Playing lefty on a righty tele?

[Dano]

My daughter, age 13, has inquired about guitar lessons. There are guitars around the house that she could use -- an MIJ tele, an old Harmony H-74, and her brother's Fernandes LP (he's since moved on to bass) --- but they're all right-handed, and she's basically right-handed, but she has always held a guitar left-handed. Has anyone successfully restrung a right-handed tele for left-handed use (aside from Hendrix or McCartney perhaps)? How much of a problem is the placement of the knobs and switch? I guess it'd need a LH nut, too. Anything else I should think about before just getting her a LH Squier Strat? Neurosurgery would be too expensive, and behavior modification never works with her.

Thanks,
Dano

I

[Pete Galati]

My nephew is left handed. He got a Squier Custom Tele, the kind with two humbuckers. He just turned the nut around and strung the guitar up lefty. He hold me how he hot the nut to come out of the slot, but for some reason, I forget how he did it.

I convinced him several years ago that he had to figure out how to do things like that, and just do it. He's gotten pretty good at it.

There seem to be plenty of lefty guitars available these days though. Just just cost a little bit more.

Pete

[TheBigKevDogg]

if she's "basically right-handed," I really would train her to play right handed, if she's just getting started. it'll probably save a heckovalotta trouble/money/inconvenience in the future. I can't imagine how much I would hate going over to a friends house or something and not just being able to pick up the guitar in the corner.

[Wild Rice Chris]

John Flansburgh of The Might Be Giants sometimes plays a righty tele upside-down.

See if you can get her to play righty. Saves money and hassle later in life.

[Telektrick]

I found that many students initially pick up the guitar and want to hold it left-handed. I'm one of those who thing left-handed players should play right-handed.

Right-handed player would probably be better off playing left-handed......using the hand you have the greatest manual dexterity on the fretboard and not holding a pick as so many do.

Just my 2 cents,

Craig

[Wild Rice Chris]

Of course, the flipside to that is that you want their stronger hand to be holding the pick. The picking hand has more to do with tone production, speed, control, etc. I used to play with a lefty guitarist who plays righty. He could grab any chord without effort, but making them sound good was not his strong point.

Many kids do try to hold it lefty. I've had students hold it backwards after taking lessons for a few months. They just forget.

Actually, I had one who would switch back and forth. He had a lefty guitar and he would use his brother's righty. After a few lessons, he decided which one he liked better.

Chris
http://www.covingtonsapples.com

[Pete Galati]

I remember discussing this left/right matter with the other guitar player, in the first band I was in. One of those guys who'd already taken most guitar playing matters into concideration long before I started playing.

The short version of what he said is that it's a lot more difficult, and takes more coordination, to do what the picking hand does, than what the fretting hand does.

I think he was pretty much right on the money. I'd sure hate to try to do what I do with my right hand, using my left hand. I'm sure I'd be a much less forceful player. And not being a Shredder anyhow, my fretting hand really isn't that busy anyhow.

Pete

[Rufus]

Originally Posted by Dano

My daughter, age 13, has inquired about guitar lessons. There are guitars around the house that she could use -- an MIJ tele, an old Harmony H-74, and her brother's Fernandes LP (he's since moved on to bass) --- but they're all right-handed, and she's basically right-handed, but she has always held a guitar left-handed. Has anyone successfully restrung a right-handed tele for left-handed use (aside from Hendrix or McCartney perhaps)? How much of a problem is the placement of the knobs and switch? I guess it'd need a LH nut, too. Anything else I should think about before just getting her a LH Squier Strat? Neurosurgery would be too expensive, and behavior modification never works with her.

Thanks,
Dano

I

If she's 13, she should be mature enough to decide as to whether she uses a right or left handed guitar. She's the one that'll be putting in the hours, so it should be her choice. How would you righties feel if someone forced you to play baseball lefthanded as a child? No big deal, right?? (I always get a kick out of the people that say that its no big deal to play with the other hand and you're doing lefties a "favor".)

If she's "basically right handed", does that mean she also does some other things left-handed, too? If so, why are you so reluctant to let her play southpaw?

For very little $, your daughter can play a lefty instrument;

a) flip one of those unused righty guitars over, get a new nut cut and let her play. (yeah, its a compromise, you gotta reach around the controls - but its better than nothing - and I speak from personal experience.)
or
b) buy her an inexpensive beginner's guitar (the lefty Squier Strat?), just like you might buy for a right handed child.

If she loses interest and quits playing, you haven't lost much $. If she becomes a dedicated lefty player, then reward her down the road with a better left handed instrument. Isn't your own child worth taking the chance on?

I don't understand what is is always such an agonizing decision for parents. The availability of quality lefthanded guitars continues to increase and will only get better. You may not get a plethora of options, but you can get a fine guitar. Especially if you want to assemble your own out of quality parts - the internet has made this virtually painless. (thank God for USACG and others like them.)

Do your daughter a favor- ask her opinion and trust in her judgement. What have you got to lose? :D

P.S. - save your money on the neurosurgery. We Southpaws are "wired backwards" and a right handed doctor would never be able to figure it out.

