My daughter wants to play guitar...

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

He's been in a few bands out here and is actually a good bassist.

Johnny Depp is a really accomplished guitarist as well. That's actually why he moved to L.A. originally: To be a rock star.

mmmhhmmm. I guess Wild Stallions wasn't all bullshit then.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Sofa King

mmmhhmmm. I guess Wild Stallions wasn't all bullshit then.

Alex Winter's brother used to play keyboards in a cover band from St. Louis that occasionally played in KC back in the late 80's and early 90's.

[Pushead2]

I'm lefty, I tried righty with the same thoughts in mind. It didn't work out so my father took the guitar to a shop & had it flipped like Hendrix.

I felt much better about myself and my playing. I felt more comfortable in the lefty setting than the righty & my playing took off. Don't do it to your daughter, if she's lefty - she's a lefty.

Sure the selection is extremely limiting in terms of buying a new ax down the line but I've always found great guitars.

Just my two cents since I've been in a similar situation.

[DaneMcCloud]

Look at this way, Dude: If your daughter has any real talent and decides to pursue this for a living in some fashion, whether it's as a songwriter or sideman or a band or whatever, it makes more sense for her to walk into a room and play right handed.

If she's asked to sit in somewhere or sit in on a session or contribute to a song or whatever, she'll always need to have her left-handed instrument on her at all times. IMO, that's a major detriment.

And as I said earlier, guitar is easy. It's just shapes. I doubt she's out to be the next Yngwie Malmsteen. And make her take piano lessons as well. If you can play piano, you can virtually understand and play almost any instrument because it's laid out so simply that the music theory is natural.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Look at this way, Dude: If your daughter has any real talent and decides to pursue this for a living in some fashion, whether it's as a songwriter or sideman or a band or whatever, it makes more sense for her to walk into a room and play right handed.

If she's asked to sit in somewhere or sit in on a session or contribute to a song or whatever, she'll always need to have her left-handed instrument on her at all times. IMO, that's a major detriment.

And as I said earlier, guitar is easy. It's just shapes. I doubt she's out to be the next Yngwie Malmsteen. And make her take piano lessons as well. If you can play piano, you can virtually understand and play almost any instrument because it's laid out so simply that the music theory is natural.

Both of my girls take piano lessons. My youngest (the one who wants to play guitar) has struggled with it a bit but she's picking it up fast.

My oldest, I just sit and listen in wonder. She learns faster than I ever did. She jets through whole lesson books. She's the same with the clarinet. And with the clarinet, she skipped an entire year of instruction when she skipped a grade.

[Mr. Kotter]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I have 3 guitars she could use but they're all standard, right-hand configurations and she's left-handed.

My wife thinks I should teach her to play right-handed. Since she's never played before, it won't be like she'd have to unlearn anything.

However, I'm concerned that I could be potentially limiting her later on because she might not ever fully develop the dexterity she might have otherwise developed if I had just gotten her a left-handed guitar to start with.

Been-there, done that...

My 13 yr old daughter has become quite the musician; instumentally and vocally, as a lefty. In-part it is because of who she is, and in-part because of learning in a right-handed world as a left-handed musically inclined "tweener"...I'm proud, and she "rocks."

Just my experience...

[Cmd'r&Chief]

Stick with a right handed guitar. She can use her dominant hand to work the neck.

[memyselfI]

I'd start teaching her the more standardized way which is right handed. As a lefty she should be able to pick up the switch back rather easily if she just can't figure it out right handed. As it is now you are dealing with a clean slate so go the more common less expensive route.

She could end up being a bit of both as my younger son is. He writes left handed, eats right handed, kicks right footed and plays drums, djembe, congas and bongos. My other son self taught bass, guitar, keyboards. Both of my sons got the musician bug and we love it. Except when they want to try to make that their life's work...Bubble busting is hard.

If she truly loves the instrument and/or has a gift for it then she'll pick it up rather easily. It's like magic to watch.

[redfan]

Lefty, learned to play righty, which is the way any music teacher should do it. I hated it at first, but having the dom hand for the frets was an advantage for stamina. If it was my lefty kid, I'd teach 'em the standard right-handed way. I'd only switch if the kid couldn't grasp the technique, but that shouldn't be an issue for a beginner.

[Dayze]

if you go the strung backwards route, just make sure you adjust the bridge accordingly.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Dayze

if you go the strung backwards route, just make sure you adjust the bridge accordingly.

Un-possible.

The nut would have to be altered or more likely completely replaced.

[Dayze]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Un-possible.

The nut would have to be altered or more likely completely replaced.

shit, that's what I meant.

[Gadzooks]

I'm another lefty that plays a righty (I thought I was the only one).
I've always felt that the dexterity in my left hand has compensated for a weak right picking hand.
I've always had to work on my picking way more than anything related to my left, (i.e chord formations, scales, bending, etc...).
I would suggest she play a right handed guitar, but make sure she doesn't slack on her picking by using too many hammer ons and pull offs with her left.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Gadzooks

I'm another lefty that plays a righty (I thought I was the only one).
I've always felt that the dexterity in my left hand has compensated for a weak right picking hand.
I've always had to work on my picking way more than anything related to my left, (i.e chord formations, scales, bending, etc...).
I would suggest she play a right handed guitar, but make sure she doesn't slack on her picking by using too many hammer ons and pull offs with her left.

Every guitarist from the 80's disagrees with you.

[Gadzooks]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Every guitarist from the 80's disagrees with you.

Totally true. That’s how I got away with it for so long.