A Question for Guitar Experts
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Topic: A Question for Guitar Experts
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Subject: A Question for Guitar Experts
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 19:46
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So I recently received an acoustic guitar from my grand-mom (a Harmony Marquis, model no. 403 to be exact). But the problem is, its a right handed guitar and I play left handed. So the only thing me and my dad could come up with to make it left handed is **(EDIT!)** to reverse the nut. So that all the grooves look like it would as if it were left handed. I'll take a pic so that you can see, because I obviously suck at explaining!  **(End of Edit!)**Now my question is: Will that slight modification (if you could call it that) harm the strings or affect the sound/playing? -AP ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Replies:
Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 20:28
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Sell it and get a left handed guitar, unless you want to be playing a guitar with laughable intonation ------------- 
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 20:46
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If by 'take the nut and switch it around' you mean the flat surface is
showing and the grooves are no longer guiding the strings onto the
fretboard, I can't see this working very well.. the strings will not
stay in place and, as Harry [Petrovsk] points out, your intonation - that is your guitar's ability to stay in tune - will be severely reduced. You also risk a string popping right off the neck which will be hard to put back in place, and could begin to warp the neck by a constant decrease/increase in tension. I guess you could try reversing the direction of the nut rather than flipping it over, though you may have to file the smaller grooves a bit so they'll fit the larger strings (your low E, A, etc.).. not sure if Jimi Hendrix did this or not Good luck |
Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 20:50
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The problem with the switching the nut is the bridge saddles still remain as they are. It's not such a problem with the actual nut per se. As the bridge saddles will still be configured for a right handed player, the intonation will suffer greatly -------------
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Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 22:47
And I don't know where you guys come from, but where I live a left handed ANYTHING is very expensive! So even if I did sell it, I would have to somehow double what I make from it just to buy a left handed guitar, No thanks!
But thanks Atavachron for the advice, I'll take a pic of it tomorrow so people will see what it looks like. ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Atavachron wrote:Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 22:48
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...and hopefull that will clear things up. ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 22:58
------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 23:18
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^ in that case yes, as I said it is a reasonable solution-- just be mindful that the 3 lowest wound strings will not rest properly in the nut grooves unless all 6 grooves are of equal concavity, so you'd either have to hope they don't slip or carefully widen the smaller grooves to accommodate the D, A and low E |
Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 23:21
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You're still going to have intonation problems no matter what because of the bridge saddles not being in the correct locations to accommodate the fact the strings will be in the opposite spots from where they were (i.e, the 6th now in the 1st, 5th now in 2nd etc) You seem to refuse to believe that or something, because I've posted it twice now and it seems you wont bother to heed that warning  Save yourself the hassle, and find a left handed guitar on ebay or anywhere on the used market. And btw, intonation is a very basic concept one should know about. I don't consider myself a guitar expert by any means, it's just something one should know about guitars if they intend to use them regularly. -------------
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 23:24
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he wants to keep it Harry and can't afford another one, so it sounds like it's this or nothing.. yes he'll have tuning problems but no more than someone with a whammy bar or just a bad guitar |
Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 23:33
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But the thing is, if he sold it off and bought something on the used market, he'd come out about even though. His choice I guess, but there are plenty of great used bargains if one is willing to look. I do know Ibanez make a few left handed models that can be found used for great prices  -------------
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Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 13 2010 at 23:41
| good point, up to him I guess |
Posted By: cobb2
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 00:24
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Just did a quick search for left hand nut and they are available for accoustics. If it is classical, the bridge is straight on these, so shouldn't be a problem.
addition- just looked it up and it is steel string, so you have the problem of the angle on the bridge to deal with as well. Being a lefty player myself, I sympathise. I once tried to change the bridge angle on a relatively inexpensive ibanez many many years ago with very dubious results.
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Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 09:23
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I'm not refusing to believe what you're saying Petrovsk, why do you think I asked? It's just that at the moment this is the best I can do. Now, obviously, I will eventually buy either the proper lefthanded parts or a new guitar all together. But not at this moment. Which is why I'm looking for an alternate solution. So I thank you for your input, I'm not about to ignore anything from people who know something about guitars.
