It doesn’t take long before a left-handed person realizes they are living in a right-hand world. But there are some electric guitar options for lefties. Although the favorite appears to be Fender’s Left-handed American Standard Stratocaster, there are other models, as well.
This guitar features a classic alder body, exceptional hardware, and it produces a well-engineered sound.
Keep reading to learn how to find your favorite from the top left-handed electric guitars.
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$799.99Check on AmazonProvides all the promises of the Stratocaster with a bit of a different look and sound.
11/23/2024 09:25 pm GMT -
$799.99Check on AmazonHas been producing top quality guitars for a number of professional musicians.
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Check on Musician's Friend Search UsedCapture the well-rounded tones of this vintage-inspired instrument.
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Check on Musician's FriendUnique features of this model is its custom Alinco V single coil pickups.
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$799.99$679.99Check on Amazon Search UsedThis guitar features a classic alder body, exceptional hardware, and it produces a well-engineered sound.
11/23/2024 09:25 pm GMT -
$649.99Check on Musician's FriendFeatures a maple body, mahogany neck, and bound rosewood fingerboard.
A Lefty Outlook on Life
According to an article in Psychology Today, German researchers determined that left-handed musicians showed no signs of physical discomfort and had a more positive outlook than their right-handed peers. However, opinions about left-handed guitars vary throughout the music community. Many brick-and-mortar music stock left-handed instruments, but they tend to pressure customers to buy right-handed instruments.
A salesperson is more likely to focus on building a lifelong customer, while an avid musician is not going to let a lack of inventory stand in the way of their music. But there are several excellent left-handed guitar models on the market. However, online marketplaces have a far more diverse inventory than traditional brick-and-mortar shops. While it is important to test an instrument in person before purchasing, thorough research and online shopping may land you with one of the top left-handed electric guitars.
How to Choose a Left-Handed Guitar
If you are purchasing a guitar for a novice musician, determine which direction the player prefers to hold the instrument first. A left-handed guitarist could choose a standard guitar and strum and pick a with their right hand while manipulating the fretboard with their left. Younger players may have dexterity in both hands, while older ones might struggle to perform complicated fingering tasks without their dominant hand.
If these guitar greats have taught us anything, it is that there are a variety of ways to successfully play the top left-handed electric guitars. Options include purchasing a standard left-hand guitar, flipping a right-handed one, playing upside down, or taking a stab at a traditional right-handed model.
Left-Handed Models
If you’ve settled on the left side, remember you are not alone. Famous lefties include Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Paul McCartney. There are also several accomplished left-handed musicians who play right-handed, such as B.B. King and Duane Allman.
What About Your Budget?
Whether purchasing a left-handed or right-handed guitar, a musician must start their search by determining their budget constraints. While a vintage Fender Stratocaster Left-hand can cost over $2,000, there are several new, used, and vintage models priced between $200 and $600 that will meet the needs of any player.
There are also many luxurious vintage instruments, such as a traditional Les Paul, that have a price tag that reflects the ingenuity and craftsmanship necessary to develop such an exceptional instrument. However, many midrange modern models can produce great sound without breaking the bank.
A Note on Size
After you’ve declared your budget, consider who will play the instrument. For example, children and small adults should purchase a 3/4 size guitar or a lightweight model.
Style and Type of Music
Aspiring musicians will also want to consider what type of music they want to play with their guitar. There are preferred models for country, hard rock, punk and metal, for example. Before you pick a guitar you’ve based on aesthetics, talk to an objective guitar seller to determine which left-handed models will produce the sound you are seeking.
The Anatomy of a Guitar
Shopping for the top left-handed electric guitars is essentially the same as shopping for right-handed ones, only there are far fewer options available. The important thing to consider is that a guitar’s anatomy is going to be the same. You will want to familiarize yourself with basic the basic elements of a guitar before committing to an instrument.
The Guitar Body
Electric guitars come in all sorts of flavors. Are you stuck between choosing a solid, semisolid, hollow, single cutaway, double cutaway, arch top, or horned guitar? This article covers the types of electric guitars for a complete guide to common electric guitar varieties. Most music experts recommend a solid-bodied Stratocaster, but there are plenty of other less traditional options that still fit the bill.
Apart from aesthetics, bodies are made from a variety of woods. Alder, ash, and mahogany are all popular choices, but economy options sometimes feature lesser-known tonewoods, such as Agathis or poplar.
Guitar Pickups
The two major types of electric guitar pickups are the single coil and the humbucker. If you were to dissect a single-coil pickup, you would find a coil of wire looped around six magnetic pins. Each of these pins links to a string. The coil of wire picks up the string’s vibrations and transmits them to your amp when a string is manipulated.
