Lefty Chrissy in the house

[Bob Rogers]

Time for my Bass Mitzvah speech: "Today I am a bassist...." Thirty five years of the slab and now I get to try the box.

My lefty Christopher 200 finally got to my house today after five and a half months of waiting. Went down to Greensboro to pick it up at Bob Beerman's Bass Violin Shop. Very nice shop. Had about four dozen basses in. Repair facility in the front room.

Bob had set up the bass nicely. He also had gotten in a lefty Engelhardt EM-1 so that I had a choice. Liked the beefier neck of the Christopher. He had Heritage strings on the Christopher and Obligatos on the Engelhardt. That might have had a lot to do with the louder punchier sound of the Christopher. (I didn't listen to either bass bowed since I am going to concentrate on piz for a while.)

Anyway here is a pic. I have a lot of practicing to do. (It's going easier than I had feared. Lots of fun.)

[Tbeers]

Wow, congrats! I remember your last thread when you were a bit frustrated about the long wait. But looks like it paid off for you...

Are you going to take DB lessons?

[spacecanoe]

nice work! i too recently got a chrissy. i wont go into my struggle with it haha .. anyways. good luck in learning the upright! its definatly alot of fun, wait till you get to bowing. its like trying to sing and play at the same time! keep us posted on how its coming along im always into hearing how other newbies are doing.

jer

[Bob Rogers]

I have a lesson lined up for next weekend. In the meantime, I've been looking at the Todd Phillips DVDs, so at least I won't get too out of wack with posture and hand position. The surprising thing (to me) about moving from EB is the difference in technique for the right (left for me) hand. Power, consistency, and accuracy are going to take work. I expected the work on left (right for me) hand technique. Since I use Carol Kaye technique on the EB, its a pretty easy conversion as long as I don't have to make any big shifts, but of course it's much more physical.

[spacecanoe]

i have big hands so the move wasnt the hardest but im not near anything good yet. the hardest thing for me was the fingering pattern 1 2 4 index middle pinky.. i found using 1 3 4 way easier. less shifting and more like playing electric for me at least.but im 6'5 and have big ol hooks. haha

[Mudfuzz]

Congrats on the new bass, I hope you have lots of fun with it; sure is pretty.

[KSB - Ken Smith]

Hi Bob, Bring the neck closer to your Face and lift your right elbow up just a little. This will help alot with the strain and your intonation. Since you are just starting, get a good teacher from one of the local Orchestras b4 you develope 'hard to break' bad habits.

Good luck with your new lefty. It looks real nice on you.

[Bob Rogers]

Thanks for the pointers, Ken. I need to get a full lenth mirror for the music room. I get too many pains in my joints to get started on the wrong foot.

Next weekend I am going to work with Bob Thomas from No Strings Attached. While he is willing to work with me, He has encouraged me to investigate a teacher with serious classical training, but I didn't really look into that before I had a bass in hand. I'll see how Bob works out. Musically, I'm intereted in jazz and country (he fits the bill there), but I understand the advantages of classical technique. The principal bassist with the Roanoke Symphony takes students, but I'm not sure he is interested in a 48 year old who wants to play jazz. I'll see after I work with Bob.

[ctcruiser]

Good luck with the lefty! I am glad you finally got it.