• From: PA, USA
  • Registered: 2007-08-06
  • Posts: 42

Topic: "Lefty" electric guitars

When I bought my own electric, I bought one for my son too, who is only 5 but very interested in music, drumming and learning guitar. Unfortunately, it never dawned on me that since he is a lefty, he will hold the instrument the opposite way and the strings will be wrong. His guitar has all the keys on one side, so I cant really reverse the strings can I? Or should I try to make him learn the right-handed way? Does he need a guitar with 3 tuning keys on each side? Are there actual lefty guitars? And anyone know where I might look for one, for a child, like a 31" inch or so?

HAVE YOU
     HUGGED YOUR GUITAR
                                 TODAY??

kath628's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: "Lefty" electric guitars

You should "encourage" your child to play right handed if at all posible. You're gonna have so many easier avenues to persue as life as a right handed guitarist. Each hand plays an equal role so being "left-handed" isn't that big of an issue in learning the guitar, especially at 5 years old. Here are some possible purchase options for you;
http://www.music123.com/Rogue-Starter-A … 1.Music123

Give everything but up.
  • tomd
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Illinois, USA
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 6

Re: "Lefty" electric guitars

I'm a leftie, and I would encourage your son to play whatever way he is most comfortable.  A test I use with kids who want to play is to ask them to "air guitar" for me.  If they air guitar lefite, they're are most likely to see a left handed instrument as natural.  There are lefite guitars out there, this site allows you to reconfigure any chord to leftie, and there are ample left handed instruction guides available.  Lastly, teachers don't care.  A note is a note!  Let him rip and see what happens!!!!

[url=http://www.youtube.com/tboned611]www.youtube.com/tboned611[/url]

tomd's Website

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: "Lefty" electric guitars

This merits a topic.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: "Lefty" electric guitars

Dear SouthPaw41L

Your theory is very interesting, and probably you have a point. The only question is: if you try this out, isn't it against nature, or are these kids really capable to play righthanded?
I know that if you drop your kid for 2 years in China from the age of 3 up to 5 years old, they will speak Chinese. It is probably a silly thing to write this, but ARE THERE CHORDIANS who learned to play "flawless" with their right hand.
To know more about left versus right, there is a very interesting article on wikipedia: google: left hand.

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: PA, USA
  • Registered: 2007-08-06
  • Posts: 42

Re: "Lefty" electric guitars

Thanx for the wikipedia article! It was great reading, and it also reiterates what my guitar playing friend said I could do...have a luthier reverse the nut and restring the guitar upside down. If this was ok for Hendrix its ok for my little guy!!

HAVE YOU
     HUGGED YOUR GUITAR
                                 TODAY??

kath628's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: "Lefty" electric guitars

gitaardocphil wrote:

Dear SouthPaw41L

Your theory is very interesting, and probably you have a point. The only question is: if you try this out, isn't it against nature, or are these kids really capable to play righthanded?
I know that if you drop your kid for 2 years in China from the age of 3 up to 5 years old, they will speak Chinese. It is probably a silly thing to write this, but ARE THERE CHORDIANS who learned to play "flawless" with their right hand.
To know more about left versus right, there is a very interesting article on wikipedia: google: left hand.

My theory is simply to encourage, not insist, that the unexperienced player start out right handed. In 20+ years of teaching guitar I have never imposed my will upon a student. I do, however, warn them of the difficulties in obtaining instuments due to the sparsity of left-handed instruments. I personally learned guitar right handed but due to a boating accident in 1987,  was forced  to play left-handed. It's a long and boring story, I won't burden you with the details. So I know first hand the aggravation associated in the world of left-handed guitars.  I stand by my previous statement regarding right-handed vs. left-handed guitar playing

Give everything but up.