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drpluto

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 124

Posted on Feb 27 2006 05:28 PM

What are those little bars on fender basses for? I can understand the ones on the top used as a thumb rest, but what are the ones on the bottom for?

image

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bigtikidude

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25561
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
United States

Posted on Feb 27 2006 05:51 PM

Dr. Pluto,
It's kinda weird, I've played a few like that and don't use it at all, or like it there. But back in the day,Some people would put a couple o f their fingers on it , and play the strings with thier thumb. I most defeintly like the one above the string better. My non- fender bass doesn't have one, and I use the edge of the pick up. But keep thinking I need to find one and add it on to my bass.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

—

Jeff(bigtikidude)

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Feb 27 2006 06:13 PM

They are on the bottom for the proper "vintage" aesthetic. Should they be on top? Yes. Would people complain on a reissue guitar over the placement on the thumbrest in the more comfortable position? Yes.

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Brian

Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19286
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
United States

Posted on Feb 27 2006 06:35 PM

Alright...who is actually looking at the bass in that photo???

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Site dude - S3 Agent #202
Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me

"It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Feb 27 2006 07:21 PM

Brian
Alright...who is actually looking at the bass in that photo???

Surf musicians that is who.

It is kind of like how people analyze Lada from the Bambi Molester's gear. I wonder what year bass it is she is playing?

To me Lada is the Queen of the Surf Bass.

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drpluto

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 124

Posted on Feb 27 2006 08:26 PM

Ha ha. They are pretty hot. Check out this pic of the guitar player.
image

How would you like to bring her home to mom. She's a kick ass guitar player too.

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Acehaze

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 62
Southwest Florida
1 News Pin

Posted on Feb 28 2006 02:26 AM

^Right click, save picture as...

Heheh.

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I'm Batman...No not <I>that</I> Batman. :p

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jhawkdville

Joined: Mar 04, 2006
Posts: 52
Encinitas, CA

Posted on Mar 08 2006 10:18 AM

drpluto
What are those little bars on fender basses for? I can understand the ones on the top used as a thumb rest, but what are the ones on the bottom for?

Yeah, thumb rest when on top (other fingers do the plucking) and finger rest when on bottom (thumb does the plucking). My '75 Jazz bass has the thumb rest (top). I rarely use it since I tend to rest my thumb on the bridge pickup for a more pronounced pluck "attack". (Yeah, sorta like my hero, Jaco, who was the real deal and complete musician.) Using only the thumb when playing elec. bass is great for walking bass parts (quarter note/four to a bar). However, the thumb is not too conducive to playing fast lines.

~ Jonathan

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dp

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3546
mojave desert, california
United States

Posted on Mar 10 2006 10:46 AM

Oddly enought, the original position of a Fender bass thumb rest is below the strings (beneath the G string)...the idea in the 1950s being that one would rest their fingers beneath the G stringon the rest in order to pluck the strings with the thumb (sort of Monk Montgomery style).

In the early 1970's, Fender moved the thumb rest above the strings (above the low E string)...the thought being that one would rest their thumb above the strings and pluck with alternating fingers (like Rocco Prestia from Tower of Power does). The Fender thumb rest stayed above the strings throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

During the 1990s, Fender began re-issuing classic style basses...so on many basses, the thumb rest moved south to its original position under the strings again. Also, on many Fender models, the thumb rest simply disappeared (thanks to Bootsy, Mike Watt and Flea).

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jhawkdville

Joined: Mar 04, 2006
Posts: 52
Encinitas, CA

Posted on Mar 10 2006 01:57 PM

dp
Oddly enought, the original position of a Fender bass thumb rest is below the strings (beneath the G string)...the idea in the 1950s being that one would rest their fingers beneath the G stringon the rest in order to pluck the strings with the thumb (sort of Monk Montgomery style).

Great historical overview, DP. This "moving around" of the finger/thumb rest over the years reflected the evolution of the role of the electric bass...from simple walking lines to sixteenth note patterns of Prestia and Jaco. Of course, any kind of finger rest is not needed (as you inferred when mentioning Bootsy, et al) for the slapping and popping thang....

