Top 3 Best Left-Handed Bass Guitars For All Budgets

Left-handed guitars were around a long time before “He” showed up with the screaming white Strat from Seattle in West London. The first we can find was a Gibson in 1915. Even in the 60s, you usually had to order a leftie. Finding the Best Left-Handed Bass guitar was even more of an ordeal.

To be honest, it isn’t that much better today. If you go to a music shop, you might find a few, but they are outnumbered by right-handed versions by quite a bit.

The problem was that when someone wanted to buy a guitar, a right-handed player could more or less pick what they wanted. A leftie had to make do with what was there if there was anything. Nowadays, you can buy online, of course, and there is usually, though not always, a full choice.

So here we are, a leftie bass player. You want a good guitar, not a great one, but a very good one. What is there out there? Let’s take a look and find out…

Top 3 Best Left-Handed Bass Guitar You Should Buy Reviews

1 Squier by Fender Classic Vibe 70’s Jazz Bass Guitar – Best Value for the Money Left Handed Bass Guitar

Not a bad place to start. Although, if it had been a Classic Vibe Precision bass, we would have been drooling already. However, the Jazz bass has its place. It is a classic and a well-used bass guitar.

A tough model to beat…

First introduced in 1960, it came as a follow-up to the Precision. It never quite achieved its rival’s status in the eyes of many. Yet, in the 70s, while CBS Fender was playing the idiot, messing around with them both, they got lucky.

Out of the shambles that was CBS’s interference came the 70s Jazz Bass. Very good then and still a sought after bass guitar today.

A lot like the original…

The Squier Classic Vibe is a reincarnation. It features a maple neck with the rear pickup closer to the bridge. This gives it a sound of its own.

The original 70s model had an Alder wood body. That being said, you could order a natural Ash body for a surcharge. This model is made from Poplar wood, which is still a decent wood choice.

Vintage appearance…

The maple neck is there with its great ‘C’ shape profile and the monster 34-inch scale length. There are twenty narrow-tall frets and on the fingerboard vintage-looking block inlays.

Additionally, there is the black pickguard and quarter-sized silver control plate. With its black, glossy polyurethane finish and Maple neck, it looks the part. Just like it used to.

Sounds almost like the original…

There are two Alnico, Fender-designed pickups. Likewise, these are single-coil pickups. However, they don’t quite nail that Jazz bass sound of the originals.

The 70s bass had an accented middle and top to create an alternative sharper sound to the Precision. But it’s close. Very close.

Nice range of tones…

There are master tone control and volume for each of the neck and bridge pickups. Furthermore, these two pickups produce an interesting sound for lovers of a sharper bass attack. Especially since they moved the bridge pickup back a bit.

As a result, this allows you to create a range of tones similar to the original 70s versions. They have stuck to the vintage designs for the machine heads and the bridge that has four saddles. Not to mention, it has a bone nut, which is a nice touch.

Punchy and playable…

It plays nicely with its offset design and still knocks out those punchy bass lines. This is a winner from Squier; there is no doubt. Their ‘Classic Vibe’ range is well-liked, even among the ‘Squier-doubters.’

Besides, at this price, it is a steal. The Fender Jazz is five times the price. Is it five times better? Not a chance. For the money, this leaves the Fender on the tarmac.

2 Fender Japan Aerodyne Jazz Bass Left-handed (Japan Import) – Best Lightweight Left-Handed Bass Guitar

Fender launched the Aerodyne bass in 2003. Announcing it as ‘Something Completely Different.’ That’s been said before in a different context, although maybe not so different.

Something slightly different…

The idea was to give players a lightweight bass with all the trimmings they could pack in. In the end, it weighed in at seven pounds. In comparison, a Jazz bass weighs about nine pounds, and a Precision is about 8.5 pounds. Furthermore, Fender announced that it would have a ‘strikingly different’ appearance.

Maybe they should have said, ‘And now for something not completely different.’ Having said that, they did apply a coat of paint to the headstock.

Quality materials…

This bass guitar’s design is more of a clone of a Jazz bass. The body is made from Basswood. It has a maple neck that has a stained Rosewood fingerboard. As well as twenty medium Jumbo frets and a 34-inch scale.

It features standard Fender chrome-plated machine heads on a black headstock. On the other hand, the bridge is a standard affair with four independent saddles. And at the top, there is an artificial bone nut.

Split and single-coil sounds…

This bass features a mixture of Precision and Jazz type pickups. The split, single-coil Precision pickup is in the center. The Jazz single-coil at the Bridge. Also, it includes Jazz-like controls with one tone and volume control for each pickup.

We don’t know what to say about this bass guitar. It doesn’t do anything that the Jazz or Precision basses don’t do. Except, of course, be one or two pounds lighter.

Betting on the name…

In our opinion, the GPS in Fender’s marketing department got lost a long time ago. It takes some arrogance to assume that because it has Fender written on it, people will automatically think it is good.

