'67 Thunderbird finishing touches

godofthunder · January 26, 2009, 02:42:27 PM

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 · January 26, 2009, 08:12:37 PM

wow WOW

uwe · January 27, 2009, 03:48:21 AM

What is a "tug bar"?

godofthunder · January 27, 2009, 04:35:11 AM

Or thumb rest, I think tugbar is Fenderspeak.

uwe · January 27, 2009, 07:27:04 AM

Rinse your mouth with soap then!

Thanks, we live and learn.

gweimer · January 27, 2009, 07:34:45 AM

Quote from: godofthunder on January 27, 2009, 04:35:11 AM
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 · January 27, 2009, 07:46:20 AM

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

Dave W · January 27, 2009, 07:58:27 AM

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 · January 27, 2009, 08:58:24 AM

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 · January 27, 2009, 10:25:42 AM

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

drbassman · January 27, 2009, 08:13:24 PM

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

uwe · January 28, 2009, 05:29:51 AM

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

godofthunder · January 28, 2009, 06:28:03 AM

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

drbassman · January 28, 2009, 06:31:04 AM

Quote from: godofthunder on January 28, 2009, 06:28:03 AM
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 · January 28, 2009, 07:09:07 AM

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