More news from Winter NAMM 2016! Jackson are one of the least lefty friendly brands out there, so it’s nice to see that they will be expanding their southpaw range (albeit only very slightly) this year.

Check out the new Soloist SLX and Rhoads RRXT below. More gloss black, budget shredders – just what you’ve always wanted, right?

Jackson Soloist SLX Left Handed Guitar

The Soloist SLX is a shredder’s dream guitar, and is unbeatable value for money. Use this instrument to tame the screaming hordes, secure in the knowledge it will keep up with your rumbling riffs and fleet soloing.

• Series: X Series
• Body: Basswood (Quilt Top on Trans Finish)
• Neck Maple
• Fretboard : Rosewood
• Frets: 24
• Bridge: Floyd Rose Special
• Pickups: Duncan Designed
• Finish : Black or Transparent Black

Jackson Rhoads RRXT Left Handed Guitar

As sleek as an airliner and as iconic as the artist who inspired and co-designed – the oft imitated, but never surpassed Randy Rhoads – The Rhoads RRXT is a slick, stylish guitar that packs fearsome tone and speedy playability into a compact package. As affordable as it is powerful, this axe is ready to scream and blaze all night long.

• Series: X Series
• Body: Basswood
• Neck Maple
• Fretboard : Rosewood
• Frets: 22
• Bridge: Jackson Compensated
• Pickups: Duncan Designed
• Finish : Satin Black

Both of these guitars are already available to pre-order at a few stores worldwide, so why not secure yours today? Prices looks to be around the $500 mark.

For more information:
Jackson Guitars Website

Way back in June of last year, Ibanez hinted on their Facebook page of a new left handed Prestige series guitar. And now, it finally looks as if this model will be coming our way!

I had guessed that the new model would be a RG655ML, and I was pretty close! What we’re actually getting is a RG655L-CBM, which is the same guitar with a rosewood fingerboard instead of maple. Let’s take a look…

Ibanez RG655L-CBM Prestige Left Handed Guitar

For outstanding shredability, the Prestige RG655 gives you an alarmingly fast Super Wizard HP neck and a rosewood fingerboard with 24 jumbo frets. Ibanez loaded the RG655 with an original – and legendary – Edge Tremolo. A trio of DiMarzio pickups provide you with a wide selection of tones that are perfect for rock and metal. The guitar is topped off with a stunning Cobalt Blue Metallic finish with matching headstock.

Neck type: Super Wizard HP 5pc Maple / Walnut neck
Body: Basswood body
Fretboard: Rosewood fretboard w/ White dot Inlay
Fret: Jumbo Frets w / Prestige FRET edge Treatment
Bridge: Edge Tremolo Bridge
Neck pickup: DiMarzio Air Norton (H) neck pickup
Middle pickup: DiMarzio True Velvet (S) middle pickup
Bridge pickup: DiMarzio The Tone Zone (H) Bridge pickup
Color: Cobalt Blue Metallic
Case / Bag: Hardshell case included

A left handed, higher-end, non-black Ibanez. Ticks all the boxes!

At the moment the guitar is available to order from various Japanese stores (such as this one), but since Ibanez USA mentioned it previously, I assume it won’t be limited to just Japan.

If the new RG655L isn’t your cup of tea, make sure to also check out the gorgeous new Koa topped RG652KFXL Prestige, which is exclusive to our friends at Xtreme Lefty Guitars.

Thanks to LeftyFretz reader Bryan for the heads up!

The FretLight Guitar from Optek Music Systems is a product that is trying to drive the instrument into the 21^st century through utilising software based technology to make learning the guitar more fun and intuitive.  These specially designed guitars use LEDs in the fretboard to show you exactly which notes you should be playing! 

The idea behind the FretLight system is a simple one.  Instead of reading the information you need from a book or screen and then conveying that data onto your guitar’s fretboard, the guitar will display the information for you, on the neck where you need it.

The guitar connects to your computer via USB, and once connected specially designed software will communicate information between guitar and computer.  This might include lighting up a song note-by-note, displaying chord or scale shapes, or demonstrating one of the many inbuilt lessons.  The guitar also functions normally and can be plugged into an amp.

Left Handed Fretlight Guitars and Basses

Fretlight FG-521 Left Handed Guitar

The FG-521 Traditional Electric has a classic look, sleek contours and rocks with the best of them! The robust pickup selection gives you a palette of tones to choose from while the strat-style alder body give this guitar a classic look. The Stratabond birch neck ensures that no matter what the environmental conditions, the neck remains straight and true.

Also available in black.

Fretlight FB-525 Bass

The FB-525 Bass gets big “J” tone out of its single coil bridge pickup and classic “P” style neck humbucker. Controls include a three-way pickup toggle switch, master volume and master tone. The FB-525 is finished with chrome hardware including a fixed bridge, and a two-way truss rod. Fully adjustable bridge saddles give you complete adjustability for a playing experience that can only be described as pure heaven! The Stratabond™ birch neck ensures that no matter what the environmental conditions, the neck remains straight and true.

Purchase Information

Both the guitar and bass are $400 at the time of writing, which I’m pleased to see is the exact same price as the right handed models. They both come bundled with software to get you started, and you can also choose an optional built-in tuner for $50 extra on the guitar.

For more information:
FretLight Guitar Website

In addition to the already way above average left-handed range, Schecter has introduced a few more new left handed guitars to the stable for 2016.

From left to right: Jeff Loomis JL-6 and JL-7 FR, Keith Merrow KM-6 and KM-7 MKII, C-6 Plus, Jeff Loomis Cygnus JLX-1 FR

There’s some really awesome guitars being introduced this year, but what really catches my eye here is the new MK-II Keith Merrow signature. It’s rare to get a left handed model from Schecter in colors other than black or red, so this model in natural is a real stand-out option. And take a look at the fantastic detail on the headstock.  Love it.

New 2016 Schecter Left Handed Guitars

Keith Merrow KM-6 and KM-7 MKII

Available in both 6 and 7-string versions, the new left handed Keith Merrow MK-II features redesigned body contours and upgraded appointments.

• Body : Swamp Ash
• Top : Flamed Maple
• Neck : Maple/Wenge 5-pc with Carbon Fiber rods
• Fingerboard : Ebony
• Pickups : Seymour Duncan Sentient/Nazgul
• Product Link : KM-6 MK-II and KM-7 MK-II

Jeff Loomis JL-6 and JL-7 FR

Also available in both 6 and 7-string variations, the 2016 Jeff Loomis FR features upgraded appointments such as a 1500 Series Floyd Rose and Jeff’s new signature Seymour Duncan pickups.

