lefthanded string set up for right handed player

[RickenTalker]

Sort of interested in trying this. Say I took my right handed bass and moved the thickest strings to the bottom and put my thinner strings on top. Basically taking a left handed bass and play it like i was right handed with out adjusting the strings. What got me thinking about this was some info I read up on how Jimi Hendrix would tune his guitar. He would basically just flip a right handed guitar upside down and play it, which I don't see how this could not contribute to his sound. So does anyone here play their bass with the strings inverted like this? Some input on how it feels would be sweet

[RickenTalker]

bah, its early so this might not make sense. Basically what I'm saying is what are the advantages to playing the bass with the strings upside down?

[MarkA]

For the sake of clarity, let me see if I understand you correctly:

1) You're playing a right-handed bass, and you're not proposing flipping it around.

2) You want to put the E-string (if it's a 4 string) down where the G-string is normally and the G where the E sits normally (i.e. the closest string to your face in playing position). A/D will of course flip, too.

Correct?

The only effect of this that I think everyone can agree on is that you'll need a new nut (or maybe you can flip your old nut around, if it's sloped the same on the fingerboard and headstock sides).

Slapping would be very different.

Other differences, advantageous or not, will, I think, depend on you and how you adapt to the new configuration. Maybe you'll find some interesting chord voicings/arpeggiation patterns.

Try it and find out.

EDIT: This could be something to try out on a cheap 2nd bass, if you want to explore it at length and need your primary bass for performances, etc.

ALSO, I don't THINK it'd be a big deal, but most traditional sets are higher tension on the treble side than the bass side. Don't know if flipping that around would have long-term health effects on a neck that's used to the reverse.

[Jeff 66]

Jeff Schmidt plays lefty but his strings are inverted (high string closest to his face, low string closest to his feet). He plays in non-standard tunings and strings with piccolo guages... but the inverted part is a big factor. Check him out.

Certainly looks like some of his stuff would be all the more difficult to play with the strings in their 'normal' arrangement. So, yeah... I would guess that the inverted stringing has a big impact on what he plays. Opens up doors to a very different approach.


‪Jeff Schmidt Live Solo Bass (piccolo fretless)‬‏ - YouTube

‪Jeff Schmidt -SOLO BASS (fretless) Until You Don't‬‏ - YouTube

[bluesdogblues]

Originally Posted by Jeff 66

Jeff Schmidt plays lefty but his strings are inverted (high string closest to his face, low string closest to his feet).

Jimmy Haslip (Yellow Jackets) does too, doesn't he?

and, talking about Jimi Hendrix; I'm sure he could play guitar that way (strings upside down) like lefty guitar/bass players usually can, but didn't his guitar 'normally' strung (thicker string closer to face) ?

CMIIW

[SLaPiNFuNK]

An advantage I can see having the Low B at the bottom, is using your palm to mute the string when not in use. not having to use a floating thumb for example...

[Shoewreck]

If they string guitars a certain way (thicker strings on top) for several hundreds of years, there must be a good reason...

[lug]

Almost an exclusive club for Lefties. Learning this way allows us to pick up any righty bass. As mentioned above, slap bass is really different, some things easier, some harder. I've heard that Hendrix could play both inverted and normal.

[JTE]

The only reason that flipping the strings around on a Strat makes any difference is because for most of Hendrix's career, Strat pickups had staggered pole pieces. The magnets were different heights for different strings. By playing a right-handed guitar and reversing the strings (which is what Jimi did, he didn't just flip a right handed guitar over and play it stock), he needed a new nut, the trem arm was in a different position, and the pole pieces for the bass string were now picking up the treble strings. And there was more string beyond the nut for the lower strings than the treble strings which may or may not have helped his trem come back in tune a bit better. All those are pretty idiosyncratic to the Stratocaster guitar.

On a Precision of a Jazz, it won't make a bit of difference, and most other basses won't make any difference either.

John

[aussiebasshero]

Originally Posted by lug

Almost an exclusive club for Lefties. Learning this way allows us to pick up any righty bass. As mentioned above, slap bass is really different, some things easier, some harder. I've heard that Hendrix could play both inverted and normal.

+1

This was going to be my next move when buying my next bass. At the moment I have 3 flip righties but having a lefty would be so much better ergonomically. P.S. nice G&L you got there