Please say hello

[sinisterFretless]

Hello my fellow lefty thumpers.

I've been playing bass for about twenty-five years, but only messed around for the first twenty or so. A few years back, I finally decided to take some lessons and things started to come together. I'm currently privileged to hold down the groove for a fun band called The Uncovered:



That's "None More Black", my lefty-flipped XL2-UF Steinberger with black LaBella tapewounds. I have a mid-80s MIJ fretted Jazz as well; I almost never play it these days because of of how much I love the fretless Steiny. I'm thinking of converting the Jazz to fretless with a Warmoth neck.

Anyway, nice to be among those in their right minds.


Phil

[fivebass52]

Hello my fellow lefty thumpers.

I've been playing bass for about twenty-five years, but only messed around for the first twenty or so. A few years back, I finally decided to take some lessons and things started to come together. I'm currently privileged to hold down the groove for a fun band called The Uncovered:



That's "None More Black", my lefty-flipped XL2-UF Steinberger with black LaBella tapewounds. I have a mid-80s MIJ fretted Jazz as well; I almost never play it these days because of of how much I love the fretless Steiny. I'm thinking of converting the Jazz to fretless with a Warmoth neck.

Anyway, nice to be among those in their right minds.


Phil

Welcome to the Boards Phil... don't recall ever hearing of a steiny-fretless - sounds cool! Tell your drummer he has a nice set of drums!

Ian

[offhand35]

AZWhoFan reminded me to say hello! Thanks!
I found your site after someone on talkbass dot com had posted a link in a post......

I had played bass in a school music program in 1968-1970. Because a left handed bass was unheard of [and certainly would have be un-affordable!], I learned to play right handed bass in a left handed manner. After that, I went to the treble side for a long time, but stopped playing anything in 1977 or so because the calluses on both hands interfered badly with my job.

In 2005, I suddenly realized that I was not doing that job any more, and picked up my guitar and bought several others , looking for "that" style and tone. What a thrill when I figured out that I could get a left handed instrument re-strung righty just for me! That thrill was a little stunted because for a local luthier to make a new nut and do a guitar set up is over $100.

Because of my new enthusiastic time spent playing, I developed painful trigger finger in three fingers of my right hand, severely limiting what I can now do with guitar. I had been playing in our church's small orchestra on occasion when I was able to get someone else to cover the song leading from the podium.

Getting to the bass part.......a few church members were assembling and rehearsing a new music team with some guitars, keyboard, vocalists, flutes and violins, but it was obvious to me .....THEY NEEDED A BASS! I told them I could fill that spot, and went shopping. This trip was to be as low budget as possible, and I already knew what kind of tone I wanted. I had long ago learned the lesson of buying "cheap" and paying double....... I was quite pleased when I picked up an Epiphone Viola bass. It is symmetrical , scale not too big of a stretch for my fingers, and my arm did not hit the controls while playing. I picked up a GK 250BL head, borrowed a cab, and played out last Sunday with the music team! They had played bass-less a few times already. The addition of this new dimension was a thrill, and the response afterward from the congregation to adding the bass was satisfying.
Now I am just waiting for a very old Bag End 12" cab to arrive and my rig will be just where I want it.......at least until the GAS hits.......now where did my wife hide that credit card.......?

David

[Imnomello]

Hey everyone! I just recently started playing bass a few months ago, and since I've been lurking here a while, I decided to actually register. I'm 17 and live in Ohio, and bass is the first instrument that I've ever played, so it's been a whole new experience for me. I got my bass for my birthday, and its a 1993 Inanez SR500. No one in my family has any musical background, so I've largely had to teach myself, and I'm having a friend teach me how to read sheet music. Just thought I'd say hello!

Austin

[AzWhoFan]

Hey everyone! I just recently started playing bass a few months ago, and since I've been lurking here a while, I decided to actually register. I'm 17 and live in Ohio, and bass is the first instrument that I've ever played, so it's been a whole new experience for me. I got my bass for my birthday, and its a 1993 Inanez SR500. No one in my family has any musical background, so I've largely had to teach myself, and I'm having a friend teach me how to read sheet music. Just thought I'd say hello!

Austin

Welcome aboard Autin!
Don't be afraid to ask any questions, we are a pretty helpful bunch here.

Your situation is very similar to mine, tho I started at 15 years old. I am still the only one who plays music in 4 generations of my family (they still don't get it, but they let me have my way ), and that includes those related by marriage.

Now ... quit reading this drivel and gt back to practicing!! *lol*

[Matt R.]

Welcome. This is a really cool community to be a part of.

[Yves Carbonne]

Hello!
I like this forum.

[andrew]

Great to see so many new members here. Welcome everyone.

Yves, great to have you here.