• Body : Swamp Ash
• Bridge : Floyd Rose 1500 Series
• Neck : Maple
• Fingerboard : Maple
• Pickups : Seymour Duncan Jeff Loomis Active
• Product Link : JL-6 FR and JL-7 FR

Jeff Loomis ‘Cygnus’ JLX-1

The new and aggressive ‘Cygnus’ from Jeff Loomis features his new signature Seymour Duncan pickups and an exclusive 1500 Series Floyd Rose.

• Body : Swamp Ash
• Top : Quilted Maple
• Bridge : Floyd Rose 1500 Series
• Neck : 3-piece Maple
• Fingerboard : Maple
• Pickups : Seymour Duncan Jeff Loomis Active
• Product Link : JLX-1 FR

C-6 Plus

And finally, the C-6 Plus is a great, entry-level instrument for new lefty players who yearn for an affordable metal guitar in a color other than gloss black!

• Body : Basswood
• Top : Quilted Maple Image
• Neck : Maple
• Fingerboard : Rosewood
• Pickups : Schecter Diamond Plus
• Product Link : C-6 Plus

Apologies if some of these links do not work for you – Schecter serves up a different web site to those of us not in the USA. Check out the link below to see all of the guitars together.

For More Information:
Schecter 2016 New Guitars

Fender Japan has some really cool exclusive left handed guitars, but they are notoriously difficult to get a hold of in the west. This week I got news of some upcoming limited edition Japanese models which will be available outside of Japan – and this year they’ve included a couple of lefties!

Fender Japan has quite a few pretty unique left handed models (Ash Tele, Tele Custom with neck humbucker, Thin Tele etc..), so it was slightly disappointing to see that they chose another two Strats to bring out as FSR models over here. But hey, better than nothing at all right?

Check out the Classic 68 and Classic 50s FSR Strats below. I don’t have a specific date for when they will be in-stock, but they are already available to pre-order in a few select stores. Head to the end of the page for more information.

Left Handed Fender FSR Classic 68 Stratocaster

• Body : Alder
• Finish : Polyurethane
• Neck : Maple ‘Slim C’
• Frets : 21 Vintage
• Fingerboard Radius : 7.25″
• Finish : Vintage White
• Product Link : Fender Japan Website

Left Handed Fender FSR Classic 50s Stratocaster

• Body : Basswood
• Finish : Polyurethane
• Neck : 1 Piece Maple ‘Slim C’
• Frets : 21 Vintage
• Fingerboard Radius : 7.25″
• Finish : 2 Tone Sunburst
• Product Link : Fender Japan Website

In the UK/Europe you can pre-order here.

If interested, you can see the full Fender Japan exclusive left handed range here.

Are you looking for a ¾ sized left handed guitar for a child? Or perhaps you just need something a little smaller to throw in the trunk when travelling.  This article is for you my friend! Although we aren’t overwhelmed with choice, there are some fantastic little guitars out there.

If you’re looking for something even smaller, take a look back at my half size left handed guitars article. Or perhaps a Ukulele would be a fun option if you want to go even smaller!

Compared to half-sized models, three-quarter sized guitars will open up a much wider assortment of guitars including some from a handful of the bigger brands.  A suitable guitar (or even a full beginner package!) should be attainable for less than $100 if on a budget.

As a general rule of thumb, 3/4 size guitars are the correct size for kids around 7 and older, or from roughly 4’5″ and over.

Acoustic, Electric, Classical or Bass?

A common misconception is that new guitarists should start out on an acoustic before advancing on to electric. Or a nylon string classical before steel string acoustic. I’ve even heard people asking if they need to learn guitar and then move on to bass. This is all nonsense – buy whatever the new guitarist wants to ultimately play.

Let’s dive right in and take a look at a few good examples. Click the buttons below to jump to the relevant sections! Links are provided for each guitar so that you can see their current pricing.

Popular ¾ Sized Left Handed Acoustic Guitars

1. Stagg SW201

Links – Click Here To Check Out The Stagg SW201

On a budget you have two solid choices when it comes to small lefty acoustics – the Stagg SW201, or the Oscar Schmidt OG1 shown below. Main features on the Stagg include a basswood top, basswood back and sides, nato neck with a stained black maple neck, and a black pickguard. It’s available in four fantastic different finish options.

2. Oscar Schmidt OG1

Links – Natural or Black or with Cutaway

Along with the SW-201 above, the OG1 is another popular choice for guitarists on a smaller budget. The Oscar Schmidt brand is actually produced by Washburn, so you can be assured of getting a good quality instrument. Depending on stock, it’s available in two different colors, as well as in a cutaway option with EQ and built in tuner – pick your favorite and don’t look back!

Main features include a select spruce top, catalpa back and sides, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and a fully adjustable truss-rod. What’s not to like? It’s even backed up by a lifetime warranty!

As you can see, there’s very little difference between the OG1 and the SW201. They’re both roughly the same price and have similar features – so pick whichever one appeals the most to you as far as looks are concerned!

3. SX RSM

Link – SX RSM

The colorful SX RSM from our friends at RondoMusic would be my choice for those of you who are on a tight budget. These packs come in a choice of 3 playful colors and include a gigbag, strap and even a selection of picks. And unlike most guitars at this sort of price point, they even have a truss rod to allow neck adjustments to be made, and genuine left handed nut and bridge. At just $60 these are absolutely incredible value for money.

4. Daisy Rock Guitars

Click Here To Check Out These Daisy Rock Guitars

As you can probably guess from the color choices of pink, purple, pink or purple, Daisy Rock guitars are designed specifically for girls! Their smaller size and famous ‘slim and narrow’ neck design makes them ideal for younger girls, or just for players with smaller hands. Some of the models even come with butterfly and flower decals so that your young, budding musician can personalise their new guitar.

5. Taylor GS Mini

Links – Taylor GS Mini

If you’re super serious about guitar, one of these is what you’re after.  The GS Mini is an exceptional guitar – I personally keep one in my own collection, and it is one of my absolute favorite guitars. This is a guitar for life, so is a great investment. It is the only acoustic on this list which features the highly sought after solid wood top, rather than cheaper laminate options. It even comes with a ridiculously high quality Taylor soft-case.

Seriously – if you have around $500 to spend on a small acoustic, grab one of these and thank me later!

Popular ¾ Sized Left Handed Bass Guitars

1. Ibanez GSRM20L Mikro

Click Here To Check Out The Ibanez GSRM20L Mikro

It’s unfortunately fairly slim pickings when it comes to smaller basses – even for right handed players! Luckily Ibanez has hooked us up with this fabulous little gem. Affordable, quality materials, and that famous name on the headstock – what’s not to love? Definitely your best option for a quality, small sized lefty bass.

