Musical Equipment Porn!

[bignath]

I'm actually left handed, but play all musical instruments like a right handed person.....

Then again, i am first and foremost a drummer, so i am, by design half retarded to start with!!

See if you can comfortably play like a right hander. It has huge benefits. From someone who until the last few years used to also work in the music instrument retail industry, if you can play right handed, you'll be able to go into any music store and pick up some guitars to try out. Hugely more complicated once someone comes into a store and says "oh, by the way, i'm left handed".

A lot of stores won't carry left handed guitars as it's not playing the percentages on customer needs, as a huge percentage play right handed. Personally i think this is stupid, as you need to cater for everyone to a point. As a result all the stores i've ever worked in have had left handed guitars hanging on the wall ready to go, but i've been in countless stores as a customer over the years, and noticed no lefty's at all......

 

[petesbrew]

I'm actually left handed, but play all musical instruments like a right handed person.....

Then again, i am first and foremost a drummer, so i am, by design half retarded to start with!!

See if you can comfortably play like a right hander. It has huge benefits. From someone who until the last few years used to also work in the music instrument retail industry, if you can play right handed, you'll be able to go into any music store and pick up some guitars to try out. Hugely more complicated once someone comes into a store and says "oh, by the way, i'm left handed".

A lot of stores won't carry left handed guitars as it's not playing the percentages on customer needs, as a huge percentage play right handed. Personally i think this is stupid, as you need to cater for everyone to a point. As a result all the stores i've ever worked in have had left handed guitars hanging on the wall ready to go, but i've been in countless stores as a customer over the years, and noticed no lefty's at all......

Yeah I never even thought guitars came left handed when I started playing in school. My guitar tutor lent me a lefty for a week, but I couldn't be bothered relearning. More range of guitars available to me this way, plus you can pick up anyone's guitar for a bash.

Plenty of great cheap guitar packs out there to start off with. Once you decide you like playing guitar, you can upgrade to an axe suitable to your style.

 

[leiothrix]

I want to play lefty as that will be more comfortable for me. And making it easier means I'm less likely to give up



Any tips on where to start? Books, websites, forums or anything?

 

[bowie in space]

Just buy a righty and restring it. This was good enough for Hendrix, so I dare say it will be good for a beginner

How many lefty famous players are out there. Hendrix, Cobain, McCartney, Blackmore, BB King, Robert Fripp, Tony Iommi.

a conspiracy I reckon, borne from the devil himself

Albert King played guitar left handed, not BB King.

 

[bowie in space]

Albert King played guitar left handed, not BB King.

In fact, Robert Fripp and Ritchie Blackmore were not lefty's either. Where did you get this information from?

Hendrix, Cobain McCartney and Iommi all played left handed, not the other three on your list.

 

[bowie in space]

I want to play lefty as that will be more comfortable for me. And making it easier means I'm less likely to give up



Any tips on where to start? Books, websites, forums or anything?

DO NOT feel obligated to buy a right handed guitar and restring it. You'll then need to change the nut and the end of the fretboard, and besides you'll look like a Hendrix impersonating twat. Left handed guitars look better anyway

Like I said buy a cheap guitar/amp combo. Just about any guitar shop in Australia will have some sort of cheap left handed guitar(s).

It only gets frustrating as a lefty when you want to progress and buy a better guitar. That's when the range becomes hard to find.

I got my Rickenbacker from Jackson's rare guitars in Sydney. I bought in online and had it delivered to my house in Brisbane for an extra $30. I didn't even try it before I bought it. A bit risky, but I know they have a great reputation.

There is a shop in WA that is devoted to left handed guitars. I can't remember the name of the business, but you can google it. Other than that there's good ol' ebay.

Don't worry about books, dvd's, etc. Just learn a few chords. You can get chords off the net, then search chords/music/lyrics for you favourite songs/artists and play along. Then you can start writing your own stuff!

 

[Lecterfan]

Any of you fancy gee-tarrists out there had experience with bare knuckle pickups?

I can't play for shit (I'm a drummer by trade), but I slog along with a gibson V and an orange thunderverb 50 (after getting rid of a vintage 1981 100w 2203 because I was tired of never turning the volume past 3 even in big venues)...anyway, I prefer passive pickups in the bridge and am thinking of getting rid of the DiMarzio Super Distortions and am looking at the bare knuckle miracle man.

Any comments about bare knuckle p'ups in general?

 

[real_beer]

Albert King played guitar left handed, not BB King.

And he didn't change the strings around, so the high E was on top & most of his bends were pulled not pushed. Andy Aledort (a good beer name) said SRV told him Albert played in standard tuning, tuned down 1 1/2 steps. He also didn't use the bottom two string much.

There's a number of lefties that play right handed but I've always wondered if they might just have an ambidextrous bent.

This might help lefties make up their mind whether to learn right handed:
http://leftyfretz.com/should-i-learn-guita...or-left-handed/

I think the second item "How Do I Discover What Is Best For Me?" probably hits the nail on the head.

 

[dago001]

:icon_offtopic:
Nah real_beer. I would think of Albert Collins as the Telecaster Master. Ice Pickin' all the way.
LagerBimb

 

[petesbrew]

And he didn't change the strings around, so the high E was on top & most of his bends were pulled not pushed. Andy Aledort (a good beer name) said SRV told him Albert played in standard tuning, tuned down 1 1/2 steps. He also didn't use the bottom two string much.

There's a number of lefties that play right handed but I've always wondered if they might just have an ambidextrous bent.

