[Full of legendary guitarists!?] Left-handed guitarists roundup [2026]
When playing guitar, the basic approach is to strum with your right hand and fret chords with your left, right?
However, there are guitarists out there who play the other way around—left-handed!
Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain are the most famous examples of left-handed guitarists.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of left-handed guitarists from both Japan and abroad, in addition to those two.
Even among left-handed guitarists, styles vary: some use left-handed guitars, some restring right-handed guitars for left-handed playing, and others even play a standard right-handed guitar flipped as-is.
Each guitarist has their own approach.
Let’s take a look at some awesome guitarists while paying attention to their individual styles!
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[So Many Legendary Guitarists!?] Left-Handed Guitarists Roundup [2026] (21–30)
Declaration of the World Revolutionary War ~ Take Up Arms!Panta
Panta, the guitar-vocalist of the legendary rock band Zunou Keisatsu, is also left-handed.
Back when the student movements were active in the 1970s, they were passionately supported by young people for their political and radical lyrics.
Their first album was banned from release, which became a major topic of conversation.
SeptemberAl McKay
He is a guitarist who flourished as a backing guitarist for acts such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Ike & Tina Turner, and The Temptations—Motown musicians among others—and is also well known as one of the members who worked on the classic Earth, Wind & Fire song “September.”
Shake SugareeElizabeth Cotten
An American guitarist who continued recording and touring even into his eighties, and passed away in 1987 at the age of 92.
Known for a distinctive technique in which he held a right-handed guitar upside down and played melodies with his thumb while using his other fingers for the bass line, he stood out even among left-handed guitarists for this unusual style.
A singer-songwriter who also excelled as a banjo player, he made major contributions to the blues and folk genres, including winning a Grammy Award for Best Ethnic/Traditional Recording late in his life.
He was an artist who brought enduring music to the world with his gentle singing voice and warm guitar sound.
Totally WiredCraig Scanlon
He is the guitarist of The Fall, a post-punk band from Manchester, England that has been active since around the 1980s.
As a quintessential post-punk guitarist, his playing is characterized by skillful use of a solid, hard-edged sound.
I`Cant Quit You BabyOtis Rush
Otis Rush, born in 1935, was an American blues guitarist and singer from Philadelphia.
In 1950s Chicago, he pioneered a new Chicago blues sound that put lead guitar at the forefront.
He played in a unique style, holding a right-handed, stringed guitar upside down, which is said to make it easier to execute effective bends on the higher strings than when played right-handed.
La BambaCesar Rosas
Cesar Rosas is the guitarist of Los Lobos, a band formed by Mexican Americans.
Even if you don’t know the band, you’ve probably heard their signature song, “La Bamba,” at least once.
Their musical style, which blends Mexican music with rock, is distinctive.
I want to go back to that day.Matsuzaki Shigeru
Singer-songwriter Shigeru Matsuzaki, known for hits like “Ai no Memory,” is actually a left-handed guitarist.
Since he often performs on TV without a guitar, some people may not be aware of this.
What’s more, Matsuzaki is known for playing a right-handed guitar flipped for left-handed use, and if you look closely at his guitar, you’ll notice the thickest sixth string is on the bottom.
He adopted this playing style so he could perform even in places where only right-handed guitars are available.