~ J

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drpluto Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 124	Posted on Feb 27 2006 05:28 PM What are those little bars on fender basses for? I can understand the ones on the top used as a thumb rest, but what are the ones on the bottom for? image Top
bigtikidude Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25561 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.	Posted on Feb 27 2006 05:51 PM Dr. Pluto, It's kinda weird, I've played a few like that and don't use it at all, or like it there. But back in the day,Some people would put a couple o f their fingers on it , and play the strings with thier thumb. I most defeintly like the one above the string better. My non- fender bass doesn't have one, and I use the edge of the pick up. But keep thinking I need to find one and add it on to my bass. Jeff(bigtikidude) — Jeff(bigtikidude) Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Feb 27 2006 06:13 PM They are on the bottom for the proper "vintage" aesthetic. Should they be on top? Yes. Would people complain on a reissue guitar over the placement on the thumbrest in the more comfortable position? Yes. Top
Brian Joined: Feb 25, 2006 Posts: 19286 Des Moines, Iowa, USA	Posted on Feb 27 2006 06:35 PM Alright...who is actually looking at the bass in that photo??? — Site dude - S3 Agent #202 Need help with the site? SG101 FAQ - Send me a private message - Email me "It starts... when it begins" -- Ralf Kilauea Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Feb 27 2006 07:21 PM Brian Alright...who is actually looking at the bass in that photo??? Surf musicians that is who. It is kind of like how people analyze Lada from the Bambi Molester's gear. I wonder what year bass it is she is playing? To me Lada is the Queen of the Surf Bass. Top
drpluto Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 124	Posted on Feb 27 2006 08:26 PM Ha ha. They are pretty hot. Check out this pic of the guitar player. image How would you like to bring her home to mom. She's a kick ass guitar player too. Top
Acehaze Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 62 Southwest Florida	Posted on Feb 28 2006 02:26 AM ^Right click, save picture as... Heheh. — I'm Batman...No not <I>that</I> Batman. :p Top
jhawkdville Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 52 Encinitas, CA	Posted on Mar 08 2006 10:18 AM drpluto What are those little bars on fender basses for? I can understand the ones on the top used as a thumb rest, but what are the ones on the bottom for? Yeah, thumb rest when on top (other fingers do the plucking) and finger rest when on bottom (thumb does the plucking). My '75 Jazz bass has the thumb rest (top). I rarely use it since I tend to rest my thumb on the bridge pickup for a more pronounced pluck "attack". (Yeah, sorta like my hero, Jaco, who was the real deal and complete musician.) Using only the thumb when playing elec. bass is great for walking bass parts (quarter note/four to a bar). However, the thumb is not too conducive to playing fast lines. ~ Jonathan Top
dp Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california	Posted on Mar 10 2006 10:46 AM Oddly enought, the original position of a Fender bass thumb rest is below the strings (beneath the G string)...the idea in the 1950s being that one would rest their fingers beneath the G stringon the rest in order to pluck the strings with the thumb (sort of Monk Montgomery style). In the early 1970's, Fender moved the thumb rest above the strings (above the low E string)...the thought being that one would rest their thumb above the strings and pluck with alternating fingers (like Rocco Prestia from Tower of Power does). The Fender thumb rest stayed above the strings throughout the 1970s and 1980s. During the 1990s, Fender began re-issuing classic style basses...so on many basses, the thumb rest moved south to its original position under the strings again. Also, on many Fender models, the thumb rest simply disappeared (thanks to Bootsy, Mike Watt and Flea). Top
jhawkdville Joined: Mar 04, 2006 Posts: 52 Encinitas, CA	Posted on Mar 10 2006 01:57 PM dp Oddly enought, the original position of a Fender bass thumb rest is below the strings (beneath the G string)...the idea in the 1950s being that one would rest their fingers beneath the G stringon the rest in order to pluck the strings with the thumb (sort of Monk Montgomery style). Great historical overview, DP. This "moving around" of the finger/thumb rest over the years reflected the evolution of the role of the electric bass...from simple walking lines to sixteenth note patterns of Prestia and Jaco. Of course, any kind of finger rest is not needed (as you inferred when mentioning Bootsy, et al) for the slapping and popping thang.... ~ J Top

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