Where do you prefer to pluck the strings?

[NoiseNinja]

So I realize this will probably vary from bass to bass, from pickup to pickup, as well as weather you use fingers or a pick to pluck the strings, how you otherwise have your tone dialed in, and also some parts/songs will call for a different tone that require of you to pluck elsewhere, but I am curious of weather or not you have a preferred spot to pluck the strings and if so where that is?

I personally prefer the tone I get from plucking the strings here, just in front of about where the 24th fret would have been, using a slightly rounded Dunlop USA Nylon .73mm pick :

 

[marchone]

I plec mostly near the bridge for the tension there. It’s easier for me to control strumming at the bridge.

 

[WrapRough]

Just on the pickup on a P Bass. I rarely move from there, but for fast songs, I sometimes go on the neck pickup on my Sire.

I have been actually thinking about adding a Tim Commerford style "thing" that goes between the bridge and neck pickups so I can get somewhere in the middle, which would be ideal for me

 

[two fingers]

EVERYWHERE!

Seriously, all of my basses are passive (or set to passive if they have preamps). And the tone knob stays dimed. I use technique and placement to change the tone for different songs. I use a pick, fingers, the side of my thumb, slap, tap, etc. And I go from plucking over the fretboard to right beside the bridge and all points in between.

 

[Groove Doctor]

EVERYWHERE!

Seriously, all of my basses are passive (or set to passive if they have preamps). And the tone knob stays dimed. I use technique and placement to change the tone for different songs. I use a pick, fingers, the side of my thumb, slap, tap, etc. And I go from plucking over the fretboard to right beside the bridge and all points in between.

+1.

 

[2saddleslab]

End of neck for bigger boom, over pickup for bigger bang.

 

[Wretched Banana]

I default to very close to bridge, that gives me the best overall "bass tone" I imagined even before I played bass, and then adjust towards the neck when the music needs it.

That said, my recent Dingwall purchase just threw a wrench into everything because there isn't a fixed hand placement possible where my fingers are equally distanced from the bridge on all strings. I need to keep moving at all times to keep it consistent or at least remain alert of the situation. It is doable, but imho, very annoying and unfun.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Default position.
Just in front of the bridge pickup for a tight focused tone.

 

[bon viesta]

i find myself more and more doing a geezer butler style “clank the end of the fretboard” approach. if your bass is way up, and your tone is way down, you sound like john paul jones up against that fretboard. over the pickup gives you a more standard, easy to use sound.

 

[Altitude]

I use my right hand position as a tone control far more actively than I use any knob. I play all over, depending on what tone I want out of the bass.

My default position, when I'm not thinking about it, puts my thumb resting on the front pickup or a string in that area, and my fingers plucking somewhat behind it. Not far enough back to produce a Jaco-like tone but enough to tighten it up a little.

See here.

 

[smtp4me]

So I realize this will probably vary from bass to bass, from pickup to pickup, as well as weather you use fingers or a pick to pluck the strings, how you otherwise have your tone dialed in, and also some parts/songs will call for a different tone that require of you to pluck elsewhere, but I am curious of weather or not you have a preferred spot to pluck the strings and if so where that is?

I personally prefer the tone I get from plucking the strings here, just in front of about where the 24th fret would have been, using a slightly rounded Dunlop USA Nylon .73mm pick :
View attachment 4381185

I play mostly pizzicato, and every bass I have owned had/has two pickups. I play overtop of the neck pickup, generally. On my fretless bass, I move around a little more as needed - I find that I get more mwah when I play up near the neck. I only use a pick when absolutely necessary, and in most cases if I want a pick attack, I'll just play over the bridge pickup.

 

[Black Out Jazz]

EVERYWHERE!

Seriously, all of my basses are passive (or set to passive if they have preamps). And the tone knob stays dimed. I use technique and placement to change the tone for different songs. I use a pick, fingers, the side of my thumb, slap, tap, etc. And I go from plucking over the fretboard to right beside the bridge and all points in between.

But can you play the Star Spangled Banner with your teeth? HMMM?????

 

[Ggaa]

Single pickup, between pup and bridge. Two pups, generally just behind front. Fingers only.

 

[Black Out Jazz]

neck pup.

 

[KohanMike]

I tend to stay away from the bridge, prefer the fuller sound closer to the neck.

 

[BarfanyShart]

I tend to leave my knobs set and move my hands a lot to adjust tone. Recently, however, I have been playing around more with knobs and amp models, and I find my right hand has stayed more planted to right behind the neck pickup. So I guess I'm kind of going back and forth between planting my hand to dial in new electronics settings, and then adjusting my hand placement while playing once I am comfortable with an electronics preset.

 

[shnapper]

Where my arm settles without looking or natural resting place. Coincidentally on the L2500 it’s between the two pickups. Being a beginner I’m more focused on relaxing, muting technique and pluck consistency. I do like the area closer to the neck….on the 2500 it’s a huge difference in sound, but that will come in time with practice.

 

[vvvmmm]

And here I was gonna answer, "on stage".

 

[PrairieThunder13]

I guess i mostly play right at the end of the fingerboard for my "favourite sound", but i can't say i have one fixed point of preference. I would say best answer i can give is it depends on what kind of a group i'm backing. I can certainly attest to the "right hand tone control" philosophy...

 

[SteveCS]

EVERYWHERE!

Seriously, all of my basses are passive (or set to passive if they have preamps). And the tone knob stays dimed. I use technique and placement to change the tone for different songs. I use a pick, fingers, the side of my thumb, slap, tap, etc. And I go from plucking over the fretboard to right beside the bridge and all points in between.

^^ This ^^, is the only correct answer. Sticking to one right-hand playing position is as blinkered as always playing at the same dynamic or always playing the same note at the same fret/string position when most have from 2 to 4 possibilities.
YMMV