You forgot the option that some of us take which is to play a right-handed guitar in the left-handed position but it is not restrung for left-handedness (early Hendrix).
Great video. I started right handed but it didn’t feel right. Ended up swapping after 6 months of playing when I realized lefty playing is a thing. I’m fully left handed and I do everything with my left. My brother is lefty too, but ended up staying righty guitar because that’s what felt right to him. One thing to consider about guitar availability - lefty guitars being the same price and the overall availability is fine here in the U.S., but it’s not the case for many other countries, especially developing ones.
That's interesting that you and your brother are both lefty but he was more comfortable playing right handed and you left handed. That's a valid point about prices outside of the US. Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment 👍
@ one thing I have an issue with in the U.S. too is the used market is also quite expensive. Been looking at EC-1000s and it’s hard to find prices much lower than retail. Whereas right handed ones you can find for much cheaper.
@@aymanmannan6661 I just took a quick look on Reverb and the used lefties do seem to be higher. That's interesting because usually lefties are harder to sell. I'm not real familiar with the EC-1000 market. Are lefties really hard to come by? Would that be why? I'd definitely try making an offer for closer to the right handed price if you find one you like and see if they take it. I've bought left handed guitars in the past at way below right handed prices because people couldn't sell them.
@@DadRockAndGuitars I’m not sure about the economics of it, would imagine it’s just people following the market price. Was looking at PRS SE 24s and it’s the same deal there. At that point a new guitar is about $100-150 more, so not even sure if it’s worth buying used. Will definitely try that when I’m ready to buy, thanks!
Great video! I am a lefty that plays a lefthanded bass. I tried to play righthanded and it never felt right. I thought about learning to play a RH bass upside down with the strings inverted (like Albert King), I finally just went out and bought a lefthanded bass (a new 2018 Squier 70s VM in 2018, as a 57 year old newbie bass player...) and I have never looked back. BTW, I do everything lefthanded except golf, throw a frisbee, and shoot pool. I like the suggestion to put on one of your favorite songs and play air guitar to it. That, to me, makes the most sense as to what is natural. Sweetwater is my Go To for musical gear, including my first bass, amps, tuners, etc. and I have had good luck with Reverb in finding older LH basses (like my favorite: a 2017 Fender American Professional P bass). I also agree that playing LH instruments, you can avoid G.A.S. (Gear Aquisition Syndrome) easier than a RH player.
That's awesome Jeff! A Fender AmPro P Bass is a very nice bass! I've tried several basses over the years (for playing on my recordings), but I finally landed on the P bass. Mine is a player series, but it's been my favorite so far! The P Bass is simple and just kind of works for almost anything. My only complaint is that it isn't a 5 string. Oh well! 🤣 Thanks for watching and thanks for sharing your experience 👍
Im a lefty and all my life I have dearly loved the Eletric Guitar and have wanted to purchase and learn how to play a Electric Guitar but I don't know how to go about learning the basics for left handed playing.
Hello Cindy! Guitar is definitely worth learning and you should give it try! Learning left handed isn't really any different than learning right handed. @justingguitar has free online videos for beginners that are good at justingguitar.com He's not left handed, but I think you'll find that it's not a problem learning from someone that's right handed. I find it harder to learn from a lefty personally. Plus, there aren't many left handed teachers out there.
Nice video. I've been playing guitar left-handed since 2009. I have to agree with the learning guitar from a righty thing, with the necks being a mirror image. But I've been in situations where there were a few students in a lesson, and the chairs had to be arranged in a certain way so that other people wouldn't be bumping elbows with me or hitting headstocks. Also, my first guitar teacher found it hard to write "left-handed chord diagrams" for me (luckily, I had already learned most of the basic chords from a DVD that came with my guitar.) Also whenever i had a new instructor, I'd have to tell them about the guitar being left-handed or they'd say things like "you're playing it upside down" You're right in mentioning that us lefties aren't tempted by certain guitars because, well, we can't have them as they don't make them in left-handed models. I play drums right-handed as well. 😃
Sounds like we’ve had similar experiences playing lefty. I’ve never had my instructors right chords or scales for left handed. They always just did it right handed. I got so used to it early on that seeing things written out for left looks weird 🤣 Thanks for watching and appreciate your comment 👍
Thank you. I started right handed injured my left hand in a fall. Switched to playing left handed. I am left handed, left eye dominant, kick a football with my left foot. yes it is easier to play left handed. everything you say makes sense.
By the way I'm a female at 61years old but I still have the desire in my Heart and Soul to learn how to play because it's my ultimate dream,and I'm truly passionate in listening to songs composed with Eletric Guitars,and are the left handed Guitars more expensive then right I would really like to know cause I'm seriously wanting to lay one away and begin learning how to play cause it would be a life long dream come true for me and a blessing do to my love for music and the Eletric Guitar.
Generally, left handed guitars are not more expensive than right handed guitars these days. In the rare case they are more expensive, they usually aren't much more. Not sure what you have in mind, but the Fender Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster is a fantastic and dependable guitar that is more on the budget friendly side. It's great for starting with, but will also be a great guitar as you grow in your guitar skills. I had one for 7 years.
Tap out beat with your hand, your first choice, that's should be strumming/picking hand. The rhythm hand is the most important hand-brain hard wiring you have. The fretting hand is going to suck no matter what. If you can't tap out a drum beat with either hand, you're fucked. LOL
Im truly dominate left handed,oddly enough I'm an identical twin and I'm left handed and my twin is right and I just found out 4years ago that we are called mirror twins,and I believe that's why I'm all the way left handed.
