View Full Version : Upright Bass...
darrell
12-07-2005, 07:27 PM
Hey, how's it going? Quick question for y'all :thumb:
I'm left handed and am thinking of buying an upright bass to expand my horizons... Is making an upright left-handed as simple as switching the strings around. I looked at one and didn't see a need to mess with the bridge or nut (because there really isn't one)... Does anyone know for sure? I don't want to invest in something that is going to be nothing but a money pit to make usuable.
Liebensaft
12-07-2005, 07:38 PM
Looking at an upright bass at a local music shop, the dots to mark...whatever they mark on an upright bass, seemed to be asymmetrical. Unless you get an upright without any kind of dot markings, I'm guessing changing the strings around won't be enough.
Spazzout22
12-07-2005, 07:49 PM
Hey, how's it going? Quick question for y'all :thumb:
I'm left handed and am thinking of buying an upright bass to expand my horizons... Is making an upright left-handed as simple as switching the strings around. I looked at one and didn't see a need to mess with the bridge or nut (because there really isn't one)... Does anyone know for sure? I don't want to invest in something that is going to be nothing but a money pit to make usuable.
There actually are both a nut and a bridge on an upright. All of the teachers i've talked to about learning to play left handed say this:
...
Learn to play right handed!
Liebensaft
12-07-2005, 07:56 PM
Yeah. Learning to play a guitar/bass, or an upright bass right-handed gives you infinitely more options when you go to purchase the instrument.
darrell
12-07-2005, 08:01 PM
Ok, to learn up what I said. I know there's a bridge... I wasn't saying that. I said there wasn't really a nut. What I meant was, there wasn't any grooves in the nut like that of a nut on a guitar or bass.
And I'm not going to learn how to play right handed.. I've already been playing left-handed bass and guitar for 4 1/2 years... No point turning back now.
Spazzout22
12-07-2005, 08:07 PM
Ok, to learn up what I said. I know there's a bridge... I wasn't saying that. I said there wasn't really a nut. What I meant was, there wasn't any grooves in the nut like that of a nut on a guitar or bass.
And I'm not going to learn how to play right handed.. I've already been playing left-handed bass and guitar for 4 1/2 years... No point turning back now.
What I was saying is that there are both grooves in the bridge and in the nut of an upright. You would basically need new nuts and bridges.
darrell
12-07-2005, 08:18 PM
I looked at the bridge and it didn't seem like the grooves got any bigger. It seems like the groove for the G string was way too big and the groove for the E string was non-existant. From this I guessed that all 4 grooves were the same size.
Anyone know about a sound post or bass bar (I think that's right..)??
Spazzout22
12-07-2005, 08:24 PM
I looked at the bridge and it didn't seem like the grooves got any bigger. It seems like the groove for the G string was way too big and the groove for the E string was non-existant. From this I guessed that all 4 grooves were the same size.
Anyone know about a sound post or bass bar (I think that's right..)??
What bass were you looking at? Most basses have correct size grooves in them. I would assume that you don't need to move your sound post, but it's possible. Ask your local luthier... honestly or LR if she's ever on here.
Couldn't you take off the bridge and nut and place them the other way?
I realize it would be best to get a luthier to do the actual job, but in theory.
Napes
12-07-2005, 08:58 PM
I'm in the same situation as you darrell, were you looking at the ones on ebay too??
400$ but they need to be setup, but reviews say after that its not too shabby.
HaVIC5
12-07-2005, 09:58 PM
I've seen plenty of electric bassists that are left-handed, but I have never once seen an upright bassist play left handed.
AlmightyPancake
12-07-2005, 10:18 PM
Ditto. Even left handed elec. will play right on an upright.
A left handed bass would need to be custom built, and those are exxpennnssiiiveeee. You can't just "replace" em, there're ways the instruments are built (at least, quality ones) that affect the sound.
darrell
12-08-2005, 06:32 AM
I was looking at a local music store at the bass I was thinking about getting. I haven't looked on e-bay for anything in ages... I'll check them out though.
Anyone else on this topic?
You can get them custom made, for quite a price. I imagine if you did restring it, it would sound like ****, as they're built asymmetrically inside (like a violin).
Jody LeCompte
12-08-2005, 08:38 PM
You mention the benifits...
Even if you play for a few months and then sell it to an asian kid in some random farway town. Playing upright will help develop quite the ear. But by that logic, you could just play unlined fretless
I've seen plenty of electric bassists that are left-handed, but I have never once seen an upright bassist play left handed.
As incredibly stupid as it is, I have heard of people not getting work because they play left-handed. Apparantly people don't like the look of a left-handed string player in an orchestra.
darrell
12-08-2005, 09:00 PM
Yeah, it kind of sucks that an orchestra would discriminate against a left-handed player, but it's kind of awesome watching the bows of a string section all moving in exactly the same direction and at the same angle. The simple things in life amuse me. :)
What exactly does the bass bar do? I understand the purpose of the soundpost and why it would need to be moved, but does a bass bar have to be moved/adjusted as well?
