Ten yr old wants lessons.

[Starrchild]

My hopefully soon to be Grandson wants to learn how to play the Bass.

He's left handed, so do I get him a left handed Bass, or a right handed bass and have him learn on that since he's just starting?

[fearceol]

Let him try both a left and right hand bass. Whichever is the most natural for him, is the bass to get him. The only drawback with L/H basses is the lack of choice.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by fearceol

Let him try both a left and right hand bass. Whichever is the most natural for him, is the bass to get him. The only drawback with L/H basses is the lack of choice.

This.

I'm a teacher with 15 students. I also teach guitar.

I put the guitar in their hands straight up, vertical. I tell them to pretend they are playing it. Whichever way it falls into the horizontal playing position is probably the most natural. I then have them switch hands. I ask which way feels better, which way felt more awkward, etc.

With guitar students, I try to determine which hand is the most naturally rhythmic, and that becomes the strumming hand. This also applies somewhat to begginer bass players who have to develop good syncopation in their plucking hand.

Find a good teacher, they can make the determination. Hope this helps, good luck!

[FreeBassJunky]

First off, I think it's great that someone as young as your grandson acutally WANTS to learn. My dad asked me when I was 13 if I wanted him to teach me guitar. I told him no and I regret now. I didn't pick one up until I was 19. Secondly, if I were you, I would teach him to play right handed. There are a LOT of southpaws that play righty. Also, if you play right handed, it will be easier for him to mimic your hands. But that's just my opinion. I think the whole "let them decide which is natural" aproach makes sense too.

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by Starrchild

My hopefully soon to be Grandson wants to learn how to play the Bass.

He's left handed, so do I get him a left handed Bass, or a right handed bass and have him learn on that since he's just starting?

He's left handed, right?
There's your answer.
A no-brainer me thinks.

[Orangeclawhamme]

Originally Posted by cnltb

He's left handed, right?
There's your answer.
A no-brainer me thinks.

Not really. My son is about as left-handed as it gets, but when he messes with a guitar, it's always right-handed. I knew a left-handed man who preferred to play his guitar righty because his technique required him to use his dominant hand to fret with. I've also seen a player playing lefty. A friend sat down at the table where I was sitting. The first words out of her mouth were, "He's not left handed!".

Go figure.

[oboylebass]

They don't make left-handed pianos, do they??!

[Arranger]

Originally Posted by oboylebass

They don't make left-handed pianos, do they??!

That's what I thought until I saw this:
The First Left-Handed Piano

[Rickett Customs]

Originally Posted by Starrchild

My hopefully soon to be Grandson wants to learn how to play the Bass.

He's left handed, so do I get him a left handed Bass, or a right handed bass and have him learn on that since he's just starting?

I was 10 and lefthanded myself, when I started..........I had a right handed bass that I just flipped the strings on.....The advice on this came from my mother, she had ask that if I bought a bass, that i get one on the cheap, first, then later one she'd help me get a better one.

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by Orangeclawhamme

Not really. My son is about as left-handed as it gets, but when he messes with a guitar, it's always right-handed. I knew a left-handed man who preferred to play his guitar righty because his technique required him to use his dominant hand to fret with. I've also seen a player playing lefty. A friend sat down at the table where I was sitting. The first words out of her mouth were, "He's not left handed!".

Go figure.

+1. Left handed does not necessarely mean with [b]all] things. I know someone who writes with their left hand, yet play R/H guitar.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by fearceol

+1. Left handed does not necessarely mean with [b]all] things. I know someone who writes with their left hand, yet play R/H guitar.

Yep, I know people who do half of the things with their left hand dominant, the other half with their right hand dominant.

Usually, in terms of stringed instruments, the strumming/bowing/plucking hand should have a stronger sense of timing and syncopation. That's really the only criteria. And the student will probably know best and be able to relate this to the teacher.

[bherman]

Im a lefty who plays righty. In some ways it makes more sense since I have more dexterity with my left hand - and fingering is more complicated (IMO) than plucking. When I started out with music, it was piano, then saxophone, then guitar, then bass. Never even thought about switching the strings.

[azureblue]

I'd suggest getting a short or 3/4 scale Rondo Music SX bass,either left or right handed.

I have purchased two basses from Rondo and liked both of them.

Rondo Music Bass Guitars

here's a short scale lefty P Bass type for $100
SX SPB-57 Short Scale Left Handed at RondoMusic.com

I'd suggest also, don't get a puny sounding teeny practice amp, but something with a headphone jack, a stereo line in and good tone. As you know it's really discouraging when your amp sounds bad...

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by Orangeclawhamme

Not really. My son is about as left-handed as it gets, but when he messes with a guitar, it's always right-handed. I knew a left-handed man who preferred to play his guitar righty because his technique required him to use his dominant hand to fret with. I've also seen a player playing lefty. A friend sat down at the table where I was sitting. The first words out of her mouth were, "He's not left handed!".

Go figure.

Now I was unaware of that... it does change things a little.

[Stev187]

We just started a thread about the teaching/learning issues for very young students (and their parents):

Parents of Young Bassists [support/info]

--Steve

[Starrchild]

The last time I saw him he asked me again about lessons. I always thought he was right handed until he struck a southpaw air guitar pose on me.

The only thing that may throw him off is mirroring me from the opposite side.

Thanks for the advise TB'ers.

[chocodile]

Cool thread.
Being a lefty also means learning to be right-handed in this world, given most tools, machined parts, etc.. also the English language and music scores go left to right.
Try this trick, hold up a paper with text on one side only (so it can be seen through the backside) and ask him to read through it or hold it up to the mirror. Or make him read it upside down. If he's good at either one of these, he can probably learn to play right or left with equal amount of effort.
Disclosure: I'm a lefty who plays right-handed, and the above trick is something I discovered myself (tested on young lefty relatives, one plays also plays righty, the other prefers computers).

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by Starrchild

The last time I saw him he asked me again about lessons. I always thought he was right handed until he struck a southpaw air guitar pose on me.

As innocent as that gesture is, it probably answers your question. It may seem like a minor point, seeing as he's so young and has so little experience with a stringed instrument, but making a good choice and doing what comes more naturally to him can facilitate learning and improve his progress.

The only thing that may throw him off is mirroring me from the opposite side.

I'm right-handed, and I've taught many left-handers. It won't make a difference, you and the student will quickly adapt to the mirror image.

[Papa Dangerous]

Either way can have its perks. Natural verse more selection/ easier learning process.

I kinda thought about it in biopsychological sense. I have no backing if this is true, but just a thought. If he is left handed, that means he is right brain dominant. If he learns to play right handed, that will activate the left side of his brain a bit more in a way the right side would normally do. This could possibly and potentially, but with uncertainly, have an increase in their ability to use both sides of the brain in a more articulate fashion. If I learned to play left handed, perhaps my left hand would be stronger and my right hand more articulate.

Just food for thought.

Does this seem like nonsense or a possible outcome to anyone else?

[miltong565]

get him into the way of playing right handed basses and guitars. they are easier to buy and sell, and have alot more variety than left handed ones, not all models are available in left handed versions. it wont make a difference to him after he plays right handed for a while.