Oh, no

[bluesfordan]

sunday night, I finally let my 6 year old nephew see my guitars. To say he is a bit rambunctious is a slight understatement. Thank goodness they were reliced because if they were not, they would have been.

He chose the tele over the strat. In fact, the tele was in a gig bag, the strat was out and he asked for it (the tele, he's peeked into my music room before, that I know, but had never been allowed to actually touch anything). I got the tele out, took a spare guitar strap and set it as short as it could go. It just worked. After a couple of miuutes, he said "Uncle Dan, I want to play it this way" and flips it over.

Ooooh, nooo, he's a lefty, like his daddy and granddad. Neither of them played so no legacies to pass on. I tried to explain that he'd have a lot more choices in guitars if he played right handed but a 6 year old can't understand that.

I was 6 when I wanted to play guitar and I had nobody to encourage me. I don't know whether to nurture his left-ness or try to encourage him to play righty. Poor kid is in for a world of hurt if he plays lefty.

Should I get him an acoustic or electric? I'd prefer electric but for my brother and sis-in-law's sanity, I'm thinking acoustic. He's noisy enough as it is.

[SixStringSlinger]

I've heard of bad stuff happening if a kid prefers one hand but is "forced" to use the other, particularly when so young. But I don't think it applies to guitar, since one hand isn't really dominant over the other. Sure, some guys are more "pickers" while others are more "fret hand guys" (like myself), but I don't think his playing righty even if he's a lefty will affect him in a negative way. I'm not saying you should or shouldn't, I just don't think that if you do anything bad will happen besides "I WANT LEFTY!" I'm the same way, lefty playing righty. But then, I didn't start playing until 9th grade, and I do think my being a fret-hand guy (good with chords, lots of pull-offs and whatnot) has at least something to do with my dominant hand being used on the neck.

[Clive Hugh]

I would let him go lefty, I am left handed and had to learn to play right although it felt more natural lefty, now of course it is like breathing, you don't even think about it but I think it would have been easier for me to have learnt how I wanted.

[chet]

Better let him go lefty. He'll like it more and might practice. 6 years old is way young to take on something like playing guitar.
Besides, look at Paul McCartney. He did OK.

[Spidercaster]

I agree with the "let him go lefty" theory as well.

[BB]

One of my dear friends is left handed and plays by flipping a right handed guitar upside down ( ala Albert King ) so the high E is on top. His son plays the same way. Incredible, unique style. So, I'm with the others here, do not change the natural way he plays.

By the way, good for you for taking such an interest in his musical education. It's pretty rewarding! I have three grandsons ( 6, 5, 4 ) I'm slowly bringing along on guitar. It's a blast!

[captain gorgeous]

how is lefty a world of hurt?

it's not really is it?

he can either learn to play upside down like my buddy joe and albert king did/do; or you can string him up a righty the wrong way like hendrix (total outlay one nut and a set of strings); or he can learn on a lefty. there's plenty of left handed guitars out there especially at entry level. okay so he might not as quite as many to choose from later on as if he was right handed but it's hardly important now and not really that much of a bind unless you're a serious gear collector/hoarder to be honest. some folk argue that there's a disproportionate number of lefties in the exhalted genius category. you wouldn't catch me making a claim like that but i hardly think it's cause for concern.

and hey having a lefty in a band really adds a bit of symetry and visual difference to the thing! think macca and george sharing a mic.

worry not i say.

al.

[toadman]

my wife is lefty. i'm righty. man, let me tell you.....i am on the edge of my seat waiting to see which way our 2 year old swings! so far it appears that he plays guitar righty.
righty might make it easier for me to teach him. but lefty....he wouldn't be able to mess with MY guitars! (much)

and, speaking of "bookends" like Paul and George...Kyle and his cousin "lefty"

[guitar_ed]

Actually, the electric can be quieter because it can be played UNPLUGGED. Of course, it can be louder with the amp, but at this age, they don't care all that much.

As for lefty or righty? I have no clue. I say let the kid be. By 6yo they should be pretty much set which is the dominant hand, but leave him be.

The above represents the views of one ignorant and unlearned person.

Guitar Ed

[maestrovert]

Get him one of the right handed Mini Strats, and do a "Jimi" on it for him, he'll be THE coolest kid in class !

[bluesfordan]

Originally Posted by guitar_ed

Actually, the electric can be quieter because it can be played UNPLUGGED.

Originally Posted by maestrovert

Get him one of the right handed Mini Strats, and do a "Jimi" on it for him, he'll be THE coolest kid in class !

I think I just figured out what I'm giving him for christmas this year. I wonder if anybody makes a mini-Tele? If anybody knows (it doesn't have to be lefty, either), give me a holler.