# Technique...sort of



## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Wasnt really sure as to where to put this...mods can move if required. 

I heard a stat that says 10% of 10% of all guitar players are Lefthanded(that's the sort of technique) a stretch I know.

Based on that there should be about 130 people on this forum who are Lefthanded.

So....how many Lefties are here?


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## Bullet (Jan 24, 2019)

Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Kurt Cobain


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## johnnyshaka (Nov 2, 2014)

My guitar instructor is left-handed but plays right-handed...does that count?


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

johnnyshaka said:


> My guitar instructor is left-handed but plays right-handed...does that count?


Was more looking to see how many lefties (lefthanded players) are here.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

One of my former students can play either handed well enough to switch hit in her live shows. One of my current students was a righty who switched to lefty after a traumatic brain injury. 

10% of 10%? Maybe. If my figuring is any indication, a greater percentage of lefties are self taught than righties, at least in my catchment area, so my registrations wouldn't be a clear indication. 

For many years I played in a sort of celtoid acoustic outfit where the original guitarist played a right handed guitar left handed, but left handed banjo left handed. When I switched from bass to guitar he switched to mandolin/fiddle/octave, playing a left handed fiddle and banjo but right handed everything else, though still left handed. Hand watching was weird, good thing I have ears. He's a stellar player and now leads his own band. How his brain works I have no idea.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Mooh said:


> One of my former students can play either handed well enough to switch hit in her live shows. One of my current students was a righty who switched to lefty after a traumatic brain injury.
> 
> 10% of 10%? Maybe. If my figuring is any indication, a greater percentage of lefties are self taught than righties, at least in my catchment area, so my registrations wouldn't be a clear indication.
> 
> For many years I played in a sort of celtoid acoustic outfit where the original guitarist played a right handed guitar left handed, but left handed banjo left handed. When I switched from bass to guitar he switched to mandolin/fiddle/octave, playing a left handed fiddle and banjo but right handed everything else, though still left handed. Hand watching was weird, good thing I have ears. He's a stellar player and now leads his own band. How his brain works I have no idea.


Interesting that you find more lefties are self taught than righties. Always impressed with those who can play both ways...I don't even know how it's possible.. but you're right...the mind is pretty amazing.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

I’m a lefty that plays right. Also self taught. LOL 

I’m a funny lefty though, I write and eat with my left but everything else is righty. Baseball, throw and hit, hockey and golf. For hockey I would have a hard time being goalie as I would want to hold stick in left hand but I catch with my left.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

If you play lefty, you will quickly find you are somewhat limited for options.

If you can play guitar or bass right handed, do so.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Budda said:


> If you play lefty, you will quickly find you are somewhat limited for options.
> 
> If you can play guitar or bass right handed, do so.


Yup. Very limited.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> Yup. Very limited.


Like @fretzel I am lefty who does a bunch of things right-handed including guitar.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

I 


KapnKrunch said:


> Like @fretzel I am lefty who does a bunch of things right-handed including guitar.


I think we all do from years of trying to use right handed things.


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

old and tryin said:


> I heard a stat that says 10% of 10% of all guitar players are Lefthanded


So 1%...


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

gtrguy said:


> So 1%...


Basically...but that how he stat was read. Dont know why.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

the oldest son is a lefty, but learned to play right-handed guitars for two reasons. 1 - that's all there was in the house, and 2 - I thought it would be an advantage for his dominate hand do the fingering. Was it? I don't know. How do you judge something like that? 

As a twist, the youngest son (an excellent player) who is right handed, now wants a left handed guitar so he can learn to play left and "challenge" himself.


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## nbs2005 (Mar 21, 2018)

Write left, throw right, eat with whatever hand won't bump into the person sitting next to me. Guitar is played right, but I'm fairly sure if a lefty was around that would have been fine.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

if you want to take this into the world of sports, lots of right handed people golf left, shoot left in hockey, etc. And it goes the other way as well. What's that all about?


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## JazzyT (Nov 1, 2017)

Try to find a left-handed jazz archtop.


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

Another lefty here that plays right, golfs right, bats right, RW defence etc. The only things I haven't mastered right handed are scissors and skill saws.


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## WhiskyJack1977 (Nov 10, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> Was more looking to see how many lefties (lefthanded players) are here.


I am a lefty that plays right handed guitars upside down. Think Dick Dale. I have no technique and play like garbage but i play mostly punk rock and some rootsy folk county three chord stuff so i know enough to get by and have fun. I hurt peoples brains apparently and am a total abomination to the art form and i get met with "wHy tHOuGH" or "ARe YouTo lAzY To LeaRn To pLay it _PROOPPPPERRLYYYYYY_" 

all.
the.
time.

I hate that 'properly' comment. I get it more often than i should. Wrong or not, I'm comfortable this way. I'm not going to change to pacify purists or whoever else. 

@Budda nailed it though. options for lefty guitars are limited in Canada and it is really miserable. If you are ok with out of the box lefty guitars made by the big guys like Fender and Gibson etc, great. You are in luck and really shouldn't have too much trouble finding one or growing your collection. But once you start to branch out and look more into stuff that you think you want, tailor to your needs that is when thing's get sticky. not impossible. Just sticky. 

