Question for lefties

[Boneman]

So this video came up and immediately recognize the pickguard, and so I stayed tuned in to see what he’s playing. Hard to say, D40 or 50 looks like, but then I notice he didn’t even restring it so the low e is at top of fretboard, he just turned the guitar around and figured it out.

Question for lefties, was that normal before they made lefty guitars, or do you restring them?

 

[RBSinTo]

So this video came up and immediately recognize the pickguard, and so I stayed tuned in to see what he’s playing. Hard to say, D40 or 50 looks like, but then I notice he didn’t even restring it so the low e is at top of fretboard, he just turned the guitar around and figured it out.

Question for lefties, was that normal before they made lefty guitars, or do you restring them?

Boneman,
I believe it was a little of each.
For example, Elizabeth Cotten (who wrote and recorded "Freight Train") learned to play on a normally strung right-handed guitar, and played it left-handed without re-stringing it, effectively learning to play chords upside down.
Jimi Hendrix, on the other hand (sorry) played right handed guitars left-handed but re-strung them so he was playing mirror-imaged chords, as did Paul McCartney.
McCartney, however, now that he can afford it, purchased properly braced, purpose-built, left-handed guitars such as his Martin D-28.
RBSinTo

 

[Boneman]

Makes sense, thanks. Yea figured each individual approached things in their own way and made it work for them.

 

[RBSinTo]

Makes sense, thanks. Yea figured each individual approached things in their own way and made it work for them.

Boneman,
Although I have no documentation, I would assume that earlier on in the history of the guitar, purpose-built left-handed guitars were a rarity, and lefties who re-strung right-handed instruments, had the problems associated with the internal bracing patterns now being incorrect for the stresses that the "backwards" strings were applying to them.
Today, while still less commonly available than right-handed ones, one does see many purpose built left-handed guitars for sale in stores. The Cosmo Music store that I frequent in my unfashionsble corner of the Galaxy has in it's Martin Acoustic Room, at least a half dozen left-handed versions of their models from low to quite high end.
Luckily, while left-handed, I learned to play guitar right-handed, and have never felt that my playing, however poor, suffered for it, but instead should be blamed on other factors.
RBSinTo

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

So this video came up and immediately recognize the pickguard, and so I stayed tuned in to see what he’s playing. Hard to say, D40 or 50 looks like, but then I notice he didn’t even restring it so the low e is at top of fretboard, he just turned the guitar around and figured it out.

Question for lefties, was that normal before they made lefty guitars, or do you restring them?

I'm a lefty who plays righty.

It's up the the guitarist. Some people just learn on a flipped-over guitar. Nothing wrong with it, and it's a lot easier than finding a good lefty guitar.

 

[Default]

Lol, or getting rid of one. I have a pretty nice Simon & Patrick dread that has been sitting in my closet for forever.
I only bought it because it was a GC used pricing error.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

. . . while left-handed, I learned to play guitar right-handed,

Me, too.

and have never felt that my playing, however poor, suffered for it, and
should be blamed on other factors.

Sure, up to a point. But consider: I was at a Bennett Hammond folk guitar workshop. He was trying to show us a Travis lick, and I just couldn't do it. I finally said, "Sorry, I have a stupid right hand."

He said, "Hold it. Are you left-handed?" I confessed and said it's the way I was taught forty years back.

He smacked is forehead and said, "Why do teachers do that?" And went on to talk about why I'd probably never be able to Travis pick or play Delta and why some teachers deserve the firing squad.

Not to be daunted, when the Coronacaust rolled around, I gave myself a three-year intensive course in right-hand fingerpicking skills, with a major in steady, accurate thumb lines. I can do it now on some songs, but it''ll never be as fancy as I'd like.

 

[RBSinTo]

I'm a lefty who plays righty.

It's up the the guitarist. Some people just learn on a flipped-over guitar. Nothing wrong with it, and it's a lot easier than finding a good lefty guitar.

Charlie,
I assume that if your guitar is a right-handed solid body electric, flipping the strings would make no difference whatsoever from a string tension perspective but not neccessarily so for a hollow body electric or acoustic.
So if you'd like a nice lefty Martin, scoot up here to Toronto. You can bunk in at Stately RBSinTo Manor, and we'll get you over to Cosmo to pick one up.
Just be forwarned: we have three cats.
Whenya coming?
RBSinTo

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Charlie,
I assume that if your guitar is a right-handed solid body electric,

When you assume . . . .

My guitars are right-handed, and I play them right-handed: two flattops, two resos, four electrics.

flipping the strings would make no difference whatsoever from a string tension perspective but not neccessarily so for a hollow body electric or acoustic.

That's why we're talking about flipping over the guitar rather than moving the strings. Some people just grab a righty guitar backwards and start playing without switching the strings around. I can't, but if that's the way you learn it, it's no big deal.

