It’s so much cheaper for guitars! That’s why I tell folks who are lefty’s with writing, to just LEARN right handed, never mind your natural writing hand, you ain’t writing with a guitar
As a lefty guitarist, I have felt the pain of trying to find a guitar that best suits what you like. They make them in limited variants, colors, or just plain out don't make them. The only company that literally makes all of their guitars with left-handed variants is Schecter, which is awesome if you're really into those guitars. Love the video!
Went to guitar Center a month ago to see what that had. Been about 4 years since my last visit. Not one left handed guitar in the store. Decided to put my dream guitar together myself. Bought all of the parts individually. Telecaster MIM body, neck, custom shop pickups, aluminum pickguard, good pots and switch, locking tuners. I switched the neck pickup cover to an open faced one. That thing is fantastic. Originally I wanted a copper colored pickguard and couldn’t find one. Called some pickguard manufacturers and they said no. Ended up ordering a right handed one off eBay from overseas. It was metal so I figured I would flip it over and be straight. Nope, it was aluminum with some shielding on the side I needed. Buffed it up and put it on. Damn thing looks amazing. Lefties do what we do. Make it work.😂
And the angle of the bridge pickup, too. Leo Fender moved the bass side of the bridge pickup away from the bridge to mellow out the wound strings, so you're getting really bright low strings and mellower high strings.
That definitely all impacted it…. But that would be the same if any of us righties played it, playing it backwards at the end of the day did have more attack/ I’d say attitude, just sounds different. All of your guys reasons are 100% correct but playing it that way just changes the way you’d comfortably play it giving that sound naturally. Also I’ve never tried playing like this but just speaking from what I saw. Also probably went a little to far with that explanation but it’s ok because I’m drunk lol
Reversing the pickups on anything inevitably will create a different sound. I personally love the lefty's crisp sound of the lower tones. The high E is already meant to be crisp. I dig this.
I´m a lefty and you get use to playing guitars upside down, and even turning the pickups around etc.More what i learnt over the years was to play guitars in the shop with the strings upside down was the way that if you turn your logic upside down you can play songs well the other way around... Crazy stuff. Love the channel..
I bought the "Hendrix" Strat specifically to get the effect of the reverse-slanted pickup and differences in string tension from High to Low E. They all seemed like sensible changes for me, especially the pickup, since I do not like a 'shrill' tone at all. But a totally flipped-over Strat (a flipped lefty for me also) is _just not comfortable to play..._ The Hendrix model is a great balance, IMO. Now that you've done this, you might give one a try, also. I'd love to see you compare and contrast the Hendrix righty model with a flipped lefty.
Which model do you have? The straight flipped version that has the cut out up top, or the reverse headstock version that has the pickup magnets and slant reversed? I have the latter and it is my go to strat
I started with a righty guitar as a lefty and can confirm, it's suffering. But it builds character. And by the time I bought my first proper lefty guitar, I definitely knew how to appreciate the ergonomics of a nice guitar in another level (especially since my first lefty guitar was an Ibanez with amazing ergonomics). Things like having that sculpt on the body to better ajust to your chest and forearm for example, really learned to appreciate that, and when I got my first les paul, it was the first thing I missed again since LPs don't have that.
I like that you went full out and took a righty. As a left handed player i remember the joy of my first true left handed guitar, followed by the irritation that it was 100 bucks more than the right handed version hanging on the wall right next to it.
That's kinda gone away in the past 15 years or so. Ibanez still has a markup, but Schecter, LTD, Fender, Gibson, and Kiesel don't upcharge for lefties.
@@Kylora2112 Hmm. I must be getting ripped off then. I've bought 3 guitars in the past 10 years from 2 of the companies listed and I paid an extra 100 for each one. Go check the prices.
I'll always remember sitting down on a stool in a guitar store when I was 16 and immediately holding a right handed guitar like a lefty would. Still amazes me to this day that I did that. I didn't even realized I play left handed at that point, it was just automatic the way I held it...lol. I had no idea about how to hold one and just held it like that. Then years later realizing that you can play it differently...ie strings reversed and such. Great video... ✌️
Both sound the same except for slight variation in the bridge since it's slanted at an angle. Any other differences seem to be borne out of your pic attack dynamics, inherent in the requirement to change your playing style to accommodate the controls/input blocking your normal approach.
I heard a slight difference. Might be variations in the pups, pots, and wiring between guitars, as much as the pup placement. To get to the nitty gritty it would be interesting to swap electronics and do the same test Also, swap necks and see if that makes a difference, reverse and non-reverse headstock
I'm a lefty that plays with reverse strings. I've played this way my whole life. It has its pros and cons, but the reaction I get from people when the notice is priceless 🤘
Congratulations, dude. I couldn't even begin to approach such a thing. Then again, I'm no Jimmy Haslip either. Neither is anybody else in the world for that matter.
@suchu_021 easier to bend strings and sounds unique. I wouldn't recommend doing it though. Makes it way more difficult when buying guitars. You have to put work into it and swap parts
I’m left-handed. I learned on a restrung Squier Strat when I was 13. When I got my first left-handed Telecaster which I still have, it took me awhile to break the habit of picking high (to avoid hitting controls on the strat) so my first tele is all scratched up above the neck pickup on the body.
To me the left handed one sounds brighter I am guessing because of pick up angle. I have played many flipped strats over the years as a left handed guitar player.
@@Kylora2112 OK. So Telecaster's bridge pick up is angled. And, usually, a straight routed lipstick pickup up front. What has that got to do with left handers?
A left handed what? Stratocaster? Tele, what? If it wasn't for Curt Cobain, Fender wouldn't have given you the time of day. Fender didn't lift a finger when Jimi Hendrix was involved in it because they didn't have to. In fact, if it wasn't for Edward Van Halen with his radical modifications, and his throng of followers watching everything he did, Fender would still be in the doldrums they were in at the time. At that point, Fender had these independent builders right on their doorstep, creating instruments that actually worked and are superior. Fender, and all the rest of 'em, had to do something wih the dysfuntional junk in music stores or wherever. . Otherwise, somebody else will.
@@stratoleft The closer the pickup magnet is to the bridge, the brighter the tone. Reversing the strings will affect the brightness of the angled pickup (low strings will be brighter, high strings will be mellower). You'll have to ask Leo Fender exactly why he designed his guitars the way he did.
@@Kylora2112 I don't need you or anybody else to tell me about the principles of guitar, single coils, cheap lookin' soap bar pickups, that Gibson happily created and produced to replace such junk in their top-of-the-line instruments, most famously, the likes of the absolutely ONE-OF-A-KIND famous tone that only Mike Bloomfield has ever obtained from the instrument. I know why Fender does what they've done, or do. It all revolves around right handed people. Get it? The entire world of stringed instruments revolve around right handed people. I do get it. I know I've put in the wasted effort with right handed junk guitars as well as left handed rejects as well. I've already pointed out to you people the absolutely CRITICAL accuracy of the bridges, from end to end, and everything in/on the neck between. Do you people think that the builder or re-conditioner just guesses at the critical notches, depth, and angle at just the neck bridge alone? I don't expect stringed instrument manufacturers, or even the asians who are actually good at it, to cater to me. My question was, and still is, why left handers are even brought up in this freakin' subject to begin with? We were never an after thought to Fender, Gibson, or anybody else to begin with. Like I said. The asians, who have surprisingly upgraded their processes, do give left handers notice for some reason. For any left handers starting out, reading these goofy video blogs, forums, and such, about being left handed, here is my suggestion to them. I suggest you/they try to find the likes of Stratocaster expert, Dan Erlewine, if that's even possible, and learn something about guitar construction and finishing. Otherwise, I will call anybody's bluff on this predicament when it comes to being a left hander moping around in a in a world dominated by right handed stringed instruments. Anybody, any time.