Im a lefty player, and love it. But my good friend, Michael Spencer, former bass player for Flotsam and Jetsum, and current bass player for Trauma is a lefty who plays bass right handed. He constantly gives me a hard time for not learning righty!! But i love the look, i love the thrill of sight unseen guitar buying, and custom ordering. My newest guitar is a 2021 lefty Mod shop Stratocaster hardtail HSS, with roasters maple neck, locking tuners and a custom color. Love that thing! Also, i do a lot of trading, which is great fun, because lefties care a lot for their guitars, and many ive met also love trading…. I recently traded a Korean Mustaine Dean Angel of Deth for a Les Paul Tribute with Phat Cat P-90’s. Great trade- we both love our new guitars!
The Mod Shop is a great way to get exactly what you want. I've built a lot of Telecasters on that site, but haven't actually bought one 😅 LP Tributes are cool guitars and the Phat Cats are great pickups! I have a set in one of my guitars (not an LP). BTW your cover songs sound really good! Well done 👍
I think the orientation of having that fat string on the bottom makes the most sense anyway. The chord diagrams, too. If I look at the fret board, it looks exactly as on the diagram. Everything left for me. 👍 This was s interesting. I was trying to find a left hand emoji and almost all of them are the right hand. Not the thumbs up though. How fitting.
Aesthetics are so subjective and transient. You paint your living room a certain color, it's a little too bold and not what you expected, a month later you really like it and glad you went with it. A year later, your friends have painted their living room damn near the same color.
An option with acoustics is to buy a RH dreadnought-type and have a LH bridge/saddle/nut fitted. I'm not a guitar tech/luthier but I looked into this maybe 10 years ago and researched the tech drawings/construction for quite a few different makes of dreadnought and non-dreadnought. IMO a dreadnought should be able to be re-strung without any problem; their bracing is totally non-biased for either hand orientation. Cut-away acoustics are braced for one side only and cannot (or, should not?) be swapped over. At that time I was already mid-50s and a very mediocre player, and after much dithering I stuck with my cheapish Yamaha lefty.
That is certainly an option! I actually did that back in the 90's with a classical style guitar because I couldn't find a lefty. It's smaller than a dreadnaught, but still symmetrical. These days though, it's probably a lot cheaper to find a lefty 🤣 Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment 👍
I actually ran into a used lefty SG and a Jackson in my guitar center the other day. I can see why some complain about not being able to walk into a store and choose from 250 guitars like righties do...but my Gibson acoustic was way easier to get logistically than the 90's Samick I started with. Its never been easier to find a good instrument if you do your homework and don't "need" it in some rare Pokemon color.
@DadRockAndGuitars No problem 😄. As an acoustic main I can't help but to make a paint dig occasionally, as most acoustics come in Xburst, Wood, or Black regardless of handedness.
I'm left handed but I do a lot of things right handed. I recently bought a new left handed guitar and then discovered I actually play better right handed. I get the advantage of being able to form complex chords far easier. My right hand is going to adapt and I don't believe I would even notice any disadvantage. When I did the clap test both of my hands are moving together. There isn't one dominant hand.
@@DadRockAndGuitars there are things I can't even do left handed anymore. Scissors, can openers, and a mouse come to mind. In fact the type of mouse inuse doesn't even come in a lefty.
@@Amenhir1 Oh yeah, using a mouse left handed would be hard. I have an Apple Magic mouse (which is symmetrical in shape), but I still use my right hand. I cut with scissors using my left hand, but only have right handed scissors. Ha ha!
If you just want to strum chords then playing righty if you're left handed is fine. But if you want to progress to guitar solos, fast/intricate licks & riffs and of course, shredding then you'll shorten the learning curve considerably by taking advantage of your natural handedness. Which means if you're a lefty get a left handed guitar.
What about us guys that play upside down and string our electric lefty guitar as a right.lol i play acoustic upside down and have my electric guitars redone as a right hand string guitar.
There are definitely a few of you out there! I have no idea how you play that way though 🤣 Just curious, is there a reason you prefer to play that way? Is just because you learned with a right handed guitar upside down?
i am left handed but started playing guitar right handed because it felt sort of better but i have to say that i am weird, i throw things with right, i play soccer with my right foot and all around my right hand is dominant except for writing for some weird reason
Wow, that's interesting. I guess since you seem to do so much right handed, that would make sense. Lucky for you! I honestly don't mind being left handed, but would hate playing right handed ha ha! Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment 👍
Left-handed here I remember getting guitar lessons trying to get me to play a left-handed guitar picked up right-handed and played everything he had been teaching me on a left-handed so I'm left-handed but can only play right-handed don't understand why just is
There are quite a few left handed people that find playing guitar right handed easier. Lefties are weird like that sometimes 🤣 Thanks for watching and appreciate you sharing your experience 👍
Oh yeah, there are definitely instances where a lefty costs a bit more, but I also see less of it than I used to. What would you/did you get on your ESP Custom Shop?
They don't make a left-handed telecaster in any colour except blond. ....So I bought a sea foam green Sawtooth telecaster and completelty changed everything to Fender parts. Only issue was the guitar was metric and the Fender parts are imperial so there was some work involved. Now I have a Sea Foam Green Frankencaster that has the raw sound of a Telecaster but the super light body of the Sawtooth. I'm happy with it.
Awesome! Yeah, the differences in metric and imperial parts can be a bit problematic sometimes. Glad you were ultimately able to get a Tele in the color you wanted 👍
Generally, yes you'd likely play guitar left handed. However, there are plenty examples of people that write left handed, but play guitar right handed. I'd see if you can find a local guitar store with a left handed guitar and see if that feels more natural than the right handed. The air guitar and clapping tests I mentioned may also help with which way to go. At the end of the day, go with the one that feels more natural 👍
Great video! I have a question: I’m a left-handed guitarist with two guitars - a Gibson SG and a Fender Stratocaster. I’ve noticed that the volume knobs on each work in opposite directions, and it feels like Gibson just used the right-handed potentiometers rather than adapting them for a left-handed guitar. Is that actually the case? Does Gibson offer left-handed potentiometers for replacement?
