SG reissue - anybody here fitted a thumbrest?

[Aussie Mark]

Not having played EB-3s much previously (my old EB-4L pup was in just the right place), I'm struggling to find an anchor point on my SG RI in the sweet spot between the pickups, so am considering a thumbrest.  Anyone else gone down this road?

[Chris P.]

I always play fingerstyle. For some ballads I use the neck pick up as rest, but mostly the bridge pick up. Because of the string tension there I get a bit tired earlier. But it's much more to the middle than a Ricky 4005 bridge p/u.

I always have a problem with my 4005. It sounds too woollly using the neck pick up as thumb rest and resting on the bridge pick up is too trebly. It sounds best played with you fingers between the pick ups, but mounting a finger rest on a 4005...

Ever thought of mounting a chrome bridge cover as rest? Let's find a pic.

[uwe]

At least you intend to use it! Most people here just want it for looks. 

[EvilLordJuju]

Ever thought of mounting a chrome bridge cover as rest?

On my players, I take that chrome rest off, and use the same hole to fit a one-screw wooden rest just there. Makes my one-pickup '65 Newport infinitely more playable, and it's completely reversible.

I am happy to rest my thumb on the bridge pickup on my SG reissue.

[nofi]

if you don't already learn to rest your thumb on the e string. you can play anywhere on anybass doing this and no more thumbrest issues. in my case it works great  but your results may vary.

[EvilLordJuju]

if you don't already learn to rest your thumb on the e string. you can play anywhere on anybass doing this and no more thumbrest issues. in my case it works great  but your results may vary.

yeah, I know people who do this, but I can't get on with it. I tend to play the E string a lot...

[Chris P.]

+1! But the bridge p/u is okay to use.

[nofi]

ah, all you do is lift your thumb to play the E. the only rule is that there are no rules . to each his own.

[Aussie Mark]

Anchoring on the bridge pickup for finger style is no good for me, playing the strings in that inch or so space between the bridge pickup and the bridge sounds and feels like crap.  I really like the tone and string feel mid-way between the two pickups.

[Lightyear]

What about coming up with a bit of plastic, bent to to from a 90 degree angle, that would span the gap between the two pickups?  Perhaps use the the existing mounting screws to attach it?  Certainly would take some experimentaion but wouldn't disfigure your new baby with extra screw holes.

Seems like Jeanine had some similar gadget he made for Darkstars.

[angrymatt]

if you don't already learn to rest your thumb on the e string. you can play anywhere on anybass doing this and no more thumbrest issues. in my case it works great  but your results may vary.

Slightly interesting, yet wholly off-topic story.  The book I bought, a million years ago, to learn to play bass actually warned against this practice.  Yet, I took it's warning as advice, and started that very same habit. 

[Dave W]

If I had an SG Bass and wanted a thumbrest, I would put a one-screw thumbrest where the bass side hole would go on that chrome cover in the pic in Chris' first post above. This is what Jules is describing with his vintage players. Of course you'd have to drill, but I can't see one or two well placed screw holes devaluing the bass by much.

[Aussie Mark]

I can't see one or two well placed screw holes devaluing the bass by much.

That's what I figured as well.  It's the "faded" model, and I bought it on sale at a great price, so there's not much to devalue anyway :-)

[Chris P.]

Well, I think you need to play a bass and if it plays better with an extra hole in it... I thinkt that's way more important than the value of a bass in 10, 20, 30 years? If you ever sell it?

[uwe]

As long as it is a vintage Honduras mahogany thumb rest it will enhance value ...

OTOH: This whole discussion amply proves that basses were meant to be picked not fingered. Nuff said.