[pjmuck]

Welcome, Yves! Great to have you here finally. You popped by my home in NJ a few years ago to check out the lefty '77 Jazz I was selling, only to end up buying a '64 J I believe.

Now don't go snatching up that other '64 that's on ebay. Give the rest of us a chance to dream.

[AzWhoFan]

Hello!
I like this forum.

bonjour Yves!
We met briefly at NAMM two years ago, where you let me play that 7,382-stringed bass of yours. Was a pleasure meeting you. Welcome aboard!

[fivebass52]

Hello!
I like this forum.

Welcome to Leftybassist Yves! We are honored to have you here, and I know we all will look forward to your insights as you post! What are some of your main basses that you play regularly?

[Yves Carbonne]

Thanks to all for welcoming me!

@Peter: This other 1964 lefty Fender Jazz Bass will arrive soon at the house

About my instruments, you can see and listen if you explore my artist page on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/YvesCarbonneMusic
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 553&type=3

I also have at home the '66 lefty Fender Jazz bass which was sold recently on ebay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Hz5OJn1s8
http://www.youtube.com/yvescarbonne

[fivebass52]

Thanks to all for welcoming me!

@Peter: This other 1964 lefty Fender Jazz Bass will arrive soon at the house

About my instruments, you can see and listen if you explore my artist page on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/YvesCarbonneMusic
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 553&type=3

I also have at home the '66 lefty Fender Jazz bass which was sold recently on ebay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18Hz5OJn1s8
http://www.youtube.com/yvescarbonne

Thanks Yves, great links!

[2mylowerleft]

Greetings lefties,
Finally made the decision to join. I've been a long time lurker - guess I'm more of a listener than a talker or in the case of forums reader than a writer. I'll try to upload some pictures of my leftie basses today.

Thank you to the administrators and regular contributors for providing such a great forum,

Neil

[andrew]

Welcome Neil.

[LeftyStephen]

Hi I am Stephen and I am a left handed bassist and guitarist. Love Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Led Zep, Grand Funk, Cream and the British Heavy Metal from 1968-1976 era. Have a full band room with complete PA, amps, at the house and been in a few bands but, getting older and contracted Multiple Sclerosis back in July 2010 at the age of 51 which is very late in life to contract MS and it is a game changer (fatigue and pain). I finally came to the realization that I no longer am able to drag around heavy stacks and loads of gear, so I started selling off much of my stuff starting in November 2012. People have been buying it left and right. I do play bass and guitar on my own and with casual friends but, that is about it at this point.

[CarvinChuck]

Hello everyone. I feel like I've finally found a home! I'm 43, but I have the maturity of a 44 year old. I've been playing bass since I was in my early teens. My first bass was a right handed Cort, in canary yellow. I traded a Takamine electric explorer body that was probably worth five times what that Cort was! But that's how much I wanted to play bass. As you can tell by my name that I'm a Carvin man. Not sure why. I just remember drooling over Carvin catalogs when I was a pup. Don't even know how I got a hold of the catalogs. lol. I have two Carvins, a 91 LB75 five string in midnight blue with black hardware, and a 96 LB76 six string 50th anniversary model. I've sold many amps, but at the moment I'm playing a Carvin Redline 600 through a piece of crap Trace Elliot 15. It's crap cuz I got it off eBay and it was shipped improperly and buzzes like crazy. I have a Carvin 4 x 10 on the way though, so I'm pretty excited about that. I have nothing against non Carvin gear at all. I just love Carvin. I am looking to get a third bass soon. Preferably a 4 string. Well enough about me. It's cool to be here.

[Stingray5]

welcome to the forum guys - don't be shy, post some pics of them basses!

LeftyStephen, remember to check out the slew of new amp technology these days - neo cabs and class D micro amps have changed the game in terms of high quality, super lightweight bass gear

[pjmuck]

Welcome LeftyStephen and CarvinChuck. Good to have a couple more lefties in the mix.

I'll second what Stingray5 said. I picked up a Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 last year and I'm amazed at the power and punch it has in such a little lightweight box. The less gear I have to haul around these days, the better.

[AzWhoFan]

Hi I am Stephen and I am a left handed bassist and guitarist. Love Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Led Zep, Grand Funk, Cream and the British Heavy Metal from 1968-1976 era. Have a full band room with complete PA, amps, at the house and been in a few bands but, getting older and contracted Multiple Sclerosis back in July 2010 at the age of 51 which is very late in life to contract MS and it is a game changer (fatigue and pain). I finally came to the realization that I no longer am able to drag around heavy stacks and loads of gear, so I started selling off much of my stuff starting in November 2012. People have been buying it left and right. I do play bass and guitar on my own and with casual friends but, that is about it at this point.

Welcome Stephen.
Sorry to hear about your health issues. Here's hoping your periods of remission are long and plentiful.