Lefty Instrument Reviews

[sblueplanet]

I know there are online review sources for many instruments but not specifically for left-hand models. A right-hand instrument review can give a general insight but given the lack of lefties available in stores to physically play, sometimes we have to 'buy to try'.
This thread can be used to help others from hands-on reviews by fellow basschatters of new and existing lefty models available.
Doesn't have to be restricted to basses either.
Knowledge is power!

Edited April 5, 2014 by sblueplanet

[Silvia Bluejay]

Thumbs up, but could I please ask those who post a review here to also post it in the normal Basschatters' Reviews forum? After all, even if the model reviewed is left-handed, at least some of what is said about it may be applicable to its righty counterpart. (The same goes for reviews of RH basses/guitars/etc., obviously.)
Two copies of one review, in two different places, are better and more useful than no review anywhere

[LeftyJ]

There are two of mine in the Reviews-section:
Fender MIJ JB75-US/LH: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/81956-fender-mij-jb75-uslh/
Ibanez MC924, 1981 vs 1983: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/81957-ibanez-musician-mc924/

And mcarp555 posted a review on his Gaskell Thunderbass, which is lefty-only! Gaskell only builds left handed instruments.
http://basschat.co.uk/topic/233189-gaskell-thunderbass/

[DorsetBlue]

I posted a review of my Cort B4 last year (note this instrument now has added ACG pre-amp goodness):

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/204954-cort-b4/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/204954-cort-b4/[/url]

[mcarp555]

And here is the Gaskell Thunderbass review, with photos:

The following is a reposting of a review I did for Leftyfretz.com.

[b]Gaskell Thunderbass[/b]

[url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mcarp555/media/Guitars/DSCN7495A_zps5777eb55.jpg.html"][/url]



[url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mcarp555/media/Guitars/DSCN7478A_zps00639e8b.jpg.html"][/url]







The Thunderbass is Gaskell's version of the Gibson Thunderbird, which Gibson only grudgingly offered up left-handed last year for the first time since this model was introduced in 1963. Currently, the Thunderbass would seem to be the only commercially available T-bass for left-handers (Yes, I know left-handed Tokai T-basses exist, but they're either out of production or were only assembled under dubious circumstances; the Epiphone version is also no longer being made left-handed). While Gibson has changed the specs on the righty version many times over the past half-century, Gaskell has recreated it in probably its most popular form.

As far as the basic specs, it's a 34" scale with a rosewood 20-fret set neck, made out of Toona Mahogany. It has two Belcat BJ-73 pickups with separate volume pots, and an overall tone control.

My very first impression of this bass, when picking up the shipping carton, was how light it was for its size, due no doubt to being constructed of Toona Mahogany, which is lighter than "Traditional" Mahogany (fast becoming scarce because of overharvesting world-wide). Because of CITES regulations, guitar manufactuers are turning to other types of Mahogany. Since I had ordered the bass without a case or gig bag, it was shipped in styrofoam, which seemed to have worked very well. Although I was surprised that there was not much in the way of anything to secure the instrument within the packing. I don't know how loose it may have been in the container, but it certainly sustained no damage, which is the important thing, considering it came from Australia to the United Kingdom in a week's time.

Once I had unpacked the bass, inspected it thorougly and cleaned off the loose foam, I strapped it on and plugged it in. T-basses are well-known to have neck dive issues, mainly because the top strap pin is set too far back for the instrument's center of gravity. The bottom body bout extends so far forward underneath the neck that it offsets the piviot point created by the strap location. When I ordered this bass, I requested that the pin be relocated to the neck heel instead (like an SG). This moves the anchor point far enough forward that neck dive does not appear to be a problem with this bass.

I don't know what brand of tuners are used, but they feel very smooth, and hold well, even with new strings. Likewise the bridge uses a three-point system to attach to the body and seems to be very solid. The Volume and Tone pots feel clean, with no crackle (although surprisingly, the three knobs used do not match each other). The jack plug connection is snug and seems to pass a signal with no issues. The sunburst is vibrant and I haven't found any areas where the finish appears less than perfect. The pictures really don't do it justice (other color options are available from the Gaskell website).

