leftyhook Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 [quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1361745839' post='1990322'] At the risk of enraging the lefty community, I have to admit that I've never understood why left handed guitars/basses exist. You don't get left handed pianos, clarinets, flutes, violins, cellos, etc so why do you get left handed guitars? When you start learning, both hands need to learn a new skill, and I've never understood why it matters which way round you do it. If cellists and violinists can manage, so can guitarists/bassists, surely? NB: For the pedants, yes left handed orchestral instruments exist, but they are so rare as to not count [/quote] !!!! Ah man! really? Orchestral stringed instruments pretty much symmetrical........Fender basses for instance aren't.... knobs etc etc ... oh and if you learned violin there's a 90% chance you were encouraged to do so buy a teacher or parent who hired a teacher. Instinctively we pick up an instrument the way we pick up a pen... it feels natural to us. And, if like myself, no one around you tells you otherwise ( I was 13 years old and my parents didn't have a musical clue) you just go for it. It wasn't for another 2 years that my music teacher took the guitar from my hand - was 15 before I got to pick up a guitar in my wondeful school! - and told me I couldn't play it like that. Literally, no " oh I will fix you up with a tutor" just took it off me! I know several people who are left handed but learned right handed. I was in musical wilderness for 2 years learning the 'wrong way' ( tell that to lee Pomeroy or Jimmy Haslip) because I had no guidance. PLUS! I couldn't afford a bass so had to borrow a mates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 [quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1361728298' post='1989971'] Quite apart from actually finding a lefty bass easier to play than a righty - cos I'm a lefty, duh [/quote] However, that doesn't actually go for all lefties - at least not for me. I've never found my way around left-handed guitars and basses. Right-handed ones feel natural to me. Dunno why though. For all I know, my very first experience with a right-handed one may have set the tone, so to speak. best, bert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 (edited) I'm left handed but I don't think there's any way I could pick up a left handed instrument now and feel anything but uncomfortable. I like the control I get from having my 'writing hand' as the one doing the busy stuff on the frets. My right hand technique will always be compromised I guess but it's a price I'm willing to pay since I'm mostly playing simple rock based stuff. Edited February 25, 2013 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DorsetBlue Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 [quote name='KevB' timestamp='1361789200' post='1990699'] I'm left handed but I don't think there's any way I could pick up a left handed instrument now and feel anything but uncomfortable. I like the control I get from having my 'writing hand' as the one doing the busy stuff on the frets. My right hand technique will always be compromised I guess but it's a price I'm willing to pay since I'm mostly playing simple rock based stuff. [/quote] Funnily enough I am the same but the opposite way around. I am Right Handed but I am only comfortable playing Left Handed. Not the best choice for guitar availability maybe but it is the only way that works for me. I tried to learn guitar as a teenager (Right Handed) and just could not get the hang of it. However, the issue 'might' be that I am (well was) a pretty good Brass player (Cornet, Flugal/Tenor Horn), so was used to operating the valves with my right hand. When I tried again a couple of years ago (my girls started to learn Guitar at school, so I thought I would try again so I could practice with them) and I instinctively picked up a left handed guitar in the local music shop. Fretting with my right seems to work in my head like operating the valves with the right. Admittedly my pick skills are still a little wanting but now that I mainly play bass, fingerstyle works pretty well for me. I am not ambidextrous by any stretch (although I seem to be left handed for archery as well ), I cannot play Cricket or Golf left handed. Its a real pain for choice, although as someone has mentioned - it does save you from rash purchases. I am looking at getting a Schecter as my next bass, as they seem to be one of the best manufacturers for left handed guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 (edited) This thread, especially the latest posts, reminded me of an article I read about leftie/rightie kayaking paddles, and I'd guess the same goes for stringed instruments: Most people can easily adapt to using either right- or left-handed paddles no matter their own leftiness of rightiness. However, som two percent of the population were said to need a certain paddle, and the choice of paddle was not statistically related to their being a leftie or righty. As said, I think something similar goes for stringed instruments. Me, I can hardly turn a key with my right hand, and [i]must[/i] throw balls with my left hand, but I also [i]must[/i] shoot with right-handed guns, and play right-handed basses. best, bert Edited March 2, 2013 by BassTractor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 [quote name='DorsetBlue' timestamp='1362051343' post='1994943'] Funnily enough I am the same but the opposite way around. I am Right Handed but I am only comfortable playing Left Handed. Not the best choice for guitar availability maybe but it is the only way that works for me. I tried to learn guitar as a teenager (Right Handed) and just could not get the hang of it. However, the issue 'might' be that I am (well was) a pretty good Brass player (Cornet, Flugal/Tenor Horn), so was used to operating the valves with my right hand. When I tried again a couple of years ago (my girls started to learn Guitar at school, so I thought I would try again so I could practice with them) and I instinctively picked up a left handed guitar in the local music shop. Fretting with my right seems to work in my head like operating the valves with the right. Admittedly my pick skills are still a little wanting but now that I mainly play bass, fingerstyle works pretty well for me. I am not ambidextrous by any stretch (although I seem to be left handed for archery as well ), I cannot play Cricket or Golf left handed. Its a real pain for choice, although as someone has mentioned - it does save you from rash purchases. I am looking at getting a Schecter as my next bass, as they seem to be one of the best manufacturers for left handed guitars. [/quote] Same here,I'm not left handed,I just cannot physically hold,let alone play,a right handed instrument. I believe Jimi Hendrix had the same problem.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 There's loads of us lefties playing righties - the late Gary Moore as well as Mark King, I believe, are/were both left handed. Someone hit the nail on the head above -you generally do what feels right unless someone tells you otherwise. For me it was Mike Reid of Saturday Superstore fame ( not the"Pat" MIke Reed ) - I would be playing air badminton raquet, pretending it was a guitar, left handed style and suddenly I see this guy play guitar on the telly and I am now aware that I'm playing it the "wrong" way round so switch to right handed and its been that way since 1987 Oh aye - I've seen Brad Whitford from Aerosmith play a lefty strat right handed, although its probably some custom made thingy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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