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Guitar, right handed vs left handed, important?

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  • 06-09-2020 5:19pm
    #1
    Aidan Harney
    Registered Users Posts: 145 ✭✭


    Hi all,
    I've a10yr old son with a guitar that 'santa' brought a while back but remains untouched.
    The school are offering lessons which he will do.
    He is left handed for most things.
    Guitar is strung right handed.

    I can play a bit right handed but I'm ambidextrous.

    Question - should I string the guitar for him, left handed. Or will I leave him off to learn right handed.
    He's staring from zero, so I suspect he's a capable to learn as is, and the class he joins might be as easy go in right handed, I suspect most learners will be right handed anyhow.

    Opinions welcome.
    I don't mind ré stringing the guitar at all, (I'd challenge myself to learn left handed if I did). Just asking, in people's opinion, if it's needed, or will he be as easy learning right handed.
    Grma.


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    #2
    Gaspode
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional Midlands Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators, Regional North Mods, Regional West Moderators, Regional South East Moderators, Regional North East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators, Regional South Moderators Posts: 8,007 CMod ✭✭✭✭Gaspode


    I am lefthanded and just could never manage righthanded even from the very start, it just wasnt natural for me.
    If he can manage it right handed then go for it, try it anyway before they get any habits it might work.
    If it does work him great, he has far more options in terms of buying guitars etc.
    That said the range of lefties available now if far better than it used to be.

    Restringing a right handed guitar to lefthanded rarely works btw.


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,381 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Get him to do some air guitar without telling him why or hinting at what hands to use.

    The dominant hand is important for strumming and finger picking. People think the fretboard is more complicated but that is learnt movements compared to the very active and constant use of the other one. Like dynamics in piano being key to sounding good.

    Some people manage fine, some don't. There's a lot of debate on this online and it really comes down to each person.


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    #4
    Chauncey Gardner
    Registered Users Posts: 916 ✭✭✭Chauncey Gardner


    I'm a left hander, who plays right hand guitars with the strings the wrong way round, and as far as that can produce some opportunities, its more restrictive in the balance of things and not recommended for lots of reasons.

    I'm presuming the guitar Santa bought isn't too expensive?

    If he is dominant left hand, I'd restring it (reverse the strings) so that the strings are as they should be, not upside down. But you'll probably have to change the top nut for him (so as the thick E sting, has a nut groove that's big enough etc).

    A plastic nut costs a few euro and I'm sure you can remove and replace it yourself. And if you upgrade the guitar and sell it on, just put the old top nut back on.

    If he's just learning the guitar chord shapes and strumming, it wont be too much of an issue for now.


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    #5
    Granadino
    Registered Users Posts: 729 ✭✭✭Granadino


    There are a few examples of lefty players who play right handed guitars strung for right handers.
    Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals plays a right handed guitar flipped over, strings unchanged.
    Jimi Goodwin of Doves plays a right handed bass flipped over, so the low E string is where the G string would be usually on a right handed bass, strings are "upside down".
    I don't know why, maybe it's how they learned and they got comfortable that way.
    I'm right handed, but learned how to swing a golf club left handed as that was what was lying around when I was young. I can't swing a club right handed.
    I can swing a hurley both sides.
    Hard to know whether to restring the guitar or see how he goes...


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