Main features include a mahogany body, maple neck with rosewood fretboard and a comfortable 28.6″ scale length. At this price, it’s a lot off bass for the money!

2. Oscar Schmidt OB25

Click Here To Check Out The Oscar Schmidt OB25

Oscar Schmidt really have us covered when it comes to smaller guitars! The OB25 is modelled after the famous Fender Precision bass and packs a lot of guitar into such a modestly priced package. Oscar Schmidt is manufactured by Washburn Guitars, so you can be assured of a quality instrument.

Main features include a solid wood body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, and a lifetime warranty.

Smaller bass guitars are a lot harder to find than 6-string guitars. Any of the guitars listed above will make a great tool for younger players, but if you decide to opt for something a little bigger, definitely check out my article on the best beginner left handed bass guitars for a much larger choice.

Popular ¾ Sized Left Handed Classical Guitars

1. GuitarWorks Classical

Click Here To Check Out The GuitarWorks Classical

For those after a solid classical option, I highly recommend this little stunner from our good friends over at GuitarWorks. The store will carry out a 20 point set-up and adjustment process on your guitar to ensure that it plays absolutely perfectly. If you’ve been playing guitar for a while, you’ll know that a good set-up will make a massive difference to the guitar’s playability. It even comes with a strap and gig-bag. Great value!

Here’s a great video from Guitarworks themselves in which they talk about the guitars, and explain exactly why the 20 point set-up will make such a huge difference to you.

2. Omega Classical

Click Here To Check Out The Omega Classical

For those looking for the most affordable option, the Omega is going to be hard to beat. At just $50 you’re really going to struggle to find anything at a lower price point! It even comes with a gig-bag!

For a larger selection of options you might like to take a look at the Newbie Guide, which lists some great full-sized classical options.

Popular ¾ Sized Left Handed Electric Guitars

1. SX RST Package

Links – Sunburst or Black or White or Red or Purple or Pink

With 7 fantastic colors to choose from, we’re really spoiled for choice with the SX RST! Comes with amp, gigbag, strap, cable, picks, lessons – everything you need in one tidy bundle. At just $115, I don’t know how they do it!

Main features include an alder body (basswood on some colors), maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, adjustable truss-rod and a vintage bridge with 6 saddles. The included amp is a 10 watt SX model with 5.5 inch speaker and headphone jack for quiet practice.

2. Sawtooth Rise Package

Click Here To Check Out The Sawtooth Rise Package

Available in black or sunburst, the Sawtooth Rise package is my top choice for all of the little rockers out there! These guitars come equipped with a single humbucker pickup to give a thicker, heavier tone. Comes complete with amp, gigbag, strap, cables, tuner, and even some beginner lessons – everything you need in one tidy package!

Main features include a basswood body with maple neck and fretboard, powerful humbucker pickup and tone/volume controls. The bundled amplifier is a 10 watt Sawtooth model with headphone socket for quiet night-time practice.

3. Axl Guitars

Click Here To Check Out Axl Guitars

Stand out from the crowd with the Badwater SRO and its crazy antiqued finish, or stick with the more traditional design of the Headliner SRO.

4. Daisy Rock Guitars

Click Here To Check Out Daisy Rock Guitars

Daisy Rock is a brand which aims their guitars at female players. The smaller size and thin, narrow neck design makes them ideal for smaller hands and frames. You won’t struggle to stand out from the crowd with one of these colorful designs!

5. Stagg S300

Click Here To Check Out The Stagg S300

Another solid choice for those looking for a Stratocaster style instrument. Quality features such as an alder body and hard rock maple neck ensure a great playing experience.

6. Ibanez GRGM21 Mikro

Click Here To Check Out The Ibanez GRGM21L Mikro

For those into rock and metal, this humbucker equipped Ibanez Mikro is definitely the choice for you! Based on the celebrated Ibanez RG body style, this is one seriously fast axe! Left handed models tend to be popular and sell out very quickly as these are really the only 3/4 sized lefty electrics from one of the very big name brands.  Snap one up if you get the chance!

Main features include a baswood body, maple neck and fretboard, sharkfin inlays, two powerful humbuckers and a sleek, black scratchplate.

Any of those should make a fantastic smaller guitar. Some of the models I listed are not strictly ¾ sized – some are simply shorter scale-length guitars, which more or less means the same thing. With shorter scale length guitars the frets are closer together, which should make it easier for smaller hands to navigate the fretboard. The majority of full sized guitars have a scale length of 25.5 inches, whereas most Les Paul or SG style guitars are slightly shorter at 24.75 inches.  If you are unable to locate a 3/4 sized model, try and find a full sized Les Paul, as opposed to a Strat or Tele which both have the longer scale length.

Lefty Travel Guitars

It may also be worthwhile having a look into left handed travel guitars if you can’t find anything to your liking from the ¾ sized market.  Travel guitars are designed to be mobile (duh!) and as such they may turn out to be a good smaller instrument for your kids. Check out my article on left handed travel guitars.

As A Last Resort

If all else fails, buy a right handed instrument and string it left handed.  As we mentioned in our article on restringing a right handed guitar upside down this isn’t the best route to take, but if no other options are available it may be a necessary evil until your child can handle a full sized left handed guitar.

If you require a smaller guitar for your even younger child – check out our article on 1/2 Sized Left Handed Guitars or lefty ukuleles.

Emerald Guitars is based in Ireland and specialises in building carbon fiber acoustic guitars and basses. With the company’s complicated moulding procedure, every guitar is formed in it’s entirety in one process!

The great news for southpaw players is that the company has recently invested in moulds for left handed Emerald guitars. In fact, the entirety of their X20 Artisan and X20 Opus range can now be ordered left handed – at no additional charge, and with all optional extras present and accounted for. Fantastic!

From left to right: X20-7, X20 Baritone, X20 Nylon, X20-12, X20

Left Handed Emerald Guitars

The X-20 series is available in a variety of different configurations, styles and colours (see image above). At the time of writing we have a standard 6-string, Baritone, 7-string, 12-String and a nylon strung model – there should be something for everyone here! As mentioned above, left handed Emerald guitars are available at no additional up-charge.

In addition to this, the guitars are split into two different ranges – Artisan and Opus. Artisan guitars are built to order, so come with a bigger option list but also a 4-5 month lead time. The Opus series is the production range which is generally either kept in stock, or is available with short lead times. Opus models also understandably come with less options, being only available in black and a pickup being an optional upgrade.