On the other hand, the humbucker pickup consists of a pair of wire-wrapped magnetic pins. By adding the additional set, the humbucker reduces the instruments hum. By muting the hum, the humbucker seems to lose some of the bright tonal qualities provided by single coils. It also gains a bit of warmth and clarity.
Tremolo Bridge and Whammy Bar
Some guitars feature a tremolo bridge and whammy bar. A whammy bar is used to alter string tension and produce a vibrating effect. Check out this article on how to use a whammy bar. You can easily enjoy a guitar without a tremolo system, but there is no doubt that having one gives a player more options.
Neck and Fretboard
The neck and fretboard often consist of a variety of woods, such as rosewood and maple. They also differ from the guitar body. When researching a guitar you will want to look at the neck along with the size of the frets. You’ll also want to look at the style of inlays and the neck radius, and even the feel of the wood lacquer.
While the widest selection of southpaw guitars is available online, stepping into a brick-and-mortar store will allow you to rest an instrument in your hands and confirm that it feels and fits just right.
Is Flipping an Option?
Some circumstances make flipping a right-handed guitar the most viable option. Nevertheless, there is more to this switch than simply reversing the strings. For this reason, you should purchase a left-handed model whenever possible. If you are locked into modifying a righty model, consider the following:
The Nut
The nut is the white bar at the top of the fingerboard that aligns and spaces the strings. Nuts are made from a mixture of materials and are usually glued to the guitar neck. The slots in the nut are designed to fit strings in a descending order. Once you reverse the strings, you’ll need to replace or modify the nut.
The Bridge
This is where flipping a guitar can get more complicated. Some instruments feature slanted bridges, such as Gibson, which can be a major hassle to adjust. You will need to readjust the intonation for each string to assure your guitar sounds right. For this step, it is sometimes best to send your guitar to a designated professional.
Other Challenges
Even if you’ve made it past flipping the bridge and perfectly adjusted the intonation, there are still several struggles lefthanders may face when restoring a right-handed guitar. The majority of electric guitars are asymmetrical. While many double cutaway guitars feature equal access to the fretboard, having a longer arm or horn can prove to be a major hindrance when turning the instrument around.
Moreover, the knobs, pickguard, input jack and tremolo bar will all be in reverse. For lefthanders with little to no other option, flipping is a possibility. If you are in doubt, look at what Jimmy Hendrix was able to do with a minorly adjusted Stratocaster. But times have changed and finding an affordable left-handed model is far easier than it was a few decades ago. So you should consider flipping to be a last resort.
Going Righty
Although there are advocates for making the full right-handed switch, many southpaws choose to embrace their difference and refuse to assimilate into a right-handed world. Don’t let others manipulate you into buying a righty guitar. There are left-handed guitars for every type of musician. Plus, playing a right-handed guitar could severely inhibit your ability to play more complicated licks and solos as you grow into a seasoned musician.
The Future of Left-handed Guitars
Most guitar manufacturers agree that producing left-handed guitars is a major hassle. Between rerouting machines, deadstock, and lack of demand, making lefties costs more and doesn’t give a lot of rewards to those on the production side. That being said, modern manufacturing processes have allowed for an uptake in production.
While lefties have to deal with the awkwardness of positioning themselves onstage, lacking a backup instrument, or finding left-handed guides to learning or playing guitar, they will continue to have access to a growing variety of instruments designed for them. Unfortunately, the same rule does not apply to finding luxurious vintage models. This class of left-handed electric guitars is and always will be a rare and generally unattainable assortment.
Learning Guitar Leftie
As if finding a perfect left-handed guitar wasn’t difficult enough, learning to play one has its own set of hurdles. For obvious reasons, it’s quite difficult to find a left-handed guitar teacher or, for that matter, a right-handed one who is competent in left-handed instruction. Some instructors will pressure left-handers to conform to a right-handed instrument. You need to use your own best judgment when facing pressure from others.
Teaching yourself is always an option, but guitar texts and chord diagrams are commonly for right-handed musicians and can be frustrating to translate. Fortunately, there are a number of online resources that left-handers can utilize. While this can sometimes be impersonal, it is nice to know these options exist. Remember, while a lack of options can seem like a setback, nothing stopped Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain from reaching great heights.
Our Recommendation
Fender Player Stratocaster
The top left-handed electric guitar on this list is Fender’s left-handed American Standard Stratocaster. Aesthetically, this guitar is available in a wide range of classic finishes, such as black, white, candy apple red, and sunburst. Its body consists of solid alder, while the fretboard is made of either solid maple or rosewood. According to an article in Guitar Player, Fender often utilizes these woods because they are lightweight and produce a full-bodied sound.
This guitar features a classic alder body, exceptional hardware, and it produces a well-engineered sound.
