You might have seen the Zero-Mod thumb rest as part of what we sell and wondered if that’s a method or a thing. It’s a thing, as in a product.
Ordinarily, when one hears “zero mod,” the thought of, “Oh, this must be a method of doing something.” No. Zero-Mod is the actual brand name of the thing they make, which is thumb rests that require absolutely no modifications to use, and we currently carry them for a few different models, such as the Rickenbacker 4001 (see above,) Fender USA or Mexico Jazz bass, and others.
What’s the purpose of a thumb rest like this?
This type of thumb rest is perfect for those that want one, but don’t want any sort of add-on that would otherwise devalue their instrument.
What this means is that because a Zero-Mod rest is one that is as easy to remove as it is to install, if you decide to sell your instrument later, removing it is about as hassle-free as it gets.
In addition, the Zero-Mod is great for those that are not sure whether a thumb rest would work for them or not. So if you like the idea of a thumb rest and want to try one without having to drill holes, you can give one a go to see if it’s something that agrees with your playing style.
Have you ever tried a Zero-Mod or made your own custom thumb rest?
The Zero-Mod is obviously specific to certain models of bass guitars, and if you don’t have one, some players literally fabricate their own thumb rest that will fit on their instrument.
Have you ever used a Zero-Mod or fabricated your own rest? Post a comment or two describing your experience with it.
Also, there are some who actually prefer a thumb indentation rather than a rest that sticks out away from the body; this can usually only be done on bass guitars without a pick guard. If you’ve experimented with a thumb “dent” in the body, we’d like to hear your story. Did it work, was your dent positioning correct, and did you have to color-match where you placed the dent?
I have added one each to a Rickenbacker 4003 and Squier Jazz Bass. Both done easily and very happy with them.
5-string jazz-style Warwick means you have two pickups and a B-string for a thumb rest. Sometimes the bottom/left corner of the fretboard works too. No reason for a thumb rest. But by the way, what’s the purpose for the old-style Fender thumb (or finger) rest on the G-string side (below) of the strings? Never figured that one out.
The G-string side rest was intended for those that preferred to play the bass in the upright position, stand-up style.
I believe the thumb rest being on the “g-string side” acts more as a pull for playing thumb style bass lines. You would put your fingers under it and use it for leverage to pluck the strings with the side of your thumb.
You need to make one for the pre 57 style P bass.
Do you make them for standard soapbar pickup basses? I didn’t see them on the product page, but considering how difficult it is to navigate the page due to the extremely large images, I may have missed them.
I have one on my 1979 Ric 4001. Best $20 I ever spent on that bass. The owner even called ahead to make sure the screw to screw measurements were accurate on my particular bass before sending.
I’ve bought and used (2) of these on EBMM Stingrays and the most recent purchase was for a G&L LB-100. The product is awesome and the owner/operator of the Zero-Mod is a pleasure to do business with; highly recommended for those searching for a thumb rest on your bass.
OMG! I did not know this existed. Bought one for my precision american elite and one for my student’s squire! Hope it works…. Thank you!!!!!