Do I need a left-handed guitar?

Question

Ok so I have a "right-handed" guitar and I am left-handed. It can play songs easily, tabs that is, but I don't seem to strum very well (with my right hand) I seriously just can't strum. But, when I flip the guitar around and pretend to use my right hand to press the strings, it feels really awkward, but then again when I strum with my left hand I am pretty much able to. Do you think that I need a left handed guitar or I simply just can't strum the strings correctly?

Answer 1

If you want to see how it works, restring your guitar backwards and hold it flipped around so the neck is in your left hand. This is a really cheap way of having a left handed guitar (Kurt Cobain did it). If it's more comfortable then you might want to consider a left handed guitar, or just keeping yours backwards. Otherwise go right handed and practice strumming a lot. A good way to strengthen your weaker hand is to tap your fingers to your thumb. Do each finger 10-20 times. It's something really easy you can just sit and do during the day when you're in class/watching tv/whenever and it might help with your struming. (My guitar teacher taught me that trick)

Answer 2

Playing the guitar (or most any musical instrument) is an ambidextrous skill.  It'll take a while for you to develop enough motor coordination in your non-dominant hand so that it doesn't feel awkward.  A "left-handed" guitar won't really help you...then you'll have the issue of having to figure out how to navigate the fingerboard with your right hand...really I think you're better off with a regular "right-handed" guitar.  Good Luck! :-)

Answer 3

Don't worry too much about switching. Strumming is the easy stuff when it comes to guitar.

Answer 4

Don't spend your money on another guitar. If you can play the right-handed guitar easily, then it's fine. Just practice strumming. I know that it can be hard, but it will feel worth it.

Answer 5

It will better to play with a left handed guitar.

The problem is that it will become very difficult to buy a guitar, and that it will be very frustrating to visit a guitar shop...

But more and more great left-handed guitars become available, and even if people are telling you that strumming is the easy part, they are wrong, the strumming and the fingering are the emotional stuff.

Restring a right handed guitar left handed is dangerous because guitars are not often symmetric.

You can get a lot of left handed guitar but the problem is that it is not easy to try before you buy, because shops are not stocking lefties.

And one of the reason is that a lot of lefties are playing right-handed...

Hope it helps.

PS: I'm left-handed, and guitarist

Fernand

Answer 6

sounds weird. yes? just work on your right hand fretting. youll get better. (fretting is pressing the strings)

Answer 7

I'm a lefty and I use a right-handed guitar, and I can relate to the awkward feeling of a left-handed guitar. If you feel comfortable using your left hand to strum, then don't suffer using a right-hand guitar. Yes, you'll be wasting money by not using that one, but this is for YOU and you have to be comfortable playing.