Originally Posted by
martynic
A little over a year ago I was looking to learn mandolin and took some good advice about learning to play right handed (even though I am a lefty). Never having played a fretted instrument (I am a percussionist/drummer), it all made sense to me and I bought a right handed mandolin. The following six months I struggled with getting a good feel for the instrument. Yes, I was learning some things, but it just did not feel right to me. Not only that, but after 6 months trying to play right handed, my air guitar stance was still lefty. At that point I decided to purchase a very cheap ($80) lefty mandolin toy off ebay to see how it felt. As soon as I started playing it....I started to feel comfortable with it, and knew that I was going to play lefty going forward.
So, for me...playing lefty is the way to go. The good thing is that I still have my right handed mandolin and I pick that up a couple times a week for some short right handed play. Lefty with be my primary play mode, but since I had a six month head start with right hand play, I try to copy some of the things I learned via lefty.
I have only been at this for for a very short time, but I am really liking how I am feeling the instrument now.
I have since bought an Eastman MD404 that Mass Street Music converted to lefty for me. Great job by the way. And Ken Ratcliff is in the process of building me a lefty Silver Angel Fantasma! I am so stoked about that. Hope to have it some time soon.