The back of the neck and headstock are solid black, which I find a bit boring comparied to seeing a nice woodgrain, but it has no effect on playablity. Neck width is more like a P-bass than a J (1 5/8" at the nut, two inches at the 20th fret); and its not a slim profile, but not a baseball bat either (2 3/4" around the back at the 1st fret). It has a comfortable feel when I grab it. As mentioned earlier, it has a set neck, but certainly looks like a through neck, since I could see no obvious join. The fretboard is not bound. One thing I discovered was that if you run your fingertips along the edges of the neck, you can feel the ends of a few of the frets sticking out like burrs. It's an odd contrast with the overall polished look and feel of the rest of the bass. So far it's hasn't had an effect on my playing. Also the truss rod cover (standard Gibson bell shape) looks scuffed up, like it was used. Unusual for a new bass, especially since the TRC is protected to a large degree by the strings themselves. Like the knobs, easy to replace, but another small detail that seems to have been overlooked (I have since replaced the knobs).

Strings are light gauge rounds, and the bass was fully set up at the factory. The action is quite low, and maybe a bit too low for my heavy-ish playing style. I can easily get some rattle and buzz if I play too hard. There is a bit of relief in the neck, but it's still pretty straight overall.

The bass plays very well. It's comfortable, and I don't feel like I have to fight it to accomplish anything. Because I have a middle-age spread (being a middle-aged guy), I found I needed to raise it up slightly on my body by adjusting the strap. Otherwise it would tend to lay on me at more of a downward angle than I would like. Moving it up just a tiny amount allowed it to settle back to a more vertical position. Access to the last three frets is very difficult because the cutaway isn't deep enough. However, this is known to be an inherent design fault with T-bass styles in general. So I would tend to blame Gibson more for this than Gaskell.

Electronics seem quiet, no problems with hum or buzz; Because it has brand-new strings, they have a tinny sound that I personally don't care for. Once I've broken them in over a period of weeks (or more), I'll get a better idea of how the bass actually sounds. With two pups, you can probably get a varied tonal range similar to a Jazz bass. I don't have a set of SVTs to run it through, but with my small practice amp, the volume and tone seems comparable to my other basses.

Overall, I like the bass. I think the Thunderbass is a competent instrument for its price point, and the minor finishing issues noted (frets, knobs, TRC) do not seriously detract from the playability of the instrument. Will it replace my Fenders? In a word, no. Would a "real" Gibson or Epiphone replace them? Probably no again. But as a left-hander, I'm limited if I want to have the experience of playing a T-bass. The Thunderbass gives me that option, and I think it succeeds at doing so. It also allows me to thumb my nose at Gibson by supporting a company that caters exclusively to the left-hand market.

In the final anaysis, I believe that Gaskell has faithfully recreated an iconic instrument that has always eluded left-handers. This includes the desirable features (such as the utter coolness of the design), and the less than desirable ones (you can't just prop it up against an amp or a chair, for example). Except for a few tiny details, it would be difficult to find anything to dislike about the Thunderbass, unless you're just not into T-basses in general. But if they appeal to you, Gaskell is the way to go.

[url="http://www.gaskellguitars.com/"]Gaskell Guitars[/url]

[b]Followup:[/b] Since the above review was written some months ago, I thought I'd report how things are going with the T-bass. I've had the fret ends sorted out and the neck relief readjusted to suit my playing style. It's a fantastic bass, and I've used it for some recording projects with great success. No problem with neck dive - I can let go of it, and it doesn't budge. The strings are losing their tinny new sound, and have plenty of growl in the low end, and a nice bubbly warmth when I play around the octave. It's a big bass - the headstock and body seem to go on forever, so it might be difficult for 'vertically-challenged' players (I'm just under six foot). But as I said in the original review, it's a very different feel from a typical p- or j- bass. The more I play it, the more it grows on me.

[Agent 00Soul]

I'm sure you all know this, but leftybassist.com has had tons of reviews over the years specifically about models made for those of us born with that recessive gene.

And on the subject of Macca's Gaskill above, Slovakian company Bach produced a run of lefty non-reverse Thunderbirds about a decade ago that have been nicknamed Bachbirds.  There are reviews of those on leftybassist.com also.

