Hey!
Fret not really. I’d have the ability to pluck with my middle finger perhaps but I don’t have very good coordination, meaning plucking would take conscious focused effort, probably throwing off any fretting I’m doing. Something to work on perhaps. I can’t move my fingers independently, wrist is stuck pretty much in the straight position, can’t open my hand all the way, just some or have very good grip between fingers… That help a little?
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I was just googling and found this guy who lost his arm and developed his own style of playing (tapping really). He seems to be fairly well known
maybe a better route?
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Bill Clements for sure. Main reason I’m even trying. That’s the kind of approach I’ll be taking but of course, with my right hand.
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I’m not sure what the budget is, or what the available resources are… but because you’re going to be trying something so unorthodox, I can’t give a strong recommendation one way or the other.
My instinct - if you’re planning on learning the fingerboard and want to use traditional bass technique for the fret-board side tapping (like Bill Clements) I’d definitely get a left handed bass.
You’ll be able to follow along with all the instructional material (though flipped for lefties) and the approach and concept will be the same.
Upside down playing would be a very small, limited world of resources.
Having said that…
If you can, try both.
There may be something in the flipping of the strings that will make tapping easier for you?
I know people have done incredible things with the flipped guitar, and maybe that would be more comfortable for you.
You won’t know unless you have something to try on.
I think it would be a better idea to buy an instrument based on what feels most logical, learnable, and comfortable. Left handed basses make things more difficult for finding instruments, but playing comfortably and learning the instrument should still be paramount.
One last thought -
There may be some limited things with the left hand that you can do to add to the taps (plucking open strings every once in a while to make low note drones, while tapping with the right hand, etc).
Without being in the same room it’s hard to know what to recommend, so take all this with a grain of salt since I don’t know what you can or cannot do.
Best of luck!
I’d love to see a progress video every so often! Wishing you all the best!
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Agree with this! Very very few bassists play flipped - check out Mono Neon and Jimmy Haslip though.
“Learning materials won’t match” outweighs “harder to find instruments,” in my mind. Cuz it’s not just the ‘materials’, but your whole approach to bass playing has to be different.
So yeah, play lefty, E string on top, that’d be my recc.‘’
Or this!
That’s plenty! You can play 80% of bass lines plucking with one finger. That makes a HUGE difference compared to the Bill Clements situation - tapping is cool, but really limits your articulation. Plucking has a lot more dynamic range + therefore creative options.
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@JBass523 I don’t know what country you’re in, or your budget but as a quick example you can pick up a new Ibanez at Sweetwater for $249 and go up in price from there. There are left handed basses available. It’s not a complete desert.
https://www.sweetwater.com/c1015--Left_handed_Bass_Guitars?all&sb=low2high
Or a Harley Benton from Thomann starting at $88!!!
There’s also an existing thread on here talking all about left handed basses.
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Thanks for the feedback. This helps a lot. I may just go lefty and buy guitars ready to modify them if necessary. I think as far as my left hand goes, I have the physical ability to pluck but not the coordination. I’d have to focus completely on that. I probably will learn by tapping first and if plucking or something extra comes in time, all the better. Once I get started I’ll make some vids then. 
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Thanks for the advice. @JoshFossgreen As far as my left hand and plucking etc, it is a far off goal. Though physically able, the focus it would take would hinder my fretting, so probably will learn tapping first, as I believe a lot can still be done with that and with practice anything extra that I can do in the future is a bonus. Probably will go lefty and be willing to mod any future purchases if I want a right. Any advice with getting started learning? Especially with just a fretting hand?
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I wonder would one of the sustainer/eBow type gizmos be an option here.?
The left hand could hold the sustainer to agitate the strings while the right hand frets and mutes.
Just a thought.
An ebow may be useable. It really only creates one type of sound unless I’m mistaken, but for some playing it’s a good idea though!
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This is what he is talking about: https://ebow.com/
And here is a clip of it being used in Under the Milky Way Tonight by The Church: https://youtu.be/LSNGejPlTAo?si=dEbqqWWvK6-NJJd4&t=140
And here is Josh reviewing another string sustainer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gGl1Z_S3YE&t=197
I looked it up
it’s pretty cool, at least for some sounds. Not all though unfortunately. Haha.
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I edited my post to include Josh’s review of another string sustainer, but I’ll post it again here since I think you were responding as I was editing.
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That’s kinda true for everybody when they’re starting. 
Definitely can! Another thing to be aware of - learning to tap with the fretting hand is a slightly different skill than just learning to fret, you have to develop dynamics (range of hard/soft) in a way your fretting hand usually wouldn’t be responsible for.
Also will tend to encourage ‘flying fingers’, as you need a bit of distance to travel to get good smacks, which is actually counterproductive to efficient technqiue with normal fretting. IMO if you have the option to pluck, even if it’s clunky, it’s a better way to start off on the instrument. YMMV, you’re the expert on your hands!
You’re totally right, they’re cool, but not useful for 99% of bass playing.
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Thanks! The issue is that my hand/elbow doesn’t move quickly. A pluck every two seconds if I’m pushing perhaps. Would you happen to know if there is some sort of tool that could be held in a fist but help plucking or picking? @JoshFossgreen
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You could try something 3-d printed that ends in a pick shaped thing?
Maybe get some clay and mold something to your fist, stick a pick in it and let it harden as a prototype?
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Not a bad idea!
It’s kismet! Just came across this guy, probably a different right arm situation than you’ve got @JBass523 , but very creative way to get picking happening, and a great tune too:
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Very cool. I don’t have the quick smooth upper arm/elbow movement is my issue. Accuracy in small, and and while slow may be OK, the faster I go the more jerky it is. Otherwise I’d stick a finger pick on and presto. But who knows… Maybe one here and there will add to in anyway?
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Totally! Even some infrequent plucks will give you a lot more dynamic and articulation options.
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