The official "Show your basses" thread part 19!

[rust_preacher]

Okay, RE: leefties palying with the G-string on top: Last summer I met a bassist at a country music festival, having seen him play a few minutes before, I asked him why as a leftie he played a right-strung Musicmaster bass. He said: "It was easier changing from upright that way" - which makes complete sense!

As for myself, I have always identified guitar and bass the normal way, and some time after starting, I realized that it's true when they say the guitar is a "right-hand" instrument. Once you learn the chords and left-hand shapes, the playing becomes precise and expressive with the right-hand attack. Depends on the style of course. On the other hand, the left, I am "bi-dextrous" as was mentioned - I pick berries and mushrooms on my left, holding the bush twigs aside with my right. I play cards with my left hand, holding the deal in my right. Etc.

 

[JGbassman]

These will be the two basses I'm gigging with this coming weekend. The first is my favorite, a 90's MIM, tweaked to my likings, and a second, which I have a deep attachment to.

This is a 1981 Hondo II that was my first bass. I played it for a few years, gutted it learning about how basses worked, and by 1983 it got put in a case and all but forgotten about in my parents basement. Earlier this year while cleaning out the basement, I ran across this old bass. The neck had a heavy bow in it sitting for many years without strings, so I went to work to restore it.

It took me a long time to get the bow out of the neck, but I did, and it's straight as an arrow now. I replaced the bridge to get the action closer, it was an old schaller I bought in 1986. Pickups are DiMarzio model P, electronics are redone, and pickguard is a slightly modded American standard. It really has a good sound and plays pretty good. Except for the bridge, it's a dead ringer of what it looked like new.

Tonight this bass will make its first show since 1983. It may not be the best bass I own, but I don't think I will ever get rid of it either.

 

[Hypercaffium]

Makes you wonder... are their any known ambidextrous bassists out there? One that could play either way? I grew up playing with a left handed guitarist that learned to play only on RH instruments, the result was his fretwork was amazingly precise but his picking actually suffered. Seeing as there are very different techniques in modern bass playing (pick, finger, slap/pop), to be able to play either way would be mighty impressive... Heck, then you could have a 7-string bass on a pivot plate and the middle string would be low E and it would work as either a RL or LH 4 stringer (with a few extra strings in the way, lol)...

I'm left handed, but I'd say almost 100% ambidextrous.
As a kid, I played a RH guitar with reversed strings for a while, then a borrowed LH guitar, sometimes I borrowed a RH guitar from a right handed friend and played it like a right handed. I ended up playing right handed instruments with the strings mounted normally, it's more practical for a number of reasons you already know.
There's really a few things I prefer to do with my left hand, like writing and anything involving precision in the little movements.
When eating, sometimes I grab my fork with my left hand, sometimes with my right hand. The same happens with pretty much anything, I really don't think about it. I can write with both hands, I play soccer with both feet equally... I'm ambidextrous by nature I guess.

 

[biguglyman]

but I'd say almost 100% ambidextrous.

As one ambidextrous person to another, let me offer this insight. In kindergarten, I was mortified to have a note pinned to my shirt and sent home to my mother. This was brought about because when asked to write my alphabet on the chalk board, I began with my left hand, switched in the middle, and finished with my right. The note was a request by my teacher to make a decision on which "handed" I was to be. Since it's generally a right-handed world, I was "encouraged" to be right handed. Not to the extent my grandmother was (left hand tied behind her back), but I was no longer allowed to use the left-handed scissors, etc. This manifested itself as I grew older by making me pretty much right-handed. Playing baseball, I threw right but batted left. In tennis, my backhand was better than my forehand. Mini-golf was always played left-handed. When the Navy realized I could write as fast backwards and left-handed as others wrote forward and right-handed, I was pressed into service as one of those guys standing behind the plexi status boards updating target info. I mention all this to give weight to a conclusion I reached years ago and still believe. I believe there are 2 distinct types of ambidexterity. There are those (like cunnimingus) who are "both-handed", and those like me that are "neither-handed". This has led to some real clumsy times and you can't read my handwriting no matter which hand I use...

 

[Hypercaffium]

You just made me remember that:
- Scissors don't work so well when used with left hand. Don't ask my why because I don't know, but I always use my right hand with scissors.
- I can write backwards ("mirror writing"?) with both hands, but I'm faster with my right hand. Don't know why. I can also write with both hands simoultaneously in both directions. I never tried to write simoultaneously different things with each hand, but I guess I can do that with some practice.
The funniest thing it that almost all the crazy ambidextrous things I can do are totally useless.

Oh, I forgot to say that I'm a former graffiti writer and I used my hands a lot for years. That's something that can make a huge difference.

 

[fretno]

 

[stevieg]

rust_preacher, interesting post. I do not quite understand it though. Was your acquaintance left- or right-handed?

Was he playing upright with his right hand? If so, why start playing electric upside down?

 

[stevieg]

You just made me remember that:
- Scissors don't work so well when used with left hand. Don't ask my why because I don't know, but I always use my right hand with scissors.
- I can write backwards ("mirror writing"?) with both hands, but I'm faster with my right hand. Don't know why. I can also write with both hands simoultaneously in both directions. I never tried to write simoultaneously different things with each hand, but I guess I can do that with some practice.
The funniest thing it that almost all the crazy ambidextrous things I can do are totally useless.