[DGBass]

I'm surprised there hasn't been more reviews here for the benefit of lefties. It almost seems mandatory to review one of the icons of universal bass history here to ensure no lefties are oblivious to the wonders of said instrument. Yes I'm talking about the Fender USA Standard Precision bass Left Handed. If you haven't played one, you've missed out. If you've found a great example then you'll be aware there is nothing really that can touch it for versatility in either live situations or a recording session. As was once said on this very forum, you just pick it up, plug it in and play. it's that simple and with careful adjustment it will fit into any mix. My review is based on my 1998 Fender USA Standard Left Handed that I've owned from new and played in bands from rap metal, to punk, new romantic, indie, 70's rock covers, 80's NWOHM and so much more. Here goes.

 

 

The review example was top drawer leftie material back in its day. A three colour sunburst model, with rock maple neck and a sublime piece of dark rosewood for a finger board. It's 34 inch scale with 20 frets. The body is Alder and is two piece with a beautiful figured grain on the front and the back. The pick guard is stock three layer white. Hardware consists of heavy duty open gear chrome Fender stamped tuners, medium jumbo nickel frets, USA standard P-Bass pickup measuring 10.5K, CTS pots and Switchcraft jack. All high quality components as you would expect from Fender's flagship standard P-Bass. The original bridge on these models was string through only but on this review example, a 2010 Fender Deluxe P-Bass bridge was fitted to allow top loading. The deluxe 2010 bridge fits exactly and has the same small block footprint as the original string through only unit. The neck on these late nineties models also incorporate Fender's carbon fibre struts in the neck construction to maintain neck stability and tuning. In practice this means the tuning on these instruments is rock solid and the neck needs minimal adjustment over long periods of time assuming you maintain your string gauge.  In use, these basses are fairly heavy as they are much thicker than modern American standards. The heavy weight of the massive open gear tuners also means there is a slight neck dive on some basses. Saying that, if you get the angle right, these basses are quite comfortable to wear for several hours at a time. The body has the usual Fender contours and the neck profile is medium chunky which I like very much. The strap buttons were as standard equipment fitted with Schaller locking units. These are very good but over long periods the strap buttons can work loose as the fixings are fairly light 3/4 inch screws. After ten years of use, I replaced these with one and a half inch screws fitted very carefully to not split the body/wood. They haven't moved since and a small tip is to lubricate the strap locks on your strap with a blob of petroleum jelly to limit the strap locks binding on the locking nuts and causing rotation to loosen the screws over time. The general build quality on these late nineties P-basses is exemplary. It's a big solid thick piece of timber and that translates into a very resonant tone that is rich in deep low mids and surprisingly bright highs. The nut is natural bone and on this example was cut very well to give a low and very playable action. Intonation once setup is solid as a rock. String alignment and spacing is also wonderful on these models as the Fender Hi-Mass bridge has quite extensive adjustments so you don't end up with strings either hanging off the fretboard or all bunched up like with some lesser versions of P-Basses. 

 

 

The pickup is very quiet in operation and there is no hum or interference of any sort. The standard pick guard is foil lined on its rear to help with this. These basses just sound better over time and modern string choices mean you can get all sorts of tones from them. My recommendation is to use good quality flat wound strings to get the best from them. Rounds sound killer for rock music and punk but will quickly eat the nickel frets away. My strings of choice are EB Slinky cobalt flats. They give a great long life and balance between lows and highs in my experience. Long term, these basses can also suffer from lacquer crazing on the back of the neck, usually near the heel but its minimal and doesn't affect playability. The review bass was gigged heavily for ten to twelve years from new and then much less in the next ten years. It had its first visit to a luthier just recently( 2021) for a fret level and polish and the fret ends were rolled to make it even smoother too play. That was its first service in over twenty years and the frets still have plenty life left in them. These late nineties and early noughties P-Basses have real quality and are professional instruments that will last a lifetime. They also age very well and on the review example, the maple neck has yellowed nicely over time and the three colour sunburst gets more vibrant as time goes by.

 

 

To sum up, you can't really go wrong with a good quality lefty USA Standard P-Bass and its always going to work for just about any style of music. A wise sage once told me that if you want to ace an audition or get the gig, then a good P-bass will see you through. I can vouch for that!  This review bass also came with a G&G Vintage Fender badged case as standard however some units shipped with a Fender badged SKB case.  What did it cost new? Well doesn't sound a huge amount now but in 1998 this bass cost £700 with a G&G vintage case included.  You'd be lucky to get a MEX P-Bass for that now and the thing about investing in a professional quality Fender P-Bass is that it will last and you will get your money's worth out of it if you maintain it it in good condition. If I was starting out again, my first choice would be an American Standard lefty P-Bass  There are many imitations, but there is no substitute for the real thing. IMHO!