Great question! This is something I have dealt with for a very long time myself. Long story short, yes Gibson just uses standard pots in left handed guitars. Therefore they turn the opposite way for us. Some companies will use standard pots, but reverse the wiring. This makes them turn the "correct" way for us, but if they are audio pots, then the taper is all messed up. It seems lazy, silly, and cheap to me that they can't just put reverse taper pots in left handed guitars. I actually just fixed this in my Gibson Les Paul Studio. Here's a video of what I did to fix it: th-cam.com/video/fql0ZEaU3n0/w-d-xo.html
I have ZERO problem them making less Lefties. I do have an issue with the bloody colour selection. It's fkn paint. I've seen the factory do it, it's not hard to offer all colours. Fkn black, Sunburst, White and Butterscotch (Except Teles). And 335's ONLY in Cherry. BUT! I'm not poor due to this fact.
I'm a lefty I don't have the rhythm in my right hand that I do in my left for strumming. The left is way stronger and rhytmic so I'm thinking of switching to a left handed guitar altogether
My left hand was also much stronger at rhythm when I started playing. I'd say it's definitely worth trying a left handed guitar if you can to see if it's a better fit. Would be interested to hear how it goes if you decide to try it. Thanks for watching 👍
By that logic, all standard keyboards and pianos are set up for left handers and the keys should be reversed for right-handed players. Rhythm, i.e. low notes should be played with the dominant hand. However, that's not what happens.
@jonathanr72 What are you talking about. Why are you comparing a guitar to a piano two completely different instruments requiring different techniques. I have often played the piano pressing notes with fingers on my left hand. There isn't any problem. I'm a left handed person my dominant hand is my left and it's the strongest. I also play a frame drum with my left I cannot do it as well with the right it is very weak and it requires an up down motion like guitar strumming.
I’m Left handed, but I think the classification isn’t entirely correct. As a guitar and piano player I find I have the same dexterity in the fingers on both hands. The real issue is coordination of the arm and eye. Trying to catch a ball with my right hand is ten times as hard as my left hand, because I have trouble moving my arm to the right place. When it comes to playing the guitar, my right arm is anchored to the neck that allows my right fingers to fret. This allows my more dominant arm to strum or pick in time with accuracy. If I was strumming with my right arm I would have real trouble.
Yeah, being left handed can be complicated 🤣 I catch with my right hand and throw with my left. Do you throw with your right hand since you catching with your left is easier? I'd be in real trouble if I had to strum my right arm too! Ha ha! Checked out your song "The Same Mistake" on your channel. Very cool song 👍
@ Thank you for listening. I kick with my right, but I throw with my left as well. I wonder if that’s because American kids learn to catch with a baseball glove, where we don’t learn Baseball in the UK? We tend to get taught to catch with both hands for stuff like Cricket balls. I guess it’s about repetition learning with anything, but I think anything that makes learning the guitar easier and more natural means you’re less likely to give up. I know it helped me learning lefty.
@@alangreenway6695 That's a really good point about baseball gloves. Playing baseball was a big part of me learning to catch and throw. Probably has a lot to do with it!
Yeah, that's a bit of a tough call. Did you try the air guitar and clapping tests? If so, did you see a pattern between the two? Have you tried any guitars at a guitar shop?
If you’re good enough to be a professional guitarist, handedness no longer matters as you can have what you want made for you. If you are learning and the color of the instrument is the difference between wanting to play or not, then maybe you just wanted a piece of furniture and you weren’t serious about playing itself. As someone who is possessive about my stuff, not having to say no to my careless friends who want to borrow or try out my guitars is reason enough to consider myself privileged to be left handed. Price cuts both ways, I’ve found deals on lefty guitars in pawn shops and mom and pop stores that just sat too long and they wanted gone.
Good point about used guitars. Used lefty guitars can be hard to sell and therefore you can get a deal when buying. On the flip side, I've I had to sell a couple of guitars for less than I wanted because they were left handed and hard to get rid of. Since then, I buy guitars that I plan to keep and I don't have to worry about it 😅 Thanks for watching 👍
@DadRockAndGuitars i got finger fallen and infection in 2019... After 3 month my finger recovered but my finger head has no grip to hold the string... So i sold my Guiter..😔😔😔 Now i want to play lefty... 😑 I will not give up...🗿🗿 Please make an experiment video on right hand players can play left hand or not.... 👈👈👈👈
@@tanvirahammed8062 Oh, sorry to hear that. That would definitely make playing guitar difficult. There is no reason you couldn't learn to play left handed. It's not any different than left handed people forcing themselves to play right handed. I say go for it! If I were in your position, I'd 100% learn to play left handed. There is actually an online guitar teacher (JustinGuitar) that actually did this. He is a right handed player, but did a few lessons of him learning to play left handed to remember what its like to start from the beginning. Might be worth checking out and following along.. th-cam.com/play/PLlwfspJqZ126YlDLOqjqja4iVLxV7m753.html&si=YzTjvawp-p5EsbaP
I’m Left handed but learn’t to play Right Handed. Been playing right handed Guitars and Basses for 30+ years but then other things in my life I’ve adapted to being ambidextrous for some thing and for others I do them right handed - you have to adapt and fit in to a right handed dominated world. I’ve tried left handed guitars just didn’t feel natural.
Yeah, it seems most lefties do some things right handed. And it certainly is a right handed world. I've heard a few lefties say that playing guitar right handed felt more natural (must be nice! 😅), but definitely not the case for me. Thanks for watching and appreciate your comment.👍
Unless you buy sight unseen left handed guitars are still very hard to find. Albeit much easier than in the old days. I wish I had attempted to learn right handed, unfortunately that ship sailed many years ago. And, you forgot Elliot Easton from the cars.
