'67 Thunderbird finishing touches

[godofthunder]

 Got my tug bar from greatdealz1967 off ebay today. I just installed it on the bass, how can such a little thing make such a big difference ?  Almost done with this, just have to fill the holes between the bridge and tail piece and the hole near the controls.  Before and after.

[SKATE RAT]

  wow WOW 

[uwe]

What is a "tug bar"? 

[godofthunder]

Or thumb rest, I think tugbar is Fenderspeak.

[uwe]

Rinse your mouth with soap then! 

Thanks, we live and learn.

[gweimer]

Or thumb rest, I think tugbar is Fenderspeak.

If it's a thumb rest, why is it UNDER the strings?   Seems more like a finger rest for those players who plunk with their thumb.

[godofthunder]

Ok fingerest then ! I don't really care what it's called it just makes the bass look complete !

[Dave W]

The old Fender owner's manuals called it a finger rest. I always heard it called a finger rest. Then about 10 years ago in a book or interview, one of the Fender geezers said that at the factory, they called it a tugbar. So now almost everybody calls it a tugbar.

It's called historical revisionism, folks.    But tugbar makes sense.

[eb2]

I like "the curved piece of wood."

I think we need a name for the large rectangular piece of metal on EBs as well.  I have no idea of its purpose, as they had curved pieces of wood as well.  I suspect some uncomfortable metal forearm pillow for users of the tugba...curved piece of wood.  It acted as a bridge for insects to crawl over the strings from one side to another.  As the bass bridge already owns the name "bridge" I suggest we call this useless hunk o' metal "the overpass."

[Dave W]

I thought that was just called a handrest. I like "the overpass" better.

[drbassman]

I was wondering if I should put one on my 60s NR.

[uwe]

I can't imagine a more redundant part on a TBird except perhaps for the mute!

[godofthunder]

Bill, The bridge cover or the finger rest ? Both are about as useful as your appendix. To me the finger rest looks cool

[drbassman]

Bill, The bridge cover or the finger rest ? Both are about as useful as your appendix. To me the finger rest looks cool

I agree, I've never thought the bridge or pup cover on a TB looked good or was useful.  There is something appealing about the tugbar.  It does add some vintage flare to it.

[uwe]

Only my 1964 non-rev TB II has the bridge and pup cover mounted. I keep them on so I have one specimen that looks like they did when they came out. But the covers are not only impractical (hinder hand muting) and obscure the nice nickel sixties pup, they do not even go together well with the overall look of the bass (unlike with a Jazz Bass where I think the "ashtrays" look cool though they don't make sense there either or with a Ric where they hide the ugly cavernous hole of the bridge pup). I prefer naked Birds.

Uwe