So yeah, it’s really easy to get used to a thumb rest which I guess could be considered a downside.

As a result, most basses don`t have thumb rests. Some bassists who play a bass with a thumb rest do actively use it, but they are few and far between. Thus, while “tug bar” and “thumb rest” are often used interchangeably, they don`t mean the exact same thing. Both words refer to a similar piece that is attached to the bass. The difference lies in where we attach it. This position does have several disadvantages though. It commits you to a rounder and darker tone, as you will always be playing high up on the strings. The comfortability of this position can also greatly vary between basses, and your range of motion will be limited. If you've got a bass guitar that you absolutely love, but can't really get along with or don't enjoy playing, then you should really consider making a few small, but very important bass guitar setup modifications. Fortunately, you can do a lot yourself on a budget! making a bass mod or bass upgrade has never been easier!

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The only other disadvantage I can really think of is if you are someone who prefers having your thumb rest pretty close to the strings then you might hit the thumb rest or even your own thumb with the strings while playing. If you've got a tired old bass guitar that you know in your heart has more to give, we thoroughly recommend learning how to make a few modifications to your bass guitar to get the best out of it. Please keep in mind that you will be drilling holes into your instrumentso if you aren’t comfortable doing this or are not willing to do it the right way, (missing the right tools or something) then you shouldn’t be doing this so that you don’t damage your instrument! For the fretting hand thumb, the above points should serve as a starting point. By tailoring the placement slightly to find a position that works for you and doesn`t feel painful you will make playing easier and prevent injuries down the road.

When the bar is on the treble side, the function of it is to provide something to grab so you can play more easily with your thumb. From here, you’ll want to place a small piece of tape on the drill depending on how long the screws are. This way, you won’t drill holes that are too deep!

Frequently Asked Questions

This raises a few questions. Why were tug bars introduced in the first place, and why have they gone out of style? What`s the difference between a tug bar and a thumb rest? And most importantly, what are their pros and cons? The first Fender basses all had tug bars. This was a long, curving piece of plastic that was attached with screws below the thinnest string of the bass. When Leo Fender first introduced the bass guitar in the 50s it had a tug bar. Nowadays, thumb rests and tug bars are a rare sight, and manufacturers hardly ever add them to their basses. All you have to do now is line up your new thumb rest with the holes that you just drilled and then screw them in.

This can be annoying because if this happens it will instantly stop any sound coming from that note. Thus, in modern times, bassists who play old-school basses with tug bars generally just like how the bar looks, or have simply not cared to remove it. No. On the vast majority of electric basses that have this bar, almost all of them are installed on the bass side. It’s usually true you only see the bar installed on the treble side as a tug bar on vintage reissue models (such as the Fender American Vintage ’58 Precision Bass), or from bass builders that specifically either want a vintage-style instrument, or an instrument that can be played seated or in the upright position. If you still don’t know then you’ll honestly be just fine putting it on parallel with the strings, it won’t make that much of a difference at the end. Something that goes rather untalked about when it comes to the bass guitar is if you should have a thumb rest on it or not. If you ever need to play fingerstyle on the lowest string on your bass, the absence of a thumb rest can be more of a pain than most people realize.

One method I didn`t mention above, is that I have seen some bass players rest their thumbs on top of the body of the bass. Do not do this. You will have a horrible range of motion, notes will vary in intensity, and playing will feel cumbersome. Das Spielen ging ganz gut von der Hand, aber irgendwie hat mir die Stütze für den Daumen gefehlt, wie ich's von meinen anderen Bässen gewohnt bin. Was tun? Löcher reinbohren für einen konventionellen Thumbrest geht gar nicht, die Kala Thumbrests sind viel zu teuer, außerdem war es mir zu riskant, die Dinger auf meinen schönen neuen Bass zu kleben und irgendwann Spuren drauf zu haben, wenn ich die Dinger mal abmachen will. Good quality bass guitars don’t have to cost you a fortune – we take a look at 11 cheap bass guitars that actually sound good.

How you should place your thumb when playing the bass also depends on your physiology. Thus, a technique that works wonders for others, could feel painful for you. In 1974, Fender switched the place of the tug bar from below the G string, to above the E string. Thus, while the part remained similar, this gave it a new function. I personally prefer making mine parallel with the strings but the steps are the same either way. If you aren’t sure which way you’ll like better, play a couple of scales or something and see if your thumb sits at any kind of angle. Both of the above explanations are correct. Generally speaking, if what is now known as a finger rest or thumb rest is mounted on the treble side (“below” the strings), the traditional name for it is a tug bar. When placed on the bass side (“above” the strings), it’s known as a finger rest or thumb rest. Why are there two names for the same thing?As we stated in our guitar mods blog, instruments are subject to humidity and temperature changes when they travel from their destination, so would always benefit from a set up. The best part? They are really cheap and you can get one for less than 10 dollars. With that being said, let’s get started! What You’ll Need