As a lefty, I can say it is nowhere near as difficult finding left handed guitars as people think. The real problem is that all the big brand's fancier level guitars are usually only made right handed
Buying? Yes, much easier. But not being able to walk into any Guitar Center or local store and have a chance to even try said guitar before you commit to it? Still a major issue.
@@irishcommie That is the biggest thing ive noticed as a lefty... yes the internet has made it easy to BUY instruments, but if i even want to TRY a R9 Les Paul i have to commit thousands in to buying one... that or drive 12+ hours to find a shop that has one. Unlike a righty who can try out and choose from even upwards of 3+ r9's in a single shop.
First things first... Witchcraft! Even with the wonky hand gymnastics and input jack placement, both sounded great. Perhaps the Lefty moreso because the of the Hendrix mojo. Tyler, I've been a subscriber for a while now. I was surprised to not have seen a Music is Win video in my subscription feed for three months. After I searched for your channel, I found that I had missed several videos, but was still subscribed. I hadn't seen this happen before.
Looks like an absolute nightmare to play. But hey, hendrix did it so it was only a matter of time until Tyler makes this video. Also I'm very happy to see that you got another guitar, Tyler. You really needed that😊
NOBODY would notice what direction the guitar is facing or any pickup inversions in a mix. I pretty much doubt otherwise as well. You are getting a killer tone!
As far as the effect the pickups have, pick guards with reverse-angle bridge positions are available. Install them rotated 180º if the pole pieces are staggered. If the poles are flat, it doesn't matter.
As a lefty that plays guitar lefty I appreciate this video so much. I have a decent amount of guitars. Never been able to pick the colors I want. Never really get to go to a store and try all the guitars on the wall and pick the “one”. The nearest guitar center has one left handed electric that’s a squire haha. Waited about a year each for my Gibson les Paul’s . Hell I’ve been playing over 20 years and just recently got a guitar with my first Floyd rose and it’s great!
A few years into playing I didn't use my little finger anywhere near enough and it was partly due to imitating/ learning Hendrix stuff- the difficulty of using your little finger with a flipped guitar makes a lot of sense now. To be honest I can't tell how much I'm imagining the differences or if they are actually there!
Last year I bought a lefty Epi Les Paul absolutely dirt cheap (was $300, marked down to $15 yes fifteen for clearance) at the pawn shop for spare parts for my other Epis but it was so good I converted it to play righty instead. Put on a new Graph Tech Tusq nut, made an elevated, curved wooden arm rest for the body (something like a violin's chin rest) so my right arm floats above the controls. Works great. Jack location proved to be no problem, which was a surprise. Put a PRS-style cutout scoop between the neck and pickup switch (now on the 'bottom' side) for better access to the high notes. Moved upper strap button to the horn. Finished the parts I woodworked to match the cherry red of the sunburst. It's unique, weird and wonderful and plays awesome. One thing that surprised me is the pots operate in the opposite direction for lefties so it's a little quirky but you get used to it quick enough. Of course the pickup switch is upside down but the switch doesn't care and neither do I.
One of the best guitarists I ever had the privilege of knowing was a lefty who played like Eric Gales: with a right-handed guitar without flipping the strings. I'm told he just never knew any better until it was too late to change.
Oh yeah, I’m a Canadian poverty stricken guitar player who needs more than the one cheap Epiphone I have now, and would literally love anything I can get. Keep up the great work 😎
Some left-handed guitarists, such as Joe Perry of Aerosmith and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, learned to play guitar right-handed. (Curiously enough, Joe actually did own a left-handed Stratocaster that he restrung to be played right-handed. I believe he used that on the recording of “Walk This Way”.)
@@jacksonredd_ me too mate, dad told me as a kid, 30 years back, learn right handed and youll always be able to buy the guitar you want. cheers for that by the way dad
Yeah me too, my dad is lefty and when he was a kid in the 60’s, affordable beginner left handed instruments didn’t really exist. I grew up watching him play right handed and learned on his guitars, it didn’t really strike me as odd but when I’ve tried a lefty guitar I can’t make it work, it just feels wrong.
It's more obvious in the middle position to me, but the flipped guitar sounded a little louder and chirpier, it had a little more high end, the standard guitar in all cases had noticably more bass and the overall tone sounded more rounded on all pickups where the flipped one was a bit slapper and punchier, 4th position helps to hear that too, i am listening with headphones on, love the video Tyler keep up the awesome work🤘👊
11% here. When I first started playing in 1994, the shop recommended learning to play righty since there’s more righty guitars out there than lefty. That may no longer be true. I still play (air) drums lefty though (haven’t been around a kit I was allowed to flip in a long time.)
This seems to be a common suggestion from shops. Maybe if more lefties ignored this advice there would be more demand for lefty guitars and thus companies would male more.
What fucks me up about that the most is that it was because that was the only replacement Strat bridge he could find. Like dude, I'm a lefty and I can't find replacement lefty parts half the time lol
@@Kylora2112 he said this? that’s gotta be a lie, he definitely did it because hendrix had the trem like that (even tho he had to). plus it’s gold just like all his hardware on #1
I guess every lefty out there can feel like me, right now: being not only heard but also understood and represented by a righty is just touching. I AM CRYING, YOU RIGHTY DUDE 😢
oh boy, never wanted to be in Nashville more than left now... but seriously, loved this because the lefty guitar player struggle is real. Thanks Tyler!
I've wanted to do this for years. There was even a 60s Fender Strat LH on sale and when I mentioned what I wanted to do with the guitar, someone else in the shop must have liked the idea, because when I returned with the cash to make the necessary purchase, someone had offered the store more for it and bought it out f om under me. Well needless to say, that destroyed all faith the in that store and I didn't return to purchase anything from them evet again. Not that, that would have made a tremendous amount of difference but on a side note the store closed it's doors a couple of months later. Moral of the story, look after the players guitar stores. Their the ones that will keep your store alive when times are slow. Fail to look after them and start business practices like that and good luck. Thanks for sharing, there is definately a distinct and pleasant difference to the tone of the instrument and as expected the low E bass string had a pinch more depth and all that from a crappy phone speaker. Nice. 😀
So from a tone perspective , its forcing your palm further back and you are picking more over the bridge pickup , so the tone tends to be a slight bit more bass heavy. You actually get a slightly warmer tone , which for the style Jimi was playing , it totally would benefit the more heavy feeling of style he brought. Now from a R and B blues feel , you may want your hand at the back for some warmer tones on the thicker strings but R an B with lead thrown in , most of the time , you will want that more twangy bite on the middle and higher strings to get that teeth gritting power lead note on the bends. Jimi loved the richer warmer tones though for sure , probably one reason why his music is very hard to reproduce. Its unique , in such a way , its almost impossible to reproduce.
