Moving from Right to Left...

[andydeedpoll]

hi there.

i'm a strongy lefty and proud of it - but when i first started to play, i was taught by my elder brother and my dad (both right handed - i'm the only lefty in my family ) and because the only instruments we had in the house we're right handed, i was given a right handed guitar... i dont think it even crossed their minds that i might suit a left handed instrument better than a right handed.

and i've pretty much taught myself since i was about thirteen - i'm now sixteen. i'm kinda pleased with the progress i've made, but i always have this nagging feeling that i'm holding the guitar the wrong way round, like my left hand should be holding the plectrum and letting my right hand do the dirty work. the few times i've played a left handed guitar, while it hasn't been as smooth as my right handed playing, its felt like it has much more - potential - like its better.

i suppose i was just wondering if anyones ever moved from right handed to left handed guitar, and how they found the change, and whether they eventually prefered it. would you recommend i try to loan/buy a cheap left handed guitar?

thanks for any advice,

Andy

[boingoman]

Never switched, but....

I am a lefty, and the guitar always felt better in my hands the righty way.

I have sold probably 200 guitars to beginners, and I always put the guitar in their laps and ask them which way it feels better.

It always feels "right" one way or the other.

I say get yourself a cheap lefty, and check it out.

[scrubs]

Political threads go in the cave.

[gibsonguy09]

just flip your strings to try it out next itme you change your strings and see hoe you like it!!!

[donkeystyle]

Originally Posted by gibsonguy09

just flip your strings to try it out next itme you change your strings and see hoe you like it!!!

i'm with this guy. dave grohl said he learned to play left handed while he was in nirvana because there was never a right handed guitar around. he claimed that it didn't take that long to get used to it. it would probably take less time for an actual lefty to do it.

[andydeedpoll]

groovy!

i was getting ready for a lot of people saying 'no!!!' and other related comments

... and i'm 16 - have you ever met a right wing 16 year old?! it doesn't exist

hehe

Andy

[savageblues]

Ok so what would a 'pro teacher' recommend for a new student?

My 9 year old daughter is a south paw, but she seems to have picked up pretty quickly on a right handed axe....

Was I wrong to start her right?

[RezN8]

You can't really re-string a righty guitar without flipping the nut upside down as well. So either play it "upside-down" (high strings on top) or switch both the strings AND the nut. But first hear me out.

I started out on drums left-handed and still play that way today. I can play right-handed kits a little, but I'm much better - and much more comfortable lefty.

I picked up the guitar around the same age you started. I was an assistant drum instructor at a local music school and the owner insisted I learn another instrument. I chose guitar for it's portability and versatility.

When I sat down with the guitar instructor I held the guitar left handed. (I had been playing a wicked left-handed air guitar for years ) The instructor took the guitar, flipped it the other way (righty) and said two words:

"Trust me."

"But I'm a lefty, and Hendrix and Iommi and Paul McCartney and Dick Dale..." I pleaded.

"Trust Me." He interrupted.

So I tried. Felt very unnatural, but I stuck with it. I'm glad I did.

Learning righty meant I could pick up just about any guitar anywhere and play. That would be very difficult if you get used to restringing it lefty.

I only wish I learned drums the same way. Everytime I sit in on gigs, sessions, or just jam with a band for a few songs it's really uncomfortable because rearranging the kit is not an option.

I believe we leftys are forced to be more creative because we HAVE to approach things differenty, and sometimes it really helps us stand out from the pack. So I think that either way you play it, being lefty will help define your own sound.

I'm just trying to give you a slightly different perspective to help you make your own informed decision.

Best of Luck, Rez

[Aaron Cheney]

I totally agree w/ RezN8.

I would also add that if you switch lefty you are commiting to a lifetime of:

smaller selection
higher prices

Trust me...

No seriously.... trust me.

A

[bonzxylophone]

I'm a lefty and personally I think I like playing guitar "right handed" because my left hand is the most detailed of the both. I draw with my left hand and anything intricate or needs precision I'll use my left, well except for the trackball on my computer (right). So therefore I enjoy using my more precise hand for the most precise part of msot guitar playing which of course occurs on the fretboard.

[andydeedpoll]

i have to admit, thats the one thing thats confused me - Why does it feel more comfortable? when obviously your left hand would be doing the 'less important' job of plucking the strings? the only reason i can think of is that its better to have your 'clumsier' hand only having to find frets, and having your stronger and more accurate hand having to negotiate the smaller/less-room-for-mistakes job of plucking the strings ...

hhmm...

anyway, thanks for the thoughts. i think i might go and buy a dirt-cheap left handed electric. if i like it, i like it, but if i don't, then i Know i dont like it

thanks!

Andy

[dirtythermos]

I'm right handed, and I keep rhythm with the right side of my body. That goes for drums/percussion and guitar. It just feels natural, even though the more precise fingering is done by my off hand.

I can keep rhythm with my left hand, but it takes a lot more effort and concentration.

[andyhix]

I'm in the same boat as the other Andy here. Learned Righty (all that was available at the time, but I'm a natural lefty at most everything else). I too (10+ years later) still have this doubt deep in my mind if I coulda progressed faster playing the Left way. I feel like I really have a hard time with fast strumming rythms. Even strumming in the air here at the computer, my left hand feels looser and than my right.

But, the reality is it's far too late to go back now. 2 years ago or so, I had restrung my clunker backup guitar as a lefty. It was so frustrating. Remember that first month or two of playing guitar? How much you just want to forget about it and give up? Well, imagine coupling that feeling with the knowledge that all you have to do is set the guitar down and pick up the other one and you can all of a sudden play just fine. The idea of spending weeks struggling through 'bad moon rising' again was just too offputting.