In the glory days of Leo, yes. I am afraid now it isn’t the case and hasn’t been since the Schultz days. Furthermore, it is set at a price point that confirms to us there has been a serious GPS malfunction.

Good ol’ days…

I am sitting here looking at my Fender Precision bass (an old one from 1962), and wishing I could be more positive. Unfortunately, the Best Left-Handed Bass Guitar doesn’t always jump out at you.

3 Schecter Hellraiser Extreme – Best Sounding Left-Handed Bass Guitar

When Schechter arrived on the scene nearly 45 years ago, a lot of people breathed a sigh of relief. Here was a company trying to do something a little different. Sure, you can say that their guitars are a little narrow in their sound options. Although they make no excuse for that.

They are good at making guitars for Metal and some heavy Rock. And this bass model is a good example of that. However, they are a bit more than just a lot of heavyweight noise, as you will find out when you pick one up. More on this later.

Distinctive style…

You can say that this bass has an aggressive design, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But, it also has a certain style that is aesthetically pleasing.

The body has a functional design with deep cutaways. It’s made from laminated ebony with a patterned quilted top finished in a deep red. Likewise, a binding of mother-of-pearl enhances the quilted satin finish of the body. It looks pretty good from here.

Gothic aesthetic…

There is a neck-thru-body design with a Maple neck and Ebony fretboard. To add to the atmosphere, the fingerboard is decorated with Gothic crosses rather than just dot inlays. Quite appropriate for when you plug it in and let it go.

Super slim neck profile…

It is a full-size 34-inch scale with 24 accessible frets on a slimline, very slimline, ‘C’ shaped neck. It has a two-way truss rod. The binding extends up to the headstock, where there are four chrome-plated heavy-duty machine heads.

Additionally, the nut material is good quality Graphtech. Down at the other end, there is a strong chrome-plated hardtail bridge.

Serious sound output…

The sound comes from two EMG pickups screaming at you. The controls have a push and pull volume and tone. As well as an active 3-band EQ. Therefore, this bass guitar takes two nine-volt batteries to power it up.

With EMG pickups and tone controls, you can get more than metal out of this bass. As we said earlier, it is about more than just lots of power. It has a softer side believe it or not.

The sound when the horses are reigned in reminds us a little of a Rickenbacker 4001. Not a bad guitar to be compared with.

A bass that stands out…

This bass guitar is impressive, and it makes you realize how many great options there are out there. If we were to find something we didn’t like, and there isn’t much, it is quite heavy. In fact, it’s noticeably heavier than most.

However, it is still a candidate for the Best Left Handed Bass Guitar. The price point might be set a little high for some. Nonetheless, it is a lot of guitar you are getting.

Best Left-Handed Bass Guitar Buying Guide

With only three options, we can be a bit more specific in our observations.

What do you want from your bass?

To us, the quality of the build is important. It is no good if the neck falls off with a slight knock. However, assuming the build quality is satisfactory, then it comes down to two things. How does it play, and how does it sound?

The Squier has the Jazz look…

Some are going to like that. Plus, of all the models Squier has produced, the Classic Vibe range is the best. That includes Strats, Teles, and of course, the best of the bunch, the Classic Vibe Precision.

Squier has done a very good job with this. They can’t recreate a 70s icon, not exactly, but as we said, it is close. Additionally, it is the cheapest of the three, so that makes it even more attractive. A very good guitar at a great price.

The Fender Aerodyne…

Not so impressive. The Squier is better, as well as being a lot cheaper. We struggle to see where exactly this fits in the Fender catalog. Unless they wanted to combine a Jazz and a Precision. Although, we’re not sure why would you want to do that?

Overpriced in our view and brings nothing to the table. But that can be said about a few Fender guitars these days.

Be careful – this thing bites!

On the other hand, Schechter does bring things to the table. A great design, good action, and big sounds. It can deliver a variety of sounds, but be careful. It will bite you if asked.

You could argue that it suits one genre more than others. Likewise, Schechter is known for being slightly Metal-biased. Ok, more than slightly. But this has, as we said, a softer side as well. Some will think it expensive, but it is a stunning bass.

Also see: Top 4 Best Left-Handed Acoustic Guitars For All Budgets

Already have a bass you love and want to upgrade?

Then check out our reviews of the Best Precision Bass Pickups and Best Jazz Bass Pickups you can buy.

Need some new gear for your bass guitar? If so, take a look at Best Bass Distortion Pedals and Best Bass Amps. And of course, if you’re in the market for a new bass, also take a gander at our reviews of Best Bass Guitars currently on the market in 2021.

So, what is the Best Left-Handed Bass Guitar?

Only three to pick from. Therefore, the choice is a relatively easy one to make. We choose the…

Schecter Hellraiser Extreme

An awful lot of guitar. It is well-made using good quality materials and has a very impressive look. It also has a great sound and a nice low action. Our choice as the Best Left Handed Bass Guitar and highly recommended.

Happy bass playing.