It’s true it’s still pretty hard if you’re not buying sight unseen. I’ve had mostly good luck buying new guitars online/sight unseen. It’s definitely much more common these days. Even for right handed players. Do you buy online or do you stick to playing it in person first? Thanks for adding Elliot Easton to the list 👍
There are many social situations where someone brings along a guitar or maybe there is spare guitar nearby. You may be asked to to pick it up and play and sing - but you’re a lefty. You just have to throw your hands up and say sorry, I can’t play that guitar. I feel for lefties in social situations. Lefties who don’t restring never miss out. Worth a mention in your video next time?
True. I actually had that in there, but ended up taking it out because honestly I can count on one hand the number of times that's happened to me personally. I, and other lefties I know, learned to play right handed guitars upside down well enough to get around with basic chords (open and barre) plus a little lead. Nothing proficient, but enough to jam a bit. If I know there's a chance of that happening, I often just take a guitar with me. And if not, oh well. It's not something that bothers me personally, but I guess it might others. Thanks for watching and appreciate your comment 👍
Kurt Cobain is not really a good example because Kurt Cobain was right-handed but played guitar left-handed by choice. Mononeon is the same thing. He's right-handed, but plays bass left handed strung right-handed. The whole aspect of left handed instruments being harder to find makes sense considering only 5% of the world population is left handed.
When you buy a left handed electric guitar it's been on the wall for two year, 400 people have already test driven it and all the plastic covers are worn off. If you buy a right hand it's brand new in the box.
Yeah, lefty guitars in a store do seem to have been there for a long time and show plenty of use. I have generally gotten mine online from places I trust partly for that reason. Those have been new. Thanks for watching 👍
You neglected several important components. Right handed teachers don’t get the importance of an accurate narrative. They can’t break the habit of saying “right” when they should say “correct”. To be inclusive for both left handed players and right handed players “fretting hand” and “picking hand” should be used. I’m a very left handed person that is 77 years old that has made a fortune understanding the difference of handedness. Left handed people are typically big picture oriented and per capita they are more likely to be wealthy. Right handed people view others as commodities versus left handers view others as special. If you are left handed embrace it in all ways. I own 5 companies and give preference to hiring left handers. They are all big picture and very creative. Right handers have a tendency to be limiting in mindset though make good assemblers. They are a dime a dozen. There are millions of them. I own and play a left handed 5 string banjo and 5 left handed guitars including a Hofner Ignition bass that Paul McCartney plays.
Hey Barry, thanks for watching! Sounds like you have a lot of experience with lefties and righties. It's true that guitar teachers (online or in person) do typically say right hand instead of strumming/picking hand and left hand instead of fretting hand. However, that really doesn't bother me personally. I've never even really thought about it much honestly. Certainly doesn't hold me back or offend me in any way. So that's why I didn't really mention it. I would say that I definitely fall into the big picture creative stereotype of a lefty, but I also personally know right handed people that are big picture and just as creative.
Great comments. I refer to my hands as "note maker" and note player". Me? - leftie since 1959 (I'm 81 and still teaching at all levels). In 1952, I saw that Slim Whitman played leftie, so I went that way despite bad advice and negative, destructive comments. No leftie guitars or players back then in Australia so I played a tipped-over nylon classical guitar for a few years. When I flipped a solid guitar, the control pots rotated 'backwards' for me!!! The jack socket was on the 'up' side of the body. These were awkward, My new leftie '62 Tele was all leftie. So I reversed the input wires on the pots and put the socket position - made great sense. I found a luthier who taught me guitar modification and making and I'm still doing it. I'm seeing leftie numbered knobs are stock items now. - good move - almost part of leftie manufacture now. I advise new and advancing players to "choose an instrument by playing. Guitars and our bodies vary. You know when it one is the right fit, for hands and playing position, and makes the sound you want. Your new instrument will be with you longer than any vehicle you buy. Be totally happy with your choice."
You neglected to mention availability. The MIN Player II Strat is available in 11 colors right handed, and only 3 left handed, and on many models only one color is offered left handed. You also didn't mention how some left handed people, Mark Knopfler being one example, that play right handed, because then their strongest hand is the fretting hand, which does the majority of the work.
Hey Doug, thanks for watching! Regarding less color options, 6:58 - I wasn't able to get my Tele in the color I wanted, but the color was offered in right handed. 15:44 - I didn't mention Mark specifically, and that may be part of his reasoning, but some lefties do learn right handed for various reasons. I know several. Also, consider this: If it is in fact better to use your dominant hand on the fretboard, then why don't right handed guitar players play what we'd consider a left handed guitar and fret with their right hand? Why have violin players used their left hand on the fingerboard for hundreds of years?
Mark Knopfler's designs and plays his song to suit his strong hand fretting/finger picking style which is delightfully creative but not they're fast licks, riffs and solos. Those pull off and hammer-on licks that he's known for are left-hand and finger style friendly. Goes to show you don't have to be speed demon to be a great guitarist.
You forgot the option that some of us take which is to play a right-handed guitar in the left-handed position but it is not restrung for left-handedness (early Hendrix).
Great video. I started right handed but it didn’t feel right. Ended up swapping after 6 months of playing when I realized lefty playing is a thing. I’m fully left handed and I do everything with my left. My brother is lefty too, but ended up staying righty guitar because that’s what felt right to him. One thing to consider about guitar availability - lefty guitars being the same price and the overall availability is fine here in the U.S., but it’s not the case for many other countries, especially developing ones.
That's interesting that you and your brother are both lefty but he was more comfortable playing right handed and you left handed. That's a valid point about prices outside of the US.
Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment 👍
@ one thing I have an issue with in the U.S. too is the used market is also quite expensive. Been looking at EC-1000s and it’s hard to find prices much lower than retail. Whereas right handed ones you can find for much cheaper.
@@aymanmannan6661 I just took a quick look on Reverb and the used lefties do seem to be higher. That's interesting because usually lefties are harder to sell. I'm not real familiar with the EC-1000 market. Are lefties really hard to come by? Would that be why?
