leftys who play right

[Funkenstein]

I'm a lefty that plays right, only because when I was a little 'un, my dad told me I held his guitar the "wrong way up!"

Playing left handed feels totally alien to me nowadays.

Joe

 

[CH Design]

I'm left handed and play right. I've never picked up a lefty to see if it feels any more "natural". I have toyed with the idea of stringing a right handed bass lefty. It has nothing to do with left of right handed playing mind you. I just think it would make the "bass" notes a little easier to reach.

 

[PsyDocHill]

I'm a lefty that plays right, only because when I was a little 'un, my dad told me I held his guitar the "wrong way up!"

Playing left handed feels totally alien to me nowadays.

Joe

I'm 100% lefty but I started off (and stayed) with the righty thang b/c the classical guitar teacher who taught me for a few months when I was a very small boy told me that I'd adjust quickly to playing "that" way, and would have a much easier time finding guitars. She never admitted that she was probably most motivated by being clueless as to teaching a person to play lefty-guitar but I more than forgive her: I thank her.

She was right! Especially back in those days, finding a lefty-anything was near-impossible and if one was so lucky, it was either made by some wretched firm or "boutique" Co. Either way, it was always substantially overpriced. Even now, people who play lefty have far less axes to choose from and so on. I feel for y'all, my sinister brothers and sisters.

Not only that bass-availability issue mattered: My technique as a bassist (I took that up after chucking classical guitar--yeah, I smashed it) is a direct reflection of my dominant hand doing the fretting. My hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and whatchamacallits sound very different than those of righties. Not better...different.

My right hand took lots of work because I'm a finger-picker-only (pluck, slap, snap, punch, beat and tap) and I kept missing the strings and, in general, had not the strength in that hand that one has in his/her dominant one. Oh well...t'was well worth it all in all. For over ten years now I'm able to finger-style with authority, and, again, the sound of that is, ummm, different, but I like it. Until I write or engage in other dominant-hand (or leg) activities, nobody in any new band and such can tell I'm a lefty. But being a lefty playing righty has helped me develop my trademark-sound. That reads like an ad.

So all in all, my sound is distinct and recognisable as mine largely thanks to my childhood guitar teacher. So thank you, Ma'am X. I hope you're doing well and I pray that most of your students do not leave and start playing the devil's music. You're a very conservative woman and, besides, these are tough financial times.

Left is Right!

 

[jgamble]

I'm a righty with everything except for shooting, playing bass and I can eat either way. Playing bass lefty just seemed the "natural" way to do it, just like how shooting a rifle seemed natural lefty. That makes sense because my left eye is dominant, but the bass part makes no sense... Too late now.

On a related topic, sort of, I'm pondering a new bass and I'm wondering if there is some sort of list of manufacturers and what they offer in lefty somewhere on here.

 

[PsyDocHill]

I'm a righty with everything except for shooting, playing bass and I can eat either way....just like how shooting a rifle seemed natural lefty. That makes sense because my left eye is dominant..

You're on to something alright: Our dominant eye tends to be contralateral (on the other side) of our dominant hand. I'm a lefty except in shooting, because my right eye is dominant. That makes shooting, especially with both eyes open a righty thang for me. However, for squinty sharpshooting back in ye olde Army days, I'd often do it lefty...often, but not always.

Guns and Basses!