Eastwood guitars caters really well to the lefty community if you are into anything they have in their catalog. It seems like they have a lefty model for just about everything they do and if they don't a simple phone call to their sales team can make things happen for you. 

I was in Houston a few years ago and i am not kidding i found Mecca. Southpaw Guitars is basically the Ned Flanders leftorium for musicians. It was a big amazing shop with all lefty models of whatever you can dream of. And i sort of felt foolish once in there because even though it was a dream come true for me, guitar body wise, they were all string strung wrong for me. The owner guy was there and he told me not to feel so bad and walked me over to an 8 foot section of left handed guitars strung right handed. He also assured me his staff of techs would take any guitar he had and flip the nut with a warranty on their work. I can't recall for how long but it was legit. I had to choke back tears i was so happy. They have a really amazing website that i linked to and i do believe they ship to Canada if you are into that sort of blindly buy before you try purchasing. 

While talking with the owner re: flipping the nut it came up in conversation that Taylor Guitars also are quite accommodating to lefties in that if you want a nut flipped they will see to it that you get what you want. I can't recall the particulars and fine details of how he explained that process he has with them to me so if that was a tree you were going to bark up i would suggest talking to Taylor first or just call southpaw. they could fill you in better. 

There is also Jerry's lefty Guitars  out of Florida that seems to cater to the discerning lefty with a lot money and taste for more boutique custom made kind of stuff. It's there. I don't really visit or go looking there all that often. 

And if none of that really does it for you you can always try and track down a kit guitar and build your own just how want it. Assuming you are handy or whatever and want to give it a shot. I am still picking away at a telecaster kit i got from Solo guitars. I sadly bought it around the same time i got a promotion and got detailed off to build a new product for my employer. So it got set aside many many times i nthe last two years but i am getting more and more free time as the weeks go by. So, there is another option for you too. 

Sucks that it is all in the U.S. and if i had a large sum of money dropped on my lap today i'd quit my job and everything else and open up my own Lefty shop this side of the 49th.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Lefties, out of necessity, tend to usually be ambidextrous to one degree or another. This results in varying degrees of left handedness. Myself, I tend to be mostly left handed but several things I do right handed....but guitar ain’t one of em.

Sure it’s tough to find what I want but I’ve found several that I love and would never sell. Having less choice seems to make me appreciate what I have more. There are fewer new and shiny guitars to draw my attention away from what I already have.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

That...is alot of cool info. If I'm ever back in Houston I would definitely try to check out the Southpaw Guitars. I'm also impressed as hell that you learned upside down. All your chords would be reversed correct? Impressive. I did make my own from a kit, but it is my own colors design. But its atleast a not off the shelf....you wont find another like it.






WhiskyJack1977 said:


> I am a lefty that plays right handed guitars upside down. Think Dick Dale. I have no technique and play like garbage but i play mostly punk rock and some rootsy folk county three chord stuff so i know enough to get by and have fun. I hurt peoples brains apparently and am a total abomination to the art form and i get met with "wHy tHOuGH" or "ARe YouTo lAzY To LeaRn To pLay it _PROOPPPPERRLYYYYYY_"
> 
> all.
> the.
> ...


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## WhiskyJack1977 (Nov 10, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> That...is alot of cool info. If I'm ever back in Houston I would definitely try to check out the Southpaw Guitars. I'm also impressed as hell that you learned upside down. All your chords would be reversed correct? Impressive. I did make my own from a kit, but it is my own colors design. But its atleast a not off the shelf....you wont find another like it.


it's not that impressive really but thank you. All chords are reversed yes. If anything it is also limiting. I can't really shred any gnarly malmsteen solos or amaze my family with phrygian scales. Thankfully what i like to play has little if any solo work that requires any talent so no one ever really wants to hear me play haha. 

I see you are in Halifax, I spent 31 of my first years on this planet in The Annapolis Valley. We will be moving back in the next few years but likely settling on the south shore somewhere. if my wife get's things her way we will be somewhere between Bridgewater and Mahone Bay.


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## Guest (May 23, 2019)

Some think all left handed people should be put in prison before they commit their crimes.


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## Jim9guitars (Feb 15, 2016)

I'm right handed but I currently have two left handed students out of 14.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Player99 said:


> Some think all left handed people should be put in prison before they commit their crimes.



There are those that think that...yes.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

WhiskyJack1977 said:


> it's not that impressive really but thank you. All chords are reversed yes. If anything it is also limiting. I can't really shred any gnarly malmsteen solos or amaze my family with phrygian scales. Thankfully what i like to play has little if any solo work that requires any talent so no one ever really wants to hear me play haha.
> 
> I see you are in Halifax, I spent 31 of my first years on this planet in The Annapolis Valley. We will be moving back in the next few years but likely settling on the south shore somewhere. if my wife get's things her way we will be somewhere between Bridgewater and Mahone Bay.




I think Impressive as you obviously had to teach yourself...and learn the chords in reverse.

The south shore I'm familiar with. Do alot of bike rides down that way. I live more on the Eastern shore...just outside of Dartmouth.