If you decide to go with an Artisan model there are tons of extra options available to you, such as fanned frets, quilted maple tops, custom neck scale and width, and your choice of black, blue, green, amber, or red finishes. The website includes a guitar builder tool which will let you spec out your dream left handed Emerald guitar, get a price, and if happy, order it there and then! Check out the image below which shows a really cool X-20 with a beautiful quilt-top and matching headstock!

In addition to having stunning aesthetics, the X-20 also features many innovative design elements aimed at improving overall ergonomics. For example, take a look at that comfortable looking forearm bevel. An additional cutaway bevel affords even better access to the upper frets. The guitar also features asymmetrical back contours for added comfort when sitting down.

What Are the Benefits of a Carbon Fiber Guitar?

Firstly, carbon fiber is very strong but also incredibly lightweight and so should be very hard-wearing and also easier on the back. In addition, carbon fiber isn’t going to be affected by changes in humidity like traditional guitars are.

Consistency! Traditional acoustics can vary wildly in sound from one guitar to the next because every piece of wood is unique. Carbon fiber is a man-made material, so you can assume that every guitar will sound and play more or less the same. Similarly, the sound of a wooden guitar will change as it ages, whereas a carbon fiber guitar will retain its tone for life.

If you are interested to hear what a carbon fiber acoustic guitar sounds like, Emerald has plenty of excellent videos on their site which demonstrate a few of their different models. Click here to take a look.

If interested in ordering your own left handed Emerald guitar, check out the link below!

For more information:
Emerald Guitars Website

Looking for a left handed Epiphone but unsure which guitars are currently available as lefties? Take a quick read through this article and all shall be revealed! We have left handed Epiphone Les Pauls, SGs, acoustics and even a Casino – most bases are covered.

Epiphone was founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos in Turkey, and started life making fiddles and lutes. The company moved to the United States in 1903 where the business expanded their range of instruments and made a name for itself.  Eventually in 1957 after a series of company strikes the brand was bought out by its main rival, Gibson Guitars.

There is a decent range of left handed Epiphone guitars available at present. To be eligible to appear in this list the models have to be available to buy new at the time of writing. Although the Epiphone site lists the G-310 as being available lefty, it hasn’t been for sale in stores for a long time, so isn’t included here.

Left Handed Epiphone Guitars 2016

From left to right: Tony Iommi SG Custom, G-400 Pro, Les Paul Standard, Les Paul Standard Plus Top, Les Paul Custom, Casino, Inspired by 1964 Texan and EJ-200SCE

Tony Iommi SG Custom

This brand new limited edition signature left handed Epiphone SG was designed by Tony Iommi himself, and features his signature Gibson USA pickups, 24 fret ebony fretboard with cross inlays, and a classy gloss black finish. These special guitars come with a signed certificate of authenticity, binder and photograph, and an optional case is available.  They are likely to become highly sought after (as the previous left handed mode did!), so this special edition guitar should make for a great investment.
Click here for more info

G-400 Pro

The G-400 Pro pays homage to the Gibson SG, one of the most iconic guitars in rock history. It is currently the most affordable left handed Epiphone SG. This new Pro model now includes Epiphone’s own Alnico Classic PRO pickups which are wired for push/pull coil-tapping for extra versatility. The mahogany body comes in a cherry finish and is matched with a rosewood topped mahogany neck. Experience the sound of a true SG without the Gibson price tag!
Click here for more info

Les Paul Standard

Modelled after Gibson’s legendary Les Paul, the Standard from Epiphone let’s you experience the Les Paul magic at a more affordable price point. Available in an ebony finish with traditional mahogany body and neck combination, and finished with a 22 fret rosewood fretboard. On pickup duty are two Epiphone Alnico Classic humbuckers, voiced to give that classic Les Paul sound, which for many is the holy grail of guitar tone.
Click here for more info

Les Paul Standard Plus Top Pro

The Plus Top Pro is the same as the Les Paul Standard above but with the addition of an AAA flamed maple top and ProBucker pickups with push/pull coil-tapping. The additional of coil-tapping gives a massively increased tonal variety over the standard above – everything from sinlgecoil bite to warm hubucker sounds, and everything in between!
Click here for more info

Les Paul Custom Pro

The new Les Paul Custom from Epiphone now features ProBucker pickups which are wired with push/pull coil-tapping for added versatility. Comes in a smooth black finish coupled with gold hardware for that extra classy look that Les Paul Customs are famed for. A fully fledged Gibson Les Paul Custom would set you back many thousands of dollars – experience it for a fraction of the price from Epiphone.
Click here for more info

Casino

The Casino is arguably most famous due to its association with the Beatles. Probably the most wished for southpaw Epiphone guitar, and finally our wish has been granted! The Casino is a guitar that helped to define music history, and this particular model is a limited edition, so grab it while you can! So many readers sent in photos of their new Casinos that I created an album on our Facebook page – check them out here.

Inspired by 1964 Texan

One of only two acoustic models in this list. The new limited edition Inspired by 1964 Texan electro-acoustic guitar reproduces a vintage classic. The Texan has been the company’s best selling Advanced Jumbo guitar since 1958. Made popular by artists such as Paul McCartney, Noel Gallagher and Peter Frampton.

The guitar features a solid mahogany back, mahogany sides, and a solid sitka spruce top. A mahogany neck is coupled with a rosewood fretboard with beautiful pearloid parallelogram inlays. It is also fitted with the innovative Shadow Nanoflex pickup to allow players to plug in to an amp.
Click here for more info

EJ-200SCE

This new model is also a limited edition, so don’t hang around if you’d like one! The EJ-200SCE is Epiphone’s version of the Super-Jumbo, based on the SJ-200 from Gibson. Available in both Vintage Sunburst and Natural flavors.

These guitars feature maple back and sides with a solid spruce top. A hard maple neck is coupled with a rosewood fingerboard, finished off with classy pearloid crown inlays. Gibson’s famous ‘moustache’ bridge completes the look of what Epiphone proudly calls ‘The King of Flattops’. Finally, the EJ-200SCE is equipped with a Shadow Nanoflex and Nanomag pickup system which features a built-in tuner and EQ.
Click here for more info

Epiphone Website

It’s nice to see that Epiphone have included a left handed section on their website, letting us easily find which of their stable is available in southpaw mode.

For more information:
Epiphone Website

What a dilemma!  We’ve all been there – too many guitars and not enough space to store them all in – what’s a guy to do!?  I recently purchased a new Strat which unfortunately resulted in one other guitar being relegated to sitting precariously on the floor.  With limited wall space left for hanging I pondered my options and luckily I found my answer with the ‘Woodies Guitar Hanger’ from Wia Music!

