Fitting a right hand ledge or holder to a pickguard?

[TJ1]

I know most bass players like to rest the palm of their plucking hand on the pickup or the E string, but to me it feels a bit awkward and obstructive.

Has anyone installed a special ledge above the strings that their lower palm could rest comfortably on, whilst their fingers hovered over the strings?

But sometimes I tend to think if it hasn't been maybe there's a reason..

[Dad3353]

Like this, maybe..? 

[TJ1]

Yes. 

[Nail Soup]

This is pretty much a matter of personal preference.

When a bar is fitted to a bass, a lot of players remove it. 

Then some players have one fitted on a bass which doesn't have it.

I think most use it as a thumb rather than palm rest.

[Doddy]

I don't think many people rest their palm on the bass. Most people will rest their thumb on the pickup or strings, but I find that resting your palm anywhere hinders the dexterity of the plucking hand.

[TJ1]

Ok Thanks - what are the pitfalls of fitting a bar as pictured above?, I am a bit nervous about drilling holes in my new bongo, but I think I need one.

[Reggaebass]

I’ve never got on with a thumb rest, my 62RI came with the thumb rest fitted below the strings as a tug bar which I took off, but it’s personal preference , you could try fitting it with some double sided tape first to see if you like it TJ, rather than drill holes straight away 🙂

[MartinB]

Zero-Mod do a Bongo one that needs no drilling, but it's a special order and $40! 😬
I wonder if there's a helpful Basschat-er with a 3D printer who might assist... 🤔

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 11, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[TheGreek]

I've recently had to learn "The Floating Thumb Technique" after moving from 4 to 5 string. TBH I should have leant to play this before changing to 5ers - long term I would expect fewer issues with hand/ tendon injuries.

I'd suggest learning this rather than putting screw holes in your gear. @TJ1 If you choose to go down the thumb rest route let me know. I have one I took off another bass.

Edited February 7, 2021 by TheGreek

[Dad3353]

20 minutes ago, MartinB said:

...I wonder if there's a helpful Basschat-er with a 3D printer who might assist... 🤔

Nah, an impossible dream. What are you smoking..? 

[SpondonBassed]

10 hours ago, Doddy said:

I don't think many people rest their palm on the bass.

True in the main.  However, it is a useful way to play a paddle bass.

[Cat Burrito]

I have the zero mod one on my Rickenbacker. I don't recall it being so expensive but I would have thought it would solve the problem of not wanting to drill holes. Also if you don't get on with it, I would imagine it would keep most of the resale value if you need to sell it on. If it is going to solve a problem with a bass you like $40 doesn't sound like a huge amount in the grander scheme of things.

[Doctor J]

Yeah, explore options where you're not screwing new holes into the wood. As someone who is prone to compulsive bass purchases (not as bad as others, but still prone 😁), additional thumb rests or gaping random holes for thumb rest screws are an absolute deal-breaker. If you think you might ever sell this instrument on, find a non-permanent way to do it.

[musicbassman]

I made this up a few months ago to fit my standard P.  No mods required, it simply attaches to existing scratchplate screws. The base plate is thin metal with a small block of UPVC plastic glued on top to try and mimic the same feel as your thumb resting on the side of the P pup as far as possible, and it works pretty well.

I tried it as an experiment to get a slightly more bridge pup sound from a P,  and it really does this.

My son is a design engineer and I asked him if it could be 3D printed, but he thought that the base plate would still have to be metal to get the structural rigidity required. So I'm not planning on going into production quite yet.   However, it only took me about 30 mins to make !  🙂

 

[Teebs]

I did this with my Gretsch Jet bass:

[Saul Panzer]

I'm either thumb on the pickup or full floating hand if I'm going up and down strings a lot and want the extra muting from my right hand thumb.

I looked at the thumb rests but I like the clean look of my basses and adding some chunk of wood or plastic would annoy me more than it'd add to play-ability right now.

[ezbass]

On two of my basses, I’ve taken a piece of dowel, split it down the middle, shaped it and attached it to the p/g with double sided tape. Once I was happy with the size, shape and position, I removed it, finished it with a couple of coats of black nail polish and fixed it on with two small spots of super glue (to facilitate easy removal, if required). I would post photos, but they’re away in storage, 500 miles from my current location 😢. If I find an old photo, I’ll post it.

[Matt P]

On 11/02/2021 at 09:50, ezbass said:

On two of my basses, I’ve taken a piece of dowel, split it down the middle, shaped it and attached it to the p/g with double sided tape. Once I was happy with the size, shape and position, I removed it, finished it with a couple of coats of black nail polish and fixed it on with two small spots of super glue (to facilitate easy removal, if required). I would post photos, but they’re away in storage, 500 miles from my current location 😢. If I find an old photo, I’ll post it.

I have done something similar on my p-bass, i used a section of a wooden clothes hanger as it was already nicely profiled, my P-bass is an old 77 that has been modded many times so already had the 2 holes for the thumb rest, and there are some random extra holes so i just ran between a couple of those, i'll try and get a photo later. i think that using a couple of the scratchplate holes might work if you wanted a long thumbrest.

 

Matt

[PlungerModerno]

On 07/02/2021 at 17:32, TheGreek said:

I've recently had to learn "The Floating Thumb Technique" after moving from 4 to 5 string. TBH I should have leant to play this before changing to 5ers - long term I would expect fewer issues with hand/ tendon injuries.

I'd suggest learning this rather than putting screw holes in your gear. @TJ1 If you choose to go down the thumb rest route let me know. I have one I took off another bass.

Floating thumb is definitely worth trying if you have muting issues or pains in your plucking hand/wrist (or want to prevent them!). Or you just want another fun technique as a feather in your cap! 

check out:

from about the 8 minute to 9 minute marks - he shows three complementary plucking hand muting options including floating thumb, all seem more ergonomic than a fixed anchor point.

[fretmeister]

I've got a Zero Mod one for my Ray5.

It's good - comes with slightly longer screws and the bass doesn't need any modifications.

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, Matt P said:

I have done something similar on my p-bass, i used a section of a wooden clothes hanger as it was already nicely profiled, my P-bass is an old 77 that has been modded many times so already had the 2 holes for the thumb rest, and there are some random extra holes so i just ran between a couple of those, i'll try and get a photo later. i think that using a couple of the scratchplate holes might work if you wanted a long thumbrest.

 

Matt

Now that’s genius. There are so many different sections on a flat wooden coat hanger with a trouser bar, that you’re bound to find a part that works for you and they can be really long too. I bow to your inventiveness!

[Matt P]

20 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Now that’s genius. There are so many different sections on a flat wooden coat hanger with a trouser bar, that you’re bound to find a part that works for you and they can be really long too. I bow to your inventiveness!

Thanks, I've actually cut up a couple of the cheap ikea hangers to use the timber for projects, the nicer hangers are hardwood as well. 

 

This is my p-bass, I really should make a neater one and get some better screws, these were just old ones from my parts stash. 

Matt