Left-Handed clarinets?

[Windsong]

Am I missing something, or is this an obsurdity, or just an exercise in doing things different?
Certainly a first for me:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/115943465967?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20221018081743%26meid%3D20bcb6786f5c4c77a4ed1b07155781ea%26pid%3D101429%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D276009317439%26itm%3D115943465967%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2332490%26algv%3DSimPLMWebV1CPCAuto&_trksid=p2332490.c101429.m2460&amdata=cksum%3A11594346596720bcb6786f5c4c77a4ed1b07155781ea%7Cenc%3AAQAIAAAA8Br8uvhLIoMwmcOQTaBUxlgoK6O2DbY9KA2%252FZNoUS2cVgbV3wC0Gwe9W1zYXFnRz0kexC6WLcIlXyQwJ7czLlRIjn0LhWm3VFpxg%252Fr6EiUHC3Sgv89wOLe7XjbmCMua74FsV9jPUZg9K9Nr7WZ9ARxkHStdr54ZsQ47tF6cDJ3sYEryYUmjdKGTnfPzjwxJxK8qcEYB7Q6CW7r21bogqkf8fBrr%252BE3TWL3yaPSaSH1DhC9c0PoCYOBfJBwzDT3uBvl34wSn5Ru2Xn%252BLuJ5McB%252F8zyC2D%252BZlVjCnFMOfyuddZaCw2x8ZCWf47uAwK44fmfQ%253D%253D%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2332490

[windydankoff]

It's a bargain at any price!

[Windsong]

 

[Dibbs]

It's a bargain at any price!

 

[Dibbs]

I've seen left handed tarogatos but I think that's the first clarinet. 

[Windsong]

Dibbs,
I find the tarogato report interesting, indeed.  A testament to the notion that different cultures make more of an effort at hand bias accommodation.  Certainly no accommodation was given in the US when I was a youngster.  I suspect most of these things get settled by tradition and expectation. 

Of the aforementioned, if anything, perhaps they ought to call it the Right Handed clarinet.  As a south paw myself, I always put the left hand above the right. 

I see no advantage, but will commend the creator on the painstaking task of mirrored recreation! 

[windydankoff]

I have an idea why the R hand is (normally) on the bottom in woodwinds. The dominant hand is typically larger and stronger, and better suited to the bottom of the instrument where the tone holes are larger and spread farther, and keys take more force. So for most people, that's the RH. However, the difference would seem to be subtle, and certainly insignificant on a small instrument like this. The question remains ... WHY ?

[Windsong]

I had not considered that, Windy, but it makes sense.

[mechanic]

While chasing down the manufacturer of an eefer, I ran across an article somewhere that claimed Oscar Adler would make left handed or other modifications to clarinet and saxophone keys for WWI vets with injuries.  While looking again for that, I came across this.  Folkmusic123.com has a lefty Oscar Adler clarinet.

[Windsong]

I'll be darned, Mechanic.  That's a beauty. 
Thanks for that.

[modernicus]

The Adlers aren't spectacularly uncommon, that's one of the main manufacturers known for them.

[DaveLeBlanc]

I suppose my question is, does it matter what handed you are when playing an instrument? It's not like I have higher "fidelity" or anything with my right hand on the lower stack. In fact, I'd argue that my left (and non-dominant) hand is superior in fine motor skills (with respect to instrument key actuation) than my right hand. If it was the other way around, I can't imagine it would be any different.

it's like typing on a keyboard, my right hand isn't any better at typing than the left. Or, playing a keyboard instrument for that matter.

[modernicus]

I suppose your dominant hand might be stronger to hold the instrument's weight.