 

[JottoSW1]

On 10/04/2014 at 10:31, mcarp555 said:

And here is the Gaskell Thunderbass review, with photos:

The following is a reposting of a review I did for Leftyfretz.com.

[b]Gaskell Thunderbass[/b]

[url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mcarp555/media/Guitars/DSCN7495A_zps5777eb55.jpg.html"]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/mcarp555/Guitars/DSCN7495A_zps5777eb55.jpg[/url]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/mcarp555/Guitars/DSCN7484A_zps24b2e1ca.jpg

[url="http://smg.photobucket.com/user/mcarp555/media/Guitars/DSCN7478A_zps00639e8b.jpg.html"]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/mcarp555/Guitars/DSCN7478A_zps00639e8b.jpg[/url]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/mcarp555/Guitars/DSCN7481A_zpsb1849906.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/mcarp555/Guitars/DSCN7477A_zpsafbefb0d.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/mcarp555/Guitars/DSCN7493A_zps1d6c92fc.jpg

The Thunderbass is Gaskell's version of the Gibson Thunderbird, which Gibson only grudgingly offered up left-handed last year for the first time since this model was introduced in 1963. Currently, the Thunderbass would seem to be the only commercially available T-bass for left-handers (Yes, I know left-handed Tokai T-basses exist, but they're either out of production or were only assembled under dubious circumstances; the Epiphone version is also no longer being made left-handed). While Gibson has changed the specs on the righty version many times over the past half-century, Gaskell has recreated it in probably its most popular form.

As far as the basic specs, it's a 34" scale with a rosewood 20-fret set neck, made out of Toona Mahogany. It has two Belcat BJ-73 pickups with separate volume pots, and an overall tone control.

My very first impression of this bass, when picking up the shipping carton, was how light it was for its size, due no doubt to being constructed of Toona Mahogany, which is lighter than "Traditional" Mahogany (fast becoming scarce because of overharvesting world-wide). Because of CITES regulations, guitar manufactuers are turning to other types of Mahogany. Since I had ordered the bass without a case or gig bag, it was shipped in styrofoam, which seemed to have worked very well. Although I was surprised that there was not much in the way of anything to secure the instrument within the packing. I don't know how loose it may have been in the container, but it certainly sustained no damage, which is the important thing, considering it came from Australia to the United Kingdom in a week's time.

Once I had unpacked the bass, inspected it thorougly and cleaned off the loose foam, I strapped it on and plugged it in. T-basses are well-known to have neck dive issues, mainly because the top strap pin is set too far back for the instrument's center of gravity. The bottom body bout extends so far forward underneath the neck that it offsets the piviot point created by the strap location. When I ordered this bass, I requested that the pin be relocated to the neck heel instead (like an SG). This moves the anchor point far enough forward that neck dive does not appear to be a problem with this bass.

I don't know what brand of tuners are used, but they feel very smooth, and hold well, even with new strings. Likewise the bridge uses a three-point system to attach to the body and seems to be very solid. The Volume and Tone pots feel clean, with no crackle (although surprisingly, the three knobs used do not match each other). The jack plug connection is snug and seems to pass a signal with no issues. The sunburst is vibrant and I haven't found any areas where the finish appears less than perfect. The pictures really don't do it justice (other color options are available from the Gaskell website).

The back of the neck and headstock are solid black, which I find a bit boring comparied to seeing a nice woodgrain, but it has no effect on playablity. Neck width is more like a P-bass than a J (1 5/8" at the nut, two inches at the 20th fret); and its not a slim profile, but not a baseball bat either (2 3/4" around the back at the 1st fret). It has a comfortable feel when I grab it. As mentioned earlier, it has a set neck, but certainly looks like a through neck, since I could see no obvious join. The fretboard is not bound. One thing I discovered was that if you run your fingertips along the edges of the neck, you can feel the ends of a few of the frets sticking out like burrs. It's an odd contrast with the overall polished look and feel of the rest of the bass. So far it's hasn't had an effect on my playing. Also the truss rod cover (standard Gibson bell shape) looks scuffed up, like it was used. Unusual for a new bass, especially since the TRC is protected to a large degree by the strings themselves. Like the knobs, easy to replace, but another small detail that seems to have been overlooked (I have since replaced the knobs).

