Anybody using an electric upright and has flipped the strings?

[robkittler]

I am in the market for an entry level electric upright, Stagg or East Side for a few little things - anybody had experience flipping the strings and nut?

I can't get close enough to one to see the work involved, and would rather not buy one and find it doesn't work out, to have to sell on again.

Before any righties ask - I can't leave as it is and re-learn, too long in the game now to alter I am afraid.

Thanks,
Rob

[Beedster]

You may need flip more than strings and nut Rob, although it'll depend which model you buy; the bridge is asymmetrical on some models, the extensions to enable the player to stabilise the instrument - without which they can be quite challenging especially for a beginner - might also be on the wrong side, and you might need to check access to controls also.

But once you go to EUB you get to DB and then there's no going back!

Good luck

Chris

[Silvia Bluejay]

Flipped my cheapo Harley Benton EUB round. The work basically implies:

- filing the nut properly, making sure you don't end up with the G string too low in the groove that was of the E string.
- turning the bridge upside down and filing the grooves so that the angle of the surface inside the groove where the string rests is correct (also making sure the strings don't sit too deep in the grooves after filing)
- filing the holes in the endpiece so that the E fits in the hole that was previously holding the G.
- swapping the spacing bracket round so it's on the correct side for a lefty person to use against their body.

There are other minor adjustments to make, but the above is the minimum you have to do.

From the point of view of quality of sound and ease of playing, I don't recommend it. Get a "native" lefty, it'll be much more enjoyable. (I also bought an NS NXT 5-string as a starter, and like it, but what I'd really like to get, one day, is an Eminence - the high-end upright that looks like a thin double bass. Pity they don't seem to do lefties.)
Flipping a righty can, however, be fun and very useful for learning about how an upright works.

Edited July 14, 2017 by bluejay