Thumbrest for an ABG- safe for the top or not?

[LaCosaNostradamus]

I've had an Olympia (Tacoma's budget line) ABG for a few months now, and I'd like to have someplace to rest my thumb other than the E string (shoulda bought a 5, huh?). I've thought about adding one of those Fender-style thumbrests that attaches with two wood screws. I have some concerns about this, which I'll share in hopes of getting feedback from the forum.

 

1) Will the thumbrest cause too much stress to the top? The top is laminated, so I don't expect to get cracks, but will the top begin to warp or bulge from the weight of my hand? FWIW, I play this instrument seated only (classical style w/footstool) and I don't plan on "leaning" into the thumbrest even if I do install it.

 

2) Even though the bass is laminated, it has a wonderful tone that rivals almost any ABG I've ever played. Will my thumb/hand have too much of a damping effect?

 

3) Is there any benefit or detriment to gluing the rest (It will be made of wood) to the top, rather than using screws?

 

4) Does anyone make an attachment that fits to a more stable part of the bass? I saw an image of an ABG once (I think it was an Abraham Wechter, but not Hellborg's model)that had a wooden extension which was screwed to the edge of the fingerboard, for example.

 

I love this bass, and I'd sure like to have equal access to the E string. Thanks in advance.

[freddy bloggs]

i stuck a homemade job on my stingray, just some cardboard and duct tape, about the same size as a fender thumb rest, as an experiment just to see if it would work. I ended up leaving it there, it works great & no need to drill any holes. Duct tape rules....

[jeremy c]

I wouldn't drill into the top of an ABG under any circumstances. It could cause all kinds of problems.

 

Gluing would be a much less intrusive method.

 

But you could just rest your thumb on the E string and remove it when you play that string. It should work fine.

 

Depending on a thumb rest is a crutch, although Mark Egan and Gary Willis will disagree with me.

 

You really shouldn't need to anchor your hand anywhere and you will be able to get all kinds of tonal variations by moving your hand from the neck to the bridge...there are a lot of gradations of sound in there and having your thumb anchored means you've just picked one.

 

Please don't try drilling holes in a nice ABG top. Wood screws wouldn't work anyway, you'd have to use nuts and bolts, but don't do that either, please!

[davebrownbass]

What Jeremy said.

 

I will say, however, that I flirted with one of these in Guitar Center a few weeks ago.

 

And I loved it also.