The Woodies guitar hanger is manufactured by Wia Music and is a simple, inexpensive guitar wall mount system which allows you to mount your guitar to a wall (or ceiling!) at any angle.  The product is also designed to be virtually invisible when in use, so the guitar appears to be magically floating on the wall.

On paper this guitar wall mount system appeared to be the answer to my problems as it would allow me to mount the guitar at an angle, permitting me to utilise an otherwise useless area of wall-space.  Read on to find out my thoughts on this simple, but innovative little product.

Woodies Invisible Guitar Wall Mount System – Review

Which Model?

Before you go ahead and buy one of these products you will need to ensure that you pick the correct model for your specific guitar.  There are models for guitars with straight headstocks (e.g. a Strat/Tele), angled headstocks (e.g. Les Paul/PRS), acoustics, and also guitars with the strap-pegs located on the rear of the body (such as an SG). I picked the Strat model.

For a mere $20 the system will allow you to display your guitar vertically, horizontally, or at any other angle, or even upside down – talk about versatile. I was sold when I saw what this guy had done.

What’s In the Box?

Included in the box are the transparent top and bottom brackets, 3 wall plugs, 3 screws, some foam padding, a washer and the installation instructions.

The self-adhesive foam padding is supplied for those who want to hang their guitar in a vertical position.  At this position the guitar will tend to swing in toward the wall, so the padding will help correct this.

The manual is very basic but with something as simple to install as this, it’s really all that’s needed.  If you do get stuck there is also an installation video on the Wia Music website.

Installation

To install the guitar wall mount system all you really need is a drill, a screwdriver and a pencil to mark the bracket positions.  Although not necessarily a two person job, it certainly helps to have one person holding the guitar so that the other can mark the positions.  The process is literally as simple as screwing in the bottom bracket, positioning the guitar and screwing in the top bracket.

I found that I didn’t need to use the wall plugs as I was lucky enough to drill straight into some wood.

Operation

The Woodies guitar hanger uses your guitar’s strap pegs to hold the guitar in place.  To mount the guitar in place we insert the rear strap peg into the bottom bracket hole and then slide the front strap peg into the upper bracket – simple!   The top bracket is slightly flexible to allow for a snug and easy insertion.  There is a rather satisfying ‘click’ when the guitar pops into place.  Once in place, the hanger design prevents the guitar from touching the brackets or the wall – excellent!

To remove the guitar we simply reverse the process.  Flex the top bracket to free the front strap peg and then lift the guitar out of the bottom bracket.

Woodies Invisible Guitar Hanger – My Thoughts

I decided to hang my guitar on an awkwardly shaped wall which would have been otherwise unused, and I think this is the big advantage to the Woodies guitar wall mount.  You can really make use of your available wall space in the most efficient (and aesthetically pleasing) fashion.  Although the wall is high up and difficult to reach it is absolutely no problem to insert and remove the guitar.

Once installed, your guitar will look like a piece of art mounted to the wall, as you barely notice the clear brackets at all.  No ugly foam covered metal here!  The brackets themselves are very sturdy and should easily hold your guitar in place for decades to come.

I also think that as far as guitar safety is concerned, the Woodies guitar hanger has the rest licked.  The safest place to store your guitar when not in use is in a hard-case – but obviously this is impractical and tedious.  Other options are floor stands which are easily knocked over, or traditional wall hangers which although safer, are still easy to trip over onto.  The Woodies guitar hanger allows you to safely store your guitar out of harm’s way in an attractive format.

I did also try the system with a guitar strap installed and it still worked perfectly, the fit was just a little tighter.

At roughly the same price as a traditional guitar hanger ($20 ish) I think that these are definitely a great purchase, especially if like me you have limited or awkwardly shaped wall-space available.

UPDATE Feb 2016: I’ve now been using this guitar wall mount system for 5 solid years and it is still going strong. The plastic holders haven’t discolored at all and there is absolutely no signs of any cracking. I’m confident these will keep my guitars safely displayed for a long time to come. Highly recommended!

Get Your Own!
USA Link
UK/Euro Link

Looking for a left handed Squier guitar or bass, but not sure which models are available this year? Take a read through this article for a quick summary of the entire left handed Squier guitar range!

The current stable of southpaw models has remained the same for the past few years, having a good selection of key models available to suit most budgets. Personally I feel that the selection on offer is well balanced, catering to most players, but it would be great to see some slightly more exotic models such as mustangs, jaguars and the like making an appearance. Even if it was just a smaller, limited run.

Enough chat, let’s take a look at the current southpaw selection…

Left Handed Squier Guitar & Bass 2016

From left to right: Affinity Strat, Affinity Tele, Standard Strat Black, Standard Strat Antique Burst, Classic Vibe 50s Strat, Classic Vibe 60s Strat, Classic Vibe 50s Tele, Vintage Modified Jazz Bass, Vintage Modified 70s Jazz Bass

Squier Affinity Series

The Affinity series is where many new guitarists will start out, as they are the most affordable left handed Squier Stratocaster and Telecaster models available. Both guitars are super versatile, lightweight and feature comfortable slim C-shaped necks, making them an ideal choice for beginner players.

The Affinity Strat certainly looks the part with its traditional sunburst finish, and thanks to its quality features, it sounds the part as well! A lightweight alder body is coupled with a maple neck and 21 fret rosewood fingerboard. A 5-way selector switch wired into three singlecoil pickups ensures that you will have a packed arsenal of sought after Strat tones to play with. A large 60s style headstock and vintage inspired tremolo gives this excellent little performer plenty of classic mojo.

The Affinity Telecaster comes in a beautiful transparent butterscotch blonde finish which displays the attractive figuring of the wood underneath. Like its Stratocaster brother, this left handed Squier Telecaster features an alder body and maple neck, but swaps the rosewood fingerboard for a lighter maple option. Two singecoil pickups and a traditional 3-way selector ensures that all of the sought after Telecaster tones are present and accounted for. A classy black pickguard completes the look of this vintage inspired model.

Click Here for More Information

Squier Standard Series

The next step up from the Affinity models is the Standard Stratocaster, which is available left handed in both black metallic and antique burst. It’s a great choice for new players on a budget, but will also be able to satisfy a more advanced player due to its upgraded features.

It has an agathis body, 22 fret maple neck with rosewood fretboard and three powerful Alnico singlecoil pickups for a variety of sounds. It also features higher quality tuners, and a more modern 2-point tremolo, which should prove more stable than the vintage inspired tremolo on the Affinity model. A fantastic left handed Squier Stratocaster for those on a budget!

