgon]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='1044168' date='Dec 1 2010, 06:55 PM']All my Precisions have the thumb rest in the same position - see pic[/quote]
Same here
If you don't want to drill any extra holes you can use single hole thumbrests & use the pick guard screw hole already in that position. [url="http://www.bassguitarthumbrests.com/"]Guy Lewis[/url] does them, I'll put a picture on when I'm back at my PC, you might be able to see one in my avatar pic. For me the single screw holds fine & in just the right place.
Cheerz, John

Edited December 2, 2010 by KiOgon

[Bassman Sam]

[quote name='KiOgon' post='1045798' date='Dec 2 2010, 10:59 PM']Same here
If you don't want to drill any extra holes you can use single hole thumbrests & use the pick guard screw hole already in that position. [url="http://www.bassguitarthumbrests.com/"]Guy Lewis[/url] does them, I'll put a picture on when I'm back at my PC, you might be able to see one in my avatar pic. For me the single screw holds fine & in just the right place.
Cheerz, John[/quote]

Thanks for that link, I've been looking for something like this for my '57 RI as I don't want any holes that not original. Just ordered a single hole maple for £10.50 including delivery. Happy Bunny.

[KiOgon]

[quote name='KiOgon' post='1045798' date='Dec 2 2010, 10:59 PM']Same here
If you don't want to drill any extra holes you can use single hole thumbrests & use the pick guard screw hole already in that position. [url="http://www.bassguitarthumbrests.com/"]Guy Lewis[/url] does them, I'll put a picture on when I'm back at my PC, you might be able to see one in my avatar pic. For me the single screw holds fine & in just the right place.
Cheerz, John[/quote]
Edit - pictures:

[paul h]

I'm having a bit of a rethink. Just messing around with the bass and recording a few bits and it seems to have a very definite sweet spot just in front of the pickup. You know, where the sweet spot is!

So now I am wondering if I will actually play nearer to the bridge much at all. It's not as easy to play there and the tone is not as nice as I expected.

I reckon I will just put it in the regular P bass position and see how I go.

[Marvin]

I place my thumb behind the neck!

[paul h]

Maybe that's where I'm going wrong?



After quickly testing out a thumb rest using one screw and in front of the pickup I think I'm not going to bother. I didn't really find it that comfortable and at today's rehearsal I only caught myself playing near the bridge once.

[Bassman Sam]

[indent][/indent]
My maple thumb rest from Guy Lewis arrived Monday morning, fitted and looks great but I can't try it out as my RA has flared up so no playing for a month or two.