I’m left handed. If I play left handed the man then that thickest swing will be on the bottom as opposed to the top?
Correct ? Will this make reading music more difficult ?
Thanks
Why not just buy a lefthanded guitar? Go and watch Justin’s Left handed practice videos. He taught himself to play lefthanded.
Some lefties back in the day would restring a RH guitar upside down to be able to play it left-handed - something to consider if you choose not to learn right handed (as some lefties do), or buy a LH guitar (as I have).
Hi Conor, some lefties (several here on this forum) play right-handed. It really depends on the individual whether that will work. Otherwise, you’ll need to get a left-handed guitar, or have your current guitar converted. You cannot usually simply put the strings on the other way around - the nut and the saddle are usually made specifically to hold the strings in the original configuration. Hopefully some of our lefties will see this topic and speak up. Also, you might try searching the Community with the term “left-handed” - there are lots of conversations that you might find helpful!
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Hi Conor,
It happens that I am one of those left handed folks (that writes with the correct hand 
) that plays a right handed guitar in its stock configuration and strums with my right hand. I began that journey in my late teens and early twenties when I played a right handed bass guitar and picked with my right hand. Now in my sixties, I am learning to play guitar still using a right handed model and strumming with my right hand. It can be done but I do believe that a left handed person needs to be somewhat “wired” to accomplish the reversal of strumming with the right hand.
One thing that helped me as a leftie to be better at playing a right handed instrument with the right hand was to exercise the right hand in sports. As a baseball player, I threw the baseball with my right hand and my glove was on the left hand. In a bowling league, I threw the bowling ball with my right hand. By doing these things, it actually feels natural now to play right handed. About the only thing that I do left handed nowadays is write.
But I will concede that being able to do this reversal of hands is highly dependent on how the brain reacts to doing things with the “wrong” hand. If you try to play the way that I do and after six months your brain is telling you that playing right handed just isn’t going to work, then I would say that buying a left handed guitar is the route you should take. Don’t fight playing as a righty if your brain keeps telling you to play guitar as a lefty. After all, playing guitar is supposed to be enjoyable.
Cheers and I hope the above helps you out.
Dave
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Thanks everyone.
I’m a lefty and i play left. I have several left handed guitars.
I’ve tried to play right handed, but it became pretty clear very quickly that it would’nt work.
There’s no need to stress about a left handed guitar. The thickest string (E) will be on top, the thinnest (e) on the bottom.
Try 'em both, right and left handed and see what feels more natural.
Have fun!!
Elizabeth Cotton played lefty with a righty hand guitar.
It’s written it gave her more ability to play a fancier bass line (and dubbed “Cotton picking”)
If you decide to stick to that configuration, you’re in fine company!