I'd definitely try making an offer for closer to the right handed price if you find one you like and see if they take it. I've bought left handed guitars in the past at way below right handed prices because people couldn't sell them.
Does playing a piano keyboard with the low notes on the left and the high notes on the right "feel" right or wrong? Why or why not?
@@DadRockAndGuitars I’m not sure about the economics of it, would imagine it’s just people following the market price. Was looking at PRS SE 24s and it’s the same deal there. At that point a new guitar is about $100-150 more, so not even sure if it’s worth buying used.
Will definitely try that when I’m ready to buy, thanks!
Great video! I am a lefty that plays a lefthanded bass. I tried to play righthanded and it never felt right. I thought about learning to play a RH bass upside down with the strings inverted (like Albert King), I finally just went out and bought a lefthanded bass (a new 2018 Squier 70s VM in 2018, as a 57 year old newbie bass player...) and I have never looked back. BTW, I do everything lefthanded except golf, throw a frisbee, and shoot pool. I like the suggestion to put on one of your favorite songs and play air guitar to it. That, to me, makes the most sense as to what is natural. Sweetwater is my Go To for musical gear, including my first bass, amps, tuners, etc. and I have had good luck with Reverb in finding older LH basses (like my favorite: a 2017 Fender American Professional P bass). I also agree that playing LH instruments, you can avoid G.A.S. (Gear Aquisition Syndrome) easier than a RH player.
That's awesome Jeff! A Fender AmPro P Bass is a very nice bass! I've tried several basses over the years (for playing on my recordings), but I finally landed on the P bass. Mine is a player series, but it's been my favorite so far! The P Bass is simple and just kind of works for almost anything. My only complaint is that it isn't a 5 string. Oh well! 🤣
Thanks for watching and thanks for sharing your experience 👍
Im a lefty and all my life I have dearly loved the Eletric Guitar and have wanted to purchase and learn how to play a Electric Guitar but I don't know how to go about learning the basics for left handed playing.
Hello Cindy! Guitar is definitely worth learning and you should give it try!
Learning left handed isn't really any different than learning right handed. @justingguitar has free online videos for beginners that are good at justingguitar.com He's not left handed, but I think you'll find that it's not a problem learning from someone that's right handed. I find it harder to learn from a lefty personally. Plus, there aren't many left handed teachers out there.
It's exactly the same. Go for it!
Nice video.
I've been playing guitar left-handed since 2009.
I have to agree with the learning guitar from a righty thing, with the necks being a mirror image. But I've been in situations where there were a few students in a lesson, and the chairs had to be arranged in a certain way so that other people wouldn't be bumping elbows with me or hitting headstocks.
Also, my first guitar teacher found it hard to write "left-handed chord diagrams" for me (luckily, I had already learned most of the basic chords from a DVD that came with my guitar.) Also whenever i had a new instructor, I'd have to tell them about the guitar being left-handed or they'd say things like "you're playing it upside down"
You're right in mentioning that us lefties aren't tempted by certain guitars because, well, we can't have them as they don't make them in left-handed models.
I play drums right-handed as well. 😃
Sounds like we’ve had similar experiences playing lefty. I’ve never had my instructors right chords or scales for left handed. They always just did it right handed. I got so used to it early on that seeing things written out for left looks weird 🤣 Thanks for watching and appreciate your comment 👍
5:33 that black strat was my first guitar.
Awesome! Do you still have it?
Thank you. I started right handed injured my left hand in a fall. Switched to playing left handed. I am left handed, left eye dominant, kick a football with my left foot. yes it is easier to play left handed. everything you say makes sense.
Sorry you injured your hand, but glad that playing left handed is working out for you. Thanks for watching and sharing your story 👍
By the way I'm a female at 61years old but I still have the desire in my Heart and Soul to learn how to play because it's my ultimate dream,and I'm truly passionate in listening to songs composed with Eletric Guitars,and are the left handed Guitars more expensive then right I would really like to know cause I'm seriously wanting to lay one away and begin learning how to play cause it would be a life long dream come true for me and a blessing do to my love for music and the Eletric Guitar.
Generally, left handed guitars are not more expensive than right handed guitars these days. In the rare case they are more expensive, they usually aren't much more.
Not sure what you have in mind, but the Fender Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster is a fantastic and dependable guitar that is more on the budget friendly side. It's great for starting with, but will also be a great guitar as you grow in your guitar skills. I had one for 7 years.
Tap out beat with your hand, your first choice, that's should be strumming/picking hand.
The rhythm hand is the most important hand-brain hard wiring you have. The fretting hand is going to suck no matter what. If you can't tap out a drum beat with either hand, you're fucked. LOL
I have absolutely no preference. Either hand does the job equally well. In other ways unrelated to music, though, I am strongly right handed.
Im truly dominate left handed,oddly enough I'm an identical twin and I'm left handed and my twin is right and I just found out 4years ago that we are called mirror twins,and I believe that's why I'm all the way left handed.
Wow, that's really interesting! I hadn't heard of that.
Im a lefty player, and love it. But my good friend, Michael Spencer, former bass player for Flotsam and Jetsum, and current bass player for Trauma is a lefty who plays bass right handed. He constantly gives me a hard time for not learning righty!! But i love the look, i love the thrill of sight unseen guitar buying, and custom ordering. My newest guitar is a 2021 lefty Mod shop Stratocaster hardtail HSS, with roasters maple neck, locking tuners and a custom color. Love that thing!
Also, i do a lot of trading, which is great fun, because lefties care a lot for their guitars, and many ive met also love trading…. I recently traded a Korean Mustaine Dean Angel of Deth for a Les Paul Tribute with Phat Cat P-90’s. Great trade- we both love our new guitars!
