converting a right handed double bass to a lefty

[jojoagogo234]

unfortunately im left handed.... this means any bass im looking at (right handed ones) are going to have an added 150 (ish, depends) added on to the price, however i dont know about double bass.

im about to make the leap from normal bass guitar (iv had a fretless 5 string for a while now) to a double bass... and... well.. i dont want to spend LOADS for my first one.

my quistion is this. can you convert a right handed double bass to a lefty. i know theres something to do with the wood and the bridge and all that when it comes down to cello, however i dont know about double basses :/

thanks a lot ^_^

[hubrad]

DBs are asymmetrical, both inside and outside (bass bar, soundpost, bracing, fingerboard. Technically you can't do it, but in practice..
A good mate of mine did a conversion to start with then once he was sure it was the right thing to go for he had one made properly.
Find one to get a go on? My mate isn't the only lefty DB player I've seen.

[Silvia Bluejay]

I've turned my upright left-handed, and since it was my first time I bought the cheapest I could find. It can be done, especially as EUBs are more or less symmetrical, but the results, both in terms of ergonomics and intonation, will never be as good as if the bass was created left-handed.
I have no experience of double basses, but I imagine the same applies to them - you can turn things around, but they will be optimised for use by a left fretting hand and a right plucking/bowing hand, and for standing at your left side, in many subtle ways, as well as being slightly different inside.

However, I was once told that ready-made left-handed DBs simply don't exist? And that you either have to have one built especially for you by a luthier, or get a right-handed one modified professionally. Is that info correct?

[Mr Bassman]

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/thomann_lefthanded_double_basses.html"]Left hand basses here[/url]

Apart from converting the bridge, nut & soundpost the bass bar, (which runs top to bottom under the E string) has to be moved to the other side which requires taking the top off the instrument.

Edited March 7, 2012 by Mr Bassman

[fatback]

Just a thought, but seeing is how moving to double bass is like taking up a new instrument, and there may be very little transfer of skills anyhow, why not just learn as a righty?

That way you get a wide choice of basses for life. Otherwise you'll face a frustrating time whenever you want to upgrade, hire or borrow.

It really won't be any harder to learn that way than it's going to be anyway. If you like the db, you might even swap the guitar for a righty.

[Silvia Bluejay]

Having played the upright a bit when it was right-handed, just to try how it felt, I'm afraid I couldn't disagree more.

Edited March 7, 2012 by bluejay

[fatback]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1331152125' post='1568630']
Having played the upright a bit when it was right-handed, just to try how it felt, I'm afraid I couldn't disagree more.
[/quote]

Oh well, only a thought. Maybe I have too much faith in just getting used to things.

When i was young, i deliberately learned judo left handed to freak out opponents. It really wasn't that hard (although I was told it would be), and it worked. :0

[Silvia Bluejay]

And Rafa Nadal plays tennis as a lefty but isn't one... but playing bass is different, at least in my experience. I can do most things with either hand, but not bass playing.
Also, I didn't find learning to play the upright the same as learning a new instrument, at all. The key is in the name - upright [b]bass[/b]...it's still bass

Edited March 7, 2012 by bluejay

[geoffbassist]

It's a great subject. The intresting thing is the other string players (violin, viola & cello) are, as far as I know, all played right handed. I belive this is due to keeping bowing uniform within sections. It's only jazz bassists who change the instrument as they are predominantly pizz. In fact I've never heard of a left handed orchestral player playing left handed.

It must be a real challenge. As a right handed player I can't imagine playing bass left handed.

It's also an expensive conversion as you have to move the internal bass bar, bracing?, top off, adjust or possible new bridge, sound post & nut. Possibly need fingerboard work especially if there's a bevel. I'm guessing you wouldn't get much change from £500 depending on who you take it to.

Edited March 8, 2012 by geoffbassist

[TPJ]

I'm a lefty and when I first picked up a DB in high school, I did so lefty. My teacher promptly said "oh no,no no..." and made me play righty. Best thing that happened really. All the dexterity of my left hand is there for the fingerboard now instead of plucking and bowing.

It's been an age old question in my head why rightys don't play lefty and leftys don't play righty.

Edited March 8, 2012 by TPJ

[jojoagogo234]

[quote name='TPJ' timestamp='1331197886' post='1569114']

It's been an age old question in my head why rightys don't play lefty and leftys don't play righty.
[/quote]

same really... it makes a lot more sense right ? i wasnt going mad then :3

[geoffbassist]

It's also interesting that you don't see any stringed instruments originally designed as left handed (or at least I haven't). I always thought that it made more sense for right handed people to use their 'leading' hand to fret/finger the notes rather than strike the string. However left handed always feels so wrong to me. Is this becuase I'm right handed, becuase I learned to play right handed or becuase right handed makes more sense?

I think its an individual thing. Either way who cares as long as you are comfortable. . .

However it's the real problems of converting a double bass that make it worth considering.

Edited March 8, 2012 by geoffbassist

[fatback]

No doubt it's a learned thing. As said, us rightys are using our least favoured hand for the most dextrous (!) job.

Whichever, the relevant bits of the brain will just grow bigger with use.

