Calling all southpaws; who plays "backwards"?

kovachian · #1 02-09-2006, 01:17 AM

I hope I posted this in the right forum. Anyhoo, I was just curious if there's any southpaws here who play righty, obviously I'm one of them. I played righty guitar for 17 years before I took up bass, as playing lefty just doesn't feel comfortable to me now. When I first started learning I wanted to get a left-handed guitar but my parents wouldn't buy me one b/c there weren't any left handed examples available where I grew up. Sometimes I wonder what my playing/style would be like if I had gone lefty.

Anyone have any thoughts of living in a righty-dominated world?

Stingraymund · #2 02-09-2006, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovachian

I hope I posted this in the right forum. Anyhoo, I was just curious if there's any southpaws here who play righty, obviously I'm one of them. I played righty guitar for 17 years before I took up bass, as playing lefty just doesn't feel comfortable to me now. When I first started learning I wanted to get a left-handed guitar but my parents wouldn't buy me one b/c there weren't any left handed examples available where I grew up. Sometimes I wonder what my playing/style would be like if I had gone lefty.

Anyone have any thoughts of living in a righty-dominated world?

I write with my left hand but play bass and guitar "right-handed."
Dunno, always felt logical to me since the left hand is doing the more complex work (fretting) than the right (which is just plucking or slapping for bass or strumming for guitar).

Dan Molina · #3 02-09-2006, 05:18 AM

I'm a lefty but I play right handed basses, I just don't see why left handed guitars exist. Ii makes no difference whether you start playing right handed or left handed since it feels strange both ways.

JMX · #4 02-09-2006, 05:27 AM

I'm a lefty, and I already learned to play classical violin right-handedly, so I had no problems with the transition to bass.

bassbully43 · #5 02-09-2006, 09:00 AM

lefty who always played righty...in my days their were no lefty basses so you played right or not at all.

bassguitar · #6 02-09-2006, 09:04 AM

I'm a righty who plays righty.

However I shoot left in hockey, and right in golf. My dad's the same way, and I learned as a youngster with his clubs.

My mom was originally left handed as a kid and young adult, but when she went to teachers college way back when, they forced her to be right handed!

superbassman2000 · #7 02-09-2006, 09:26 AM

i'm a lefty who plays righty, and I also gold righty because i can't afford lefty clubs!

NJL · #8 02-09-2006, 09:31 AM

I play lefty and am a lefty. If it was my choice, I'd be a lefty playing righty....

canopener · #9 02-09-2006, 09:58 AM

Another lefty-lefty. Although, if I played guitar, I'd play lefty-righty.

kobass · #10 02-09-2006, 10:33 AM

I'm a lefty who plays right. I do some things with my right hand (swing a baseball bat or golf club). I started playing in 1973, so left handed basses weren't that common. I don't think my style would be any different if I had started out playing lefty, but I do wonder if I would have developed quicker had I started off playing lefty. Anyway, I'm glad I'm in my right mind...

I-Love-Ratm · #11 02-09-2006, 11:38 AM

I'm lefty for writing.But nearly everything else righty-bass,football,snooker etc.Weird eh?

NJL · #12 02-09-2006, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I-Love-Ratm

I'm lefty for writing.But nearly everything else righty-bass,football,snooker etc.Weird eh?

No, not really...

I write lefty, play bass lefty and dribble a basketball lefty...

I shoot guns, stand in fighting stance, pick my nose, kick, play golf, shoot a basketball, throw a football and scratch my nuts with my right hand.

deathbloomslife · #13 02-09-2006, 11:55 AM

If this were the middle ages, all you leftys would be considered evil and be shunned in socioety... But it's not, so more power to ya!

I think the theory on "fretting with the hand you write with" may have some merrit behind it. I'm going to play the first left handed bass I find, and see how it feels. Honestly, it makes more sense for standard finger playing.

-ryan-

Dan Molina · #14 02-09-2006, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJL

I play lefty and am a lefty. If it was my choice, I'd be a lefty playing righty....

It was your choice when you first started playing.

d8g3jdh · #15 02-09-2006, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannyboy15

It was your choice when you first started playing.

not neccessarily, perhaps he got given a lefty bass as a gift or something.

No one mention Hendrix!

Minger · #16 02-09-2006, 04:14 PM

I'm a righty...lefty never came as a though because I played viola before pickin up teh bass.

dls59 · #17 02-09-2006, 04:19 PM

I'm also a lefty who plays righty.

Peter Squire · #18 02-09-2006, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJL

I play lefty and am a lefty. If it was my choice, I'd be a lefty playing righty....

+1,000,000

And no, it wasn't a choice to play lefty - its what my first teacher recommended (go figure!)

Jason Carota · #19 02-09-2006, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingraymund

always felt logical to me since the left hand is doing the more complex work

That has always been my thought on the subject.

Mojo-Man · #20 02-09-2006, 04:27 PM

I'am left handed.
Started playing bass upside down.
After one year changed to playing right handed.
It was very hard to change at first.
I agree with what was said.
If your starting out playing, It makes no difference if your right or left handed.
It only matter what bass you start on.
If you start on a left handed bass, then you learn on a left handed bass.
So realy, there is no need for a left handed bass.
Since you use both hands to play bass, what difference does it make what hand, plucks, and what hand is on fingerboard?