snazz Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Okay.... at great personal risk to myself in the are you completely thick department I am going to ask the following question. How come almost every picture I see of fender basses, I see the so called thumb rest in what I would call the opposite position to what it should be. I.E. underneath the G string. What's that all about? Apart from the fact I see it in what I deem to be the wrong place, when you move it, there's gonna be two bloody daft screw holes left behind. Am I being stupid or what? I just can't fathom why anyone would screw it in a place where it's got no use at all. I just know I'm gonna regret asking that. LOL. Try not to make me look to daft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 When it's below the G, I've always seen it referred to as a 'tug bar', the idea being that you anchor your fingers by pulling up against it, and pluck with your thumb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snazz Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 Okay, let's say I buy a Jazz Deluxe mail order. will there be a thumb rest in the box of will it be already fitted, That goes for the huge pieces of hardware too. Thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanovw Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 (edited) Its for those that play with their thumb, and not in a thwackity thwack kind of way. Edited December 14, 2011 by deanovw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus x-1 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='snazz' timestamp='1323878799' post='1468150'] Okay, let's say I buy a Jazz Deluxe mail order. will there be a thumb rest in the box of will it be already fitted, That goes for the huge pieces of hardware too. Thanks... [/quote] would think they would be already fitted... IMO, when you remove the 'tug bar' the holes arn't that noticable especially on darker colour scratchplates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='snazz' timestamp='1323878799' post='1468150'] Okay, let's say I buy a Jazz Deluxe mail order. will there be a thumb rest in the box of will it be already fitted, That goes for the huge pieces of hardware too. Thanks... [/quote] No, everything will be pre-fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Fenders all had 'tug bars' until the mid 1970s, when it got moved above the strings and became a 'thumb rest'. Vintage reissues still have the 'tug bar'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='Cygnus x-1' timestamp='1323879736' post='1468174'] would think they would be already fitted... IMO, when you remove the 'tug bar' the holes arn't that noticable especially on darker colour scratchplates. [/quote] What usually happens is the screws used to hold the tugbarthumbrest are generally put back into the holes after removing said item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 tug bars are cool! Thumb rests are quite personal though, mine as pictured is in the complete wrong place as opposed to a traditional one. However I found that I used the tiny lip the the pickup as a rest when playing so when I put one on I put it where it felt right. [IMG]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c330/throwoff/Medway-20110505-00211.jpg[/IMG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 (edited) I don't like thumb rests. Edited December 14, 2011 by EssentialTension Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 oh and yes I realise my thumb rest is wrong because the whole bass is backwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snazz Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 Thanks for the info guys.... And I didn't get to look stupid too. Can't be bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='deanovw' timestamp='1323878818' post='1468152'] Its for those that play with their thumb, and not in a thwackity thwack kind of way. [/quote] I never knew Craig Conlon played bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Brian Wilson shows how to use a tug bar: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNypbmPPDco&[/media] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snazz Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 That just seems like a really nasty way to play bass to me. The only time I ever notice I'm using my thumb is when I'm doing this rolling thing with my thumb, index finger and forefinger at the same time. Seems natural to me for some things so it's probably got some technique name. But it wouldn't involve that rest/bar what ever it thinks it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I like the idea of one but haven't used one in years since I borrowed a bass with one in the mid 90's...in fact, I've got a rosewood thumbrest/tugbar complete with screws in my drawer at home that I bought for something or other but never fitted if anyone's interested, I paid £8.50 for it earlier this year and it's only been out of the bubble wrap once when I checked it arrived before it went in the drawer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipperydick Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I started out playing with my thumb, with a bass that had neither. Just used to put my finger tips on the scratchplate. Dunno how I did it though, cos I cant do it now. Then I moved on to a pick, cant do that now either. One of my p's has a thumb rest, but I put my thumb on a corner of the pickup anyway, which has worn the corners round. As for a tug bar, my other p has one, but who would wanna pull the strings so hard that you'd need it ?? Theyre just cosmetic really, surely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 My '66 Precision has both. It came with a tug-bar and I've added a thumb-rest. It is now a far more balanced, zen sort of bass ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 The best thumb rests I've found are belt loops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipperydick Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1323883531' post='1468260'] The best thumb rests I've found are belt loops. [/quote] Braces, Thought you all wore them out there. Of course if your not a Brit, you probably call them suspenders. Come to think of it, what we call suspenders used to make good thumb rests as well. ! But you probably need to be either an old git like me, or a perv to have tried it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1323880013' post='1468186'] I don't like thumb rests. [/quote] I was the same. I tried several over the years and they just always seemed to get in the way.... then I came up with the idea of making a half height one. Hey presto it worked perfectly. It just feels like resting my thumb on a pickup cover like I'm used to. If anyone wants me to custom make them a half height one (maple, birdseye maple or ebony) get in touch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snazz Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 Sounds like a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 I never used to use one, but the last bass I bought a 70's P had the thumb rest (not tug bar) and I have started using it and like it (must be an age thing lol) I still move my hand away from the thumb rest position when looking for different sounds, but it's kind of like homebase now for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 For anyone that's interested, here's the one I made for myself. I used birdseye as I knew once nitro'ed it would match the aged colour of my 1970's P bass better than the brighter ordinary maple would... although it does look a bit "boutique" close up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1323948990' post='1468962'] I'll take one * [size=1]*As long as it comes with a free bass attached [/size] [/quote] Aye no bother pal. * [size=1]*Just send me your card details. [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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