I'm left handed but started playing guitar right handed. I did have a left handed guitar when I was young and could play on it but I had gotten so used to play right handed, and because of that I was better right handed. Chords are okay left handed, but soloing just didn't go well. I did have a lot of problems with my rhythm for years. Maybe because of this. Luckily gotten better after 24 years of playing. Great video.
I strung my first guitar ever wrong and played it for a couple years. I had the gauges in the wrong order so the high E, G and B were backwards thickness wise but still in tune which made fretting a gatdamn chore
the higher strings on the left handed guitar seemed warmer, maybe because of the bridge pickup? maybe something for those that are really chasing Jimi's tone to think about
I play left handed (due to a physical problem with my left hand, rather than innate handedness), and I avoid restringing right handed guitars for the reasons you demonstrated. Knobs get in the way, the high frets are hard to reach, and it's a right pain to do the setup. I would if I had to, but I prefer not to. My mom was left handed, and she had to restring her guitars, and she always complained about. She also found the "right handed world" to be quite oppressive. I've always wondered about left handed guitars... from 10 to 12 percent of the population in general is left handed, but most guitar shops have fewer than 5 percent of their inventory in lefties. A lot of guitar manufacturers make very few of their models left handed, also a low percentage. It seems like those numbers ought to match up better, but maybe I don't understand the economics of it.
This doesn't happen because in the economy there is a dilemma between efficiency and equity, where it is very difficult to reconcile the two things. In the case of guitar stores, they're much more likely to sell a higher percentage of right-handed guitars because they know the demand for those guitars is much higher. Consequently, smaller groups end up suffering the consequences, unfortunately ☹ PS: sorry for my english, I'm brazilian haha
R.J. Ronquillo made a video about Hendrix's tone five years ago, and he explained how this was key to Hendrix's sound and feel. The reversed headstock makes the strings bass strings higher tension than usual, and reduces tension on the higher strings. Hendrix also used very light gauge strings. Anyway, it's awesome you brought this info to a new audience and got to try out something new.
I'll have to check it out, because as I said above in another comment, I've played RGs with standard and reverse headstocks for the better part for 20 years and have never noticed a difference between guitars that are otherwise identical. Different scale lengths do exist and this would be no different to taking the hardware from a short scale guitar and putting it on a longer scale, which from experience makes literally zero difference once the amp comes into play. I mean, I've got 24.75, 25 and 25.25" scale lengths all sitting right next to me, and have interchanged parts between all of them just last year before settling on the EMGs in my PRS, which was 100% about feel, because every guitar sounded exactly the same through an amp. However, the one thing that actually does make a real difference in this video is the fact that with the guitar flipped, the bridge pickup angle is reversed. Regardless of headstock position, that is going to make a difference.
I'm a lefty who also plays a righty upside down, without reversing the strings. I tried a lefty once and just couldn't do it. I could however play the pants off that lefty the way you have it setup now! I used to struggle with the knobs too, now I just leave them off, they're less in the way and harder to turn without the plastic cover haha!
The two guitars definitely sound different. But it’s extremely subtle. Being a left-handed guitar player who grew up playing a backwards strat like Hendrix. I’ve come to realize the difference is the flipped pickups. It’s not an extreme change. But it is definitely audible. Wish I lived close, would love a nice new start! Thing sounds great! 🤘🏼✌🏼
I've tried both back to back, and for me, a left-hander flipped over feels better. I lo e the sound of strats but I hate that the controls and middle pickup are right where i dont want them to be. Flipping one over solved the controls issue at least, and didnt really affect my wrist.
I'm so glad I play right-handed. After a lifetime of always having to find left-handed versions of stuff, I feel like I finally caught a break. A brief glimpse of what it's like to be normal for once. I think it makes more sense. Why wouldn't I fret with the same hand I write with?
I've been saying this for a few years but reverse pickup on a strat sounds amazing, and 4 that way every time I buy a strat set of left handed strat pickup for a right handed
As a lefty, I also started on a strat with inverted strings. It was... painful. Lots, and I mean LOTS of cables ruined because my arm rested against the input jack, turned down the volume all the time, reaching high frets was an issue, intonation was never quite right, and wearing a strap wasn't a thing (I didn't mod the guitar in any way, I just played sitting down). Learned to play like that anyway though. But getting my first actual lefty guitar was the best day of my life.
Good for you. If I had to do it all over again, or if I actually COULD do it all over again, I would have tried my best to get a set of drums. Then maybe, .. just maybe, at this point I could play ~somewhat~ like Tony Williams. Otherwise, I would have never gotten involved with your world of stringed instruments at all.
Great video! I’m a lefty and it’s almost impossible to find vintage guitars(I play mostly fenders). My dream would be to find a lefty 69 comp blue mustang, like Cobain’s but I’ve never seen one online anywhere. I have played many righty guitars flipped and restrung and I’m glad you see how the controls can get in the way and affect the way you strum and pick. If you can’t find that guitar a home, I would love to add it to my collection!
This video speaks to me. I’m a lefty, I learned on a righty (Hendrix style) except I didn’t flip the strings the right way around. I don’t still play that way but it is a cool party trick to pull out every once in a while lmao
To my ear, the righty guitar has much more of a boost to the higher strings but still with a very rounded sound. The lefty is bright everywhere, and the middle two strings just really POP with a very clear sound that matches the brightness of the highest two strings way more.
Back in the day I used to play a HM series Strat re-strung like this - I got round the issue of the controls being in the way by just removing them - set all the knobs to 10 then stuff them inside the control cavity. It wasn't the most versatile of guitars but it solved the problem! I had a pedal on the floor with volume set to 0 so I could shut the signal off between songs.
Very cool experiment! And thanks for giving that guitar away. As a lefty, we are always left out of the guitar giveaways, so very cool that some luck lefty will get it!
I play l right handed guitars left handed. Flip it over and done. You develop a different way of playing. I’m so used to the knobs getting in the way, that I’ve developed a tic, where any moment I can, I’m turning the volume up whether it needs it or not. Tried lefty guitars strung right handed, but I’m just too used to having the controls where they are now.
As I walked through shadows of the righty guitars, I take a took at my hands and realized there's nothin' LEFT. Cause I've been shreddin' and aching for so long, that Even my mama thinks that my mind is gone, right. Been spendin' most our lives, livin' in the righty's paradise. haha just had to.. Im fortunate to be a lefty but have the bragging rights of playing both ways (Righty - upside down) and Lefty the correct way. Thanks for walking in our lefty shoes for a bit. Cheerz from South Africa
Pretty sure that unlike most pickups, strat pickups aren’t quite symmetrical, the pole piece height is different or something. So that they are about the only pickups that have a lefty version. So it would make sense that a lefty strung upside down would sound marginally different to the RH one.