[Silvia Bluejay]

I see everybody's point. All I was trying to say is: when you have learned to play bass in a certain way - righty or lefty - and played like that for years or even decades, you will NOT find it easy,or even possible, to learn to play double bass the other way round.
It's NOT a different instrument, and if your brain knows the chords, and you muscles know the movements, in a lefty way, that's what you're going to try and apply to the DB.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1331205028' post='1569271']...if your brain knows the chords, and you muscles know the movements, in a lefty way, that's what you're going to try and apply to the DB.
[/quote]
That seems like a pretty fair definition of stubbornness, I should think..? No malice intended, and, as a 'righty', I would say that, wouldn't I..? I've had this 'debate' many times, and rather think that, for my own satisfaction, I'll have to take the challenge and start to learn how to play 'lefty'. I've already done that on drums (I'm a drummer, righty, but play lefty...); I'll have to find a (cheap...) lefty bass and see how I progress. At least I'll know, then, if it can be done (at least by some...).
A hard job finding a 'lefty' suzaphone, or marimba, or even harmonica, anyway. Accordion, anyone..? Bagpipes..?

[Silvia Bluejay]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1331206963' post='1569322']
That seems like a pretty fair definition of stubbornness, I should think..?[/quote]

Hm. I'm just being practical here. If you have that much time to spend doing that sort of displacement activity, I guess you should go ahead. I'm not saying that's impossible - I'm a lefty who was taught to write with my right hand - but I do believe it'd be a bit pointless, when you could get a good instrument with the orientation already known to you and, y'know, get down to making music...

Edit: my handwriting is near-illegible.

Edited March 8, 2012 by bluejay

[Silvia Bluejay]

Further comment on your idea of stubborness: if all of us lefties were stubborn enough, and played lefty as opposed to so often accepting to be forced into something uncomfortable, there would be plenty of lefty instruments around, they wouldn't be considered unusual, and this debate would not exist.

[TPJ]

I totally agree with you bluejay, if you started playing lefty then that's how you play. I guess I was lucky (?) that I was told to play righty when I started. It would be nuts to expect anyone to change preference once they've been playing for a while. I did see one chap years ago that could play his electric bass righty and lefty. He would play a song then flip the bass over and play the next song opposite... I'd give my left arm to be that ambidextrous

[Silvia Bluejay]

I remember seeing a masterclass/gig by Michael Angelo Batio at one of the London Music Shows in Wembley a few years ago. He plays with both hands, and often at the same time, on a V-shaped double guitar. Mental.

[geoffbassist]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1331205028' post='1569271']
I see everybody's point. All I was trying to say is: when you have learned to play bass in a certain way - righty or lefty - and played like that for years or even decades, you will NOT find it easy,or even possible, to learn to play double bass the other way round.
It's NOT a different instrument, and if your brain knows the chords, and you muscles know the movements, in a lefty way, that's what you're going to try and apply to the DB.
[/quote]

I completely agree. I would encourage left handed people to play right handed DB's only as beginners not as an established players.

[zero9]

I'm a lefty but play right handed.

Just a thought, but why not play a right handed upright left handed, leaving the configuration unchanged? As already highlighted, the costs of conversion are considerable and selling on a lefty upright might be tricky (if you wanted to upgrade you'd have to convert another upright in all likelyhood).

You could always borrow one and give it a go...

[apa]

Gave my righty brother, who doesnt play any instrument, a bass to hold one day and he imediately did so lefty. He said it just seemed logical so his right hand would be doing all the fiddly bits.

I am right handed but use a mouse left handed with right handed buttons. The logic? The left button is closest to my index finger. It also means I can mouse and write at the same time

Tried a bass lefty once and it felt the most bizzare thing ever!

If you take the logic further: We righties eat left handed. The fork which is the manipulator and dextrus one is in our left hand. The right handed knife cuts and shovels and thats about it. The knife is there for the fork.

A

[geoffbassist]

[quote name='john the pond' timestamp='1331213930' post='1569499']

This. My son plays guitar lefty though. Nothing I said could convince him.
[/quote]

Sorry I meant bowed string instruments.

[fonzoooroo]

If you already play electric left handed, you'll be wanting to do the same on your upright.

If you're planning to buy a "cheap" bass, it's probably most sensible to leave the internals of the bass alone, and simply get the fingerboard and bridge altered. Bass fingerboards generally have a rhomberg bevel under the E string, (though some don't) if you can find one without, go for that, as it'll save you the cost of a fingerboard re-shoot! (You'd want the bevel removing altogether, rather then re-cutting on the opposite side, as there's unlikely to be enough thickness to cut a new one on the "wrong" side of the 'board.)

If the bridge is significantly too high, it'd be possible to re-cut it left handed. Otherwise, a new bridge (or the legs cut and new feet added) would be required.

Going this route makes it reversible, hence easier to sell if you upgrade/decide it's not for you!

The structure of the bass would be fine like this. (particularly if the bass is ply!)

The sound would not be as good as it would be with the bass bar and soundpost positions swapped.... But it'd get you going for minimal cost. If you plan on amping up in the future, a bass modified in this way would probably be more than adequate.

Clearly, to do the job properly involves removing the front (expense!) removing the old bass bar (not much expense) fitting a new bass bar (expense!) re-fitting the front (moderate expense) and a new soundpost (another moderate expense) in addition to the fingerboard and bridge work.

Hope that helps.

[apa]

Call me nieve but couldnt you just turn the bridge 180deg or is the front contour asymetric too?

A