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## WhiskyJack1977 (Nov 10, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> I think Impressive as you obviously had to teach yourself...and learn the chords in reverse.
> 
> The south shore I'm familiar with. Do alot of bike rides down that way. I live more on the Eastern shore...just outside of Dartmouth.


Still a pretty nice area. I have a couple buddies that live around Lawrencetown beach (i think that might be classified as Eastern Shore? I stand to be corrected) and i usually spend some time down there when i am home. Anyways. if you ever think of it man share some pictures of your guitar i would love to see it. It's a double whammy for me. A DIY one of a kind and lefty creation. Two of my most favorite things.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

WhiskyJack1977 said:


> Still a pretty nice area. I have a couple buddies that live around Lawrencetown beach (i think that might be classified as Eastern Shore? I stand to be corrected) and i usually spend some time down there when i am home. Anyways. if you ever think of it man share some pictures of your guitar i would love to see it. It's a double whammy for me. A DIY one of a kind and lefty creation. Two of my most favorite things.


I consider it to be down that way. On the right area anyway.
As far as my guitar, here you go....


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## WhiskyJack1977 (Nov 10, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> I consider it to be down that way. On the right area anyway.
> As far as my guitar, here you go....
> View attachment 256766
> View attachment 256768
> ...


Dang! That is pretty sweet ! How did all that come about? Did you buy a lefty model of something and just refinish it or was it an entirely from scratch thing or a kit guitar?


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

WhiskyJack1977 said:


> Dang! That is pretty sweet ! How did all that come about? Did you buy a lefty model of something and just refinish it or was it an entirely from scratch thing or a kit guitar?



Thanks so much. Was a kit. Wife bought it a few years back. Took me that long to decide on colors. All completely built by me. The body was shaped and neck was done.
.but all assembly neck included. Also had to do all the wiring. Finish is a rattle can poly, 25 coats then sanded flat and polished.


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## WhiskyJack1977 (Nov 10, 2016)

old and tryin said:


> Thanks so much. Was a kit. Wife bought it a few years back. Took me that long to decide on colors. All completely built by me. The body was shaped and neck was done.
> .but all assembly neck included. Also had to do all the wiring. Finish is a rattle can poly, 25 coats then sanded flat and polished.


Maybe it is a left handed thing to procrastinate and take forever to make decisions. LOL. I am just getting serious about putting together a lefty tele kit i got back in 2016!!!! how sad is that. I may have to pick your brain for how to do this. I am still working on my finish concepts and ideas on some test pieces and scraps this week but i am hoping to get the thing going by this weekend. I am happy with that colors i have picked out i just need ot figure out a few more things for the final clears and then i think i am ready. 

Any advice or things i should know i am all ears. 25 coats seems like a lot but also not enough. I have a piece of test i think i am up to 7 coats so far of the satin and it barely feels like anything.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

WhiskyJack1977 said:


> Maybe it is a left handed thing to procrastinate and take forever to make decisions. LOL. I am just getting serious about putting together a lefty tele kit i got back in 2016!!!! how sad is that. I may have to pick your brain for how to do this. I am still working on my finish concepts and ideas on some test pieces and scraps this week but i am hoping to get the thing going by this weekend. I am happy with that colors i have picked out i just need ot figure out a few more things for the final clears and then i think i am ready.
> 
> Any advice or things i should know i am all ears. 25 coats seems like a lot but also not enough. I have a piece of test i think i am up to 7 coats so far of the satin and it barely feels like anything.



Anytime. Glad to help. The amount of coats will depend on the finish you want and the type of wood used. I had porous...so lots of coats. Also wanted a mirror shine.


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## Stephenlouis (Jun 24, 2019)

I'm left handed but play right.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

From Wikipedia: " It is estimated that between 70 and 95 percent of the world's population is right-handed." So my guess is that between 5 and 30 percent of guitar players are left-handed. One percent seems far too few.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

But in order for that to work 100% of people would have to play guitar. Out of the 100% of the people, there may only be 10% who play guitar. Then out of that 10%, how many would be left handed?


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

old and tryin said:


> But in order for that to work 100% of people would have to play guitar. Out of the 100% of the people, there may only be 10% who play guitar. Then out of that 10%, how many would be left handed?


That would give you the proportion of the entire population who play guitar left handed. Doesn't seem a very useful statistic.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Was


Doug Gifford said:


> That would give you the proportion of the entire population who play guitar left handed. Doesn't seem a very useful statistic.


 Never meant to be useful, more a curiosity.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

old and tryin said:


> Was
> 
> Never meant to be useful, more a curiosity.


Yeah but…

Does one percent seem plausible in your experience? I think ten percent *must* be closer.


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## old and tryin (Mar 27, 2019)

Doug Gifford said:


> Yeah but…
> 
> Does one percent seem plausible in your experience? I think ten percent *must* be closer.



Hard to say. Like I said...read a stat that said 10% of 10% are lefhanded guitarists. Was more curious as to how that related to the forum here, and how accurate that stat might be. I do know that when I go to a music store the LH guitars are very limited. 30 guitars and you are lucky to find 5. Anything is plausible.


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