Why do lefty's find it so appealing.....

[not_jason]

The guitar player from one of my favorite powerpop bands, that dog., learned to play on a left handed guitar that was flipped and played right handed, so for years she played right handed with her guitars strung upsidedown. As often as she played downstrokes, her tone was bizarre. I know a lefthanded acoustic guitarist who flips right handed guitars, tuning and all, and it's crazy to watch him play. His approach to chording is generally completely different because of it. Okay, enough guitar specific talk, but I don't know any lefty bassists.

For me, it makes sense to use the dominant hand for picking. It's a stronger hand, and I think picking is the job that requires that. Fretting requires precision, but not as much strength (for me at least), so I don't question leftys for playing lefty.

 

[Lalabadie]

Our newspaper recently had an article on some group whose popularity was growing fast. Front page of the journal, I saw a photograph with the bassist holding a righty bass upside down (strap on the bottom horn) with the E string down.

It's actually not the fact that he plays with reverse strings, but rather the fact that he's playing with the constant menace of recieving a few pounds worth of a slap right into the crotch. THIS bothers me.

But I believe you can get used to everything.

 

[Human Bass]

Its not

but lefty basses are really hard to come by and some people figure that's the closest they're going to get short of buying a real lefty

then I guess they just get used to it.


Personally I play lefty (strung properly) but I am forced to play basses upside down sometimes, when borrowing a bass, joining a jam, trying out basses in a store etc

Plus 1.

 

[Graham Monette]

Its not

but lefty basses are really hard to come by and some people figure that's the closest they're going to get short of buying a real lefty

yeah, I think the the saying in my sig says it best

 

[maxiegrant]

in my experience, they've been the same cost or slightly more expensive by a couple hundred dollars for a lefty depending on the manufacturer.

Also, I feel like I am in a very small minority here. I am left handed, but feel uncomfortable playing left-handed. I actually learned to play right handed and have been playing right handed for 13 years now. Are there any other lefties that play right handed here?

I've played right-handed my entire 25 years of guitar playing experience. I realized very quickly that there was no way on my budget I would be able to easily find and afford left-handed guitars. So I simply turned it the same way as any other player would, and immediately took advantage of my superior left-hand strength and coordination. The guitarist in my "project" band is also a leftie who plays right-handed and is similarly very strong on left hand technique.

Also, if you're going to play an instrument like the string bass or cello I think it just makes sense to do it that way as the entire instrument and even setting of an orchestra assumes everyone is facing the same way. The only problem I ever had was mastering right-hand techniques but I can say with confidence that I've got some fairly impressive right-hand skills for someone who's a leftie.

 

[collicsws6z28]

I played right handed basses upside down for about 7 years now. I grew up playing my dads tokai hard puncher P bass that sat in the case for most of my childhood. When I was about 13 years old I got it out and played it upside down every since. I recently went into a GC and picked up a left bass and tryed playing it...(might as well been trying to play with boxing gloves on)...To the original poster...why does this annoy you? Its all music isn't it? The thought of buying a lefty bass and converting it to an upside down righty has crossed my mind numerous times...what would need to be done to make this work?...switch of the nut and bridge?

 

[EADG mx]

I played right handed basses upside down for about 7 years now. I grew up playing my dads tokai hard puncher P bass that sat in the case for most of my childhood. When I was about 13 years old I got it out and played it upside down every since. I recently went into a GC and picked up a left bass and tryed playing it...(might as well been trying to play with boxing gloves on)...To the original poster...why does this annoy you? Its all music isn't it? The thought of buying a lefty bass and converting it to an upside down righty has crossed my mind numerous times...what would need to be done to make this work?...switch of the nut and bridge?

I've switched some right-handed guitars to lefty (no electrics though) and I just had to file the nut

I don't see why you'd have to switch the bridge but I've never done it. Jeff is the one to ask

 

[Akami]

Did Jimi play his strings upside down?

Additional note on Hendrix.

He started out really poor and often played whatever was available, and anytime he could play, he did.

As a result he was completely capable of playing right-handed strung guitars, both left and right-handed, but did his best with left-handed stringing playing left-handed.