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Post by fatfingerjohn on Jan 16, 2015 16:01:33 GMT
Hi,
I'm sure this has been covered before but I'll ask anyway. I have a request from someone to join my guitar class (group teaching) who is an absolute beginner, hasn't got a guitar, is, like all of us, in the age 55+ category, and is a left hander. She is asking whether she should start with a leftie guitar or will she be OK with a right hander. I've asked a few people this before and had mixed guidance. What do you think out there, particularly you lefties?
John
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Jan 16, 2015 16:08:09 GMT
Would she want a leftie piano....?
Seriously though, most people are a mixture of rightie and leftie depending on the task, so try a rightie guitar - so much simpler to obtain, more choice etc - see how she gets on - if it doesn't work, then start thinking about possible playing leftie.
Keith (rightie, mostly)
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Post by earwighoney on Jan 16, 2015 16:38:24 GMT
I'd say a cheap classical guitar could be a good option, eg a Yamaha C40.
Classical guitars for the best part of the time have symmetric bracing and all that would to change the guitar to left handed would be to restring it.
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007
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Post by 007 on Jan 16, 2015 17:32:31 GMT
Thought we had agreed not to have political threads on the forum
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Post by Banadog on Jan 16, 2015 19:20:09 GMT
I think the reason you get mixed opinions is because I am sure there are degrees of left handedness. There are a lot of lefthanders who learn to play right handed, I myself found it impossible, and just downright unnatural. Give the lady a guitar, and look at which way she naturally holds it
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Post by creamburmese on Jan 16, 2015 20:04:52 GMT
You'd have to cut the nut slots bigger too if you were switching the strings around on a classical - not a big job but not a DIY job for a beginner.
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Post by slasher on Jan 19, 2015 14:07:21 GMT
I have a friend who is a super guitarist and is naturally left-handed. He plays right handed. His theory being "You have different and difficult things to do with each hand, so I thought I might as well learn right-handed". Attended a folk session on 16/01/15 and a new attendee played a standard 12-string but upside down left handed. Looked wierd, sounded fine.
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Jan 19, 2015 14:14:42 GMT
I seem to recall that Akquarius is a leftie who plays right-handed ... and he's chuffing good, if you ask me!
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Akquarius
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Post by Akquarius on Jan 20, 2015 21:25:29 GMT
I seem to recall that Akquarius is a leftie who plays right-handed ... and he's chuffing good, if you ask me! Thanks a lot for this, Leo John, I'm a leftie, but have been playing guitars for right-handers from the start. The only thing that is a bit disturbing sometimes is whenever I try to do some fast flatpicking. My right wrist is a bit too slow for this and I'm too lazy to practice gaining some speed. I don't think that guitars for lefties are really needed, because playing guitar is mainly finger work, not "hand-work". I have never seen a piano for lefties... In addition to this, there are some extraordinarily good guitar artists who are left handed, but play "standard" guitars. Like, for example, Tony McManus.
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Post by fatfingerjohn on Jan 21, 2015 10:19:23 GMT
Thanks for your input chaps and chapesses, very useful.
I'm not sure how serious she is about being able to stick with it so she will just have to try and see; best bet would be for her to be able to borrow a rightie to start with and then try a couple of lefties in a shop.
Would never have guessed that Berndt was a leftie playing right so just goes to show that it works if you've got talent. Maybe if I go lefthanded I'll be able to play like you Berndt!
John
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Post by andyhowell on Jan 27, 2015 16:28:45 GMT
I've alway been interested in this. I often look at one I'm playing and realise the left hand is doing far more intricate work than the right. Isn't Tony McManus a leftie who plays right handed?
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Akquarius
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Post by Akquarius on Jan 29, 2015 18:50:43 GMT
Like, for example, Tony McManus. yep!
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Post by lefthook on Jan 28, 2016 19:34:14 GMT
I believe, (as a leftie that was taught to box right handed,) that if you start young enough it is much easier, but the older you get the more left handed you get. I just could not play right handed and I tried...a lot!!
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Post by fretter on Jan 29, 2016 22:55:59 GMT
I am left handed and left footed, but play guitar, cricket and golf right handed. From the outset it was more natural to hold a guitar right handed, and so I always have.
From the teaching point of view, it can be easier for a left handed student to see what a right handed teacher is doing if they are sitting opposite the teacher, as it is a mirror image.
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