Playing upside down

[marnold]

I was watching a clip from the Crossroads festival on VH1 Classic. A guitarist who was playing with Clapton (I didn't recognize him) was left-handed. That wasn't the weird thing--he was playing left-handed guitars even. The weird thing was that it was strung upside-down with the low strings on the bottom. Anybody have any idea who this is?

[warren0728]

probably doyle bramhall II....

ww

[marnold]

To answer my own question, he is Doyle Bramhall II. I haven't been able to find anything saying why he plays with his guitars strung that way.

*edit* You're pretty quick, Warren :)

[thearabianmage]

Doyle Bramhall II? He probably plays upside-down to detract attention from his name :D

I guess what ever is comfortable to him, let him do what he wants. Interesting, though. . .

[warren0728]

I haven't been able to find anything saying why he plays with his guitars strung that way.
maybe he first picked up a righty guitar and flipped it over to play....that would put the low strings on the bottom....gets used to playing that way so sticks with it? just a guess....


You're pretty quick, Warren :)
just good timing.... ;)

ww

[rkwrenn]

Dick Dale and Albert King play that way too.

Cheers,

Bob

[just strum]

I saw him playing with Clapton on a VH1 Classic show I believe from Hyde Park (not positive). It would be interesting to find out the reason he started playing that way.

[Andy]

His father was a popular blues player and he grew up with stevie ray and jimmie vaughn and a few others in that music circle . they were like uncles to him. so he just started playing what was laying around the house and ofcourse he is left handed...

clapton was blown away by his playing so he asked him to go on tour with him.

thing to see - his appearence on austin city limits
cd to buy(first)- jelly cream

he is married to the sister of wendy melvoin
of prince - wendy and lisa fame, and they often back him on stage during tours. and contribute alot on his cd's.

one of my favorite modern blues players since he hit the scene with annother great band- arc angels, prior to his solo career

[Teleman77]

Coco Montoya strings his stRat upside down also.

[Katastrophe]

stRat

I loves me some Teles... But remember, Leo Fender considered the Strat to be an improvement on the Tele...:D :poke:

Disclaimer: No offense intended... just poking a little fun

[Teleman77]

I loves me some Teles... But remember, Leo Fender considered the Strat to be an improvement on the Tele...:D :poke:

Disclaimer: No offense intended... just poking a little fun


Well, he had to be wrong just once.:poke:

[just strum]

If this was where you were raised, how do you think you would play your guitar?

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h16/auroraohio/upside-down-house.jpg

[ben willis]

I've been playing this way for 30 years. The reason that I started playing upside down was that I started on a borrowed right handed guitar so I couldn't switch the strings. An acoustic guitar is more difficult to switch strings because of the uneven tension on the sound bar and bracing, it could damage the guitar. Martin is aware that people sometimes do this and when someone warps something inside of the guitar because of switching strings, they will not honor their life time warranty. A solid body electric is different. Albert King was left handed and played with the strings strung right handed. He used a made for left handed Flying V but strung it right handed so that the knobs would be on the bottom and the cord wouldn't get in his way. Other left handed upside down guitar players are Elizabeth Cotton (Freight Train) and Dan Seals. Ben
http://lefthandedguitarplayer.blogspot.com