The guitar features a rounded neck that makes for extreme comfort and versatility for a variety of players. It also features Fender’s well-made parts, including their standard single-coil pickups, a tremolo bridge and aged plastic knobs. The Stratocaster comes with three premium single coil strat pickups that provide it with its signature well-balanced tones. It features a vintage-inspired tremolo bridge.
If you aren’t familiar with the sound of a tremolo system, check out Guitar World’s YouTube video, Super-Vee Maverick Telecaster Tremolo System, for a complete audio definition. The tremolo system includes a metal arm that produces desirable shaking or vibrato sound that has been popularized in many modern rock songs, such as Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones. However, there seems to be no limit to what you can do with the Strat’s accessories.
The body is a double cutaway with a smooth, thin gloss urethane. However, the frets are glossed in a satin urethane that will prevent marks and allow for smooth playing for years to come. Unlike less expensive models, the standard Stratocaster features copper body-cavity shields that eliminate unwanted feedback. While the shields don’t reduce or eliminate tone flexibility in any way, you don’t need to deal with the annoying buzz that is sometimes noticeable in Fender’s cheaper models.
For those looking to invest in a well-built midrange guitar, the Stratocaster is a solid instrument. It sells on Amazon for an excellent value considering Fender’s strong historical significance and preferability amongst musicians. While it may never live up to the value of a vintage Stratocaster, most customers find it to be a sturdy, playable tool.
Runner Up: Squier by Fender Affinity Telecaster
The Affinity Telecaster is another example of a finely crafted guitar that comes from Fender’s budget line. This instrument consists of solid maple. It also features two single coil pickups, a six-saddle bridge and three-way pickup selectors. The basic differences in pickups, body shape, and placement of knobs and pickups define the Stratocaster and Telecaster.
Produces a quality vintage sound.
To choose between the two, step into your local brick-and-mortar guitar shop and handle each of the two guitars. The Affinity telecaster features a gorgeous mock vintage design inspired by a Fender classic. As a bonus, it comes in a variety of desirable finishes.
If you are already guitar savvy, look at something with a higher price point. This telecaster is not going to provide you with the highest quality pickup or most dynamic tones. However, a beginner is sure to see the beauty and potential in this affordable instrument.
The runner up is Fender’s left-handed Squier Stratocaster. Fender designed their Squier line of electric guitars to meet the needs of beginners and those on a tight budget. For an affordable price, the Squier Strat is a solid instrument with a gorgeous look. The neck features the standard smooth “C” shape with 21 frets, two tone controls and three pickups.
The frets are wide and allow ample room for easy fretboard manipulation. The pickups are the standard single coil variety. They produce a quality vintage sound but also produce a bit of undesirable feedback. While there are several more dynamic sounding left-handed guitars, this strat is an exceptional choice within its price range.
Unlike the standard Strat, the Squier’s body is made of solid Agathis. This wood is more affordable than Alder, but it still produced balanced tones. For beginners, the price break from using less expensive woods is compelling. The Alnico pickups and other onboard accessories are decent for their price range.
While the Squier may not live up to the same standards as traditional Fenders, it is a good-looking alternative for beginners and bargain-hunters who want the Fender experience.
Other Products to Consider
Epiphone Les Paul
Credit: Epiphone
Epiphone’s Les Paul features a gorgeous mahogany body, maple top, and rosewood fretboard. It also incorporates two Alnico Classic Humbucker pickups to capture the well-rounded tones of this vintage-inspired instrument. Les Paul as a longstanding American instrument manufacturer. However, the craftsmanship of their products has dwindled since they sent production overseas.
Capture the well-rounded tones of this vintage-inspired instrument.
Still, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative to a Gibson Les Paul, Epiphone’s model makes the grade. For around $450, you can possess this durable solid body guitar and pump out some halfway decent sounds too. Other perks of this classic guitar include chrome accessories, a name-brand tuner and a tune-o-matic stop tail bridge. According to an article on dummies.com, this bridge combination is known for its sharp, clear notes and enhanced sustain.
The Ibanez GRX70QALTBB Left-Handed Electric Guitar
Has a unique pickup combo.
Ibanez makes yet another midrange left-handed electric worth buying. For some, the modern style and details of this guitar will make it their preferred model. The guitar’s body is of solid basswood, with a maple neck, and rosewood fretboard. It also has a unique pickup combo. There are two humbucker pickups separated by a single-coil pickup.
While the tonal balance you get with this Ibanez is standard for guitars within this price range, what stands out most about this guitar is its unparalleled style. The art grain top and sharp-pointed horns of the guitar body make it an instrument of choice for countless heavy metal and hard rock musicians. In fact, a recent article in Spinditty lists Ibanez as one of the mainstays for metal musicians over the decades.