This might help lefties make up their mind whether to learn right handed:
http://leftyfretz.com/should-i-learn-guita...or-left-handed/

I think the second item "How Do I Discover What Is Best For Me?" probably hits the nail on the head.

Nice link that. Too late to me to relearn. It might be out of sync with my wah foot, turning my wah face into something a little bit awkward as I try to keep balanced.

 

[jayse]

From memory I think dick dale might have been another of the lefty playing a right handed guitar strung for a right hander.

Any of you fancy gee-tarrists out there had experience with bare knuckle pickups?

I can't play for shit (I'm a drummer by trade), but I slog along with a gibson V and an orange thunderverb 50 (after getting rid of a vintage 1981 100w 2203 because I was tired of never turning the volume past 3 even in big venues)...anyway, I prefer passive pickups in the bridge and am thinking of getting rid of the DiMarzio Super Distortions and am looking at the bare knuckle miracle man.

Any comments about bare knuckle p'ups in general?

Slight smart arse post but if you want better tone I'd trade the V for a Les Paul or like guitar. The super distortion to me in a V is OK but still not quite there, lacks some sustain and body, in saying that I am usually drunk as 15 sailors everytime I have played my mates (and fellow AHBers)one.

Been drunken Jamming every Thursday lately so if I remember will take the camera tonight and post my gear.

 

[Lecterfan]

From memory I think dick dale might have been another of the lefty playing a right handed guitar strung for a right hander.



Slight smart arse post but if you want better tone I'd trade the V for a Les Paul or like guitar. The super distortion to me in a V is OK but still not quite there, lacks some sustain and body, in saying that I am usually drunk as 15 sailors everytime I have played my mates (and fellow AHBers)one.

Been drunken Jamming every Thursday lately so if I remember will take the camera tonight and post my gear.

Aaah ask a question about bottling and get told to buy kegs hahaha :lol:

I agree, an LP would be wonderful if I had the money, but I found the improvement in tone from stock 500T to DM super distortion was huge. ALso DM tone zone in the V was really nice through the 2203. Thus, I have a lot of faith in using different pickups as long as the basic guitar itself is ok, and I have no issues with gibson's V - had it for many years, survived many gigs and knocks and still has plenty of tone. If the bare knuckle pick ups can make bolt-on alder wood sound chunky then I think they should go alright in a mahogany body.... BUT, was jut wondering if anyone had experience with them.

 

[real_beer]

Nice link that. Too late to me to relearn. It might be out of sync with my wah foot, turning my wah face into something a little bit awkward as I try to keep balanced.

Now, now Pete let's not think like that! If you liked the last link this one should inspire you to try: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt
Some people just have an unbelievable spirit that shines no matter what life throws at them. On second thoughts though he didn't have to worry about a wah pedal :lol:

On a lighter note, while not a lefty John Fogarty took himself away after CCR disbanded to relearn how to play the guitar properly. He was apparently unhappy that his pinky always just hung in the air doing nothing all the time, a trait exhibited by most other guitarist at the time . And back on the topic of equipment porn, I think he must have one of the biggest on road guitar collections, in the dvd's I have of his concerts he uses a different guitar nearly every song! :icon_cheers:

 

[Liam_snorkel]

my toys:

'73 lead & bass 1987 50w. 30w greenbacks in the cab.
the guitar is a Jap SG copy. Greco. not sure what year but early 70s. original except for grover tuners.

have a few other pieces of firewood with strings on them, including my prized hello kitty squire.

not really gigging any more, work & beer take up too much time.

 

[petesbrew]

Envious of the amp & effect setup, Liam.
As for the SG copy, the Japs did apparently do some brilliant gibson copies back in the 70s, if I've heard/read right.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I've also heard this. It's a nice guitar, pretty well played though, could do with a refret. It was made before they started cracking down on Jap copies, only major difference I think is that it has a bolt on neck. Not that it matters, but someone told me that the same factory which made that Greco now makes Fenders, but don't quote me on that.

 

[petesbrew]

I've also heard this. It's a nice guitar, pretty well played though, could do with a refret. It was made before they started cracking down on Jap copies, only major difference I think is that it has a bolt on neck. Not that it matters, but someone told me that the same factory which made that Greco now makes Fenders, but don't quote me on that.

I've got a hondo II LP copy in the garage that belongs to my brother in law that has factory fitted Dimarzio Humbuckers's.
I was cleaning it up for him (broken nuts, tuners & missing fret markings) but it's taken a few years now. I have plans to finish it for him by xmas.

Always loved the Gibson SG's, but then I saw my Yamaha and loved that shape even more. and it was a fraction of the price!

 

[bignath]

the guitar is a Jap SG copy. Greco. not sure what year but early 70s. original except for grover tuners.

Awesome guitar the Greco's....It's quite widely known to people in the industry, that a lot of the Greco stuff, actually outplayed the guitars they were trying to clone. Hold on to that guitar mate, it's a keeper.

Last resort, if you ever sell it, don't let anyone try and tell you "oh, it's just a shit copy of (insert famous brand here) guitar". They are excellent pieces of gear in their own right.

What's the orange pedal next to your wah?

Envious BigNath

 

[petesbrew]

A workmate told me about this new "game" this morning.

http://rocksmith.ubi.com/rocksmith/en-US/home/

Once I see it in the bargain bins I'll get it. (as for any game, I mean screw paying $100 when I can easily wait a year & pay $30).

 

[bowie in space]

Latest addition to the family. 2011 Lefty Standard American Stratocaster. Got it from Billy Hyde's in the Valley as part of their closing down sale. Good deal too. I'm tempted to buy the Jazz Bass too.