All that being said, I've long had this dream of learning at least a little bit lefty, and building a custom double neck axe, escept instead of an over-under, it would have a neck that sticks out on each side. If any of you steal my idea on this, you'd better build me one too.

[RezN8]

Originally Posted by andydeedpoll

... when obviously your left hand would be doing the 'less important' job of plucking the strings? the only reason i can think of is that its better to have your 'clumsier' hand only having to find frets, and having your stronger and more accurate hand having to negotiate the smaller/less-room-for-mistakes job of plucking the strings ...

Andy

Many guitarists think that way and I really have to disagree - the strumming hand is actually much more important IMHO. In most situations, you're merely fretting a chord, while the strumming hand is doing all the work.

[RezN8]

Originally Posted by andyhix

I've long had this dream of learning at least a little bit lefty, and building a custom double neck axe, escept instead of an over-under, it would have a neck that sticks out on each side. If any of you steal my idea on this, you'd better build me one too.

Sorry dude, it's already been done. I remember seeing some guitar "god" in the 80s with one -- I forget who it was.

[andyhix]

Originally Posted by RezN8

Sorry dude, it's already been done. I remember seeing some guitar "god" in the 80s with one -- I forget who it was.

Damn it! Well the fact that you forgot is good. Maybe I will be the first one that people will remember. All though I'm far from a "guitar god" More like a "guitar altar boy"

[gasal69]

I know one guitar player who is "Left" and plays on right handed guitar without swapping the strings. He just turns guitar and plays.
Low E becomes the first string. I know that some famous players do the same
but right now I can't remember who. ?????
Help me to remember it guys. I am 36 and if I continue like this I’ll become 100% senile when I'm 46.
Where was I. ?????????????
What the ....?! sorry! I do not remember...
UHHHHHHHHHh my coffeeeeeeee! my house is burning! bye bye!

[RezN8]

Originally Posted by andyhix

All though I'm far from a "guitar god" More like a "guitar altar boy"

Well if you're the "altar boy" than we need to keep you away from Judas Priests.

ooh, sorry 'bout that. Lousy sense of humor.

[RezN8]

Originally Posted by gasal69

I know one guitar player who is "Left" and plays on right handed guitar without swapping the strings. He just turns guitar and plays.
Low E becomes the first string. I know that some famous players do the same
but right now I can't remember who. ?????
Help me to remember it guys. I am 36 and if I continue like this I’ll become 100% senile when I'm 46.
Where was I. ?????????????
What the ....?! sorry! I do not remember...
UHHHHHHHHHh my coffeeeeeeee! my house is burning! bye bye!

Dick Dale!!! now go put out that fire before someone gets burned!

[boingoman]

Originally Posted by gasal69

I know one guitar player who is "Left" and plays on right handed guitar without swapping the strings. He just turns guitar and plays.
Low E becomes the first string. I know that some famous players do the same
but right now I can't remember who. ?????
Help me to remember it guys. I am 36 and if I continue like this I’ll become 100% senile when I'm 46.
Where was I. ?????????????
What the ....?! sorry! I do not remember...
UHHHHHHHHHh my coffeeeeeeee! my house is burning! bye bye!

Albert King, for one.

I saw him about 20 years ago. It was outside, and lightly sprinkling. He was smoking a pipe onstage, and held it in his mouth upside down to keep it dry.

Pretty bizarre, upside down guitar, upside down pipe.

[boingoman]

Originally Posted by RezN8

Many guitarists think that way and I really have to disagree - the strumming hand is actually much more important IMHO. In most situations, you're merely fretting a chord, while the strumming hand is doing all the work.

Depends on the style. There is much fingerpicking and classical where the fretting hand is at least as tricky as the picking hand. You will have a repeated picking pattern, your picking hand goes on autopilot, and your fretting hand has to do all the thinking.

[RezN8]

Boingoman, yup- I totally agree it depends on the style. But I sat here thinking about it for a while and I really feel a need to drive the point home.

SO many players I know overlook the strumming or picking hand, and their playing suffers for it. That's where a good portion of your tone comes from as well as where you lock down the tempo.

Also, many lead guitarist spend so much time working on solos and speed along the frets and completely neglect their rhythm abilities.

[SteveK]

Originally Posted by RezN8

Sorry dude, it's already been done. I remember seeing some guitar "god" in the 80s with one -- I forget who it was.

Michael Angelo was the guy. Steve Vai also had a triple neck with one neck to the other side.

I'm a lefty playing righty, and TO ME it feels natural, and as RezN8 said, it's much easier to pick up and play another person's guitar, or just try one out in the store. The only other thing I do righty is throw a Frisbee. Baseball, football, tennis, golf = lefty....go figure

[Rokket]

I'm a lefty who has always played left-handed. I tried to do it right handed because the only guitars around for me to play were my dad's, and he's a righty. I just never felt comfortable doing it right.

Yeah, the selection is narrower, and lefty guitars cost more, but for me, it's worth it. If you are doing well playing right handed, do it. One of my friends was a lefty who played right handed. He's pretty damn good, too. You can flip the strings around on an acoustic and try it out (if you like it better, then switch the nut and the bridge).

[donkeystyle]

Originally Posted by Aaron Cheney

I totally agree w/ RezN8.

I would also add that if you switch lefty you are commiting to a lifetime of:

smaller selection
higher prices

Trust me...

No seriously.... trust me.

A

i was going to point the selection/higher prices thing out, but i'm normally pretty negative on this site, so i decided to try to be positive and not worry about that.

it is a valid point though.