As a lefty. Did this to a righty Tele. It definitely felt played and sounded different after the flip. Definitely different tone when you don't flip the pickups or set the height accordingly
I did the whole flipping a right-handed strat to play lefty, and can say that it has a difference. Mostly on just how the sound of the string vibrations on the pickup if you don't flip them too. I can say though, playing an actual lefty is amazing. Sure, it's a pain finding a big name brand lefty without actually buying one online and hoping you'll like it but it also has let me see lesser known brands that are more lefty-friendly
My first two or three guitars were righty’s strung Hendrix style. I don’t know how I ever made it through that. It’s always been a struggle to find a lefty that was affordable. I’ve just always stuck with the few I’ve found and liked.
I was always under the impression that Jimi never restrung his guitars, he just played a right handed guitar upside down. Which is a total mindfuck for me to even think about playing.
Seems like I read that he was able to do that. Paul McCartney was too, which some people took as evidence that he was a fake Paul I knew a guy several years ago who played left handed bass, and it was fun trying to play left handed, or right handed upside down. I would imagine a lefty from back then was accustomed to making do with a right hand guitar on occasion, and I’m honestly surprised that there aren’t more lefties who play upside down
@@honkytonkinson9787 Lefty bassist here - and pretty close to being from back then. The ergonomics is what kept a lot of lefties from playing upside down - you spend as much time overcoming that as playing.
The difference in tone is coming from the pickups. It's more prominent with the bridge pickup since it's slanted the other way, but you hear it with the neck and middle since the pickups are flipped anyway. It's something to do with the staggering of the pole pieces in the pickup. It sounds cool though, brighter and spankier.
I play right handed but wanted a Jimi style look so bought a 'lefty' so that the 'look 'was also correct. Changed the nut, re-done the bridge saddles for intonation and restrung. The most noticeable difference was the low E (6) string went to the farthest away tuning peg and the high E (1st ) went to the nearest tuning peg. Does this affect string tensions because the length of string under tension is flipped E to E ? is it in my mind or is the low E more bendy feeing looser ? Is the high E tighter and harder to bend feeling tighter ? Anyway I have the proper look when playing and all the geometry and physics is the same as a 'Jimi.' Now all I need is his hands and his skill..............You are right in saying playability is shot, knobs in the wrong place, whammy bar under your wrist, argghhhh. But hey its an experience.........
It goes deeper than just being able to find a lefty! Companies like Epiphone don't QC their leftys very well and you often end up with volume and tone controls that arent wired correctly and are mismatched to the direction of the knobs. Or worse, they use right handed pots but wire them left handed, basically turning them into on/off switches.
Finally! You're not just another one of the throng of dimwits on the internet trying to schmooze over the fact that the world of stringed instruments always have, and always will be, catered to right handed people. It's quite that simple.
As a right handed player i never liked the volume knob in my way, i made some spacers and a plate for the pots to submerge in the cavity then cut the knobs down to 1/8" thick, problem solved
String length on E is longer witch helps. Longer from saddle to tuner. Or just get reverse neck same effect. And pickups angled opposite as on the Jake e Lee model
I am a lefty but around 2months in I realized there are not many left handed guitars compared to right so I just stopped and completely relearned but with my right
I have had many right handed guitars that I had to flip over due to I could never find a left handed guitar. Later in life I was able to find and afford left handed guitars. One thing that has stuck with me from that time is that I love reverse headstocks. My Ltds all had reverse headstocks.
As a lefty, it feels more like we are the 1/2 percent sometimes. I can’t tell you the last time i went into a music store and bought a guitar. I could have 2k hanging from my back pocket, and it wouldn’t matter, because I’m not interested in a 2011 squire telecaster with and inch of dust on it, and strings from the depression era… Btw, I’m in Lexington, KY- so I’m not that far away!!!
Tone comments: 1. Turn the pick ups on righty around to invert the poles. Gives it a fuller, bigger, richer, beefier, fatter sound. The tone difference is night and day. 2. I'm a Southpaw, but have, like many of my fellow lefty guitar players, have just had to deal with playing righty. I have been doing so since I was 16 in 1993.
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Thought I had a stroke reading this
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As a lefty I cannot fathom how I could play a lefty guitar. Always played righty.
It’s so much cheaper for guitars! That’s why I tell folks who are lefty’s with writing, to just LEARN right handed, never mind your natural writing hand, you ain’t writing with a guitar
@@fredlyons4538 I'm a lefty who learned right handed for those exact reasons
Im lefty too and I play righty guitars
Lucky you.
Same
As a lefty guitarist, I have felt the pain of trying to find a guitar that best suits what you like. They make them in limited variants, colors, or just plain out don't make them. The only company that literally makes all of their guitars with left-handed variants is Schecter, which is awesome if you're really into those guitars. Love the video!
I like Schecter guitars. I’m buying one soon
Ibanez as well
Went to guitar Center a month ago to see what that had. Been about 4 years since my last visit. Not one left handed guitar in the store.
Decided to put my dream guitar together myself. Bought all of the parts individually. Telecaster MIM body, neck, custom shop pickups, aluminum pickguard, good pots and switch, locking tuners. I switched the neck pickup cover to an open faced one. That thing is fantastic.
Originally I wanted a copper colored pickguard and couldn’t find one. Called some pickguard manufacturers and they said no. Ended up ordering a right handed one off eBay from overseas. It was metal so I figured I would flip it over and be straight. Nope, it was aluminum with some shielding on the side I needed. Buffed it up and put it on. Damn thing looks amazing.
Lefties do what we do. Make it work.😂
I really appreciate Schecter for that exact reason. Wish more brands did what they did.
As a lefty, I LOVE my Schecter.
i think it's worth mentioning that on the lefty guitar you're strumming closer to the bridge which impacts the tone and attack of the strings
And the angle of the bridge pickup, too. Leo Fender moved the bass side of the bridge pickup away from the bridge to mellow out the wound strings, so you're getting really bright low strings and mellower high strings.
@@Kylora2112 this without a doubt made jimmys guitar sound heavier
And the part of the strings behind the nut :) the low E is now longer than the high E which could somehow impact the sound
@@CorvaxDK oh definitely. Jimmy also reverse wound his low E which gave it more attack
That definitely all impacted it…. But that would be the same if any of us righties played it, playing it backwards at the end of the day did have more attack/ I’d say attitude, just sounds different. All of your guys reasons are 100% correct but playing it that way just changes the way you’d comfortably play it giving that sound naturally. Also I’ve never tried playing like this but just speaking from what I saw. Also probably went a little to far with that explanation but it’s ok because I’m drunk lol
Reversing the pickups on anything inevitably will create a different sound. I personally love the lefty's crisp sound of the lower tones. The high E is already meant to be crisp. I dig this.
Duh, .. why don't you just get a right handed guitar with the single coils routed for, and at the angle you want? Dig that. Pun intended.
I´m a lefty and you get use to playing guitars upside down, and even turning the pickups around etc.More what i learnt over the years was to play guitars in the shop with the strings upside down was the way that if you turn your logic upside down you can play songs well the other way around... Crazy stuff. Love the channel..
I bought the "Hendrix" Strat specifically to get the effect of the reverse-slanted pickup and differences in string tension from High to Low E. They all seemed like sensible changes for me, especially the pickup, since I do not like a 'shrill' tone at all. But a totally flipped-over Strat (a flipped lefty for me also) is _just not comfortable to play..._ The Hendrix model is a great balance, IMO. Now that you've done this, you might give one a try, also. I'd love to see you compare and contrast the Hendrix righty model with a flipped lefty.
