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Post subject: What is this thing?
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 1:11 am
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It is on the pickguard, it is white with black screws next to strings. I occasionally see them, and have no idea what the name/purpose is for these! :lol:

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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 1:46 am
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That is one of the most common questions we get here. It's a tug bar. Go look at some old videos of some old funk and such and you'll see the dude strumming with his thumb. That bar is there to (in theory, most people took them off) give him something to anchor to. If it were on the top side, it'd be a thumbrest, and most people took those off too.

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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 2:58 am
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LOL - Most, but not all removed them.

Some early 50's and 60's Fenders came with that from the factory as you see it positioned in your photo. However, they were made of walnut and had only one screw holding them in place. Many bassists were taught to use their thumb to play bass in the early years as "thebassopotomus" mentioned.

Styles change and many bassists developed the method of using the fingers instead of the thumb.

When that transformation started to take place, bassists used the E string to rest their thumb except when the E string had to be used. This style is still popular today - but as you may know, other bassists started resting their thumb on the top edge of the pickups so they wouldn't have to keep moving their thumb off the E string and potentially causing a rubbing noise out of the amp. Bassists with large hands felt this was a little uncomfortable because the pickup was not a large surface area to place the thumb on without sometimes slipping off. Those bassists who wanted someplace to rest their thumb took the tug bar off the bottom location and moved it to the top, parallel to the E string and roughly 3/4 of an inch from it. This worked well for that style of playing, but with only one screw holding a wooden 'thumb rest' in place, aftermarket companies came up with a more secure two screw model which many bassists still use these days. I'm one of them.

Individual playing style dictates how the thumbrests, pickups or E string will be used to rest the thumb and it is simply a matter of personal choice as to where add-on rests will be used and mounted.


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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:42 am
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PaducahLuke wrote:
LOL - Most, but not all removed them.

Some early 50's and 60's Fenders came with that from the factory as you see it positioned in your photo. However, they were made of walnut and had only one screw holding them in place. Many bassists were taught to use their thumb to play bass in the early years as "thebassopotomus" mentioned.

Styles change and many bassists developed the method of using the fingers instead of the thumb.

When that transformation started to take place, bassists used the E string to rest their thumb except when the E string had to be used. This style is still popular today - but as you may know, other bassists started resting their thumb on the top edge of the pickups so they wouldn't have to keep moving their thumb off the E string and potentially causing a rubbing noise out of the amp. Bassists with large hands felt this was a little uncomfortable because the pickup was not a large surface area to place the thumb on without sometimes slipping off. Those bassists who wanted someplace to rest their thumb took the tug bar off the bottom location and moved it to the top, parallel to the E string and roughly 3/4 of an inch from it. This worked well for that style of playing, but with only one screw holding a wooden 'thumb rest' in place, aftermarket companies came up with a more secure two screw model which many bassists still use these days. I'm one of them.

Individual playing style dictates how the thumbrests, pickups or E string will be used to rest the thumb and it is simply a matter of personal choice as to where add-on rests will be used and mounted.


Both posts are very informative. Thanks to both of you guys! I even know some history about it now.

Bass tip: always buy strings online. They are about 20 bucks cheaper for me, at least.


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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 5:09 pm
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I like the look. They take me back to a kinder, gentler time.

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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 5:35 pm
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Jeebus Ox, you have spaghetti cords all over the place! You don't put them away after you use them?

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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 6:00 pm
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Just FYI, I used up the gift card to Guitar Hell that my daughter and son-in-law gave me to buy two cables, five footers. No more spaghetti. Thank you for being so observant.

Were you just hungry or, just acting like a little dink?


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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2011 8:20 pm
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I feel good about the guy wanting to know what the heck that thing was. He asked and got his answer and noone told him it was anything but what it was. He even got too much info. Nice.


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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 12:08 am
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First time for that, huh? NNDB's must all be doing whatever NNDB's do when they're not being stupid here.


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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2011 10:49 am
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And NNDB's are what ? I must ask regaurdless of how stupid I will look,and BTW its a toothpick holder on the pickgaurd,they used to be made of all single toothpicks lightly glued together and when one was needed you just had to use your thumbnail or a pick(plectrum if you must)and find a crease in the toothpicks and pop one off,that easy.
Then having a rack of ribs during intermission would'nt be so terrifying cause toothpicks were readily available,Old Leo knew how much them guys down south at Stacks records loved their BBQ and figured the toothpick thing would be a hell'uva selling point so he took about 20 t/picks glued'em together and mounted them with 1 single screw and the food stuck in teeth issue was a thing of the past. :wink:
YEAH I KNOW, I am an idiot :mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 2:08 am
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PLUS 1 ? Your supposed to say"your NOT an idiot" then you say"you are a Guru amongst Guru's and your opinion and or comment is considerd "Law".
So please get with the program and compliment me as you feel necessary,too much is never enuff when I am being praised so I will overlook this blasphemy only once,dont say you were'nt warned.LOL!!!! :mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 6:21 am
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I regard your infinite wisdom as a gift from the gods of guitar universe! A guru? brotherdave is the guru, you can be "The Grand Poobah!' Yeah, that's the ticket!

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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 7:38 am
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lawsuitbass wrote:
And NNDB's are what ? I must ask regaurdless of how stupid I will look,and BTW its a toothpick holder on the pickgaurd,they used to be made of all single toothpicks lightly glued together and when one was needed you just had to use your thumbnail or a pick(plectrum if you must)and find a crease in the toothpicks and pop one off,that easy.
Then having a rack of ribs during intermission would'nt be so terrifying cause toothpicks were readily available,Old Leo knew how much them guys down south at Stacks records loved their BBQ and figured the toothpick thing would be a hell'uva selling point so he took about 20 t/picks glued'em together and mounted them with 1 single screw and the food stuck in teeth issue was a thing of the past. :wink:
YEAH I KNOW, I am an idiot :mrgreen:



I don't know what NNDB's is either. Don't even want to guess- so what the heck is it ?

I always used that thing on the pickguard as a portable antenna for the CB radio I hang on my strap so I can tell if there are any traffic jams straight up ahead. Crosstown traffic is just so hard to get through to you. It allways seems to slow me down while I'm tryin' to get to the other side of town.


If ever a topic begs to be derailed - this one does- can I get an Amen?


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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 9:06 am
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AMEN!!!

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Post subject: Re: What is this thing?
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 9:59 am
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Amen!!
Hallelujah!!
More chicken!!
Quick, before the clowns arrive and take it all!

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