Guitar Help · PACKERSHOME

Rockmolder
Honored Member Topic Starter

15 years ago

I figured that I'd try this over here first...

I've been thinking about buying a guitar. Nothing fancy, just a starter thingy.
The big problem is this, I'm left handed.

Now I don't care how it looks or anything, but my left hand is very dominant, so I'd like to actually play on a lefty guitar. My biggest problem with that is that I don't know to read tabs. At all. I'm wondering how hard it is to change these right handed tabs that you find all over the net into left handed ones.

Then there's always the price difference, but I think that I'd rather spent an extra 80 Euro's on a guitar, even if it's a starter thing, than play with my much weaker right hand.

I think.

Lol.

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The_Green_Ninja
Senior Member

15 years ago

Do a mirror effect on the string, the top on bottom and bottom on top and so on.

TheEngineer
Registered

15 years ago

I think it'd be a better idea to learn to play guitar right handed, irrespective of the fact that you're left handed.

It'll just be easier in life - taking lessons, giving lessons, playing instruments at other people's houses, wooing your girlfriend with a serenade, etc etc.

I see it the same way as batting in baseball or cricket. Whether you're left or right handed doesn't preclude you to bat left or right handed (or switch).

In any case, since you're left hand dominant, you might have an easier time coordinating your left hand to bar the notes or chords anyway, whereas all your right hand needs to do is to strum with a pick or at worst, fingerpicking.

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Rockmolder
Honored Member Topic Starter

15 years ago

"TheEngineer" wrote:

I've picked up guitars before. My tendency is to pick them up like it where a left handed guitar, only to have people tell me that I should turn it around.

I know that my tendency is to play left handed.

But you make some good points. In the end, you're going to use two hands. I figure that both tasks are quite learnable for both hands. It's also quite a bit cheaper, you have more choice, learning to play etc.

You swayed me towards a right handed one. Lol. I'll wait for our resident zombie slaying musician to comment. I'm just indecisive.

If only we knew how good Jimmy would've been had he played a right handed guitar.

nathaniel
Registered

15 years ago

There are a lot of decent cheap guitars out there. Most of them have left-handed models as well. Of course, you could always string a right-handed guitar backwards like Hendrix did. I actually played a left-handed guitar stringed to play right-handed and it was pretty awkward, cause the knobs are right where your strum-hand rests.

I'd look at some Epiphone models. I have an Epiphone Special 2, which I love, and that guitar is now around $100 (US). They're all made by Gibson, and are good quality. First Act has been known as a cheap "generic" guitar manufacturer but are now making some quality instruments. I know quite a few well known bands who exclusively use First Act guitars now.

Reading tabs is pretty easy to learn, and lefty tabs would just be mirror images of righty tabs. I've noticed that a lot of the tabs you'll find aren't completely correct, so that's why I mainly play by ear. I took piano lessons as a kid (I faked my way through them for two years...I was playing by ear the whole time) so I can read basic music, but I prefer figuring out stuff on my own. Tabs are a great way to get started though.

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Cheesey
Preferred Member

15 years ago

Heck......Paul McCartney plays lefty! If he can do it, you can too!
It's weird, i'm right handed, but when i tried to play a guitar, i couldn't do it right handed. It didn't feel "natural" at all. But i gave it up, as i sucked at it.
So i stayed with singing only.

zombieslayer
Registered

15 years ago

Sorry amigo. I know absolutely nothing about left-handed guitars. Nothing. I don't know about tabs either, but assume that they're the same for left-handers as right-handers, as notation is the same for both.

As for buying a guitar, I'd advise against getting one "too cheap." You may find you love it and regret buying a cheapie as you'll just have to resell it.

Get one where the strings aren't too high off the fretboard and one that doesn't have garbage pickups. You want it to be playable, and have a decent sound. Take someone who plays guitar with you when you purchase it. Guitarists love talking about guitars.

My man Donald Driver

(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷

zombieslayer
Registered

15 years ago

To elaborate, a guitar that is too cheap is barely playable and will quickly ruin your desire to play it. Trust me on this one. I've seen this happen to many would be guitarists.

The good news is you can always find something decent used for an affordable price. The bad news is you might have to go right-handed as I see almost nothing good for left-handers out there used.

Take a guitarist with you when you buy a used guitar. There are certain things you have to look at with the neck. The neck can be warped and if so, no matter what the original purchase price is, it's ruined. Also, the guitarist will know if it needs new wiring, if the pickups are garbage, etc.

You may on the other hand find a steal. Two of the 3 guitars I've owned were purchased used and I got killer deals on both used ones. People need money sometimes and unload good products cheaply, especially musicians.

My man Donald Driver

(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷

Rockmolder
Honored Member Topic Starter

15 years ago

"zombieslayer" wrote:

I've scowered the internet before this. I always do. I'm indecisive when it comes to buying things that are over 20 euros.

I've been thinking about just buying a complete starter pack online. A cheap one, preferably. Now I've visited some forums etc. and everyone seems to disagree about those cheap, unknown brand ones for starters. Some say that it's perfect to just get the hang of it, while not paying too much. Others say that they suck so badly that it'll ruin any fun you'll have.

There appear to be some decent Squier and Ibanez starter packs out there...

Maybe I should just buy a $25,- ukelele. Lol.

zombieslayer
Registered

15 years ago

#10

Rock - It really depends on you. Do you want to be a musician? Or do you just want to play around on something?

It would be like if you were interested in music so you bought yourself a cheap Casio keyboard. Well, after a week, that will pretty much squelch any musician in you as I have yet to see a Casio keyboard a year old or more that wasn't covered in dust.

Don't be cheap. This is music we're talking about. What in life is more important other than food, water, shelter, and hoo hoos?

My man Donald Driver

(thanks to Pack93z for the pic)
2010 will be seen as the beginning of the new Packers dynasty. 🇹🇹 🇲🇲 🇦🇷

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