Yeah it gives you a whole new respect for Jimi
i randomly got a lefty and swaped it
Which model do you have? The straight flipped version that has the cut out up top, or the reverse headstock version that has the pickup magnets and slant reversed? I have the latter and it is my go to strat
@@web0flife_tarantulas74 - The second one.
I started with a righty guitar as a lefty and can confirm, it's suffering. But it builds character. And by the time I bought my first proper lefty guitar, I definitely knew how to appreciate the ergonomics of a nice guitar in another level (especially since my first lefty guitar was an Ibanez with amazing ergonomics). Things like having that sculpt on the body to better ajust to your chest and forearm for example, really learned to appreciate that, and when I got my first les paul, it was the first thing I missed again since LPs don't have that.
I like that you went full out and took a righty. As a left handed player i remember the joy of my first true left handed guitar, followed by the irritation that it was 100 bucks more than the right handed version hanging on the wall right next to it.
I feel ya bro. Paying 50% more for a lefty guitar and nowadays there is $0 cost difference in making a lefty versus a righty guitar.
That's kinda gone away in the past 15 years or so. Ibanez still has a markup, but Schecter, LTD, Fender, Gibson, and Kiesel don't upcharge for lefties.
@@Kylora2112 Hmm. I must be getting ripped off then. I've bought 3 guitars in the past 10 years from 2 of the companies listed and I paid an extra 100 for each one. Go check the prices.
It's all in the placement of the bridge pickup, and after the tone tests, there's a reason why the righty was designed that way
what about reversed neck and middle pickups... they are also upside-down... so staggered height of each pole piece is reversed ;)
@@tomtesfaye8040 that effects the output, not necessarily the tone
@@tomtesfaye8040 That would only affect the volume, and not by much.
I'll always remember sitting down on a stool in a guitar store when I was 16 and immediately holding a right handed guitar like a lefty would. Still amazes me to this day that I did that. I didn't even realized I play left handed at that point, it was just automatic the way I held it...lol.
I had no idea about how to hold one and just held it like that. Then years later realizing that you can play it differently...ie strings reversed and such. Great video... ✌️
What is your flippin' point? Are you left handed or not?
Both sound the same except for slight variation in the bridge since it's slanted at an angle. Any other differences seem to be borne out of your pic attack dynamics, inherent in the requirement to change your playing style to accommodate the controls/input blocking your normal approach.
I heard a slight difference. Might be variations in the pups, pots, and wiring between guitars, as much as the pup placement.
To get to the nitty gritty it would be interesting to swap electronics and do the same test
Also, swap necks and see if that makes a difference, reverse and non-reverse headstock
I feel like the upside down stringed guitar sounds a bit fattier
I'm a lefty that plays with reverse strings. I've played this way my whole life. It has its pros and cons, but the reaction I get from people when the notice is priceless 🤘
you definitely get style points :)
SAME BRO!!
Congratulations, dude. I couldn't even begin to approach such a thing. Then again, I'm no Jimmy Haslip either. Neither is anybody else in the world for that matter.
Can you share the pros and cons please. I'm thinking of buying a guitar and reversing it's strings
@suchu_021 easier to bend strings and sounds unique. I wouldn't recommend doing it though. Makes it way more difficult when buying guitars. You have to put work into it and swap parts
I’m left-handed. I learned on a restrung Squier Strat when I was 13. When I got my first left-handed Telecaster which I still have, it took me awhile to break the habit of picking high (to avoid hitting controls on the strat) so my first tele is all scratched up above the neck pickup on the body.
To me the left handed one sounds brighter I am guessing because of pick up angle.
I have played many flipped strats over the years as a left handed guitar player.
That's exactly what it is. Leo Fender thought the low strings were too bright when he was designing the Tele, so he angled the pickup.
@@Kylora2112 OK. So Telecaster's bridge pick up is angled. And, usually, a straight routed lipstick pickup up front. What has that got to do with left handers?
A left handed what? Stratocaster? Tele, what? If it wasn't for Curt Cobain, Fender wouldn't have given you the time of day. Fender didn't lift a finger when Jimi Hendrix was involved in it because they didn't have to. In fact, if it wasn't for Edward Van Halen with his radical modifications, and his throng of followers watching everything he did, Fender would still be in the doldrums they were in at the time. At that point, Fender had these independent builders right on their doorstep, creating instruments that actually worked and are superior. Fender, and all the rest of 'em, had to do something wih the dysfuntional junk in music stores or wherever. . Otherwise, somebody else will.
@@stratoleft The closer the pickup magnet is to the bridge, the brighter the tone. Reversing the strings will affect the brightness of the angled pickup (low strings will be brighter, high strings will be mellower). You'll have to ask Leo Fender exactly why he designed his guitars the way he did.
@@Kylora2112 I don't need you or anybody else to tell me about the principles of guitar, single coils, cheap lookin' soap bar pickups, that Gibson happily created and produced to replace such junk in their top-of-the-line instruments, most famously, the likes of the absolutely ONE-OF-A-KIND famous tone that only Mike Bloomfield has ever obtained from the instrument. I know why Fender does what they've done, or do. It all revolves around right handed people. Get it? The entire world of stringed instruments revolve around right handed people. I do get it. I know I've put in the wasted effort with right handed junk guitars as well as left handed rejects as well. I've already pointed out to you people the absolutely CRITICAL accuracy of the bridges, from end to end, and everything in/on the neck between. Do you people think that the builder or re-conditioner just guesses at the critical notches, depth, and angle at just the neck bridge alone? I don't expect stringed instrument manufacturers, or even the asians who are actually good at it, to cater to me. My question was, and still is, why left handers are even brought up in this freakin' subject to begin with? We were never an after thought to Fender, Gibson, or anybody else to begin with. Like I said. The asians, who have surprisingly upgraded their processes, do give left handers notice for some reason. For any left handers starting out, reading these goofy video blogs, forums, and such, about being left handed, here is my suggestion to them. I suggest you/they try to find the likes of Stratocaster expert, Dan Erlewine, if that's even possible, and learn something about guitar construction and finishing. Otherwise, I will call anybody's bluff on this predicament when it comes to being a left hander moping around in a in a world dominated by right handed stringed instruments. Anybody, any time.
As a lefty, I can say it is nowhere near as difficult finding left handed guitars as people think. The real problem is that all the big brand's fancier level guitars are usually only made right handed
Yeah whit the internet it's easier buying left handed instruments this days
Buying? Yes, much easier. But not being able to walk into any Guitar Center or local store and have a chance to even try said guitar before you commit to it? Still a major issue.
@@irishcommie exactly
Doyle Bramhall is one of the best, a lefty and his #1 is a lefty 64 Strat.
@@irishcommie That is the biggest thing ive noticed as a lefty... yes the internet has made it easy to BUY instruments, but if i even want to TRY a R9 Les Paul i have to commit thousands in to buying one... that or drive 12+ hours to find a shop that has one. Unlike a righty who can try out and choose from even upwards of 3+ r9's in a single shop.
First things first... Witchcraft!
