mcarp555

Have you, or anyone you've known, been affected by issues raised in this section? Do you have stories of ignorant guitar store clerks trying to push learners to play right-handed? Been told by a guitar teacher to learn "right"? Had a teacher in school literally tie your left hand behind your back? Nothing makes the ole' blood boil faster than hearing about how left-handed people have been coerced by well-meaning parents, clueless authority figures, and stores trying to move what's in stock. Tell your story here, if you have one.

I'm still hoping Gibby will knock out the 2014 SG Special, although I'm extremely annoyed with them at the moment.

Almost every LH player can make some kind of meaningful noise on a RH instrument, because we have more opportunity to play them. Righty players on the other hand, rarely get a chance to practice on a left-hand guitar or bass. Consequently, as Nodd suggests, we look a lot more competent playing the "wrong" way. I remember very well being at a jam party, and picking up the RH bass of a guy I knew, and being able to play a simple enough pattern to join in with the band while he went to refill his drink. The look on his face as he walked back into the room to see me not only playing his bass upside down and backwards, but playing it well (enough) was priceless. I've had right-handed friends pick up my bass, and the best they can manage is a few notes.before shaking their head and putting the bass back on the stand.

I have my doubts that any small distance after the nut makes any meaningful contribution. I can't tell from the photo if he's using a string tree, which would almost negate any supposed benefit.

I need to update my family photo, but here's the herd: Back: Right-handed [b]Engelhart [/b]strung left-handed. Front, l. to r.: Right-handed [b]Kingston[/b], strung left-handed; 1977 [b]Fender Precision[/b]; 1999 Mexican [b]Fender Jazz[/b] (since sold); 2010 or so - [b]Hofner V62[/b] reissue; 2007 or so - [b]Indie[/b] custom finish electro-acoustic (32" scale); 1987 [b]Hofner 187 "Shorty"[/b] travel bass (one of only a handful known to exist; 28" scale). Here's what I replaced the Mexican Jazz with: [b]1967 Fender Jazz[/b], w/bound neck, block inlays & lollipop tuners. Non-original pickups. And as seen in the [i]Reviews[/i] section, the [b]Gaskell Thunderbass [/b](2013):

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.

I looked it up: £40.98 for Her Majesty's pleasure. I've never had to take the plate off, so I have no idea what's under there, I'm afraid.

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1396279495' post='2411739'] OK, I've just been through all 268 posts of this entire thread and can find no occurrences of anything like that happening whatsoever in the just-over-a-year that it's been here. So why assume that it's suddenly going to happen? Isn't that just a teensy bit negative? And if you're going to say 'left-handed people', how about saying 'right-handed people' too, rather than 'righty'? I note that thus far you've not used the word 'lefty' to refer to LH players. [/quote] When your first post in a left-handed area is to make petty remarks about things like "left-handed amps, cabs, strings, etc." I do have to wonder exactly why you're bothering. The assumption would be that you're not left-handed. Are you just trolling in the LH area?

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1396276720' post='2411699'] Presumably by that you mean, "right handed people expressing a perfectly valid opinion of their own"? Oh and by the way, I'm not a 'righty', I'm a 'bass-player'. Same as you. [/quote] By that, I mean rightys coming into this thread to tell left-handed people things like "get over yerself" or "you shoulda learned other way, then (insert vapid advantage here)". When I can go into any guitar store and order any model left-handed (with no upcharge), and not have to hear horror stories about salespeople in those stores telling young left-handed players to learn to play with their wrong hand, just to "fit in" and "get by", then I will happily consider myself [u]just[/u] a bass player. Same as you.

[quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1396265901' post='2411488'] The suggestion being that this place is LH-[i]un[/i]friendly..?[/quote] No, I'm not saying that at all. [quote name='UglyDog' timestamp='1396265901' post='2411488']Until manufacturers start producing left-handed amps, cabs, strings, FX, tuners, etc etc etc, I can't see much point in an entire dedicated section.[/quote] However, suggestions like this don't strike me as particularly welcome. It's a common righty tactic to bring up nonsensical hyperbole such as the famous question "Where are all the left-handed pianos?". I was only asking because if you read this thread all the way through, it can be broken down into several subtopics: 1) Discussion about being left-handed in a righty world (at least as far as guitars/basses) 2) Discussion about particular instruments ("I'm getting a..." or "question about...", etc.) 3) Meta-discussions such as the one we're having now about what should be in this thread or elsewhere on the site. The very first post in this thread comes across like it was some sort of major concession. Since I wasn't here then, I don't know if it really was or not. Now if the consensus is to post in the main areas about basses left and right, then that's fine with me. In fact, I've already posted my review of the Gaskell Thunderbass in the review section, if anyone is interested to read about it. If that is the case, then what is the purpose of this thread, since most of it could be put elsewhere. But if it's relevant to have a separate thread for LH issues, then it follows that a section allowing for multiple threads would be easier to follow individual items. If we wanted to discuss methods of kicking manufacturers to make more LH models, why have every third or fourth post be someone wanting to talk about how they might be selling their bass or what they saw on eBay this morning. Or vice-versa. My point is that one thread seems too confining to talk about multiple left-hand issues. But that doesn't mean we need a sub-forum for "left-handed patch cables" or some such nonsense. Still, you can only lead a horse to water, as they say. If the LH players here are satisfied with things as they are, then who am I to argue? Hopefully everyone can chime in with an opinion, without rightys butting in just to troll the issue.

[quote name='LeftyJ' timestamp='1396205263' post='2410978']there's always leftybassist.com (quite a cool and busy place by the way, although very American with few European members)[/quote] [i]Busy[/i], yes. [i]Cool[/i] is probably very subjective. There are other LH-friendly places online, like leftyfretz.com, etc. I'm just trying to gauge the interest here to see what would be the best way to serve the LH members.

This is why I'm confining my comment of Hitch's comment to refer to the version of the song that's the point of this thread. Anybody goes anywhere else with it, that's them, not me.

[quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1396194333' post='2410809']a plastic knobbly bit inside that hurt like hell.[/quote] Sounds "Purvey" to me!

As Christopher Hitchens was so fond of saying, [i]Religion ruins everything![/i]

Is there any interest in having a left-hand [i]section[/i]? One meandering thread seems a bit limiting. I'd also like to know why the LH basses for sale area is labeled a "ghetto". I know there are people on this site who don't see left-hand issues as worthy of serious consideration.

Tight, clean. The prog rock & jazz elements are certainly there. Not the kind of genre I normally listen to, but it seems well played and produced. Hopefully it does well for you!

I had to chuckle at all the Ron Jon's stickers on the head of the bed - I grew up only a few miles from there. The bass sounds great. Guitars and vocals are okay as well. Drums when they first come in are somewhat jarring. Sounds like a hard 4 in the bar that doesn't sync up well to the rest of the band. Thankfully they're much improved towards the middle of the song. Other than that, it's pretty good, well produced.

I've only been here a couple of days myself. Welcome aboard!

It's a well-known scam, the "Oceanographer" nonsense. I've seen it before. Unless there's someone living offshore with a huge collection of merchandise, it's fake, fake, fake. Eventually he writes you back that there's a problem, and you need to send a wire transfer for the "pickup fee": https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/Fraud-phishing-and-spoof-Archive/more-oceanographer-scam/td-p/104606

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.

Hello Doug.

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1395853529' post='2407211'] you can tell by his equipment that this young man has some serious GAS issues [/quote] This fella has 'issues', full stop!

An atheist hymn. Don't bother listening if you're seriously religious. [url="https://soundcloud.com/mcarp555/have-no-faith"]Soundcloud[/url] [url="http://youtu.be/bWASObamoUE"]YouTube[/url] (mono mix) [url="http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=15247&songID=12513958"]Soundclick[/url]

Der Snatch - Solid, chunky rock. I hear a lot of different influences drifting in and out. Good recording, but I think the vocal and the first lead could be a bit more prominent in the mix. Notes About You - Same as above regarding the vocal, but the echo fades it back even more. If you listen to the chorus, the lead guitar steps all over the voice. Playing (esp. the guitar and drum fills is top-notch). Both recordings are tight, well-played and convey a lot of excitement, which is a great thing. The points I've noted above are just tiny details that might make these obviously strong tracks even better. But they're certainly not 'bad' as they are.

Well I joined yesterday. So welcome aboard!