Neil. First of all tell me how you know that John gets "so much volume". I saw him once and he practically fell off his chair he was so drunk! His playing was not very clear and his volume quite average. He made some fine recordings, but the volume is taken care of by the engineer.
I'm probably able to play as loudly as anyone I've ever heard, and I'd say that's a combination of many years of experience, an instrument that really puts out (I love a guitar that you can "overdrive") and simplicity of right hand. I've always tried to get the folks I work with to learn the right hand patterns (see "finger picking thread")....If someone could help me with a blue clicky for that thread I'd really appreciate it.....sorry for the interruptions..Learn the right hand patterns FIRST, before tackling a song. If you're really solid and simple with the right hand you WILL get volume..then you can get fancy!

Vixen. All that experience should help tremendously if you did decide to start from fresh with your natural lefty tendencies. Why not give it a shot. You should be able to pick within a month (or real close to it.) If you can't then go back to righty..but you might be surprised. Don't learn by a book this time though. take the first simple pattern from the other thread and spend one day on it..no variation. Practice it while you're watching TV or looking out a window, or talking to someone. Then we'll play something like Skip to my Lou in D. You'll know very quickly whether it's gonna work this way. My feeling is it will. Also don't forget, you got the Mudcats with you all the way now!