AlmightyPancake
12-08-2005, 09:08 PM
Yeah, it kind of sucks that an orchestra would discriminate against a left-handed player, but it's kind of awesome watching the bows of a string section all moving in exactly the same direction and at the same angle. The simple things in life amuse me. :)
What exactly does the bass bar do? I understand the purpose of the soundpost and why it would need to be moved, but does a bass bar have to be moved/adjusted as well?
Also, a bassist who plays left handed would have their sound resonating in such a way that they'd need to be placed at an entirely different angle, which would throw off the entire seating of the orchestra and the conductor.
darrell
12-08-2005, 09:16 PM
Also, a bassist who plays left handed would have their sound resonating in such a way that they'd need to be placed at an entirely different angle, which would throw off the entire seating of the orchestra and the conductor.
Oh, this I didn't know (or think about)...
How much do you think it would cost to switch a right-handed upright to left-handed?
Yeah, it kind of sucks that an orchestra would discriminate against a left-handed player, but it's kind of awesome watching the bows of a string section all moving in exactly the same direction and at the same angle. The simple things in life amuse me. :)
What exactly does the bass bar do? I understand the purpose of the soundpost and why it would need to be moved, but does a bass bar have to be moved/adjusted as well?
I guess you technically wouldn't have to move anything inside the bass, but your tone will probably suffer a lot.
Oh, this I didn't know (or think about)...
How much do you think it would cost to switch a right-handed upright to left-handed?
It's hard to say, you'll have to find someone willing to do it first.
darrell
12-09-2005, 11:07 AM
I guess you technically wouldn't have to move anything inside the bass, but your tone will probably suffer a lot.
The soundpost has to be moved, no? Wouldn't the bass be loud as hell and the treble be almost non-existant?
Spazzout22
12-09-2005, 11:26 AM
What's a "Bass Bar"?
Spazzout22
12-09-2005, 11:27 AM
The soundpost has to be moved, no? Wouldn't the bass be loud as hell and the treble be almost non-existant?
No, your bass would just collapse on itself if you put higher tension strings away from the sound post. It's a support thing.
AlmightyPancake
12-09-2005, 01:03 PM
No, your bass would just collapse on itself if you put higher tension strings away from the sound post. It's a support thing.
123. The woods are also tempered differently in different places, so you'll be getting a different response andddddd it's entirely possible that the tension would start to warp part of the body.
darrell
12-09-2005, 01:11 PM
Ah, well either way... I think it's a good idea to move it. What about the bass bar? What could come of leaving where it is?
Spazzout22
12-09-2005, 01:36 PM
Ah, well either way... I think it's a good idea to move it. What about the bass bar? What could come of leaving where it is?
I wish someone would tell me what the bass bar is, I could prolly help you if I knew what you were refering to.
LewsTherin
12-09-2005, 01:37 PM
No, your bass would just collapse on itself if you put higher tension strings away from the sound post. It's a support thing.
shouldnt every string be at about the same tension? i know thicker strings = more tension, but lower pitch = less tension, so shouldnt it all end up about the same?
Spazzout22
12-09-2005, 01:44 PM
shouldnt every string be at about the same tension? i know thicker strings = more tension, but lower pitch = less tension, so shouldnt it all end up about the same?
One would think that, wouldn't they?:thumb:
Sorry that was a ****ty answer. Ya, basically they should be the same, but there's a possibility that with the wooden bridge holding up the strings, the thicker strings make it a bit heavyer. However, I do think that soundpost placement isn't really crucial. Again, i've never seen a left handed upright bass.
Oh, I just thought about force you exert on the lower strings, it's considerably more than on the higher strings. Even if the tensions are the same, the amount of force needed to get a full sound from the E string would put more stress on that side of the bass.
LewsTherin
12-09-2005, 01:49 PM
Oh, I just thought about force you exert on the lower strings, it's considerably more than on the higher strings. Even if the tensions are the same, the amount of force needed to get a full sound from the E string would put more stress on that side of the bass.
that^ is a good point.
i think TS maybe just needs to get an electric upright so he doesnt have to worry about his soundboard collasping in on itself.
darrell
12-09-2005, 02:18 PM
I don't want an electric upright, :).
And I don't exactly know the purpose of the bass bar, so if someone else could fill us in, it'd be appreciated.
I thought all of the tensions of electric strings were about the same, so I'm assuming it would be for an upright.
AlmightyPancake
12-09-2005, 04:05 PM
I thought all of the tensions of electric strings were about the same, so I'm assuming it would be for an upright.
The tensions generally aren't the same on an electric.
The tensions generally aren't the same on an electric.
What exactly are they? I couldn't find them anywhere.
White_Summer
12-09-2005, 04:52 PM
the problem with a quality upright is, or even a cheap one, the ebony fretboard usually isnt round, it has a flater side for the e string and then rounds out for the rest of the strings. this is because the e vibrates much more when playing with a bow. so switching the strings around would result in the bass not working
AlmightyPancake
12-09-2005, 06:28 PM
What exactly are they? I couldn't find them anywhere.
http://www.daddario.com/DADProdDetail.aspx?CodaID=1103&ID=3&Class=ACGA
There's one example.
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