Any Lefty's play a righty mandolin?

[rbachman]

My band buddy got a Tacoma mandolin (righty) last night and
seemed to pick it up real easy!!

He was saying that it would be easy for me (a lefty) to play the righty mandolin.

Anyone out there do that?

[davestem]

Yep. On guitar & bass, too. I like to think it gives me an advantage with hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides.

[JD Cowles]

yep, me too. never even really thought of a lefty mando. i learned to play guitar as a kid on a hand me down that was righty so i never looked back. besides us lefties are naturally smarter and more physically gifted.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[rbachman]

Now let me confirm my post .... I was not clear !!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

I am a lefty and I play a lefty guitar. What if I play a righty mandolin UPSIDE-DOWN !!!

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Eugene]

Well, I'm a lefty and I play several plucked things as a proper righty. #While I'm not going to condone your bizarre and inverted behavior, Mr. Bachman (this is an effort at friendly teasing), I will recommend that you pursue a symmetric mandolin (i.e. an "A" style) if you try this. #Those with a scroll or lump on the bass side of the neck-body joint (e.g., "F" styles or Tacoma) will impede your access to upper positions when inverted.

[TommyK]

Now let me confirm my post .... I was not clear !!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

I am a lefty and I play a lefty guitar. #What if I play a righty mandolin UPSIDE-DOWN !!!

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Only in Australia.

Seriously, Some lefties re-string, upside down, guitars and such and play them the other side up.
There is a lefty guitar picker named Dick Dale. He taught himself to play guitar left handed, chords and all. Nope, he didn't move a string, he just frets them the otherway around. He worked for a guitar maker in the early days of electrics. He was their 'test pilot' the maker told him... break it, if you can. Dale now does some commercials for some prescription drugs No, not ######, but if you hear a beach tune in the background watch carefully as they flash on Dale. you can see he's playing 'upside down' to the rest of us. and his name is on the fret board.
Who was that guitar maker??? I think his name was Leo Fender or something like that http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif
You can buy LH Fenders but Dale still uses the RH stringing.
Go figure! Maybe it's us righties who've got it upside down.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[BrazAd]

Tommy,

If you already play lefty guitar (good choice!), then why screw a good thing up? You *could* learn to play a right-handed mandolin upside down, but why? Doing that would render any instructional materials useless, along with getting tips from friends and such.

You *could* learn to play mandolin behind your back - probably - but why would you? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Check here for pics of a true lefty mandolin....

http://members.aol.com/mandonewbie

Gary
Atlanta

[Flowerpot]

There's a lefty mando player named Ron Pendleton who plays a righty mandolin upside down. He's mighty good, played on a few albums and won the Galax Fiddler's Convention mandolin contest at least once. He always made me kinda dizzy to watch, and it didn't do any good at all to try to steal licks from him! But anyhow, playing that way didn't seem to hinder his playing, and he could pick up anybody's instrument and use it. But Gary's point is valid, instructional material would be of limited use, although I think tablature would be pretty easy to apply. Heck, maybe easier. For a righty, the top line of tab applies to the string closest to the ground anyhow.

[ronlane3]

I'm another lefty that plays righty. I have no problems.

[G'DAE]

I'm left handed. Play Mando,Banjo,Guitar, all right handed. Seems when I started, these were only type available. Never even tried a lefty. Don't want to.

[mandodebbie]

I'm a lefty, and I play a righty. My left hand is stronger than my right (Duh!), thus it is much easier to fret. I have never tried a lefty instrument. I imagine that it would be quite the adjustment. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[Bob DeVellis]

Ah, DIck Dale, and lets not forget the Deltones. One of the progenitors of surfer music.

I'm lefty and play rightie. But if you play guitar lefty, it's likely to feel pretty wierd to play mandolin the other way around. I'd definitely encourage someone with no prior lefty experience to go rightie, for the ease fo buying, selling, and borrowing instruments and for the left hand proficiency you can use on the fingerboard. But if you've gotten used to fretting the other way, it'll probably be a tough transition. If you think you can switch successfully, I'd give it a try but if't going to make you nuts, just play lefty.

[Eugene]

I had no idea you were a lefty, Bob.