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P-bass thumbrest (where a Stingray pickup would be)


mcnach
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I play mostly Stingrays and I like the position of my right hand over the pickup, and the tension of the strings at that point etc.

Playing most other basses with twin pickups, I seem to rest my thumb on the bridge pickup.

Then I play a P-bass, and although I can adapt and it's fine, I really like playing at the same spot normally, right where a MM pickup would be.
I am considering putting some kind of thumb rest there. Probably something like this (my Sue Ryder P-bass #1):



Before I go ahead and make a couple of holes, I'd like to consider a glue option.
When I bought my first OLP, it had a cool metal thumbrest roughly where a P-bass pickup would be (ironically). It was glued. It was very firm, but eventually after applying a lot of force, the glue would give way and I removed it leaving no mark at all. The adhesive looked like a blob of some transparent rubbery stuff. I'd love to try something like that so that I can remove it without leaving a mark.
Any ideas?

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[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1186039' date='Apr 2 2011, 06:35 PM']Not a blob of some transparent rubbery stuff but double sided tape will. You can get some pretty heavy duty stuff at B&Q.

You're not thinking of drilling holes in your new Fender are you? :)[/quote]


No, that Fender will be left pretty much as it is. I have removed its thumbrest and metal covers, as they kinda look good, but I much prefer the less "cluttered" look without them, plus they don't get in the way of playing. A few holes left behind, but not a big deal. However I will not add another, no. :)

But I think I'd like to put a thumbrest like I describe on two of the other P-basses: the Squier and the white Ryder pictured above.

double sided tape, hmmm. Apa just mentioned something like that to me too. My only concern is whether I'll be able to remove it without leaving a trace. It sounds like a good idea if I can remove it cleanly.

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[quote name='Jambo' post='1186247' date='Apr 2 2011, 10:08 PM']lighter fluid on cotton wool will remove any residue.

Another alternative would be to try using some "copydex" glue leave it to set and it should stay good til you want to peel it off....[/quote]
Hey never mind that why isnt your pre EB in the new pre EB porn thread Jambo :)
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=129347&st=0"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=129347&st=0[/url]

+1 for the double sided tape Jose, The stuff they use for car badges and stuff will hold it tight until you want to take it off then a little bit of meths on a rag will turn it to mush without touching the finish and just rub the residue off, Job done.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I tried the transparent doublesided tape suggestion (thanks to apa for sending me a sample! :)

It works!
This stuff is fantastic!
I can now think of a million uses for it!
(I think I can put some on teh drummer's stool, hmmm... :D)

So I'm testing the positions. I removed the tug bar on my Squier CV P-bass and used that first.
Nah, a bit too low. Turns out, unsurprisingly, that the position I really like is where the Stingray pickup is located. That means somewhere overlapping the edge of the pickguard. This tugbar is a bit too long to be fitted nicely under the bass side pickup... But I had a metal thingy that the previous owner of one of my OLPs had fitted as a thumbrest (ironically at the P position :lol:) so I put a bit of tape under that and tested it.

Perfect.

It's the right spot, and this tape is *amazing*.

I now have to find some shorter bars or something else that would do the job and look ok. Maybe even fashion one out of wood and paint it black.

Another great solution found at Basschat. It's good to see that it's not GAS all I get here :)


Edited by mcnach
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[/quote]
[quote name='mcnach' post='1199888' date='Apr 14 2011, 08:28 PM']I tried the transparent doublesided tape suggestion (thanks to apa for sending me a sample! :)

It works!
This stuff is fantastic!
I can now think of a million uses for it!
(I think I can put some on teh drummer's stool, hmmm... :D)

So I'm testing the positions. I removed the tug bar on my Squier CV P-bass and used that first.
Nah, a bit too low. Turns out, unsurprisingly, that the position I really like is where the Stingray pickup is located. That means somewhere overlapping the edge of the pickguard. This tugbar is a bit too long to be fitted nicely under the bass side pickup... But I had a metal thingy that the previous owner of one of my OLPs had fitted as a thumbrest (ironically at the P position :lol:) so I put a bit of tape under that and tested it.

Perfect.

It's the right spot, and this tape is *amazing*.

