Lefty guitars... why?

[Dan025]

Every cresent wrench has metric equivelent of max open on them..... :tard:

Actually it's the length, not how far it opens. No way the one on top opens up 10"!  :doh:

yeah doug dont they teach metric in die making school these days? not to mention that all cresent wrenches for some inexplicable reason are measured in length not the jaw opening. well all that ive seen.

 

[swarfrat]

I find this whole thread very 'sinister'

What's even crazier is I have heard of one or two people who were right handed, but learned to play their  right handed guitar left handed to get the Jimi sound.

 

[AutoBat]

i have some friends with boys that are obviously lefties, but they say they aren't, even though they bat lefty and take off running with the left foot first.
they also wonder why their kids writing and drawing are behind other boys their age. (age 4/6/7)

 

[DesmoDog]

i have some friends with boys that are obviously lefties, but they say they aren't, even though they bat lefty and take off running with the left foot first.
they also wonder why their kids writing and drawing are behind other boys their age. (age 4/6/7)

I don't have kids so maybe I'm totally out of touch... but I can't imagine really caring if my kid was left or right handed? It seems there would be other things I'd be a lot more concerned about... Who gives a rip what hand they write with? And yes I'm a righty but I've noticed I have quite a few lefty friends, and it doesn't seem to have slowed them down.

Last weekend I noticed my lefty brother in law plays a right handed guitar upside down. I mentioned it and he just laughed and said "That's what happens when your older brother is a righty and gets a guitar before you do"

 

[erogenousjones17]

Once upon a time, when schools were run by gentle, compassionate nuns, left-handed kids were "encouraged" (i.e. forced) to be right-handed. Usually with a rap on the knuckles with a yardstick or a leather strap. I know several adults whose souls were spared from the evils of being a southpaw in this way. I find this to be absurd.

I have no experience in the matter, but I'm willing to bet that a kid is going to have the best chance at succeeding with a musical instrument if left to play it in whatever handedness he or she finds most comfortable. But I'm a righty, so what do I know?

 

[M Daley]

My apologies for not reading through more than 3 of the 5 pages. I'll just add my .02 and reiterate a point that's been made at least once

People tend to keep better (or at least more natural)  time with their dominant hand, be it L or R, making it better to pluck or strum with.

 

[M Daley]

Once upon a time, when schools were run by gentle, compassionate nuns, left-handed kids were "encouraged" (i.e. forced) to be right-handed. Usually with a rap on the knuckles with a yardstick or a leather strap. I know several adults whose souls were spared from the evils of being a southpaw in this way. I find this to be absurd.

Sorry for the O.T. but ......

True story. This happened to my older brother who was told by said nuns that, between his left handedness and his tendency to not talk much, that he was "slow" and would have infinite difficulty getting along in the world if he didn't get with the program. This was when he was about 5. Obviously, my mom didn't stand for that. 45 years later he's making 6 figures authoring software. Being the most mechanically inclined of all of us, he used to do minor plumbing repairs around the house. After he worked on the bathtub or any of the sinks, he would switch around the Hot and Cold faucets to suit his liking. quite the prankster, that one.   

 

[imminentG]

Hand orientation is nothing but a distraction.

Look at us  :-\

 

[DangerousR6]

Every cresent wrench has metric equivelent of max open on them..... :tard:

Actually it's the length, not how far it opens. No way the one on top opens up 10"!   :doh:

yeah doug dont they teach metric in die making school these days? not to mention that all cresent wrenches for some inexplicable reason are measured in length not the jaw opening. well all that ive seen.

Yes, that is true, I had calipers on my mind for some reason...... :doh:

 

[Big V]

For some reason, I feel a bit outnumbered on this thread. I'm a righty, and a lot of you are lefties. Which makes sense, as it would certainly appeal to lefties that Warmoth has many lefty-options. :rock-on:

I want to learn how to play lefty, but I won't order a Warmoth for that, as it would cost me too much :tard:
Maybe if I get good at it, though... :laughing7:

 

[tfarny]

I am late to this thread, because I don't really care seeing as how I'm a righty, and most lefties tend to be annoying whiny self-righteous entitled punks, but why would you care that your kid not play lefty guitars? Isn't that a perfect, brilliant excuse to bring more warmoths into the world, even if they can only be appreciated in mirror image photographs? Warmoths are too good for your kid, or what?


JK about the lefties. Sheesh you guys are sensitive... :icon_biggrin:

 

[BigBeard]

Left handed and goofy footed I am.  Now do you think for a second in my career as a snowboard instructor I forced people to ride 'regular foot?' because most snowboards are set up regular?  No I didn't.  Why on earth would you make your kid play right handed if it doesn't feel natural.  Go ahead and pick up a left handed guitar and try to play a song you are good at playing.  You will know what it feels like to be a left handed guitarist playing a right handed instrument.  So if your boy comes home with a brunette and all of his buddies are with blondes, you gonna force him to get with a blonde just to conform?  Or what if all of his buddies are doing heroin?  Guess he should just go along with it cause that's the way everybody else gets high?  C'mon we are all intelligent people and this is an absurd question to begin with.  If it feels comfortable, that's the way you play, regardless if he can play your guitars or not.  There is a bright side that he won't phuck with your guitars, cause he can't play them.  And if you force him to play right handed, I hope he drops all your beautiful Warmoth guitars.  That's just bad parenting to make a kid play a right handed guitar so he can play guitars at shops.  Teach the kid how to build his own guitars, and he won't have the problems that you are stating.  I mean, do you want him to enjoy playing, or do you want to frustrate him?  Make him play a right handed instrument, and pick out guitars for him that you like... that way you won't waste your money on guitars that won't get played!!  I can almost guarantee that if he is playing air guitar left handed, he's a lefty!!