The Mod Shop is a great way to get exactly what you want. I've built a lot of Telecasters on that site, but haven't actually bought one 😅 LP Tributes are cool guitars and the Phat Cats are great pickups! I have a set in one of my guitars (not an LP). BTW your cover songs sound really good! Well done 👍
@ thanks! I recently released them on all platforms!
2:54 they make left handed chord books
They sure do! Thanks for watching 👍
I think the orientation of having that fat string on the bottom makes the most sense anyway. The chord diagrams, too. If I look at the fret board, it looks exactly as on the diagram. Everything left for me. 👍 This was s interesting. I was trying to find a left hand emoji and almost all of them are the right hand. Not the thumbs up though. How fitting.
Aesthetics are so subjective and transient. You paint your living room a certain color, it's a little too bold and not what you expected, a month later you really like it and glad you went with it. A year later, your friends have painted their living room damn near the same color.
An option with acoustics is to buy a RH dreadnought-type and have a LH bridge/saddle/nut fitted. I'm not a guitar tech/luthier but I looked into this maybe 10 years ago and researched the tech drawings/construction for quite a few different makes of dreadnought and non-dreadnought. IMO a dreadnought should be able to be re-strung without any problem; their bracing is totally non-biased for either hand orientation. Cut-away acoustics are braced for one side only and cannot (or, should not?) be swapped over. At that time I was already mid-50s and a very mediocre player, and after much dithering I stuck with my cheapish Yamaha lefty.
That is certainly an option! I actually did that back in the 90's with a classical style guitar because I couldn't find a lefty. It's smaller than a dreadnaught, but still symmetrical. These days though, it's probably a lot cheaper to find a lefty 🤣
Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment 👍
I actually ran into a used lefty SG and a Jackson in my guitar center the other day. I can see why some complain about not being able to walk into a store and choose from 250 guitars like righties do...but my Gibson acoustic was way easier to get logistically than the 90's Samick I started with. Its never been easier to find a good instrument if you do your homework and don't "need" it in some rare Pokemon color.
It has definitely gotten better, but those rare Pokemon colors are still impossible to find! Ha ha!
Thanks for watching, appreciate the comment 👍
@DadRockAndGuitars No problem 😄. As an acoustic main I can't help but to make a paint dig occasionally, as most acoustics come in Xburst, Wood, or Black regardless of handedness.
I'm left handed but I do a lot of things right handed. I recently bought a new left handed guitar and then discovered I actually play better right handed. I get the advantage of being able to form complex chords far easier. My right hand is going to adapt and I don't believe I would even notice any disadvantage. When I did the clap test both of my hands are moving together. There isn't one dominant hand.
Being left handed can be complicated 🤣 Its usually not as simple as it is for most right handed people. Thanks for watching 👍
@@DadRockAndGuitars there are things I can't even do left handed anymore. Scissors, can openers, and a mouse come to mind. In fact the type of mouse inuse doesn't even come in a lefty.
@@Amenhir1 Oh yeah, using a mouse left handed would be hard. I have an Apple Magic mouse (which is symmetrical in shape), but I still use my right hand. I cut with scissors using my left hand, but only have right handed scissors. Ha ha!
If you just want to strum chords then playing righty if you're left handed is fine. But if you want to progress to guitar solos, fast/intricate licks & riffs and of course, shredding then you'll shorten the learning curve considerably by taking advantage of your natural handedness. Which means if you're a lefty get a left handed guitar.
What about us guys that play upside down and string our electric lefty guitar as a right.lol i play acoustic upside down and have my electric guitars redone as a right hand string guitar.
There are definitely a few of you out there! I have no idea how you play that way though 🤣
Just curious, is there a reason you prefer to play that way? Is just because you learned with a right handed guitar upside down?
i am left handed but started playing guitar right handed because it felt sort of better but i have to say that i am weird, i throw things with right, i play soccer with my right foot and all around my right hand is dominant except for writing for some weird reason
Wow, that's interesting. I guess since you seem to do so much right handed, that would make sense. Lucky for you! I honestly don't mind being left handed, but would hate playing right handed ha ha! Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment 👍
Left-handed here I remember getting guitar lessons trying to get me to play a left-handed guitar picked up right-handed and played everything he had been teaching me on a left-handed so I'm left-handed but can only play right-handed don't understand why just is
There are quite a few left handed people that find playing guitar right handed easier. Lefties are weird like that sometimes 🤣 Thanks for watching and appreciate you sharing your experience 👍
One exception: ESp has a 150 buck upcharge for a custom shop lefty.
Oh yeah, there are definitely instances where a lefty costs a bit more, but I also see less of it than I used to. What would you/did you get on your ESP Custom Shop?
They don't make a left-handed telecaster in any colour except blond. ....So I bought a sea foam green Sawtooth telecaster and completelty changed everything to Fender parts. Only issue was the guitar was metric and the Fender parts are imperial so there was some work involved. Now I have a Sea Foam Green Frankencaster that has the raw sound of a Telecaster but the super light body of the Sawtooth. I'm happy with it.
Awesome! Yeah, the differences in metric and imperial parts can be a bit problematic sometimes. Glad you were ultimately able to get a Tele in the color you wanted 👍
If I write left handed, this should means I should try left handed guitar first?
Generally, yes you'd likely play guitar left handed. However, there are plenty examples of people that write left handed, but play guitar right handed.
I'd see if you can find a local guitar store with a left handed guitar and see if that feels more natural than the right handed. The air guitar and clapping tests I mentioned may also help with which way to go. At the end of the day, go with the one that feels more natural 👍
Great video!
I have a question: I’m a left-handed guitarist with two guitars - a Gibson SG and a Fender Stratocaster. I’ve noticed that the volume knobs on each work in opposite directions, and it feels like Gibson just used the right-handed potentiometers rather than adapting them for a left-handed guitar.
Is that actually the case? Does Gibson offer left-handed potentiometers for replacement?
