Lefty or righty? (advice needed)

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:09 am

So, to sum up: no matter right or left if it's right?

iamthebassman · Post by **iamthebassman** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:33 am

I'm as left-handed as you can get, the University of Texas even did a study on me! I play lefty but strung righty, (big)E string on the bottom. I learned on a (borrowed)right-handed bass, played upside-down. I can try out any bass in the shop, then order a lefty if I find one I like. Just have to swap the nut and reintonate. I have plenty of righties with symmetrical bodies too.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:35 am

I'm right-handed...but I smoke 'left-handed cigarettes'...

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 7:41 am

Left-handed cigarettes? What's that? Is it what i think about or just a cigarette held with left hand?

kcole4001 · Post by **kcole4001** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:12 am

Medicinal purposes only, of course

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:28 am

Dane "rolls his own".

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:59 am

...and causes a turn in the thread...

firstbassman · Post by **firstbassman** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:02 am

Sheena,

I am another of those left-handed people who play right handed. I never knew there were so many of us.
Basically everything done with one hand, I use my left (write, throw, play tennis etc.). Almost everything done with two hands, I do right-handed: play guitar, play golf, swing a baseball bat, etc.
But who’s to say that’s being “right-handed?” In the golf swing, the left arm does the “steering.” So, isn’t that playing “left handed?”
Well, anyway, back to you. I wouldn’t make my decision based on availability of instruments. Playing guitar is hard enough without trying to do it with the wrong hand.

Speaking of availability of instruments. The last time I was in a large local music store, the salesman was waiting on two Russian-speaking gentlemen (one was acting as a translator). I’m afraid my wife is the linguist of the family but they did buy the Strat they were looking at. The salesman later told me that he often sells to people visiting from places where it may be hard to get a hold of a lot of instruments

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:03 am

"...and causes a turn in the thread..."

...which might be referred to as a 'Zig-Zag'...

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:14 am

Yes i get your point, Mark, and i'll try to find a lefty... or maybe it'd be possible to "convert" our classical guitar into the lefty, not sure i can do it with Telecoustic (and not sure i want to, in fact...)
Dane, you might know this guy... methinks...
http://zhaba.ru/flash-humour.php?page=72

leftyguitars · Post by **leftyguitars** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:56 am

Sheena, I am 100% left handed, I play left handed and I source left handed guitars and basses for players who can't find them for themselves for various reasons. But I always tell left handed people (who have never picked up a guitar before) to try to learn right handed first, if they can't get away with it then learn left handed. Life is much easier (and cheaper and safer) if you can do things right handed!

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:06 am

Peter, and it's even easier if you can do things both handed!

For a long time, i wanted to try to play left handed, just wondered if i could play more sophisticated chords, not basic chords only (my left hand still doesn't work very well so it sort of "limits" my playing abilities), and if i manage to "convert" one of mine... and find some "spare time"... wonder if it works or not... in any case, Mousie is young enough to learn both!

delberthot · Post by **delberthot** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:28 am

Until I read this thread, the only people I knew that were left handed and played right handed were myself and Gary Moore.

I am lucky to be able to do a lot of things with either hand. (c'mon keep it clean)

I suppose the ultimate would be Michael Angelo Batio who plays both ways, often at the same time.

I actually began 'playing' left handed with my brother's badminton racket in front of the TV when I was about 10 then saw someone on a kids TV show playing right handed so changed hands and that was that.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:02 am

Another lefty who plays right-handed: Steve Morse of The Dixie Dregs...what an amazing monster...

shinynewtoy · Post by **shinynewtoy** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:08 am

Yet another... my wife!