big string ina little hole....no problem right?

[Lefty@best]

so i'm left handed (as implied by my name) and the 1st bass i got was a right handed Sx. the immediate problem is playability. i cand play right handed. so the immediate solution---flip the strings of course. indstead of stringing EADG (left to right, looking at the front of the bass) i strung it GDAE.... easy solution. then i just loosened up my strap to reach the peg under the neck.

heres the problem, now i can't reach above the 10th fret (i know it doesn't matter much up there but it bothers me that i cant do it if ever i wanted to) and i was also wondering if the strings being reversed would effect how the pickups reacted to them. also the E string sits high, it doesnt fit completely in the notch. and it doesnt fit completely through the hole in the bridge. also the change in length from the tuning pegs.....

WHAT CAN I DO?!?!?! other than just buy a new bass. i got this one for x-mas and i dont want to hurt any feelings by getting rid of it.

[paganjack]

-buy a new lefty bridge and install it.

-you could learn to play right handed. it's not that unusual. there aren't really lefty violins/cellos/tubas/whathaveyou

-explain to your family how you are on the dark side of the force/left-handed and try and trade it somewhere for a lefty.

and why can't you reach above the 10th fret?

[Turnaround]

Restringing a right-handed bass to a lefty orientation introduces a number of problems. You've already found some of them.

First, some bridges won't take the strings when reversed.

Next, the nut will be cut entirely wrong and will need to be replaced, or if you are lucky, reversed.

If you are using a P-Bass, the pickup orientation will be reversed. Some like it that way, but it won't sound the same as a standard pickup orientation.

The instrument won't hang right on the strap. Yes you can move the strap button onto the "lower" horn, but the balance is different because the lower horn is shorter.

You won't have the same access to the upper frets. The cutaway on the "lower" side is now on the "upper" side and vice versa. That means restricted access to the upper frets. And if you don't relocate the strap button to the opposite horn, it will get in the way when accessing the upper frets (forget it - there's no money up there anyway).

The controls are in a difficult position - not only for access but also they will act as an irritant to your forearm

There are probably more issues as well. But the point is that you should get a bass that was designed to be left-handed. Having said that, I have had clients who do play right-handed basses upside down - and they play VERY well.

Do what you gotta do. But fix the bridge so it can be strung properly and get the nut adjusted to fit reverse stringing if you do nothing else.

[megadan]

the nut on that bass should just come right off so you can flip it. Take the strings off and give it a few taps up or down and it should pop right out.

[Turnaround]

Originally Posted by megadan

the nut on that bass should just come right off so you can flip it. Take the strings off and give it a few taps up or down and it should pop right out.

Just be careful - some nut slots are cut slightly tapered to the tuner side. Reversing the nut also reverses the taper and can cause buzzing in the nut.

[Joe Kyle]

what i did on the b string of my sx was i took the old b string, and used it like sandpaper against the hole. I bent it back so it was angled around and ran it back and forth til it made the hole just slightly big enough for the string.

I wouldnt exactly reccomend it though, if it were on any of my other basses id get a new bridge or have it fixed the right way.

[Lefty@best]

so heres whats up.
i reset the bridge ( took a long time of unstringing, adjusting, restringing, tuning, playing, unstinging adjusting... ect... hours)
so now i'm in tune all the way up the neck.

i'm satisfied with the sound so i'm not worried about issues with the pickups. i guess it didnt make a lot of differance.

i decided to keep the strap how it is, didnt swap the pin to the smaller horn, i'm more worried about avoiding neckdive than reching the 12th fret its easier to just move up a string for higher notes. and why would i be playing bass if i wanted to hit a G in the 3rd octave???? $@#! high G.

as for the knobies, they aren't bothering me, but sometimes if i play slap i'll accidently rub one with my arm and have to stop to turn it back where i had it.

the E string is still raised but it doesnt seem to make a differance in sound. action isnt too terribly bad, i dont exactly have vice-grip fingers but i can hold it down to the fret eaily.

all in all this bass will do.

saved this for last but i just bought a lefty 5-string davison. still getting used to it but i love it.

all problems solved. thanks guys.