Great question! This is something I have dealt with for a very long time myself. Long story short, yes
Gibson just uses standard pots in left handed guitars. Therefore they turn the opposite way for us.
Some companies will use standard pots, but reverse the wiring. This makes them turn the "correct" way for us, but if they are audio pots, then the taper is all messed up.
It seems lazy, silly, and cheap to me that they can't just put reverse taper pots in left handed guitars.
I actually just fixed this in my Gibson Les Paul Studio. Here's a video of what I did to fix it: th-cam.com/video/fql0ZEaU3n0/w-d-xo.html
@@DadRockAndGuitars Awesome! Thank you so much for clearing up my confusion!
I have ZERO problem them making less Lefties. I do have an issue with the bloody colour selection. It's fkn paint. I've seen the factory do it, it's not hard to offer all colours. Fkn black, Sunburst, White and Butterscotch (Except Teles). And 335's ONLY in Cherry. BUT! I'm not poor due to this fact.
Yeah, it would definitely be nice if there were more color options available. Thanks for watching and appreciate the comment 👍
I'm a lefty I don't have the rhythm in my right hand that I do in my left for strumming. The left is way stronger and rhytmic so I'm thinking of switching to a left handed guitar altogether
My left hand was also much stronger at rhythm when I started playing. I'd say it's definitely worth trying a left handed guitar if you can to see if it's a better fit. Would be interested to hear how it goes if you decide to try it. Thanks for watching 👍
By that logic, all standard keyboards and pianos are set up for left handers and the keys should be reversed for right-handed players. Rhythm, i.e. low notes should be played with the dominant hand. However, that's not what happens.
@jonathanr72 What are you talking about. Why are you comparing a guitar to a piano two completely different instruments requiring different techniques. I have often played the piano pressing notes with fingers on my left hand. There isn't any problem. I'm a left handed person my dominant hand is my left and it's the strongest. I also play a frame drum with my left I cannot do it as well with the right it is very weak and it requires an up down motion like guitar strumming.
I’m Left handed, but I think the classification isn’t entirely correct. As a guitar and piano player I find I have the same dexterity in the fingers on both hands. The real issue is coordination of the arm and eye. Trying to catch a ball with my right hand is ten times as hard as my left hand, because I have trouble moving my arm to the right place. When it comes to playing the guitar, my right arm is anchored to the neck that allows my right fingers to fret. This allows my more dominant arm to strum or pick in time with accuracy. If I was strumming with my right arm I would have real trouble.
Yeah, being left handed can be complicated 🤣 I catch with my right hand and throw with my left. Do you throw with your right hand since you catching with your left is easier?
I'd be in real trouble if I had to strum my right arm too! Ha ha!
Checked out your song "The Same Mistake" on your channel. Very cool song 👍
@ Thank you for listening. I kick with my right, but I throw with my left as well. I wonder if that’s because American kids learn to catch with a baseball glove, where we don’t learn Baseball in the UK? We tend to get taught to catch with both hands for stuff like Cricket balls.
I guess it’s about repetition learning with anything, but I think anything that makes learning the guitar easier and more natural means you’re less likely to give up. I know it helped me learning lefty.
@@alangreenway6695 That's a really good point about baseball gloves. Playing baseball was a big part of me learning to catch and throw. Probably has a lot to do with it!
I write left, throw right, so I'm thinking of learning leftty, then maybe riighty.
Yeah, that's a bit of a tough call. Did you try the air guitar and clapping tests? If so, did you see a pattern between the two? Have you tried any guitars at a guitar shop?
If you’re good enough to be a professional guitarist, handedness no longer matters as you can have what you want made for you. If you are learning and the color of the instrument is the difference between wanting to play or not, then maybe you just wanted a piece of furniture and you weren’t serious about playing itself.
As someone who is possessive about my stuff, not having to say no to my careless friends who want to borrow or try out my guitars is reason enough to consider myself privileged to be left handed. Price cuts both ways, I’ve found deals on lefty guitars in pawn shops and mom and pop stores that just sat too long and they wanted gone.
Good point about used guitars. Used lefty guitars can be hard to sell and therefore you can get a deal when buying. On the flip side, I've I had to sell a couple of guitars for less than I wanted because they were left handed and hard to get rid of. Since then, I buy guitars that I plan to keep and I don't have to worry about it 😅 Thanks for watching 👍
Does any Right hand person can play left hand...???
Good question! I'm sure there's someone, but I don't know of any. Thanks for watching 👍
@DadRockAndGuitars i got finger fallen and infection in 2019... After 3 month my finger recovered but my finger head has no grip to hold the string... So i sold my Guiter..😔😔😔
Now i want to play lefty... 😑
I will not give up...🗿🗿
Please make an experiment video on right hand players can play left hand or not.... 👈👈👈👈
@@tanvirahammed8062 Oh, sorry to hear that. That would definitely make playing guitar difficult. There is no reason you couldn't learn to play left handed. It's not any different than left handed people forcing themselves to play right handed.
I say go for it! If I were in your position, I'd 100% learn to play left handed.
There is actually an online guitar teacher (JustinGuitar) that actually did this. He is a right handed player, but did a few lessons of him learning to play left handed to remember what its like to start from the beginning. Might be worth checking out and following along.. th-cam.com/play/PLlwfspJqZ126YlDLOqjqja4iVLxV7m753.html&si=YzTjvawp-p5EsbaP
I’m Left handed but learn’t to play Right Handed. Been playing right handed Guitars and Basses for 30+ years but then other things in my life I’ve adapted to being ambidextrous for some thing and for others I do them right handed - you have to adapt and fit in to a right handed dominated world. I’ve tried left handed guitars just didn’t feel natural.