By the way, my dad says this guitar is a beginners folk guitar, if that means anything different.
------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: Mr ProgFreak
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 09:31
I'm left handed and I play the guitar right handed. So my advice: Learn it the right way. If you think about it, when you're playing the guitar right handedly, the left hand does the complex stuff anyway.------------- https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike" rel="nofollow - https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike |
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 09:31
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Now, I'm looking at the guitar and (probably because of my lack of knowledge, but) it looks fine. All the strings are fitting into the grooves nicely. I know I still have to worry about the tone, but my dad has been playing for about 40 years (well at least 10 years playing seriously). So I would like to think he would know if this was a waist of time or not. The fact that he said it should be fine makes me confident BUT I will be catious and always aware of its tone and condition. So in the meantime I will have to wait a while for the strings to set...or whatever (again lack of knowledge, so if you'll excuse it!) before I can test it out and compare it to my dad's guitar.
Thanks guys for all the help. ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 09:36
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------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 09:41
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I couldn't delete my post so I'm just changing it this way. ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: Mr ProgFreak
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 09:43
^ well, a deformity of the ring finger ... you have to decide how to deal with it. If you're going for acoustic guitar finger picking, obviously you won't be able to do that then on a right handed guitar. On the other hand ( ), if you're going to play with a pick, that might work ... and in that case the deformity might interfere with your playing less on a right handed guitar than on a left handed guitar.
------------- https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike" rel="nofollow - https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike |
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 09:48
Well its too late anyway , I already have a left handed bass and a left handed electric guitar.
So stop contradicting me, its making me confuzzled!
Trust me though Mr ProgFreak, I've thought about this for a while and the choice for me to play left handed is the best. Thanks though! ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 09:50
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and not only that! I LIKE playing left handed so ! ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: Mr ProgFreak
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 09:52
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^ By all means, go ahead ... I just think that left handed people who are beginning to play the guitar should consider the possibility of playing right handed. In the end, both options are valid. ------------- https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike" rel="nofollow - https://tagyourmusic.org/users/Mike |
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 10:13
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Tell ya what, since people are suggesting I buy a new guitar, send me some links for a left handed acoustic guitar. I found some but don't know if I should trust them. So I'll let you guys have a look: http://www.amazon.com/Valencia-CG-150K-Left-Handed-Acoustic/dp/B001A3HHPC - http://www.amazon.com/Valencia-CG-150K-Left-Handed-Acoustic/dp/B001A3HHPC http://www.amazon.com/SX-Mentor-LH-NA-Instrucional/dp/B00104AV9K/ref=pd_cp_MI_2 - http://www.amazon.com/SX-Mentor-LH-NA-Instrucional/dp/B00104AV9K/ref=pd_cp_MI_2 Keep in mind that I will be receiving classical guitar lessons in April so base your decisions on that, and also I'm cheap soo... As always thanks for the input! ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: b4usleep
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 16:50
Yes, so am I. My teacher insisted (30 years ago) that i can play with right hand. I said no it is impossible. He said yes it is possible try it for a while and see. It took only 1 week to get used to right hand playing. Anybody can do it ------------- Really don't mind if you sit this one out. My words but a whisper, your deafness a shout. |
Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 19:08
| Yeah plus the statement that the fretting hand is harder is pretty false. Fretting will be what gives you problems till you get better, but eventually you'll realise that getting the picking on speed with all the fretting is really the harder of the two. After all, its one picking vs five fretting fingers |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 19:17
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^ I began noticing this more several years ago: when it comes to playing single notes at an increased velocity, it is the coordination between the left fretting hand and the right picking hand that is so vital. This is what most guitarists (especially non-folk players) will have to practice and understand as they progress. I can play fast via technique, tricks and common knowledge, and my left hand is quite nimble (heck I've been at it for 30 years). But ask me to simply pick each note individually at a high rate of speed, and I'll be hard-pressed to cleanly and convincingly do it, cleanly and in rhythmic time. Left/Right coordination is everything when it comes to the sort of runs you hear DiMeola, Rhoads, or Yngwie doing and for me is one of the most challenging, sometimes insurmountable, obstacles on the guitar. It's bloody hard, guys, all of it. |
Posted By: Negoba
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 19:24
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I'm also left-handed and play standard (labeled right handed)
Both hands have to function to play guitar. Like Mike, I think I probably had a little advantage in the beginning fretting with my dominant hand.
