Yesterday Jamie showed a picture of his G&L bass and someone spotted something different. It was a thumb or finger rest depending how you use it. String Bass players use there thumb as a support and pluck with fingers. They tend to do that on electric basses therefore a wood thumb rest on the upper side of the low E string was common on early electric basses. Now guys like Jamie and myself who were guitar pickers often play bass using our thumb and I also use first two fingers. We put the thumb rest on the lower side of the strings and use it for finger support. That is how Jamies is mounted. When playing a 2 humbucker bass I pick over the neck humbucker and use the edge of the pickup as a finger rest (4 th finger).
The Pink Lady is a single humbucker ( I Prefer it ) and I missed that finger rest. Yesterday morning I cut out a piece of bloodwood to make a finger rest. It is the same size as the one Jamie is using and I am mounting it in about the same place. This is how us converts deal with our deficiencies in becoming bass players. Here is what mine looks like and I am mounting it with very thin doubleback tape so I can relocate a bit until it is where I want it. It is still mounted on a handle I use while finishing it with Tru Oil.
Question for the day: What little things have you done to a guitar to make it more playable for you? For example, some find the box bridge cumbersome. Show us your stuff, we like photos even if their bad like some that I post!
There was also a bit of discussion about guitar player converts to bass yesterday. Some had seen some real bad ones and I'm sure that many of us have. This is one thing I have discovered when people have requested to sit with the band, some of them are worse than one could imagine, especially people who want to sing with us. Sometime you really hit a winner. I work closely with the drummer and the lead player to add to the grove. Sometimes very simple and sometimes the bass carries the song. It depends on what it is. I find playing bass very interesting and rewarding.
I have been working with the 4 string Asat and realized that I play quite differently playing the 5 string. It really expands things that you can do. The 4 string is more basic and takes some relearning. I did have music theory in college and I think it has helped me over the years. I happen to think that bass playing is a lot more complex than many observers think. They are generally watching the guitar player. Lets hear about you experiences and ideas. Hit me with your best shot! -- Darwin
Here is the finger rest which will be mounted tonight. -- Darwin
