Lefty bassist considering learning righty

Andrew Flexing

Hi all,

I am a left handed bass player, at an average level but I am considering converting to learning right handed, for various reaons. Has anyone done this here and how long did it take? Is is possible to get to the same level playing as when left handed?

Any advice welcome!

thanks

Scuba G

Andrew I dont see any advantage to this, if your naturally a lefty then why change? Im a right hand player and did try for the craic playing a friends guitar which is left handed and it felt, well, just unnatural, so unless its for medical reasons or somethign which is a major issue, then id stick to what comes naturally

Malice

There are quite a few posters on Boards who are naturally left-handed but play right-handed, I'm one for a start. I'm sure it's possible to retrain yourself to play the other way but unless you've a good reason I wouldn't bother.

Andrew Flexing

Well I just get frustrated at the amount of lovely right hand basses available out there and then see the token 1 or 2 lefty ones that are limited in range.

I also hate looking at leftys play. I just think they..we...look awkward. So I suupose the main reason are the above for why I want to switch. I know its mainly aesthetics but it is bugging me.

I'll probably stay lefty as it is natural but I'd love to shop for a bass without having to look past the large, varied selection for righty's to find the same old style token lefty bass at the back of the shop.

18AD

Your best bet would be to buy from the manufacturers. I'm sure there are hundreds of left hand basses out there. They probably only make the good ones in to leftys too.

Andrew Flexing

Im getting a lend of a righty bass from a friend for a few weeks. Ill see how that goes.

I'll also look into buying from the manufacturers directly! thanks 18AD!

Malice

I suppose you could just bash away the other way round for a few days to see how it goes and, as long as you're patient you might see results. I know that I wouldn't have the patience to relearn everything.

Andrew Flexing

I tool your advice Malice! Turns out I'm the same...was so frustrating so I'm gonna stick to being a lefty.
It felt like I was even worse that starting from scratch, at least when I started (in lefty) it felt somewhat correct but being righty felt weird, wrong and alien.

So a lefty I is!

Cheers for all the advice above!

seanybiker

I'm lefty meself. I tried righty over the years for the craic but failed miserablly. I'm shyte left handed aswell but a little better shyte so that keeps me happy.
It is a pain in the sack though seeing all me righty mates at a session and me not being able to gowl about with their bass or guitar.
Other than that. Sure wasn't jimmy left handed

Malice

Andrew Flexing wrote: »

I tool your advice Malice! Turns out I'm the same...was so frustrating so I'm gonna stick to being a lefty.

Glad to hear you reached a decision.

-=al=-

Gotta stick with whatever feels best and disregard EVERYTHING else

im a righty and play left, it feels better and more natural and i can't even consider playing it another way

So if the way u play feels much better then stick with it

TEMPLAR KNIGHT

Andrew Flexing wrote: »

Well I just get frustrated at the amount of lovely right hand basses available out there and then see the token 1 or 2 lefty ones that are limited in range.

I also hate looking at leftys play. I just think they..we...look awkward. So I suupose the main reason are the above for why I want to switch. I know its mainly aesthetics but it is bugging me.

I'll probably stay lefty as it is natural but I'd love to shop for a bass without having to look past the large, varied selection for righty's to find the same old style token lefty bass at the back of the shop.

Paul gray was a lefty and I think he looked pretty fckin cool, its always good to stand out in music aswell there isnt that many leftys around that I know of