How Left Handed are you?

[BrickBatMansion]

First off.......just how many of us lefty players are out there?

Do you play..........
LEFTY strung LEFTY?

LEFTY strung RIGHTY?

If you are left handed but play right handed, this is not your thread. Sorry!

Do you mainly buy RH instruments and flip
them?

Or do you build/buy/customize instruments to accomodate your playing?

What labor of love do you perform/endure every time you get a new (to you) bass?

Just curious.............

Last Q.........do you play thru a LH amp?

[ExaltBass]

There's a "Lefty's Who Play Righty" thread that has all that info... try search.

[BrickBatMansion]

Hey Exalt!

Yes, I know about that thread............

This is about lefty players and the mods they have to do to their instruments
to play them comfortably...

From my original post: "If you are left handed but play right handed, this is not your thread. Sorry!"

If im in the wrong category, my apologies. Mods; feel free to move this if needed.

Thanx!

[BrickBatMansion]

After doing semi-major surgery on yet another bass, I was just curious as to how many of my fellow lefty TB'ers go thru the same type thing..........

[iamthebassman]

Play lefty/strung righty.

[TolerancEJ]

Both Michael Anthony and Phil Lesh are left-handed but play right-handed basses.

[Basshappi]

I'm right handed but play left handed. I play lefty basses strung leftanded.

[Johnny Roots]

everything lefty but wiping my ass and masturbating.

[BrickBatMansion]

Originally Posted by Basshappi

I'm right handed but play left handed. I play lefty basses strung leftanded.

That IS wild.........did it just feel more natural to play lefty?

[BrickBatMansion]

Originally Posted by iamthebassman

Play lefty/strung righty.

Yeah, me too. I didnt know any better when I started and by the time I did learn it was too late!

[Basshappi]

Originally Posted by BrickBatMansion

That IS wild.........did it just feel more natural to play lefty?

Nope, birth defect of my left hand makes it necessary. Wanted to play bass and it was the only way I could so I just played lefty and never gave it another thought.

[pkstone]

Bought a previously-flipped-to-lefty Steinberger XL-2UF that had been returned to right-handed (original) form. Re-flipped it.

Bliss. (see avatar)

[M. Owen Santy]

Ambidextrous, but can't play right handed worth a ****. Used to struggle with changing over gear - but finally have the financed to pretty much get what I need now.

What I have noticed that most "Lefty" basses are either cheapo's not worth playing or Very high end. Not alot in the middle. What I usually do is look for "good" Middle instruments (mostly the import versions) of stuff from MTD, Spector etc... (am about to pick up a Zon Sonus standard) and do a bunch of hot-rodding to get them up to par with the top of the line stuff tone wise. The bodies and necks are made to spec under most circumstances - it's the electronics that are lacking.

Active Bart's or EMG's with Bartolini or Aguilar pre-amps make all but the crappiest instruments sound good. I just wish there were more finish options than the standard "Natural, Black or Ruby-burst" finishes you find available on most instruments. Simply upgrading the stock 9 Volt active electronics to 18V in most cases will make a tremendous impact IMHO.

Acoustic basses on the other hand I have found almost impossible to convert and get the intonation right without having a Luther cut a new Saddle slot or install a new bridge. Not worth the $$ unless you find a Martin @ a yard sale or something of that sort.

Perhaps we need a Southpaw Bassist Club? Is there one?

[Raymeous]

I'm not a lefty, but I have known several lefty players.

As you already know, the options for lefties in terms of instrument selection just sucks. Outside of "luthier built" customs most of the name brands (I'm looking at you Fender, Ibanez, etc...) seem to only make two choices: the $200 cheapo and the $1,500 professional model, and they're only available in black. Granted this is a generalization but you get the point.

I've pointed my lefty playing brothers and sisters to Carvin as 99% of the things they offer are available to the lefty and at no additional charget. Carvin is the lefty players best friend, and I'm not just saying this as a fan boy even though I am one.

So if you are a lefty I highly recommend a look at Carvin before headed to the even more custom luthier built stuff.

[M. Owen Santy]

Originally Posted by Raymeous

..Carvin is the lefty players best friend, and I'm not just saying this as a fan boy even though I am one.....

Have always loved their builds and woodworking, just never found their electronics to be up-to-par with the aftermarket. Makes it hard to justify a $1700.00 build when you can get an MTD and upgrade it for far less, or go with a Standard series ZON that is good-to-go right out of the case.

If I could find one electronics options that played well for me, would love a Icon IC4W Claro Walnut Active Bass with a MM style 'bucker in the bridge!

[Roscoe East]

I am entirely 100% right-handed




















...except when I play the drumkit. For some inexplicable reason I learned to drum left-handed!

[Means2nEnd]

Left handed, play left handed, strung left handed, pick my nose left handed.....lots of basses all left handed. There is no shortage of lefty instruments for my liking it's never a problem for me.

[thebeerleader]

I normally play left handed basses strung left handed, but my favourite bass has always been my Thunderbird. I had a bone nut put on to string it lefty, but I didn't have to do anything else. It probably looks a little strange but sounds and plays great.

[Casting Thunder]

Originally Posted by Basshappi

I'm right handed but play left handed. I play lefty basses strung leftanded.

I'm the same way but because of CP. Funny thing, I'm now looking for a right handed short scale hollow body because I discovered I have totally different tone with my right hand (and not enough choices). I want to be able to play both ways, but I'm probably crazy.

[Ocean Man]

I'm a lefty, and my first bass was a righty Jazz that I was too lazy to get re-strung before I started learning on it. I played it upside down for 16 years until I finally got around to getting a proper left handed instrument last March ('11 MIA Fender P).