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Left Handed Discussion Thread


icastle
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I wish Fender Japan would make a lefty version of their Mustang Bass. They're really powerful little beasts, and incredibly fun to play with their short scale length. There have been a few lefty USA Mustang basses built, but they're rarer than hen's teeth. And I would LOVE to have a left handed Peavey T-40, but Peavey never made any.

Edited by LeftyJ
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It's that perennial leftie problem - does anyone know of any shops in a reasonable distance from Dorset that actually have any left handed Fenders (or indeed anything else) to try. When I started, I bought the VMJ blind online (not that I regret that decision for a second, it is nice bass and is a keeper) but I do now wonder how a P-bass would feel and whether the larger neck might be better for me (or indeed not). I have some potential 'treat myself' money coming and yes, I am getting that itch (the Cort B4 is also looking quite nice). :)
I should add, second hand is also an option...if I could find any to try.

Edited by DorsetBlue
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The shortage of in stock lefty instruments in music shops is an everlasting one. Even when I used to visit London most stores never had the exciting stuff in the lefty option.
Its always been like that up here in Scotland therefore I bought my Warwick thumb blind. Ive spent many bass-playing years simply playing right-hand basses upside down.
The internet has made a huge difference to finding stuff of course but it still means 'buy before you try'.

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LeftyJ, not Fender, much better & more expensive but here you go!

[url="http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=2099"]http://shop.taniguch...product_id=2099[/url]
[url="http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=2098"]http://shop.taniguch...product_id=2098[/url]
[url="http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=1677"]http://shop.taniguch...product_id=1677[/url]
[url="http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=1679"]http://shop.taniguch...product_id=1679[/url]

Here is their full lefty bass range

http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/list.php?category_id=11

Edited by glefty
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[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1363040739' post='2007579']
Strange.
I wish Fender Japan would make a lefty Mustang bass.
[/quote]
I had a US one in the early 80's. I remember buying it used for £150 in Shaftesbury Ave. Don't know if it was a good deal then or not, probably not. Wish I still had all my early basses.

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[quote name='glefty' timestamp='1364485169' post='2027142']
LeftyJ, not Fender, much better & more expensive but here you go!

[url="http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=2099"]http://shop.taniguch...product_id=2099[/url]
[url="http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=2098"]http://shop.taniguch...product_id=2098[/url]
[url="http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=1677"]http://shop.taniguch...product_id=1677[/url]
[url="http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=1679"]http://shop.taniguch...product_id=1679[/url]

Here is their full lefty bass range

[url="http://shop.taniguchi-gakki.jp/products/list.php?category_id=11"]http://shop.taniguch...?category_id=11[/url]
[/quote]

Yes, amazing store. I've drooled over their website many times during the past few years. I've seen those Baby Z basses before, but I don't like the PJ configuration and they look much too refined to my taste. I would much rather have one with an authentic Mustang splitcoil, or even a Strat-pickup like a Fender Musicmaster bass had, or a '51 Precision type singlecoil.

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[quote name='whynot' timestamp='1364485513' post='2027148']

I had a US one in the early 80's. I remember buying it used for £150 in Shaftesbury Ave. Don't know if it was a good deal then or not, probably not. Wish I still had all my early basses.
[/quote]
I was just getting my very first bass in the early 80's and thats the exact amount I had to spend. I remember US Fenders being even cheaper as no one wanted them because active electronics was the fashion.
My older brother had several old jazz basses which he ditched for something modern at the time. Doh!

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This has got me thinking about my first basses (all left handed).
Started with a Jenson, short scale £22.50
Followed by Watkins Rapier £50.00
Followed by the Mustang £150.00
Joined a band so bought a Precision from Chappells of Bond St (less than £300 I think) but couldn't get on with it, so swapped for a US Jazz. Used that for a couple of years and did my first studio work on the Jazz.
2 years later joined a more serious originals band due to tour Germany in a month so wanted to get something that I felt was right for that and found a lefty Wal Custom brand new in a shop in Romford for £680. Parents had to lend me the money.
That was my only bass for 10 years into the 90's followed by Warwicks, carbon Schacks, Esh and the rest.

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I didnt get around to owning an actual lefty bass till I had been playing for over 10 years!
I simply would pick up a right hand one and play it upside down like Hendrix. I would play on symmetrical body shaped basses such as Hofner, Gibson and Steinberger. These were easiest for neck access although I would sometimes have to tape down the control knobs to stop them moving mid-tune.
Im not rich or that sentimental so would always sell on to satisfy the next urge. Happy with what I have just now but will be selling stuff soon to fund a lefty five string.

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[quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1364667559' post='2029516']
Jimi use to play righty guitars upside down but string them as a lefty.
[/quote]
I knew that but sometimes it gets complicated trying to explain the upside down thing.
Actually, on the cover of one of this month's guitar magazines is Hendrix playing a Fender Jazz bass upside down, including the strings. Never saw this photo before.
Jimmy Haslip of the Yellowjackets plays the same way I do, playing lefty but strung right-handed. Makes complete sense to me anyway.
I sometimes string a bass properly as inspiration to come up with new lines etc.

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  • 2 weeks later...

BTW, I'm a righty who naturally picked up the guitar lefty as a kid for the exact reason that my stronger, most dexterous hand was more capable of forming chord shapes & faster, more accurate arpeggios. The "simpler" task of plucking was the domain of my more subtle, finer hand; my left although I'm one of those rare rightys that actually has some inbuilt left-handed & sided abilities so I'm about 70/30 righty/lefty in those stakes. As I see it, the piano is the same in that the left hand keeps rhythm & the right picks out the melody/chords. My 2c but I'm a proud lefty player!

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[quote name='sblueplanet' timestamp='1367083763' post='2061159']
While Im actually on a device that allows me to upload images I thought I would show off my '57 Fender P bass RI CIJ to anyone who missed it since the upgraded gold pickguard and chrome covers.
[/quote]very nice... Identical to mine

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