I used to know a lefty bluegrass player who couldn't understand how I could stand low strings strung higher than the high strings. It made no sense to him. The lower strings should be on the lower edge of the fretboard, right?

I told him we were all used to it. He just shook his head.

So if you'd like a nice lefty Martin, scoot up here to Toronto. . . .

Thanks! But no, thanks. I love my righty Guilds. I've had a couple of Martins and played lots of others. They're nice, but they're not me. Ditto the Gibsons I've owned.

 

[RBSinTo]

When you assume . . . .

My guitars are right-handed, and I play them right-handed: two flattops, two resos, four electrics.

That's why we're talking about flipping over the guitar rather than moving the strings. Some people just grab a righty guitar backwards and start playing without switching the strings around. I can't, but if that's the way you learn it, it's no big deal.

I used to know a lefty bluegrass player who couldn't understand how I could stand low strings strung higher than the high strings. It made no sense to him. The lower strings should be on the lower edge of the fretboard, right?

I told him we were all used to it. He just shook his head.

Thanks! But no, thanks. I love my righty Guilds. I've had a couple of Martins and played lots of others. They're nice, but they're not me. Ditto the Gibsons I've owned.

Charlie,
I'm blowing out the candle I put in the window for you.
RBSinTo

 

[Prince of Darkness]

Although the structural issues of restringing a right handed guitar has been addressed, nobody seems to have mentioned the intonation issues that would be caused with some guitars No problem with something like a Fender Strat', like Jimi Hendrix, where it is a simple matter to adjust the bridge saddles, but not so easy with guitars that have an angled bridge (such as many fixed compensated, tuneomatics and the Mueller used by Guild), or flat top acoustics, with an angled saddle.

 

[lungimsam]

I am a righty, but once when I was young, I bought a lefty strat and flipped it and the nut. It was a fun guitar but my strumming arm would lay over and unintentionally move the control knobs during play and the whammy felt weird being on the top end of the bridge, not to mention it getting in the way swinging over the strings. It was an interesting insight to what you leftys go through.

 

[RBSinTo]

I am a righty, but once when I was young, I bought a lefty strat and flipped it and the nut. It was a fun guitar but my strumming arm would lay over and unintentionally move the control knobs during play and the whammy felt weird being on the top end of the bridge, not to mention it getting in the way swinging over the strings. It was an interesting insight to what you leftys go through.

lungimsam,
Years ago there was a store called "the Sinistral Shop" here in Toronto that only sold left-handed items.
Browsing there with my right-handed wife, I was considering buying a pair of left-handed scissors. She said " What's wrong with the scissors we already have?"
I explained the difficulty we lefties have cutting with right-handed scissors, and suggested that she try using the left-handed ones with her right hand. She used them for about ten seconds to unsuccessfully attempt to make a straight cut on a piece of paper, stopped, nodded, and said "Buy them".
RBSinTo

 

[lungimsam]

Haha! Yeah, I tried using scissors upside down once and all it did was fold the paper!

 

[Christopher Cozad]

Haha! Yeah, I tried using scissors upside down once...

I always appreciated the warning to "not run with scissors," 'cause I was constantly tempted to...

But I never thought to try cutting with scissors while I was upside down (which I was for a great deal of my childhood). That sounds like a real challenge.

 

[Midnight Toker]

There are lots of folks that are lefty that first started by playing other people's instruments (siblings/friends) and play lefty on a right handed guitar strung right handed. Bass strings at the bottom! It really makes for a very unique playing style! Doyal Bramhall II comes to mind. He can do wicked multi string bends I've never heard a trad righty do before!

And on drums, Ringo's fills were so unique back in the day....w/ that momentary stutter... purely because he is a born lefty playing a right handed kit!

 

[RBSinTo]

I always appreciated the warning to "not run with scissors," 'cause I was constantly tempted to...

But I never thought to try cutting with scissors while I was upside down (which I was for a great deal of my childhood). That sounds like a real challenge.

Christopher,
It's only a challenge to people in the Northern Hemisphere.
The people in Australia, for example, do it all the time without difficulty.
RBSinTo

 

[adorshki]

I always appreciated the warning to "not run with scissors," 'cause I was constantly tempted to...

But I never thought to try cutting with scissors while I was upside down (which I was for a great deal of my childhood). That sounds like a real challenge.

Y'kow, most folks are satisfied with just being backwards.

 

[lungimsam]

I mean the scissors were turned upside down

 

[RBSinTo]

Lol, or getting rid of one. I have a pretty nice Simon & Patrick dread that has been sitting in my closet for forever.
I only bought it because it was a GC used pricing error.

Default,
I'd bet that if you take a lesson from GC, and make a "pricing error" as well, you'll be surprised at how quickly that guitar will sell.
RBSinTo