And since when does which foot is your dominant foot determine if you are left handed or right handed?  Most left handed people are 'Goofy' footed, or right foot forward.  Go ahead and argue this with me, I've taught over 1,000 snowboard lessons to absolute beginners, and one big part of the first snowboard lesson is which foot you want to ride with in front! 

 

[AprioriMark]

Since it's been a few posts since I clarified, I'll post the reasons why I care, in order of importance:
1) I want him to learn in whatever manner is most effective and comfortable.
2) I don't want to perpetuate marketing myths as fact (if they are).
3) I want to be able to pass on the instruments that I've played and loved to my children (if possible).

Nothing I've read here has convinced me that a lefty needs to strum or fret with one hand or the other, especially considering that I know MANY accomplished musicians on other instruments who have told me that "handedness" is a crock of pewp when it comes to instruments that require both hands to do important jobs. 

That being said, I am going to get two guitars (likely classical) strung left and right and see which he prefers.  I'm always open to more data, but at this point, I'm leaning towards, "whichever way he is comfortable learning is fine."

-Mark

 

[Strat Avenger]

Since it's been a few posts since I clarified, I'll post the reasons why I care, in order of importance:
1) I want him to learn in whatever manner is most effective and comfortable.
2) I don't want to perpetuate marketing myths as fact (if they are).
3) I want to be able to pass on the instruments that I've played and loved to my children (if possible).

Nothing I've read here has convinced me that a lefty needs to strum or fret with one hand or the other, especially considering that I know MANY accomplished musicians on other instruments who have told me that "handedness" is a crock of pewp when it comes to instruments that require both hands to do important jobs. 

That being said, I am going to get two guitars (likely classical) strung left and right and see which he prefers.  I'm always open to more data, but at this point, I'm leaning towards, "whichever way he is comfortable learning is fine."

-Mark

I like that idea; get one of each, and let him gravitate to whichever comes natural to him.  :guitaristgif:

 

[Finch]

Since it's been a few posts since I clarified, I'll post the reasons why I care, in order of importance:
1) I want him to learn in whatever manner is most effective and comfortable.
2) I don't want to perpetuate marketing myths as fact (if they are).
3) I want to be able to pass on the instruments that I've played and loved to my children (if possible).

Nothing I've read here has convinced me that a lefty needs to strum or fret with one hand or the other, especially considering that I know MANY accomplished musicians on other instruments who have told me that "handedness" is a crock of pewp when it comes to instruments that require both hands to do important jobs. 

That being said, I am going to get two guitars (likely classical) strung left and right and see which he prefers.  I'm always open to more data, but at this point, I'm leaning towards, "whichever way he is comfortable learning is fine."

-Mark

sounds like a plan, I dont see why he couldnt develop both potentially. In marching band I played Trumpet (right handed) and French Horn (left handed)/Mellophone (back to right handed) and it wasn't THAT huge of a deal, the fingerings for the scales are almost identical between the two and once you get used to it, you can switch back and forth pretty easily. I think most people who are against ambidexterity in guitars are just too set in their ways.

 

[Superlizard]

BigBeard is right - the air guitar will reveal all..................

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[grrider477]

Feel free to enlighten me, leftys, as my two year old son is a lefty.

I don't understand why left handed string instruments exist.  Both hands are used equally (arguable the non-dominant hand more), so what does it matter if he learns "backwards?"  They don't make lefty pianos (ok, they probably do, but no one cares).

-Mark

Me too has the same doubt

quit smoking

 

[rockskate4x]

shpam

 

[Cagey]

There are outliers for every condition, and it seems to vaguely follow a 90/10 rule. Roughly 90% are what we'd consider "normal", while roughly 10% will have red hair, left handedness, homosexuality or prefer Apple computers. Nobody knows why for certain, but it appears to be natural (and possibly genetic) since it sorta aligns with the "golden ratio", which is highly prevalent in nature.

 

[imminentG]

Man, I know I should just hold my tongue, but your estimation is not in accordance with the golden ratio.:icon_thumright:
In fact, I'd be surprised if anybody with that attitude would know the first thing about something so true and prevalent in the first place.

10%?
Could I really be the only one annoyed by this?

I don't have a thing against righties, and I think it's a COMPLETE waste of time to pretend like we all have grudges against hands that we ALL have.

You don't ever see us starting threads about "WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH RIGHT HANDED GUITARISTS?!?!?!" (POLL :icon_jokercolor