AndyBass

Just as an addition to the above recommendations, though I expect you're probably past the point where DVDs will offer you much now you've been at it for a little while - I probably got most out of Slap Bass: The Ungentle Art (Kevin Smith and Mark Rubin). Again, it can be quite expensive for a DVD, but worth it IMO. If you still use DVDs, still don't want to order outside the UK and you want to borrow it, I'll send you mine if you send it back after a month or something. Its a world better than the Lee Rocker one and breaks things down with different views and such. I like the Didi Beck book as well, hope you find it useful. And I'd be another vote for standing by the stage staring intently at what a good bass player's doing, then collaring them after if you get chance. I've picked up some useful stuff that way, especially about setup, and met some cool guys (I even got a drink out of "Slick" Joe Fick!).

Invicta59 - I've just seen that you're in The Slingshots! Sheffield legends. I think you know Chip (Mercurys, Radiacs, etc)? I used to be in a band with him, think I've seen you crop up on his Facebook. Interested to know which luthier you go to, I only know one round Sheffield. I spoke to Geoff in Ecclesfield who's done my setups in the past and he gave me a really detailed quote. Obviously, suggested I'd probably be insane to do it, but at least I know where I stand. (Should anyone reading this post in future want to know the costs involved, message me and I'll let you have an idea). The horror on Mrs Andybass's face at the suggesiton of two double basses in the house, however, means I may just resize my bridge and put some Velvet Garbos or something on as a better all-rounder (I use a Rockabilly E and Golden Slaps A-G, which slap and pizz pretty good but sound pretty grim bowed and lack some volume). I'm currently playing in a couple of bluegrass things, one band that's just started and is more this modern grassy-country stuff and another old-time duo, due to start gigging very soon. Other than that I play for M&J Blues sometimes and, well, anyone else who wants a double bass when you, Chip and everyone else is busy!

I was wondering if anyone had any experience of having a luthier convert a bass from right to left-handed? And if so any idea of costs? I'm thinking this would affect the bass bar, sound post, nut and bridge (if you did it completely and didn't just switch the bridge and nut). My situation is that I have my beloved Strunal 50/4 lefty but its strung with Golden Slaps, which are great but I'm playing less rockabilly now and they don't have as much volume and don't bow as easily as other strings (I now play mainly bluegrass and am working thorugh grades as well, so volume and bowing are key). I'm thinking the solution is get a battered old bass, convert it and string it with the slaps for my rockabilly stuff, and get some steels of some kind on the Strunal where resonance, volume etc are more important. Any thoughts welcome, even if its just "that's a bad idea because...".

Hi, this may seem a stupid idea, but I recently made the transition from playing right handed basses upside down to playing truly left handed (ie with the strings in the right order!). This now leaves me with 3 basses that are basically the wrong way up. I'm selling two of them I care less about, but really want to change my Fender P-Bass to left handed. I'm assuming the things that would need changing are just the nut and the bridge (its a Badass II). Bearing in mind I have no skills in taking guitars apart and making changes, do people think that this might be a task that I could get a luthier to sort for me? Any obvious problems I'm not considering (bearing in mind tone knobs and cable inputs have been in awkward places for the 15 years I've played that way, so I don't consider that a problem!). Can you get left handed Badass bridges? Anyway, any advice on considerations or luthiers are much appreciated!