Hello fingerstyle bass players... how far from the bridge do you pick the bloody string then eh?

Ive always picked over the second (neck) pick-up but i spose different basses have different pick-up positions, which is something id def have to consider if getting a new one. Anyway I was watching a Black Sabbath video and noticed that Geezer often whacks his bass on the fretboard and thats how his sound is always so wicked and... well sort of "wet" sounding. Ive tried doing that and sometimes it works but its not really ideal for thrash bass.

Then ive also seen some people picking well close to the bridge too... when i try that it just sounds quiet and lame, but i can see how you might maybe get more precise rhythm there...?

What do you guys reckon?

Bassists.

Fuck that was quick... guitarists

I pick in between the two pickups on my Yamaha normally, I tried picking really close to the bridge and didn't like the lack of give in the strings at all, not to mention it gives a much duller sound. I think the middle ground is best in this case.

Yeah thats what i always went for, just been thinking about using different positions for their different qualities at different points in songs and stuff. Plus when recording in the studio i found it difficult to avoid a click from the string whacking the fretboard since i tend to pick quite hard so ive been thinking about how to stop that.

Yeah, it's a bit of a catch there, moving closer to the bridge tends to stop the clicking but also dulls the sound. I guess when you want the bass to sound less obvious in the songs you should go down to the bridge and such.

What are you two on about? Nobody hears the bass except dogs.

Thats my least favourite thing about thrash actually, the fact that bass gets lots so easily with two heavily distorted guitars. You could always hear Geezer and Steve Harris...

anyway dogs have a high frequency hearing range, derrrr