Click Here for More Information

Squier Classic Vibe Series

The Classic Vibe Series are the cream of the crop when it comes to Squier’s left handed models. Southpaws have the choice of two Strats or one Telecaster, each inspired by guitars from a specific decade. In my opinion, these guitars are more than capable of going toe to toe with Standard, of even American Standard Fenders which cost significantly more. This is why I highly recommend them in the Newbie Guide. In terms of sheer value for money, the Classic Vibes are arguably the best left handed guitars around. In fact, I have two myself!

The Classic Vibe 50s Strat and Classic Vibe 60s Strat are both modelled after guitars from their respective eras, for bags of vintage vibe and tone. Each guitar has an alder body with 21 fret maple neck, and a maple fingerboard on the 50s and rosewood on the 60s. The white hardware on both is aged to give the cool faded look that an older guitar would have after many years of service. The three singecoil pickups contribute to what I personally think are the best sounding Stratocasters you can lay your hands on without spending some serious cash.

The Classic Vibe 50s Tele is based upon a typical Telecaster from the 1950s, and like the Strat above, is absolutely stunning value for money. Its beautiful pine body is clearly visible through its classic butterscotch blonde finish. A comfortable C-shaped maple neck is coupled with a 21 fret maple fingerboard. Finally, dynamically responsive single coil pickups have been custom designed to give that perfect crisp and rich tone that only a Tele can produce.

Click Here for More Information

Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass

Finally, Squier also have a couple of great choices for southpaw bassists. One of these two is probably going to be the first port of call for beginner left handed bassists. The 70s model was my very first bass, and I liked it so much that I bought another!

The left handed Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass is the most affordable option here, and is available in a classy sunburst finish. A basswood body is coupled with a comfortable c-shaped maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. Fender designed pickups ensure that all of the authentic, growling Fender tone that we love is present and accounted for.

And last but not least, is the 1970s inspired Vintage Modified Jazz Bass 70s, which is a very similar beast to the model above, albeit with a few tasty upgrades. The natural finish on this beautiful bass allows the stunning figuring on the maple body to remain visible. The maple neck has a maple fingerboard with classic black block inlays to complete the light and airy aesthetic on this model. This left handed Squier bass is absolutely dripping with 70s mojo and will definitely transport you back to a classic period in bass history.

Click Here for More Information

Squier Website

The Squier website has become a section on the main Fender website, rather than the separate site that it used to occupy. Although there is no left handed section in place, each left handed Squier guitar and bass is clearly displayed separately, so they aren’t too difficult to find.

For more information:
Squier Website

Oh, and one last thing to remember.. It’s spelled SquiER – please don’t be one of those Squire people!

Stop! Did you know that you might be missing out on potentially hundreds of left handed guitars on eBay? You may be blissfully unaware that you aren’t searching correctly, and are in fact overlooking many hidden gems!  This guide should hopefully give you all the tools you will need to reliably uncover the best left handed guitars on eBay.

How to Find Left Handed Guitars on eBay

Consider for a minute that you want to buy a used Fender Stratocaster. You navigate to the guitar category on eBay and type ‘left handed Fender Stratocaster‘ into the trusty search box. Bingo! At the time of writing I was given a whopping 270 results (on eBay USA).

Straightforward enough, right? Well…unfortunately not!

If you take a look through the results, you’ll notice that more than half of the guitars are actually right handed. Why? Because searching like this scans the auction titles as well as the descriptions on the actual product pages. So for reasons known only to eBay, this gives us many completely unrelated results. Plus, a ton of guitars are missing entirely because they haven’t been adequately described by the seller!

You may be thinking, ‘well why not just tick the left handed box to get rid of the right handed results?‘. The simple answer is that many sellers won’t have entered this information, so you’re still going to miss out on a lot of potentials.

To get around this problem we need to search by title only, to ensure that we can uncover every relevant guitar. This is where ‘smart searching’ comes into play, because as I’ve already mentioned above, many guitars aren’t adequately titled. The reason for this is both simple and frustrating – creating an eye-catching title description for a lefty guitar is instantly more challenging due to the fact that you have less typing space to play with.  Right handed players don’t need to waste space telling bidders that the guitar is right handed, but us southpaws do!  By the time you’ve thrown in every synonym and abbreviation for ‘left handed‘ you’ll be lucky to have enough room left to tell your potential bidders the brand of the guitar!

So what do people do? They sacrifice space to better describe the guitar, failing to adequately advertise the left handed orientation of the item.  Let’s take a look at a few examples of how sellers choose to describe their guitars…

As you can see, sellers use different terms and abbreviations to advertise the guitars as being left handed – and there are many more than just these four! You’ll also notice that the guitars are called both ‘Strat’ and ‘Stratocaster’. Obviously you would grow weary of searching for each of these different description terms, and you certainly don’t want to trawl the entire list of guitars on eBay, looking for suitable guitars listing by listing.

Smart Searching on eBay

So let’s get smart! Here is the search enquiry that I personally use to ensure that I find all of the best deals on eBay.  Surf over to the guitar section on your country’s eBay website and enter : (left,lefty,lh,l/h,southpaw)

What this is basically saying to eBay is ‘show me all of the listings which have ANY of these terms in their title description’. So in this case any auction which has any of ‘left‘, ‘lefty‘, ‘lh‘, ‘l/h‘ or ‘southpaw‘ in their title. Putting any terms within brackets and separated by commas will achieve the same function. So for example, (PRS,Paul Reed Smith) would search for listings with either ‘PRS‘ or ‘Paul Reed Smith‘ in the title.

If you’re looking for a specific brand or model just throw that in after the end bracket, for example (left,lefty,lh,l/h,southpaw) ibanez will throw up all of the guitars from Ibanez. You can also further hone your results by choosing to omit certain keywords. For example if you want a Fender in any color apart from red or black, you can try (left,lefty,lh,l/h,southpaw) Fender -(Red,Black). Experiment with it and tune it to your needs.

Does It Work?

Now that you’re armed with your laser-targeted search terms let’s go back to our original search example.

Our new search becomes (left,lefty,lh,l/h,southpaw) Fender (Strat,Stratocaster). I’ve included two options for Strat at the end to make sure we scoop up both terms.

You’ll remember that in our original basic search we threw up 270 results, most of which were right handed guitars. Our new, laser targeted search gives 442 results, 99% of which are left handed. A MASSIVE increase!

The only guitars that we won’t have uncovered are the ones that have been really badly titled. For example if a lefty Yamaha acoustic has been listed as ‘Yamaha Acoustic Guitar‘. But I would argue that you probably don’t want to deal with these kinds of sellers anyway – dodge that bullet!