Even with the wonky hand gymnastics and input jack placement, both sounded great. Perhaps the Lefty moreso because the of the Hendrix mojo.
Tyler, I've been a subscriber for a while now. I was surprised to not have seen a Music is Win video in my subscription feed for three months. After I searched for your channel, I found that I had missed several videos, but was still subscribed. I hadn't seen this happen before.
Got notifications set to "all"? Subscribing by itself doesn't push all a channels videos to your feed.
@@dunxy I will check that, thanks! 😃 🎸
Looks like an absolute nightmare to play. But hey, hendrix did it so it was only a matter of time until Tyler makes this video.
Also I'm very happy to see that you got another guitar, Tyler. You really needed that😊
NOBODY would notice what direction the guitar is facing or any pickup inversions in a mix. I pretty much doubt otherwise as well.
You are getting a killer tone!
I have the Fender Voodoo Strat, w/just the neck reversed, simply, the best Strat (besides the Elite) ever made!! The necks are outstanding!! :-)
As far as the effect the pickups have, pick guards with reverse-angle bridge positions are available. Install them rotated 180º if the pole pieces are staggered. If the poles are flat, it doesn't matter.
As a lefty that plays guitar lefty I appreciate this video so much. I have a decent amount of guitars. Never been able to pick the colors I want. Never really get to go to a store and try all the guitars on the wall and pick the “one”. The nearest guitar center has one left handed electric that’s a squire haha. Waited about a year each for my Gibson les Paul’s . Hell I’ve been playing over 20 years and just recently got a guitar with my first Floyd rose and it’s great!
A few years into playing I didn't use my little finger anywhere near enough and it was partly due to imitating/ learning Hendrix stuff- the difficulty of using your little finger with a flipped guitar makes a lot of sense now. To be honest I can't tell how much I'm imagining the differences or if they are actually there!
Last year I bought a lefty Epi Les Paul absolutely dirt cheap (was $300, marked down to $15 yes fifteen for clearance) at the pawn shop for spare parts for my other Epis but it was so good I converted it to play righty instead. Put on a new Graph Tech Tusq nut, made an elevated, curved wooden arm rest for the body (something like a violin's chin rest) so my right arm floats above the controls. Works great. Jack location proved to be no problem, which was a surprise. Put a PRS-style cutout scoop between the neck and pickup switch (now on the 'bottom' side) for better access to the high notes. Moved upper strap button to the horn. Finished the parts I woodworked to match the cherry red of the sunburst. It's unique, weird and wonderful and plays awesome. One thing that surprised me is the pots operate in the opposite direction for lefties so it's a little quirky but you get used to it quick enough. Of course the pickup switch is upside down but the switch doesn't care and neither do I.
One of the best guitarists I ever had the privilege of knowing was a lefty who played like Eric Gales: with a right-handed guitar without flipping the strings. I'm told he just never knew any better until it was too late to change.
Rare players, very strange to watch, have met one too
Pick-up and pole height change the tone not the order of strings. You can easily make a righty similar to that.
Yea did he reset the pickup heights?
@@mattflickinger8151 I don't think so. There is an audible difference between two guitars.
Agreed, the pole height definitely changes the tone and volume of the individual strings on the cv strat that I flipped
Oh yeah, I’m a Canadian poverty stricken guitar player who needs more than the one cheap Epiphone I have now, and would literally love anything I can get. Keep up the great work 😎
we NEED a new studio tour and updated guitar collection video!!!!
You could re-wire the pots and make them work reverse or get more high friction pots - if you wanted to keep it up-side-down.
2023 and Hendrix still has people flipping guitars around 😂🤘
Some left-handed guitarists, such as Joe Perry of Aerosmith and Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, learned to play guitar right-handed. (Curiously enough, Joe actually did own a left-handed Stratocaster that he restrung to be played right-handed. I believe he used that on the recording of “Walk This Way”.)
That’s what I’ve done, never played a left-handed guitar but I’m good with playing right-handed
@@jacksonredd_ me too mate, dad told me as a kid, 30 years back, learn right handed and youll always be able to buy the guitar you want. cheers for that by the way dad
Same as these guys. Lefty that learned to play right-handed.
Yeah me too, my dad is lefty and when he was a kid in the 60’s, affordable beginner left handed instruments didn’t really exist. I grew up watching him play right handed and learned on his guitars, it didn’t really strike me as odd but when I’ve tried a lefty guitar I can’t make it work, it just feels wrong.
@@digital360 we call those “the good ones”
AaaaaaAaaaAAAAAaaalrighty then!
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls reference. Bravo, Tyler.
As a lefty guitarist with a desire to have a strat... this hurt on a level that you will never understand...
Edit: **Cries in Kentucky**
why
same mate, same.
As someone who dislikes left handed people. It makes me happy you have less than us
@@Ottophil Jelly much?
@@Ottophil lmaooo
I like the new Tyler , the old one was like only theory and no jokes and this one is really funny and have more feel to it 😃
its your fault if you don't understand theory lol
It's more obvious in the middle position to me, but the flipped guitar sounded a little louder and chirpier, it had a little more high end, the standard guitar in all cases had noticably more bass and the overall tone sounded more rounded on all pickups where the flipped one was a bit slapper and punchier, 4th position helps to hear that too, i am listening with headphones on, love the video Tyler keep up the awesome work🤘👊
This could be the beginning of an awesome new series of comparison.
Love your work, keep on rocking \m/
11% here. When I first started playing in 1994, the shop recommended learning to play righty since there’s more righty guitars out there than lefty. That may no longer be true. I still play (air) drums lefty though (haven’t been around a kit I was allowed to flip in a long time.)
This seems to be a common suggestion from shops. Maybe if more lefties ignored this advice there would be more demand for lefty guitars and thus companies would male more.
I feel heard and understood, the time for healing is now.
SRV's #1 guitar was right handed with a left handed bridge. The whammy is on top. That must feel weird. Try that one out.
it’s more natural imo
What fucks me up about that the most is that it was because that was the only replacement Strat bridge he could find. Like dude, I'm a lefty and I can't find replacement lefty parts half the time lol
@@Kylora2112 he said this? that’s gotta be a lie, he definitely did it because hendrix had the trem like that (even tho he had to). plus it’s gold just like all his hardware on #1
I guess every lefty out there can feel like me, right now: being not only heard but also understood and represented by a righty is just touching. I AM CRYING, YOU RIGHTY DUDE 😢
oh boy, never wanted to be in Nashville more than left now... but seriously, loved this because the lefty guitar player struggle is real. Thanks Tyler!
Raises hand!
When are you going to do an episode on your love for metal bands? I see the shirts dude, let's do it!
