kalstras - Posted - 05/12/2014:  04:43:07

This has come as no surprise to me. I read an archive regarding left vs right instrument choices and that people can learn either side with good and bad issues from both.

I know now that by choosing a lefty learning practice (as I am left handed) I restrict my banjo choices to either a new banjo or an old one with a new neck as there will be very limited (if any) left hand banjoes of the pre war era.

Also, buying them from a shop, many shops will have a few but not many, and friends family and fellow banjoers won't be able to swap around to see how one vs the other is...

REGARDLESS TO THIS - Are you playing to the best of your ability if you choose one over the other, pre stated info aside. If you knew you would be clever at picking but struggle with chords, would you have chosen your path? OR would you rather be clever with chords and struggle with picking?

I have found that I could have learned either way (conflicting brain/right eye) dominant my head can't decide what to do. The issue I have is, I am learning very quickly to pick, but am a little slow with the chords (probably similar to others) but with my brain the way it is. would it be smart/clever to learn right handed before I go to much further?

Here is the post I am "following on" from...

banjohangout.org/archive/224463

For the record I want to be the best I can, either handed, but it WOULD be nice to have a prewar Granada/Mastertone pot on my left neck :D

Cheers, Kal

Texasbanjo - Posted - 05/12/2014:  07:43:23

It's entirely normal for most people to be able to pick rolls, etc. with a lot of practice.  If you've never played a stringed instrument, then it may take time for you to learn to make chords and change them cleanly and smoothly.

All the advice I can offer is:  I'm left handed and play a right handed banjo.  To me, the left hand has more to do; i.e., make chords, slides, hammers, pulls, chokes and that's a lot to grasp quickly.   The right hand does rolls and pinches  basically and that's it.  To me, being left handed helped me to conquer the neck more easily.  I don't know whether it would work for you or not, but it might be something you want to think about seriously.  As you said, you're pretty much stuck with a lefty banjo and can't try out other banjos, which is half the fun!

Fathand - Posted - 05/12/2014:  08:28:45

Pre War Banjos are very often purchased as 4 string banjos and have 5 string necks made for them. At that point you could have the 5 string neck built as a Lefty. Or if you buy one with a Right handed conversion neck already installed, there is a market for right handed conversion necks that could help finance the building of a lefty neck.

OTOH I would suggest borrowing or renting a right handed banjo and trying it out before deciding. If it feels extremely clumsy try a lefty an see if it feels better. There is more support all around for right handed 5 string banjos including instructional materials.

Leslie R - Posted - 05/12/2014:  10:36:38

Any instructional material for a right handed banjo would be just as applicable to a left hand banjo.  100 years from now they might have a correct answer for this subject. Right now they do not.