Yeah, it seems most lefties do some things right handed. And it certainly is a right handed world. I've heard a few lefties say that playing guitar right handed felt more natural (must be nice! 😅), but definitely not the case for me. Thanks for watching and appreciate your comment.👍
Unless you buy sight unseen left handed guitars are still very hard to find. Albeit much easier than in the old days. I wish I had attempted to learn right handed, unfortunately that ship sailed many years ago. And, you forgot Elliot Easton from the cars.
It’s true it’s still pretty hard if you’re not buying sight unseen. I’ve had mostly good luck buying new guitars online/sight unseen. It’s definitely much more common these days. Even for right handed players. Do you buy online or do you stick to playing it in person first?
Thanks for adding Elliot Easton to the list 👍
@@DadRockAndGuitars I bought a Epi 335 online. It's probably a safer bet now than it use to be.
@@gypsydavy708 Nice! Very cool guitar 👍
Did not know Paul was left tony would be the most famous 😭
There are many social situations where someone brings along a guitar or maybe there is spare guitar nearby. You may be asked to to pick it up and play and sing - but you’re a lefty. You just have to throw your hands up and say sorry, I can’t play that guitar. I feel for lefties in social situations. Lefties who don’t restring never miss out. Worth a mention in your video next time?
True. I actually had that in there, but ended up taking it out because honestly I can count on one hand the number of times that's happened to me personally.
I, and other lefties I know, learned to play right handed guitars upside down well enough to get around with basic chords (open and barre) plus a little lead. Nothing proficient, but enough to jam a bit. If I know there's a chance of that happening, I often just take a guitar with me. And if not, oh well. It's not something that bothers me personally, but I guess it might others.
Thanks for watching and appreciate your comment 👍
Kurt Cobain is not really a good example because Kurt Cobain was right-handed but played guitar left-handed by choice. Mononeon is the same thing. He's right-handed, but plays bass left handed strung right-handed. The whole aspect of left handed instruments being harder to find makes sense considering only 5% of the world population is left handed.
he was actually born left handed and forced to write right handed
You forgot Babyface, he's an R&B singer. He plays guitar left handed.
Cool, didn’t know he was left handed! Thanks for adding your the list of lefties 👍
When you buy a left handed electric guitar it's been on the wall for two year, 400 people have already test driven it and all the plastic covers are worn off. If you buy a right hand it's brand new in the box.
Yeah, lefty guitars in a store do seem to have been there for a long time and show plenty of use. I have generally gotten mine online from places I trust partly for that reason. Those have been new.
Thanks for watching 👍
You neglected several important components. Right handed teachers don’t get the importance of an accurate narrative. They can’t break the habit of saying “right” when they should say “correct”.
To be inclusive for both left handed players and right handed players “fretting hand” and “picking hand” should be used. I’m a very left handed person that is 77 years old that has made a fortune understanding the difference of handedness. Left handed people are typically big picture oriented and per capita they are more likely to be wealthy. Right handed people view others as commodities versus left handers view others as special. If you are left handed embrace it in all ways. I own 5 companies and give preference to hiring left handers. They are all big picture and very creative. Right handers have a tendency to be limiting in mindset though make good assemblers. They are a dime a dozen. There are millions of them. I own and play a left handed 5 string banjo and 5 left handed guitars including a Hofner Ignition bass that Paul McCartney plays.
Hey Barry, thanks for watching! Sounds like you have a lot of experience with lefties and righties. It's true that guitar teachers (online or in person) do typically say right hand instead of strumming/picking hand and left hand instead of fretting hand. However, that really doesn't bother me personally. I've never even really thought about it much honestly. Certainly doesn't hold me back or offend me in any way. So that's why I didn't really mention it.
I would say that I definitely fall into the big picture creative stereotype of a lefty, but I also personally know right handed people that are big picture and just as creative.
Great comments. I refer to my hands as "note maker" and note player". Me? - leftie since 1959 (I'm 81 and still teaching at all levels). In 1952, I saw that Slim Whitman played leftie, so I went that way despite bad advice and negative, destructive comments. No leftie guitars or players back then in Australia so I played a tipped-over nylon classical guitar for a few years. When I flipped a solid guitar, the control pots rotated 'backwards' for me!!! The jack socket was on the 'up' side of the body. These were awkward, My new leftie '62 Tele was all leftie. So I reversed the input wires on the pots and put the socket position - made great sense. I found a luthier who taught me guitar modification and making and I'm still doing it. I'm seeing leftie numbered knobs are stock items now. - good move - almost part of leftie manufacture now. I advise new and advancing players to "choose an instrument by playing. Guitars and our bodies vary. You know when it one is the right fit, for hands and playing position, and makes the sound you want. Your new instrument will be with you longer than any vehicle you buy. Be totally happy with your choice."
Easy you gonna teach someone how to play the guitar you're gonna talk for an hour and a half
Not quite sure what you mean, but I do appreciate you watching. Thanks 👍
You neglected to mention availability. The MIN Player II Strat is available in 11 colors right handed, and only 3 left handed, and on many models only one color is offered left handed. You also didn't mention how some left handed people, Mark Knopfler being one example, that play right handed, because then their strongest hand is the fretting hand, which does the majority of the work.
Hey Doug, thanks for watching!
Regarding less color options, 6:58 - I wasn't able to get my Tele in the color I wanted, but the color was offered in right handed.
15:44 - I didn't mention Mark specifically, and that may be part of his reasoning, but some lefties do learn right handed for various reasons. I know several.
Also, consider this: If it is in fact better to use your dominant hand on the fretboard, then why don't right handed guitar players play what we'd consider a left handed guitar and fret with their right hand? Why have violin players used their left hand on the fingerboard for hundreds of years?
Mark Knopfler's designs and plays his song to suit his strong hand fretting/finger picking style which is delightfully creative but not they're fast licks, riffs and solos. Those pull off and hammer-on licks that he's known for are left-hand and finger style friendly. Goes to show you don't have to be speed demon to be a great guitarist.