Strings are light gauge rounds, and the bass was fully set up at the factory. The action is quite low, and maybe a bit too low for my heavy-ish playing style. I can easily get some rattle and buzz if I play too hard. There is a bit of relief in the neck, but it's still pretty straight overall.

The bass plays very well. It's comfortable, and I don't feel like I have to fight it to accomplish anything. Because I have a middle-age spread (being a middle-aged guy), I found I needed to raise it up slightly on my body by adjusting the strap. Otherwise it would tend to lay on me at more of a downward angle than I would like. Moving it up just a tiny amount allowed it to settle back to a more vertical position. Access to the last three frets is very difficult because the cutaway isn't deep enough. However, this is known to be an inherent design fault with T-bass styles in general. So I would tend to blame Gibson more for this than Gaskell.

Electronics seem quiet, no problems with hum or buzz; Because it has brand-new strings, they have a tinny sound that I personally don't care for. Once I've broken them in over a period of weeks (or more), I'll get a better idea of how the bass actually sounds. With two pups, you can probably get a varied tonal range similar to a Jazz bass. I don't have a set of SVTs to run it through, but with my small practice amp, the volume and tone seems comparable to my other basses.

Overall, I like the bass. I think the Thunderbass is a competent instrument for its price point, and the minor finishing issues noted (frets, knobs, TRC) do not seriously detract from the playability of the instrument. Will it replace my Fenders? In a word, no. Would a "real" Gibson or Epiphone replace them? Probably no again. But as a left-hander, I'm limited if I want to have the experience of playing a T-bass. The Thunderbass gives me that option, and I think it succeeds at doing so. It also allows me to thumb my nose at Gibson by supporting a company that caters exclusively to the left-hand market.

In the final anaysis, I believe that Gaskell has faithfully recreated an iconic instrument that has always eluded left-handers. This includes the desirable features (such as the utter coolness of the design), and the less than desirable ones (you can't just prop it up against an amp or a chair, for example). Except for a few tiny details, it would be difficult to find anything to dislike about the Thunderbass, unless you're just not into T-basses in general. But if they appeal to you, Gaskell is the way to go.

[url="http://www.gaskellguitars.com/"]Gaskell Guitars[/url]

[b]Followup:[/b] Since the above review was written some months ago, I thought I'd report how things are going with the T-bass. I've had the fret ends sorted out and the neck relief readjusted to suit my playing style. It's a fantastic bass, and I've used it for some recording projects with great success. No problem with neck dive - I can let go of it, and it doesn't budge. The strings are losing their tinny new sound, and have plenty of growl in the low end, and a nice bubbly warmth when I play around the octave. It's a big bass - the headstock and body seem to go on forever, so it might be difficult for 'vertically-challenged' players (I'm just under six foot). But as I said in the original review, it's a very different feel from a typical p- or j- bass. The more I play it, the more it grows on me.

@Stofferson

How about a review of your Ambler ?

He said he could build a Lefty but can't afford one at present. 

Must say the Gaskell sounds a great option 

[Stofferson]

45 minutes ago, JottoSW1 said:

@Stofferson

How about a review of your Ambler ?

He said he could build a Lefty but can't afford one at present. 

Must say the Gaskell sounds a great option 

Man I haven't broken that beast out this side of the apocalypse, that being said I could put some words together

[JottoSW1]

Just now, Stofferson said:

Man I haven't broken that beast out this side of the apocalypse, that being said I could put some words together

Hope you and yours had a good holiday Chris. Keep thinking about catching your next Syncolima gig.

Going to see Meshuggah at Royal Albert Hall in June, well clear of the nutters in the standing prom area mind, too old for moshpit antics.

[Stofferson]

1 hour ago, JottoSW1 said:

Hope you and yours had a good holiday Chris. Keep thinking about catching your next Syncolima gig.

Going to see Meshuggah at Royal Albert Hall in June, well clear of the nutters in the standing prom area mind, too old for moshpit antics.

Ahh cheers dude, yeah man, Ibiza was mint, usual HRH bullpoop though haha.

Sounds mental, don't think I have anything until Clutch in December, too busy checking out local bands and playing gigs!

That'd be mint, getting around a bit now, be good to catch up man!