Oh, I forgot to say that I'm a former graffiti writer and I used my hands a lot for years. That's something that can make a huge difference.

Note to CunniMingus...

I have heard many left-handers complain about using right-handed scissors (left-handed scissors are available by the way). I never had that problem. I think the trick is to get as much of the object to be cut in the jaws of the scissors before cutting.

What I do have a problem with however are twist ties on bread wrappers for example. The direction of the twist is opposite for right-handed people than left-handers. Now, I've been undoing twist ties long enough that one would think I figured it out. No. Sorry. I still begin undoing a twist tie by actually tightening it until I figure out I should reverse my movement. When I reapply the twist tie no problem since it is now left-handed oriented.

True, a ridiculously simple thing that I still, after many years, cannot master.

S

 

[Greg Waldon]

Pawn shop find. Squier Affinity PJ for $65 out the door. Was missing a string and was nasty. Put on a string and gave it a good cleaning. Sounds and plays fantastic. First good deal I have found in a pawn shop.

 

[Greg Waldon]

View attachment 2184355

left to right, fender mim zone, peavey foundation, ibanez blazer, schecter stiletto custom 4

A Foundation is a battle wagon. Mine stayed in tune better than any bass I ever had. Kick myself every day for getting rid of it.

 

[secondbestcody]

After buying/selling/trading, this is what I currently have: EBMM USA SUB, 2018 Player P, Mustang PJ and a MIM P. I didn’t plan or specifically look for green basses but I guess I like them a lot.

 

[928cat]

After buying/selling/trading, this is what I currently have: EBMM USA SUB, 2018 Player P, Mustang PJ and a MIM P. I didn’t plan or specifically look for green basses but I guess I like them a lot.

View attachment 3201875

I'm digging that sage colored precision with black pick guard, cream pickups and knobs.

 

[secondbestcody]

I'm digging that sage colored precision with black pick guard, cream pickups and knobs.

Thanks. I was going for the look of the Jazzmaster that Fender has out now. Had to get the knobs custom made but well worth it.

 

[bassmike2010]

On that note I am left handed, left eye dominant, but play right handed. I don’t think I suffer for it.

Have you led any mountain climbing expeditions lately?

 

[AB Nate]

Have you led any mountain climbing expeditions lately?

View attachment 3203898

How did you know?!???

 

[bassmike2010]

Pawn shop find. Squier Affinity PJ for $65 out the door. Was missing a string and was nasty. Put on a string and gave it a good cleaning. Sounds and plays fantastic. First good deal I have found in a pawn shop. View attachment 3200854

My Dad bought a '67 Gibson Melody Maker bass for me in my junior year HS from an OS pawn shop. Not sure what he pd but was likely a pittance. My MS pawn shop treasure is a '66 Jazz purchased in '78 in Hattiesgulch for $325 (red sticker on the tray). I played it a few times in my college band and been a case queen since.

 

[bassmike2010]

How did you know?!???

 

[Greg Waldon]

My Dad bought a '67 Gibson Melody Maker bass for me in my junior year HS from an OS pawn shop. Not sure what he pd but was likely a pittance. My MS pawn shop treasure is a '66 Jazz purchased in '78 in Hattiesgulch for $325 (red sticker on the tray). I played it a few times in my college band and been a case queen since.

View attachment 3203928

There are a lot of pawns shops in college towns. I bet there are some good finds in those. Last time I went through Hattiesburg I saw a few pawn shops. May check some out next time I go through. Very nice Bass.

 

[Greg Waldon]

My Dad bought a '67 Gibson Melody Maker bass for me in my junior year HS from an OS pawn shop. Not sure what he pd but was likely a pittance. My MS pawn shop treasure is a '66 Jazz purchased in '78 in Hattiesgulch for $325 (red sticker on the tray). I played it a few times in my college band and been a case queen since.

View attachment 3203928

OS pawn shop? Ocean Springs?

 

[Maestro29]

@B-Mac
Thanks for sharing! What a great looking bass!
I hadn't seen that Patchwork at Guitar Centre. It's pricey but I'd happily spend $1000 on the right instrument. The maple fretboard on that one puts me off, it looks good but I must have an ebony board model for my collection.
I had sent to message to Talkbass user @dharmashawn about a Patchwork he sold a few yeads ago which was apparently a prototype model that Jeff had previously owned but I never heard back.

I keep my eyes on the market, as something will come along eventually!

I currently own the Jeff Berlin Patchwork that you guys are talking about. Its a lovely bass but quite honestly comes nowhere near my Czech Berlin. When I compare the two, the USA version has a DRAMATICALLY lower output than the Czech model. It almost makes me wonder if they even used the Jeff designed Bartolini's since the bridge PU doesn't quite have the 'zing' my other Berlin has. The fingerboard on the USA does have a noticeable radius while the Czech's is basically flat. The USA body is also thinner and more of a slab style. As a side note, this bass came with one of the nicest cases I have ever seen haha.