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Sucks to be a lefty! Options?

#23
There are plenty of lefty options out there, you just have to look harder. Don't listen to the dorks who tell you to play righty. Play how it feels natural and you'll be better for it. But yes, we do get screwed on color/model options often, that can't be denied. Best of luck.
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#26
I know your problems - I invested more and bought two Fender CS Basses - it was around 1000,- more for each model than the righty version.

I have a 57 Preci Team Built and a 64 (with some Custom options that made him a 66' for me) Jazz Bass Master Built - they both were abselutely worth the money ;)

I have chosen everything - colour , wood, etc...


kosmicwizard said:
So I am waiting patiently for a true boutique bass to be made and while I never get bass gas, I have some right now. I am completely down, I noticed that Atkinson basses don't do custom jobs any more, and fender limits me to 3 basses, an American standard P and the same J and a standard (is that the same as MIM?) J. I never really noticed how lucky all of you are, I get 2 colour choices and you get 15. I wish there was a LH American Deluxe J or a LH 50th anniversary J but I guess 10% of the market isn't enough to worry about satisfying. I am really not trying to complain I guess I made this thread to see if there are other options out there to get a good quality bass for a reasonable price. All options will be considered and researched. Thanks. Cheers.
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#28
you know what it is?, just too many people into the "if it's different don't do it" attitude and I'll bet this picture of me AND my lefty guitarplayer pisses people off who think like that -- lol.

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.and it's 2010 not 1980 anymore...times have changed, gear availability had changed.

HOWEVER in all fairness, if your a lefty and want to play righty, good for you. If you are a righty and want to play lefty, good for you. If you are an inverted player like Jim Haslip and you can play right/left/upsidedown /normal whatever and made a successful carrear out of it, I guess that just don't count according to "those" people?
 
#29
Hi

Regarding the Squier, I have played a number of 70's vintage modified jazz basses at a number of different stores across the US. (I travel a lot for work, and check out music stores when I have a free moment). I would say that the quality has been pretty consistently good on those basses. I would be perfectly comfortable buying one online myself, and have thought about doing so. The sound is vintage jazz, and the neck feel is very distinct from other necks I have played on. The pickups do growly well, but I don't think that soloing the neck pickup, and rolling back the tone control will give you that pseudo p-bass sound that the American Standard will give you (may have to do with the Duncan designed pickups, but I don't know).

In contrast, I have a lefty squier standard p-bass special. My copy is very good, and I am very pleased with it. I have had a number of music store owners advise me not to sell it because it was the best example they had seen. I thought they were joking, but after having tried out other examples on both the west coast and east coast I noticed wildly varying quality standards. I would tread with extreme caution here.

+1 to the Musicman selection. I recently played their Sterling by Musicman Ray 34 LH, and it was a sweet axe (a little too aggressive for my sound), but it was well constructed, and I believe reasonably priced.

Regarding playing left handed generally, it does have its challenges. I have been most surprised by some of the completely impolite and somewhat cruel comments I have received (for example, I was called a genetic freak, or some variation of that, by sales staff at various shops throughout the US (of course, there are plenty of wonderful sales stuff as well who were happy to treat me like a human being)).

Since I have had to travel so much for work, I have had the opportunity to get my hands on lots of left handed gear and try before I buy, usually on line (I hope to make it to Houston one day to go to Southpaw guitars). Good luck with it, and hope this information helps. Sorry for the high word count of this post.
 
#30
I'm a lefty who plays lefty and and lefty basses still dont look quite right to me.;) You just have to learn to bear the burden and occasionally be ready to shell out a little extra cash. My main basses are a Carvin SB5000 and a G&L Tribute L2000. Keep lookin!
 
#31
velalv said:
I have been most surprised by some of the completely impolite and somewhat cruel comments I have received (for example, I was called a genetic freak, or some variation of that, by sales staff at various shops throughout the US (of course, there are plenty of wonderful sales stuff as well who were happy to treat me like a human being)).
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You are not alone..just imagine what people think when I go jam on a lefty with the E on top, and then 5 minutes later on a righty flipped over with the E on bottom.... I ask the only question that comes to mind when people are saying how stupid that is playing lefty inverted or normal:

"I'll bet YOU CAN'T do it" :D

oh, and more for the lefty haters?

they had lefty's playing in bands MANY MANY years ago..this is not new news folks...
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#34
Things are certainly better than they were 15 years ago. The shop that sold me my first guitar basically said that if I wanted a lefty guitar that I'd have to pay for it up front and no returns. The web has certainly helped, but ultimately, many cool bass models aren't going to be available left handed.

Most custom shops will build you a lefty, although there's often an upcharge and often the requirement to put the $ down since the luthier will have difficulty selling it.
 

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