I've wanted to do this for years. There was even a 60s Fender Strat LH on sale and when I mentioned what I wanted to do with the guitar, someone else in the shop must have liked the idea, because when I returned with the cash to make the necessary purchase, someone had offered the store more for it and bought it out f om under me. Well needless to say, that destroyed all faith the in that store and I didn't return to purchase anything from them evet again. Not that, that would have made a tremendous amount of difference but on a side note the store closed it's doors a couple of months later. Moral of the story, look after the players guitar stores. Their the ones that will keep your store alive when times are slow. Fail to look after them and start business practices like that and good luck. Thanks for sharing, there is definately a distinct and pleasant difference to the tone of the instrument and as expected the low E bass string had a pinch more depth and all that from a crappy phone speaker. Nice. 😀
So from a tone perspective , its forcing your palm further back and you are picking more over the bridge pickup , so the tone tends to be a slight bit more bass heavy. You actually get a slightly warmer tone , which for the style Jimi was playing , it totally would benefit the more heavy feeling of style he brought. Now from a R and B blues feel , you may want your hand at the back for some warmer tones on the thicker strings but R an B with lead thrown in , most of the time , you will want that more twangy bite on the middle and higher strings to get that teeth gritting power lead note on the bends. Jimi loved the richer warmer tones though for sure , probably one reason why his music is very hard to reproduce. Its unique , in such a way , its almost impossible to reproduce.
I'm left handed but started playing guitar right handed. I did have a left handed guitar when I was young and could play on it but I had gotten so used to play right handed, and because of that I was better right handed. Chords are okay left handed, but soloing just didn't go well.
I did have a lot of problems with my rhythm for years. Maybe because of this. Luckily gotten better after 24 years of playing. Great video.
i just purchased a lefty Epiphone SG to learn on and honestly i found all the lefty jokes hysterical. im here for it!
Excellent video, Tyler! This is why I watch you - you continuously find new and fascinating guitar subjects. Cheers from Sweden! 🇸🇪
3:12 that picking style, though initially awkward, gives you a lot of precision
I strung my first guitar ever wrong and played it for a couple years. I had the gauges in the wrong order so the high E, G and B were backwards thickness wise but still in tune which made fretting a gatdamn chore
the higher strings on the left handed guitar seemed warmer, maybe because of the bridge pickup? maybe something for those that are really chasing Jimi's tone to think about
I play left handed (due to a physical problem with my left hand, rather than innate handedness), and I avoid restringing right handed guitars for the reasons you demonstrated. Knobs get in the way, the high frets are hard to reach, and it's a right pain to do the setup. I would if I had to, but I prefer not to. My mom was left handed, and she had to restring her guitars, and she always complained about. She also found the "right handed world" to be quite oppressive.
I've always wondered about left handed guitars... from 10 to 12 percent of the population in general is left handed, but most guitar shops have fewer than 5 percent of their inventory in lefties. A lot of guitar manufacturers make very few of their models left handed, also a low percentage. It seems like those numbers ought to match up better, but maybe I don't understand the economics of it.
This doesn't happen because in the economy there is a dilemma between efficiency and equity, where it is very difficult to reconcile the two things. In the case of guitar stores, they're much more likely to sell a higher percentage of right-handed guitars because they know the demand for those guitars is much higher. Consequently, smaller groups end up suffering the consequences, unfortunately ☹
PS: sorry for my english, I'm brazilian haha
R.J. Ronquillo made a video about Hendrix's tone five years ago, and he explained how this was key to Hendrix's sound and feel. The reversed headstock makes the strings bass strings higher tension than usual, and reduces tension on the higher strings. Hendrix also used very light gauge strings. Anyway, it's awesome you brought this info to a new audience and got to try out something new.
I'll have to check it out, because as I said above in another comment, I've played RGs with standard and reverse headstocks for the better part for 20 years and have never noticed a difference between guitars that are otherwise identical. Different scale lengths do exist and this would be no different to taking the hardware from a short scale guitar and putting it on a longer scale, which from experience makes literally zero difference once the amp comes into play.
I mean, I've got 24.75, 25 and 25.25" scale lengths all sitting right next to me, and have interchanged parts between all of them just last year before settling on the EMGs in my PRS, which was 100% about feel, because every guitar sounded exactly the same through an amp.
However, the one thing that actually does make a real difference in this video is the fact that with the guitar flipped, the bridge pickup angle is reversed. Regardless of headstock position, that is going to make a difference.
I live the lefty struggle everyday! Im from PA but Im about ready to hop on a plane and walk around Nashville - try to have a run-in with that strat!
The guitar guru I use plays right hand guitars as a lefty, he just plays it upside down it’s mind blowing for me to watch him even after years
I'm a lefty who also plays a righty upside down, without reversing the strings. I tried a lefty once and just couldn't do it. I could however play the pants off that lefty the way you have it setup now! I used to struggle with the knobs too, now I just leave them off, they're less in the way and harder to turn without the plastic cover haha!
The two guitars definitely sound different. But it’s extremely subtle. Being a left-handed guitar player who grew up playing a backwards strat like Hendrix. I’ve come to realize the difference is the flipped pickups. It’s not an extreme change. But it is definitely audible. Wish I lived close, would love a nice new start! Thing sounds great! 🤘🏼✌🏼
5:40 wow, I didn't expect it - but the left handed one did actually sound a lot better. Especially the bridge pickup.
yeah ergonomy is a one thing, but don´t forget bridge pickup orientation and having a reversed headstock also affects the tone (some say a lot)
As a lefty going to school at Belmont this video seems to have called to me
I've tried both back to back, and for me, a left-hander flipped over feels better. I lo e the sound of strats but I hate that the controls and middle pickup are right where i dont want them to be. Flipping one over solved the controls issue at least, and didnt really affect my wrist.
Every time I watch one of these videos I start itching to buy another guitar
Reduce the amount of lefty guitars available to leftists
I'm so glad I play right-handed. After a lifetime of always having to find left-handed versions of stuff, I feel like I finally caught a break. A brief glimpse of what it's like to be normal for once. I think it makes more sense. Why wouldn't I fret with the same hand I write with?
I've been saying this for a few years but reverse pickup on a strat sounds amazing, and 4 that way every time I buy a strat set of left handed strat pickup for a right handed
As a lefty, I also started on a strat with inverted strings. It was... painful. Lots, and I mean LOTS of cables ruined because my arm rested against the input jack, turned down the volume all the time, reaching high frets was an issue, intonation was never quite right, and wearing a strap wasn't a thing (I didn't mod the guitar in any way, I just played sitting down).
Learned to play like that anyway though. But getting my first actual lefty guitar was the best day of my life.
Good for you. If I had to do it all over again, or if I actually COULD do it all over again, I would have tried my best to get a set of drums. Then maybe, .. just maybe, at this point I could play ~somewhat~ like Tony Williams. Otherwise, I would have never gotten involved with your world of stringed instruments at all.
Great video! I’m a lefty and it’s almost impossible to find vintage guitars(I play mostly fenders). My dream would be to find a lefty 69 comp blue mustang, like Cobain’s but I’ve never seen one online anywhere. I have played many righty guitars flipped and restrung and I’m glad you see how the controls can get in the way and affect the way you strum and pick.
If you can’t find that guitar a home, I would love to add it to my collection!
This video speaks to me. I’m a lefty, I learned on a righty (Hendrix style) except I didn’t flip the strings the right way around.
I don’t still play that way but it is a cool party trick to pull out every once in a while lmao
To my ear, the righty guitar has much more of a boost to the higher strings but still with a very rounded sound. The lefty is bright everywhere, and the middle two strings just really POP with a very clear sound that matches the brightness of the highest two strings way more.