But your ultimate technique and skill comes from muscle memory and practice. I can't imagine being burdened with dealing with left-handed guitars. ------------- You are quite a fine person, and I am very fond of you. But you are only quite a little fellow, in a wide world, after all. |
Posted By: Petrovsk Mizinski
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 21:16
Five fretting fingers?  Damn, last time I checked, I and pretty much most other guitarists only had 4  I guess you can sorta count the thumb, especially if you have massive hands like Hendrix did. As for me, I play 7 string guitars and 5 string basses, which makes getting the thumb over the top of the neck a fair bit harder, so I never really use that technique anymore. -------------
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Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 21:29
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Well I'm always up for a challenge. Besides I never thought it would be easy anyway. Now let me say (since I accidently deleted a post where I explained why I play left handed) I am a righty. But I have a deformed ring finger on my right hand. So after a while of trying to play with my right hand and failing quite well! I decided to try left handed guitars. The result, while I don't really know how to play, was better. Its more comfortable to hold, to "play" and its now an instinct to pick with my right hand. I mean its pretty akward now for me to hold a right handed guitar. Look I understand what you guys are getting at, but I had my go playing right handed and it just doesn't work. Playing left handed now comes naturally and I don't plan on changing that (especially since I would effectively have to play with only 3 fingers, because of that deformed ring finger, if I played right handed) So I'm going to play left handed and I'm not going to play in a position that so foreign to me just because it would be the "easier" thing to do.
Hey I wouldn't call it that much of a burden, at least not yet. I've been fortunate enough to find a great left handed bass and electric guitar. But the only thing that becomes a burden is paying almost twice the price to get the same exact guitar, just because its left handed. Oi!  ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: Crimson Animals
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 21:33
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Instead of buying a new guitar, just go Jimi Hendrix on it's ass. He played a right handed guitar left handed. ------------- 
Prog is the perfection of music. |
Posted By: AmericanProgster
Date Posted: March 14 2010 at 21:41
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Haha, yeah that's what I planned on doing anyway! (Sorry guys!) And thanks for not trying to convert me to right handed guitars! ------------- https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - https://dawnapproach.bandcamp.com/ https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach" rel="nofollow - https://soundcloud.com/dawn-approach |
Posted By: himtroy
Date Posted: March 15 2010 at 19:32
Yeah that was a dumb mistake. But I do have freakishly large fingers, and do do awkward fingerings that often involve holding the bass note down with my thumb.
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Posted By: jampa17
Date Posted: March 17 2010 at 09:45
I step in too late... I'm left handed and I play with the right hand... it's easier to play with whatever guitar is around, not necesarely yours... now, I understand your problem, so be ware, modifications over guitar parts are not the ideal thing to do if you want quality of sound.... but as you don't plan to do a mayor thing right now, let's just stay with your partial solution until you have a better chance to buy a new left handed guitar...keep proggin' bro...  ------------- |
Posted By: jammun
Date Posted: March 18 2010 at 21:51
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Yeah, do whatever Hendrix did. Seemed to server him reasonably well,. ------------- Can you tell me where we're headin'? Lincoln County Road or Armageddon. |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: March 18 2010 at 22:06
Wait, I'm confused. You say you play left handed because of your right ring finger, and you go on to say that it's easier to pick with your right hand. Unless that's a typo, then you should be fine with a standard guitar. Right handed guitarists (with a few exceptions) pick with their right hand and fret with the left hand. If this is the case, I'm having trouble understanding what your problem is. It should be easier to pick with a messed up finger than to fret with one. ------------- 
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Posted By: NJCat_11
Date Posted: March 18 2010 at 23:17
Unless you like fingerpicking, the ring finger of the right hand has little or no interaction with a right-handed guitar. Even if fingerpicking is your style, I would think it much more beneficial to fingerpick with 3 fingers and fret with your good hand. ------------- "We are Defenders of the Faith" - Rob Halford |