A Left Hand Guitarist Has More Instrument Options than A Right-Hander

A left hand guitarist has more possibilities when it comes to playing the guitar.  Since it takes two hands to chord and pick a guitar, a left hand guitarist can decide which way feels more comfortable-left handed or right handed, by deciding what the left hand is stronger at.

Left hand guitars and left handed electric guitars used to be available in limited supply, models and at a premium price versus right handed guitars. Now they are available in many models at comparable prices or can be custom designed.



Altering a Right Handed Guitar:
Left handers in general:

Left handed people are often ambidextrous, able to do some skills better right handed than left, or certain skills can only be done left handed.  Some left handed people may bat left handed, but throw a ball right handed.  The same is true when it comes to guitar playing, they may be a left hand guitarist and others may be right handed. To determine which you are, pick up a guitar naturally, and the dominant hand should be used for strumming or picking.

Another test is to clap your hands, if the left does most of the movement, you would play better left-handed, if they move equally or the right hand does most of the movement, you could play right handed.

Left hand guitarist with left hand guitars:

Jimi Hendrix was a famous left hand electric guitarist that might not have been as adept if he played right handed instead.  A Left hand guitarist using a left hand guitar could find it difficult to play a right handed one. It can be a little more difficult in reading music, since it is written for right handed guitarists, so adapting the chords can take a little time, in the beginning.

It used to be that these famous guitarists had to have a left hand guitar or left hand electric guitar custom made, which was out of the reach of the average person, but not any longer.  It is easier to find a wide range of instruments, once you have determined you are a left hand guitarist.

Left hand with right hand guitars:

Paul McCartney and Paul Simon were left handed but played the guitar right handed and did a fine job of it.  There are left hand guitarists that play right handed guitars, or can play either way. It is easier for a left hand guitarist to read and play music, which is written for right hand guitar playing.  Many lefties learn to play right hand guitars out of necessity, while others may play left hand with right hand guitars (with strings upside down).

Left Hand Guitarists That Play With Strings Upside Down:

These guitarists have adapted by re-stringing a right hand guitar backwards and playing it like a left hand guitar.  This takes some coordination in turning chord schematics upside down, but many left hand guitarists have adapted and become quite proficient players this way.

As you can see, if you are a left hand guitarist, you have options that are not available to right handed guitarists.