Schecter Guitar Research C-1 Hellraiser
Credit: Schecter Guitar Research
Schecter Guitar Research is a 40-year-old company that began as a Californian guitar repair shop. Since its formation, Schecter has been producing top-quality guitars for professional musicians. Their C-1 Hellraiser is an optimal guitar for metal guitarists. More expensive, this is not a great investment for a beginner. Still, a more seasoned guitarist will appreciate this mahogany masterpiece.
Has been producing top quality guitars for a number of professional musicians.
It features ultra-access cutaways and extra jumbo frets for ultimate playability. It also comes with black chrome inlays that complement its hard rock aesthetic flawlessly. The Hellraiser comes with EMG active 81TW/89 pickups that give it dynamic tones. This instrument is solid and will hold up well to years of play.
Fender Standard Telecaster
Provides all the promises of the Stratocaster with a bit of a different look and sound.
Fender’s standard Telecaster as an ultimate left-handed electric guitar. While a beginner would appreciate the Telecaster’s fine tones, a less expensive model is best while still learning. It has a smooth C-neck, solid maple body, single coil Telecaster pickups, and block saddles. This instrument has all the promise of the Stratocaster with a slightly different look and sound.
With the Telecaster, lefthanders have the luxury of enjoying the classic profile of a single cutaway guitar without the hassle of misplaced knobs and an ill-fitted bridge. The downside of this model is they outsource to Mexico. This instrument is durable and soundly constructed. However, some customers have experienced issues with production defects.
Gibson Les Paul Traditional 2017 T
Credit: Gibson Brands, Inc
At around $2,300, the traditional Gibson Les Paul is a superb left-handed instrument. The 2017 model looks vintage with all the benefits of modern technology. It consists of high-quality maple, mahogany and rosewood. Its sound is great thanks to the Burstbucker 1 and 2 Humbucker pickups. Aesthetically, this guitar looks like its beloved ancestors and comes in three traditional sunburst shades.
Made with high-quality maple, mahogany, and rosewood.
To put it simply, it sounds delightful. If you are diehard Gibson fan and left-handed guitarist, give this instrument careful consideration. After all, up until the 2017 T’s release, Gibson had taken a multiyear break from manufacturing left handed models. Perhaps purchasing a beauty like this will convince Gibson the demand for southpaw electric instruments is real and growing.
Ibanez AS93 Semi Acoustic Guitar
Credit: Ibanez guitars
Let it be known that no style or variety of guitar is off limits to lefties. The hollow-bodied, semi-acoustic Ibanez is a grand instrument considering its low price.
Features a maple body, mahogany neck, and bound rosewood fingerboard.
It features a maple body, mahogany neck, and bound rosewood fingerboard. It also has a stunning pearl fretboard inlays and signature F-holes. Beyond looks, this instrument offers a surprisingly wide range of tones. As a hollow body electric, this Ibanez is a decent option.
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Telecaster
Most musicians have developed an appreciation for Fender’s line of left handed guitars. The Classic Vibe 50’s Telecaster is yet another good model. One of the unique features of this model is its custom Alinco V single coil pickups. Alinco V’s contain a strong magnet that is delivers an aggressive, punchy sound.
Unique features of this model is its custom Alinco V single coil pickups.
It has a 9.5-inch fretboard radius. This size fretboard is common amongst Fender electrics. It can be harder to play but has its perks for those who desire to perform complicated solos. Aesthetically, this Telecaster looks a lot like its ancestor. Considering a true 50’s era Telecaster typically sells for well over $3,000, this replica is quite a steal.
To recap, here’s an overview of the competition:
Made with high-quality maple, mahogany, and rosewood.
Provides all the promises of the Stratocaster with a bit of a different look and sound.
Has been producing top quality guitars for a number of professional musicians.
Has a unique pickup combo.
Capture the well-rounded tones of this vintage-inspired instrument.
Unique features of this model is its custom Alinco V single coil pickups.
Produces a quality vintage sound.
This guitar features a classic alder body, exceptional hardware, and it produces a well-engineered sound.
Features a maple body, mahogany neck, and bound rosewood fingerboard.
Sources
Hunter, D. (2008, January 28). Retrieved December 21, 2016.
Is Left-Handedness a Disadvantage for Musicians?
@PsychToday – https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/why-music-moves-us/201112/is-left-handedness-disadvantage-musicians
Owens, J. (2011, February 9). What are Alnico Pickups? | Fender Tech Talk
http://www2.fender.com/experience/tech-talk/alnico-pickups/
Ratcliffe, A. (n.d.). Buyer’s Guides: Electric guitar tonewoods. Retrieved from Buyer’s Guides: Electric guitar tonewoods
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