Refine it Even More!

Although we now have 442 results, many of these won’t be relevant to you. For example, we have super expensive vintage instruments included, as well as cheaper parts and accessories such as scratchplates and tuners. So the next job is to further refine the search using the filters on the left hand side of the site.

Since we’re looking for an electric guitar, it’ll probably be safe enough to click on the ‘electric guitars’ category to eliminate most (but not all!) of the accessories. As I’ve mentioned above, most sellers don’t list their items correctly, so I wouldn’t bother using any of the checkboxes for dexterity, body color, or model type etc..

If you have a specific budget in mind, enter your spending range into the price boxes. If your search is still throwing up unwanted accessories or guitars you can also use it to get rid of these. For example, if you’re after a Custom Shop Strat you aren’t likely to find anything under $1000, so fire that number into the maximum price box to get rid of more chaff.

You can also further add to your search terms to help refine results. For example, if people are adding ‘Fender‘ to the title of their Squiers, or Strat copies, you can try – (left,lefty,lh,l/h,southpaw) Fender (Strat,Stratocaster) -(Squier,Squire,Copy) to get rid of those.

Save Your Search

You probably don’t want to have to type in and filter your search terms every day, right? So once you’ve crafted the perfect search, make sure to bookmark the results in your browser so that they’re always only a single click away.

If you’re going to be having a quick look every day to see what’s new, a top tip is to use the dropdown menu to arrange the results by ‘Time: Newly Listed‘. This will ensure that all of the latest listings will appear at the top of the page.

Another option is to hit the ‘Follow this Search‘ button at the top of the search page. If you do this, eBay will send you a handy daily email featuring all of the latest listings which satisfy your search criteria.

That concludes our guide to finding left handed guitars on eBay, I hope you will use this information to make your next southpaw guitar purchase a good one! Now that you know how to find the guitars, take a look at our guide on How to Get The Best Prices on eBay Guitars

Hit the buttons below to share these tips with your friends!

Michael Kelly Guitars was founded in 1999 and is based in Florida, USA. Although originally starting out as a mandolin and acoustic bass brand, the company has since expanded and now offers a wide range of beautiful guitars, basses and mandolins.

At the time of writing, Michael Kelly offers 5 different left handed guitars, but their website does claim that they are planning to add more in the future. Excellent!

Left Handed Michael Kelly Guitars

From left to right: Patriot Instinct Bold, 1955, Patriot Decree, 1953, Hybrid Special

As I’ve already mentioned above, we currently have five left handed Michael Kelly guitars to choose from. Let’s take a closer look at each model and see exactly what they’re all about!

Looking at these guitars, you’d be forgiven for assuming that they come with a pretty hefty pricetag. But fear not – for the most part, these guitars are super affordable, sitting at around the $500 mark – wow!

1953

The Michael Kelly 1953 is a stunning looking T-style guitar which is aimed at players looking for a more traditional style with some vintage vibe. It features an alder body with a flamboyant flamed maple top and a bolt-on maple neck with your choice of maple or rosewood fretboard. A traditionally voiced neck pickup is combined with a stacked single coil bridge pickup which can switch between a vintage single coil sound and a fatter humbucker style tone.

Shown above in ‘Blue Jean Wash’ finish.

1955

Michael Kelly’s 1955 is created with design cues from the most highly regarded boutique guitar companies in the world. This certainly isn’t just another run-of-the-mill, high production volume T-type clone! Stand out features include the mini humbucker neck pickup, flamed maple binding, a fretboard with a 10.5″ to 16″ compound radius, and a swamp ash body coupled with a highly figured quilted maple top. The included Rockfield pickups can be switched between single coil and humbucker style tones, for the ultimate in versatility. In fact, it offers 8 unique tonal options in total thanks to the company’s ‘Great 8’ mod.

Shown above in ‘Caramel Burst’ finish.

Patriot Decree

Guitar Player Magazine recently chose the feature-packed Patriot Decree as their choice for the best guitar under $500. The traditional mahogany body is set off by a stunning figured maple top with 5-ply white and black binding. A mahogany set-neck is coupled with a 22 fret rosewood fingerboard and pearl bone inlays. The MK PAF pickups are specifically designed for this guitar, and the ability to coil-tap opens up a wide variety of tonal options.

Shown above in ‘Black Vapor’ finish.

Patriot Instinct Bold

If looks could kill! The Patriot Instinct takes premium quality features and combines them with a unique dark blue/black to natural color fade. A triple-bound mahogany body is finished with a quilted maple top and real abalone center stripe. The fully bound mahogany neck has a 22 fret rosewood fretboard and beautiful pearl/abalone ‘Instinct’ inlays. A specially voiced pair of zebra-colored Rockfield SWC humbuckers complete the look.

Shown above in ‘Partial Eclipse’ finish.

Hybrid Special

The final guitar in the left handed range is the Hybrid Special, which is designed to allow players to enjoy both electric and acoustic tones in a single instrument. In addition to switching between the two worlds, the Hybrid Special also offers the option of blending both tones to create some really unique sounds.

The chambered mahogany body has a gorgeous spalted maple top and features 5-ply black and white binding. The mahogany neck has a bound 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with abalone block inlays.

Shown above in ‘Spalted Burst’ finish.

And that completes the range of left handed Michael Kelly guitars!

Michael Kelly Guitars Website

The Michael Kelly site features a separate section for left handed guitars, making it super easy to find the current lefty range. You can’t really ask for more that that!

For more information:
Michael Kelly Guitars

Looking to pick up your very first left handed 12 string guitar? This quick primer article should clue you in on what you need to know!

Although you probably won’t find many left handed 12 string acoustic guitars in your local store, there are tons of great options for us out there. Ever since I first saw John Butler playing Ocean on his Maton acoustic, I knew that a 12 string was missing from my collection. So I’ve gone out and done the research so that you don’t have to!

Left Handed 12 String Acoustic Guitars

Before we look at some good examples of left handed 12 string guitars, let’s go over some basic ideas to give you an idea of what you’re about to get yourself into…

How is a 12-String Tuned?

On a 12, the strings are paired. Although it’s totally up to you how you decide to pair them, generally the 4 lowest pitched strings are coupled with thinner strings tuned an octave higher, and the highest two are simply paired with another identical string. This gives you that fantastic, airy, jangly sound that only a 12-string can produce. The most common tuning from lowest to highest is (E3-E2) (A3-A2) (D4-D3) (G4-G3) (B3-B3) (E4-E4).

