Left or Right

[sers]

Hello great people from jemsite.
I need your help, i really don't know where to put this treat so please move it if there is booked in the wrong secction.

Ok here is my dilema, i have a 2 years old son. he loves playing guitar. he often plays toys guitars and he ALWAYS picks them like a lefty guy. But when he make some draws or to do delicate things ( such pick up a little toy from the ground) he uses his rigth hand.

So, he seems to be a right guy but he plays like a lefty.
Now i'm going toy buy an electric guitar for childrens and the question is.... how i should string it? like a lefty guitar? like a right guitar?

I want to choose the best option to effortlees his playing when he grows up.

What do you people thinks?

[smooth55]

I was similar in that I am right handed in everything but when I first picked up the guitar, I was a left player naturally. However, due to the availability of right-handed guitars (or the lack of knowledge on the part of my family who supported my new hobby), I have only ever played right handed. It's worked out for me so I would probably teach him righty, since you've got those guitars on hand. If he really struggles and wants to play lefty, there's nothing wrong with going that way. It might be more limiting in what guitars are available to him but that shouldn't be a deal-breaker. It's possible, developmentally speaking, that your son sees you playing righty and hasn't figured out the mirror image thing yet and thinks he's mimicing you exactly. I'd say let him grow up a little and see how things are when he would start to really learn to play.

[SilverEra]

I was exactly the same way the first time I picked up a guitar, and I'm right handed. The reason being, is that children of that age don't have any sense of "perspective". If he sees you etc strumming with your right hand, that would look like the left hand to him, and exactly the same deal with your left hand doing the fretting.

[DEADTUNES666]

At 2 years old I would just let him drag the guitar around like a toy and use it as a step stool or a carrying case for his hot wheels...Then in a few years you can start really schooling him on things. My son used his guitar for everything but playing it when he was that young...Today he is a pretty good pianist and violinist, who just started playing guitar...

[sers]

good points every ones!!!
I specialy like the mirror theory.... i've never though about it in that way... very interesting

Thanks a lot for the feedback!!!

[Magical Muffin]

I'd personally get him a righty guitar. I find it really wierd when a see a guy playing lefty

The only way you wouldn't develop naturally on a righty is if you have already gotten used to playing lefty. When you are just starting out on guitar, neither hand is used to either movements. A lot of non-guitarists probably air guitar left handed as well.

[GuitarBizarre]

I learned righty and found it actually helped me immensely with left handed style. FWIW, I'm left handed.

On the other hand, I'd say just get him used to playing righty, he'll thank you for it if he becomes a real player and is looking for a new axe!



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Now playing: Massive Attack - Name Taken
via FoxyTunes

[fretboardpyro]

whack him around the head every time he picks it up like a lefty or it will cost a fortune in the future!

[Zgicc]

I was a lefty turned righty and I thank my parents for doing that today.... Finding tools for a left handed person is a pain and when you do find they cost considerably more...

[kigorri]

I'm a lefty by nature.... a little ambi I guess haha

When I was starting guitar at school, there was only one lefty guitar and this other kid always got to lessons firsts like the little swat that he was.

I ended up learning RH. While left felt natural initially, playing the guitar didn't so It really didn't make much of a difference... but I suspect that this may have something to do with why I cant play at 200bpm

[Mr. Killer]

My little brother is 2 years old too and everytime he picks up my guitars he does it as if he was lefty, but he is right-handed, I mean, he draws and writes (at least he tries) using his right hand. I agree with the "mirror" theory.

But, do you really think a 2-years-old child will play guitar at that age?

I just let my little brother use my very old and cheap guitars (I'll never let him put his hands on my Ibanez :P) and he imagines that he's playing. Maybe I'll buy him a real guitar when he's older (10, 11, 12). His hands are very small right now.

And I wouldn't worry about your son holding your guitars like a lefty. I'm right-handed and I used to do the same think when I was a child, and when I began to learn to play guitar, my mom told me that I should hold the guitar the RIGHT(handed) way. You'll save a lot of money if you teach him to play like a right-handed person, and your son will be gratefull too

[Magical Muffin]

Originally Posted by Mr. Killer

I just let my little brother use my very old and cheap guitars (I'll never let him put his hands on my Ibanez :P) and he imagines that he's playing. Maybe I'll buy him a real guitar when he's older (10, 11, 12). His hands are very small right now.

My little sister (5 yrs) has both a cheap mini acoustic and a plastic one that has buttons and makes noise. She hardly touches either, and when she does, its the plastic one.

Kids don't play guitar UNLESS they constantly beg for a real one and is willing to take lessons straight from the get go.

[sers]

HEHEHE my son tells me "toquemos juntos papito" (play togheter dady) and I really love that... i don`t know the right words to explaint that in english.. but you get the idea.

Of course he is too young to plat seriusly and we ( mon an dad) will never push him in that way... he is a boy... he have to get fun and play games.. thats it.

But.. if he keeps playig over the years.. well maybe a good string way choice hepls. I agree the mirror theory completly. i`m going toy buy the childreen guitar and then will see.

Again many, many, many thanks for the feedback!!

regards!

[Lefty Steve]

Hi guys,I'm a right handed person but play guitar left handed.I was given a guitar for christmas when I was 10 years old(long time ago now),when I was handed the guitar I automatically held it lefty,much to my fathers annoyance.I could not physically play the guitar right handed, my hands just seemed to fight me.Needless to say it was just going nowhere,so at 16 I purchased a left handed les paul copy and proceeded to learn to play lefty.I'm proud to be a lefty,I can understand some of you guys who were lefty but learned righty as the availability of left handed guitars is very limited.In my case I just could not play right handed,my hands and brain just sync up lefty when it comes to the guitar.In the case of the 2 year old kid,I guess when he gets older his hands and brain will sync up to which ever orientation feels natural to him be it lefty or righty.