Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

What do people out there use for a thumb anchor when playing fingerstyle?

I tend to anchor on the bolt-head on the top leading-edge of the bridge pickup surround which has caused rust bubbles from sweat. I've tried small rubber feet stuck over the bolt at times which is a little better, but makes me feel like i'm cheating.

Anchoring on the top of the neck pickup works well for some songs, but loses alot of bite tone-wise.

Anchoring on the E string or on the top of the bridge pickup itsself doesn't work too well as i'm a fairly aggressive player most of the time (i've had cuts on the top of my thumb from this to prove it! ), and I usually have my axe slung pretty low.

I just move mine along as I play, usually on the E string, sometimes under, sometimes on the treble surround, on the bass pickup, I move it all over the place, I'm not even conscious of it, until someone asks a question like this and then I have to think about it. I adjust my bass and amp to the room then readjust my tone with my hand as I play, go back and forth between the bridge and the neck usually somewhere in between.
Sometimes it's up in the air especially if I want that 60's funk staccato type sound.

My thumb hangs down to use as a mute on unplayed strings. I rest my wrist/fore arm on the body for my anchor, this gives me more dexterity and speed when neccesary. It also creates less tension on my hand.

I'm mostly a pick player, but when I do play finger style I anchor off of the neck p/u.
But I do agree, you tend to lose some of the bite. Not enough resistance from the string.

My approach is similar to Bob Youngs in that I seem to rest my thumb in a variety of positions...sometimes on the E string, sometimes on the treble pickup...on the pickup itself ,not the chrome surround, sometimes it is resting on the top edge of the pickguard, which is ideal for playing in between the bass and treble pickups.

With regards to thumb rests, I've never had one on a bass ,but I've noticed they are usually on the G string side of the pickguard....I suppose the purpose of this is to rest your fingers on and play with your thumb?

I suppose when the 4000 was designed this was a common approach to playing.

Marty: A good many bass players have commented that they rest their thumb on the treble pickup itself.

When I received by 1988 4003 Silver there was a bit of a worn spot on the tape protecting the windings of the treble pickup. This finding was of particular interest as the pickup did not work and the reason for this was later determined to be the pressure or movement on the windings that caused them to be damaged at this point. "Under my thumb ...."

So after replacing the pickup, do I avoid this habit. The answer is not always. Time for some more lessions I guess, or I may wind up with a problem.

Peter, funny you should mention this. I almost always play my silver '86 4003 with my thumb firmly planted in the gap between the bridge pickup surround and the pickup. It's obviously a bad habit I need to lose. I've played it that way without problems pretty much since I bought it new in '87 so I guess I've been lucky so far.

On my other basses though I move my anchor all over the place depending on what tone I'm after.

Apparently, the previous owner of my 4000 preferred the spot between the pickup and the pickguard....

The previous owner of my '73 4001 liked the pickup surround and occasionally the pickup bobbin, too.

I usually rest my thumb on the bridge pickup bobbin, except for my '73 4001. The previous owner installed a thumbrest in the spot where Seths 4001 has the wear mark. It's in a great position and I am able to keep the pickup cover on this 4001 because of it. I just don't like the way it looks. I wish I could find some clear acrylic to make one to replace it.

Thumbrest on my '73 4001

I don't use the treble pickup bobbin because to me it's too rough of a surface, my thumb will sometimes gravitate down there too, and I instantly pull it out unconciously, not because I'm afraid of damaging the windings (which actually makes sense) but because I don't like the feel of it.
One place I forgot about (I was conscious of my thumb last night after reading this post)that I also sometimes use, as Marty does is the top edge of the pickguard itself.
I always thought the "thumb" rests on 50's and 60's basses were on the G string side because most people used picks, especially the "Fenderbass" players who played the popular music of the times, (like Al Martino and that stuff.. very smooth and clicky) in the 50's and early 60's and rested their little finger on the thumbrest. (little finger rest?) And they were just slow to change.

Actually, the treble side was a finger rest/tug bar. The old skool style was to hook the fingers on the bottom side of the rest, and down stroke with your thumb - not for picking. It is a lost art for the most part. If you ever catch old videos on the cable, there are some old live ones of the Beach Boys with Brian Wilson playing his P bass in that style. He was a great bass player.

And I think the coolest look for a Rick is the clear plastic treble tug bar.

"... Brian Wilson playing his P bass in that style. He was a great bass player"

You can see it also on the "Lost Concert" DVD. Brian Wilson is a great musician, a genius in many people's opinion - my humble self included; but almost all the great bass lines you hear on the Beach Boys hits are Carol Kaye's work. Wilson could play very basic lines, and knew his own limitations.

I wish they'd bring back checker binding.