Back in the day I used to play a HM series Strat re-strung like this - I got round the issue of the controls being in the way by just removing them - set all the knobs to 10 then stuff them inside the control cavity. It wasn't the most versatile of guitars but it solved the problem! I had a pedal on the floor with volume set to 0 so I could shut the signal off between songs.
Very cool experiment! And thanks for giving that guitar away. As a lefty, we are always left out of the guitar giveaways, so very cool that some luck lefty will get it!
I play l right handed guitars left handed. Flip it over and done. You develop a different way of playing. I’m so used to the knobs getting in the way, that I’ve developed a tic, where any moment I can, I’m turning the volume up whether it needs it or not. Tried lefty guitars strung right handed, but I’m just too used to having the controls where they are now.
I’m seriously considering turning my strat’s pickups around 180 degrees. That lefty sounds awesome!
As I walked through shadows of the righty guitars, I take a took at my hands and realized there's nothin' LEFT. Cause I've been shreddin' and aching for so long, that
Even my mama thinks that my mind is gone, right. Been spendin' most our lives, livin' in the righty's paradise. haha just had to.. Im fortunate to be a lefty but have the bragging rights of playing both ways (Righty - upside down) and Lefty the correct way. Thanks for walking in our lefty shoes for a bit. Cheerz from South Africa
The headstock being upside down always makes me think of Nuno Bettencourt’s Washburn N4.
Pretty sure that unlike most pickups, strat pickups aren’t quite symmetrical, the pole piece height is different or something. So that they are about the only pickups that have a lefty version. So it would make sense that a lefty strung upside down would sound marginally different to the RH one.
Thank you for the Ace Ventura 2 reference.
Tyler looking swaggy now, that gold chain drippin drippin
As a lefty. Did this to a righty Tele. It definitely felt played and sounded different after the flip. Definitely different tone when you don't flip the pickups or set the height accordingly
I did the whole flipping a right-handed strat to play lefty, and can say that it has a difference. Mostly on just how the sound of the string vibrations on the pickup if you don't flip them too. I can say though, playing an actual lefty is amazing. Sure, it's a pain finding a big name brand lefty without actually buying one online and hoping you'll like it but it also has let me see lesser known brands that are more lefty-friendly
Try building a lefty, warmoth guitars has a custom build site, where you can build a custom lefty and righty guitars
My first two or three guitars were righty’s strung Hendrix style. I don’t know how I ever made it through that. It’s always been a struggle to find a lefty that was affordable. I’ve just always stuck with the few I’ve found and liked.
Check out godpsmusic I got thr LP style and super strat they are fantastic guitars for the money
Yes there is a big difference the bridge pickup on the left sound snappeir
I was always under the impression that Jimi never restrung his guitars, he just played a right handed guitar upside down. Which is a total mindfuck for me to even think about playing.
Seems like I read that he was able to do that. Paul McCartney was too, which some people took as evidence that he was a fake Paul
I knew a guy several years ago who played left handed bass, and it was fun trying to play left handed, or right handed upside down. I would imagine a lefty from back then was accustomed to making do with a right hand guitar on occasion, and I’m honestly surprised that there aren’t more lefties who play upside down
He restrung, but some don't/didn't.
Otis Rush, Albert King, Doyle Brahmal, Eric Gayles
@@billyclub9863 so then all their chords positions were up side down and topsy turvy?
@@honkytonkinson9787 Lefty bassist here - and pretty close to being from back then. The ergonomics is what kept a lot of lefties from playing upside down - you spend as much time overcoming that as playing.
@Draw4Reel
mostly lead playing. But, triads & chord tones, when they needed chords
Anything involving the bridge pickup sounded different. The change in the orientation definitely impacted the tone.
The difference in tone is coming from the pickups. It's more prominent with the bridge pickup since it's slanted the other way, but you hear it with the neck and middle since the pickups are flipped anyway. It's something to do with the staggering of the pole pieces in the pickup. It sounds cool though, brighter and spankier.
You gotta choose a tone knob, drop it underneath the pickguard and move the volume knob to where the middle knob would be.
I play right handed but wanted a Jimi style look so bought a 'lefty' so that the 'look 'was also correct. Changed the nut, re-done the bridge saddles for intonation and restrung. The most noticeable difference was the low E (6) string went to the farthest away tuning peg and the high E (1st ) went to the nearest tuning peg. Does this affect string tensions because the length of string under tension is flipped E to E ? is it in my mind or is the low E more bendy feeing looser ? Is the high E tighter and harder to bend feeling tighter ? Anyway I have the proper look when playing and all the geometry and physics is the same as a 'Jimi.' Now all I need is his hands and his skill..............You are right in saying playability is shot, knobs in the wrong place, whammy bar under your wrist, argghhhh. But hey its an experience.........
That's awesome. You can tell your right hand is not comfortable at all on the lefty, and you can tell in the music. Very interesting, great video.
I’m in CALIFORNIAAAA! Good luck to the fellow lefty who wins it
I'm in Nashville too! I'm not a lefty, but I'll be glad to relieve you of a righty guitar in the future...😂
Im from Norway, left handed, amature guitarplayer, wishing I where in Nashville hunting you down for that guitar
It goes deeper than just being able to find a lefty! Companies like Epiphone don't QC their leftys very well and you often end up with volume and tone controls that arent wired correctly and are mismatched to the direction of the knobs. Or worse, they use right handed pots but wire them left handed, basically turning them into on/off switches.
Finally! You're not just another one of the throng of dimwits on the internet trying to schmooze over the fact that the world of stringed instruments always have, and always will be, catered to right handed people. It's quite that simple.
I’ve toyed with the lefty restrung idea so many times
As a Righty. I love my Lefty strung for a Righty. It actually feels amazing 😎
As a right handed player i never liked the volume knob in my way, i made some spacers and a plate for the pots to submerge in the cavity then cut the knobs down to 1/8" thick, problem solved
We neeed another guitar sketch
These videos were so funny
String length on E is longer witch helps. Longer from saddle to tuner. Or just get reverse neck same effect. And pickups angled opposite as on the Jake e Lee model
I am a lefty but around 2months in I realized there are not many left handed guitars compared to right so I just stopped and completely relearned but with my right
I have had many right handed guitars that I had to flip over due to I could never find a left handed guitar. Later in life I was able to find and afford left handed guitars. One thing that has stuck with me from that time is that I love reverse headstocks. My Ltds all had reverse headstocks.
As a lefty I cannot fathom how I could play a righty guitar. Always played lefty.
As a lefty, it feels more like we are the 1/2 percent sometimes. I can’t tell you the last time i went into a music store and bought a guitar. I could have 2k hanging from my back pocket, and it wouldn’t matter, because I’m not interested in a 2011 squire telecaster with and inch of dust on it, and strings from the depression era…
Btw, I’m in Lexington, KY- so I’m not that far away!!!
Tone comments:
1. Turn the pick ups on righty around to invert the poles. Gives it a fuller, bigger, richer, beefier, fatter sound. The tone difference is night and day.
2. I'm a Southpaw, but have, like many of my fellow lefty guitar players, have just had to deal with playing righty. I have been doing so since I was 16 in 1993.
That Judas Priest shirt was my favorite shirt I owned in the 80s. My mom hated it, she said it looked painful. I wore it out.