I now have to find some shorter bars or something else that would do the job and look ok. [u][b]Maybe even fashion one out of wood and paint it black.
[/b][/u]
Another great solution found at Basschat. It's good to see that it's not GAS all I get here :)[/quote]


Fashion one out of wood? Well why didnt you say! I have a nice bit of ebony that would do just fine. Ill pop it in the post for you if you like? Its left over from modifying [i][b][size=7]ROSIE[/size][/b][/i]. Did I tell you about [i][b][size=7]ROSIE[/size][/b][/i]? You can find [i][b][size=7]ROSIE[/size][/b][/i] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=132409"]HERE[/url] if you havent*

A

* Ha ha sorry couldnt resist and had a good excuse. Besides you told me to :P

Edited by apa
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[quote name='apa' post='1199956' date='Apr 14 2011, 09:16 PM']Fashion one out of wood? Well why didnt you say! I have a nice bit of ebony that would do just fine. Ill pop it in the post for you if you like? Its left over from modifying [i][b][size=7]ROSIE[/size][/b][/i]. Did I tell you about [i][b][size=7]ROSIE[/size][/b][/i]? You can find [i][b][size=7]ROSIE[/size][/b][/i] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=131000"]HERE[/url] if you havent*

A

* Ha ha sorry couldnt resist and had a good excuse. Besides you told me to :lol:[/quote]



:)

excellent try :)
but I think [color="#FF0000"][b][size=7]ROSIE[/size][/b][/color] deserves a thread of its own in this well transited forum :P

as for teh ebony idea... hmm, that would be a cool idea actually, if you do have a bit left over that you don't want :lol: :D

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[quote name='dr1' post='1200799' date='Apr 15 2011, 03:04 PM']funny you dont find pick up cover usefull for that matter. i use it like thumbrest - looks more natural and feel is good.[/quote]

I think you didn't understand me. It's the position that I don't like.
I like playing somewhat closer to the bridge. I like my hand position and especially the tension of teh strings at that spot.
If the P-bass pickup were placed 5-6cm closer to the bridge, I'd use it as a thumbrest (just as I do on a Stingray)... but it wouldn't sound like a P-bass then :)

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[quote name='mcnach' post='1200845' date='Apr 15 2011, 02:35 PM']I think you didn't understand me. It's the position that I don't like.
I like playing somewhat closer to the bridge. I like my hand position and especially the tension of teh strings at that spot.
If the P-bass pickup were placed 5-6cm closer to the bridge, I'd use it as a thumbrest (just as I do on a Stingray)... but it wouldn't sound like a P-bass then :)[/quote]

I understood prefectly,thats why I said that. when I place my thumb on the pup cover ( I dont talk about pick up itself,but the metal chrome vintage pick up cover), my fingers very naturally can play closer to the bridge or pup. (and no, I am not The Incredible Hulk.)

Edited by dr1
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[quote name='dr1' post='1202604' date='Apr 17 2011, 01:59 PM']I understood prefectly,thats why I said that. when I place my thumb on the pup cover ( I dont talk about pick up itself,but the metal chrome vintage pick up cover), my fingers very naturally can play closer to the bridge or pup. (and no, I am not The Incredible Hulk.)[/quote]


Ah, I see what you meant now.
Well, you hit on another dislike of mine: chrome covers :)
I think they look great on a bass I am not going to play :lol: but if I play it, I don't like them, I feel they get in the way (although my preferred picking position is closer to the bridge... I do play in other spots sometimes, depending on the sound I want).

what? picky and difficult? me? nah... :)

as an example, I bought this bass two weeks ago:

[attachment=77760:fl1.jpg]

and a few days later was turned into:

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you just want me to blow a kiss at you, I know it. :)

"mwah"

it sounds "mwah"

happy now?

:lol:

seriously, how to describe it... I should post clips despite my fretless ability being somewhat below par. It sounds like a fretless P :D
It has old roundwounds, and very low action. Very very low. It's got that rubbery typ of sound, you can tell it's a fretless even when playing a straight note without sliding or vibrato.
Can't tell if the maple makes any difference, but the fact the fingerboard is lacquered must contribute somehow.

It's a beauty, and sounds as good as it looks...

and it's all mine, don't look at her like that!!! :)

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