[TheSonicBlue]

Well, I'm a lefty who plays right-handed, and I would contest the weak-picking hand thing. A while ago, I posted her about how I had trouble picking. I've since worked it out, and can pick most stuff just fine, and at pretty high speeds. Of course, it is gonna vary from person to person. Just keep in mind, I'm VERY left handed- guitar is the only thing I do righty-style (other than stickshift and computer mouse/keyboard).

[Wild Rice Chris]

Only thing I do left-handed is fish. 8) 8)

[Dano]

Thanks to all for the comments and observations. I'm glad to read that playing a right-handed tele left-handed can work. My daughter's not going to play right-handed unless it's her idea, so the main question now is which one she'd prefer, a restrung MIJ tele (or whatever), or a lower-end left-handed student model (e.g., Squier, Epi, etc). The tele is probably the better instrument, but that's only one factor in the equation.

Rufus: reread my original post (which you quoted) and you'll see that I'm not part of the vast right-handed conspiracy. I'm not at all surprised that she's got left-handed leanings --- I'm even more that way than she is --- I write lefthanded, I bat righthanded, I play guitar righthanded, use a telescope or shotgun lefthanded, etc. Nowhere do I say anything at all about being "reluctant" to let her play left-handed; I take it as given that she will, there's no "agonizing decision" here at all. I'm quite at ease with the idea that humans might use both of their hands, it's just a question of what gear they're gonna use.

[Southpaw433]

I'm a lefty that played righty guitars for years, because before the internet - I had not actually seen a lefty

of course Hendrix blazed the trail for lefties on a righty Strat, I would not be surprised if he played a righty tele along the way , I have seen pictures of him playing a Danelectro.

and IMHO - I tried to learn both ways - lefty just felt the correct way for me. Pros and cons ...I have no regrets.

[Rufus]

Originally Posted by Dano

I'm glad to read that playing a right-handed tele left-handed can work. My daughter's not going to play right-handed unless it's her idea, so the main question now is which one she'd prefer, a restrung MIJ tele (or whatever), or a lower-end left-handed student model (e.g., Squier, Epi, etc). The tele is probably the better instrument, but that's only one factor in the equation.

Rufus: reread my original post (which you quoted) and you'll see that I'm not part of the vast right-handed conspiracy. I'm not at all surprised that she's got left-handed leanings --- I'm even more that way than she is --- I write lefthanded, I bat righthanded, I play guitar righthanded, use a telescope or shotgun lefthanded, etc. Nowhere do I say anything at all about being "reluctant" to let her play left-handed; I take it as given that she will, there's no "agonizing decision" here at all. I'm quite at ease with the idea that humans might use both of their hands, it's just a question of what gear they're gonna use.

Great to hear that you're not part of the conspiracy !! I'm sorry if I came across as demeaning you - it definitely wasn't intended. The fact that you were asking for advice indicates that you are a caring parent. I just don't wanna see a teenager experience what I encountered...even into my late 20's

As a southpaw, I can't tell you how many right handed people (many teachers included!) that told me its no big deal to play with the other hand. One or two even refused to teach me unless I converted to righty! (Needless to say, I had no use for music teachers after that.) I never regretted resisting their bad advice. It may have taken me many years to get started, but I was determined that it be my way or no way at all.

Many lefties are not 100%...either through nature or being forced to adapt. I am a true southpaw, but play all sports right handed/footed. I'm not ambidexterous. As a helicopter pilot of 20+ years, the cockpits are set up for right handed people, but I never had a problem holding the stick & flying with my right hand. But playing guitar right handed just felt "wrong" to me, so I never did. My first guitar at age 27 was a right handed squire Strat flipped over ala Jimi. Not cause it was cool, but because before the internet and megastores, it was impossible for me to find a lefty guitar. The controls being in the way was inconvenient, but was worth it for me. After 20 yrs & a couple of real left handed Fenders, I just fulfilled my dream of assembling a guitar totally to my specs... a swamp ash USACG Tele with a fat neck, medium frets and I finished it myself in nitro surf green.
It was truly a labor of love and worth the six months it took me to accomplish. But I digress...

If you're able and have the $ to play with (pun intended), I'd take your daughter to a larger store that actually have a couple of lefty Strats or Teles and let her compare the feel to playing an upside down righty. As a beginner, I think I'd prefer a true southpaw guitar over the upside down option, maybe even if its not quite as well made - but the quality of Squires (and other models) can be shockingly good for relatively little $.

For the record...I don't care which hand she uses...as long as its HER choice. 8)

[Dave Yeats]

Food for thought:

Pianos are not left- or right-handed
Woodwinds are not left- or right-handed
Single drums, marimbas, etc. are not left- or right-handed
etc, etc.

A lot of instruments require the use of both hands (guitar included), and everybody needs training and practice to play well. I can see why somebody would want something that felt "right," but the guitar only really started to feel "right" after I learned to play it.

[Wild Rice Chris]

Originally Posted by Dave Yeats

Single drums, marimbas, etc. are not left- or right-handed

Of course, if you watch a left-handed player, they usually lead with their left hand.