Although we have twice as many strings as a regular guitar, the paired strings are spaced closely together to allow them to still be played with a single finger simultaneously. It isn’t like a 7 or 8-string guitar where the fretboard is widened to accommodate extra strings – although the neck is very slightly wider. If you are comfortable with a 6-string acoustic, you’ll be fine on a 12 as well.

A Note About Extra Tension

The added tension introduced by the extra strings is high, which necessitates improved reinforcement of the neck and body. 12-string guitars used to have a bad reputation of warping over time, but with modern design techniques this is largely not an issue any more. Still, some players will tune down a half-step to help relieve stress. I only bring this point up to try and dissuade you from buying a super cheap 12-string which might not be up to the job.

Downsides

Cost. You have twice as many strings, so restringing will set you back twice the price of a 6-string acoustic.
Time. You have twice as many strings, so restringing and retuning will take double the time.

Best Beginner Left Handed 12 String Guitars

If you’re anything like me, you just don’t have the patience to wait months for your local store to special order a guitar from the manufacturer. Need a left handed 12-string acoustic guitar right now? Here are my top 2 readily available choices which you can pick up today!

Seagull S12

If you’re looking to take your first steps into the world of left handed 12 string guitars, my top choice is the award winning Seagull S12. When it comes to sheer value for money, the Canadian made Seagulls are always topping player lists. The S12 is essentially a 12 string version of Seagull’s multi award winning S6 (which I recommend as one of the best beginner lefty acoustics in the Newbie Guide!).

It features a solid cedar top with Canadian wild cherry back and sides. The slightly shorter 24.84″ scale length helps to ease the tension on the maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. Having owned one myself, I can attest that these are absolutely incredible value for money. As far as i’m aware, this is the most affordable left handed option with the sought after solid wood top.

Check it out here, or for a little extra cash you can also pick it up with added electronics here.

Oscar Schmidt OD312CELH

On a tight budget, i’m going to send you over to the brand that really have us lefties covered when it comes to niche guitars – Oscar Schmidt. For those who don’t know, this company is actually owned by Washburn, and pumps out some excellent choices for lefties on a lower budget.

The Oscar Schmidt OD312CELH electro-acoustic won’t quite be able to go toe-to-toe with the Seagull above, but then again, it is half the price! However, it should give tentative new players a perfectly solid taste of 12-strings without breaking the bank.

It features a spruce top with mahogany back/sides, and a mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard and bridge. A cutaway provides improved upper fret access, and comes complete with built-in EQ controls and a handy tuner.

Check it out by clicking here. Also available in sunburst here.

Further Options

All of the companies listed below offer left handed 12-string acoustic guitars which may or may not need to be special ordered depending on where you live. Note that this list is for acoustics guitars only – I plan to add a guide for left handed 12-string electric guitars at a later date.

• Breedlove
• Collings – All guitars available left handed
• Carvin/Kiesel – All guitars available left handed
• Eastman
• Emerald
• Fender – Tim Armstrong Hellcat
• Freshman
• Furch/Stonebridge – All guitars available left handed
• LAG – T66D12 (now discontinued)
• Lakewood – All guitars available left handed
• Larrivée – All guitars available left handed
• Martin – All guitars available left handed
• Taylor – All guitars available left handed
• Tanglewood

Hopefully that’ll give you plenty of left handed 12 string guitars to choose from. If I’ve missed any brands, please leave a comment below!

Just a quick one for LeftyFretz readers in the States, who shop on Amazon, and are Prime members…

An eagle-eyed reader has just pointed out that Amazon are offering a 20% discount on musical equipment to Prime members this weekend. There are a good number of left handed Schecter guitars and basses included (alongside other gear such as amps etc) with savings of up to $190. Definitely worth a look if you are a Schecter fan.

Save 20% off ALL of these guitars and more!

You’ll need to be a Prime member to take advantage of these savings. A 30 day free trial is available which will allow you to enjoy the sale at no additional expense.

I expect that as with previous Amazon sales, further guitars could be added later on – so be sure to check back for updates!

Not After a Guitar?

This sale includes a ton of other musical products and accessories.  If you’d like to browse the full promotion, click here.

Share these deals with your friends using the buttons below.

The Yamaha Corporation was founded in Japan in 1887 by Torakusu Yamaha.  Today Yamaha has grown to become the world’s largest manufacturer of musical instruments, as well as being a leading supplier of electrical and sporting goods.

Looking for a left handed Yamaha guitar? Well, unfortunately the world’s largest musical instrument brand also has one of the smallest ranges of left handed guitars.  At the time of writing we only have four left handed Yamaha guitars to choose from – all acoustics. On the plus side, Yamaha are well known for the consistently high quality of their instruments, and these four are certainly no exception. You’ll struggle to go far wrong with any of these!

Left Handed Yamaha Guitars

All of the left handed Yamaha guitars listed below are available to buy at the time of writing. I have provided links for each guitar to give an idea of current pricing.

Yamaha FG720SL Left Handed Acoustic Guitar

Often the first choice for new left handed acoustic players, the award-winning FG720S dreadnought is one of the best-selling acoustic guitars in the world. Why? Because at under $350, it is one of the most affordable acoustics available with a solid wood top. It is one of my top recommended guitars in the Newbie Guide.

• Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
• Back/Sides: Mahogany
• Neck: Nato
• Fretboard: Rosewood

Click here to buy

Yamaha FG820L

Earlier on in 2016 Yamaha announced the new FG 800 series, which is a direct replacement for the FG 700 range. The FG820L is essentially the same guitar as the FG720SL above, but with upgraded scalloped bracing. This improved bracing pattern results in a stronger low to midrange sound over the 700 series.

• Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
• Back/Sides: Mahogany
• Neck: Nato
• Fretboard: Rosewood

Click here to buy

Yamaha LL16L-ARE Acoustic Guitar

The LL16L ARE from Yamaha’s L Series is a truly premium electro-acoustic guitar. This instrument is constructed fully from solid woods and features other high-end appointments such as a 5-piece mahogany/rosewood neck and a SRT Zero-Impact pickup for authentic plugged-in tones. Yamaha has also treated the guitar with their A.R.E process to give the sought after tones of an aged, well-played instrument. It even comes with a premium Yamaha hardcase.

• Top: Solid Engelmann Spruce
• Back/Sides: Solid Rosewood
• Neck: 5-ply Mahogany/Rosewood
• Fretboard: Ebony

Click here to buy

Yamaha APX700IIL Left Handed Electro-Acoustic Guitar

The Yamaha APX series is well known for having comfortable thin bodies, state-of-the-art electronics, and superb playability. The APX700IIL electro-acoustic features the ART pickup system, which faithfully recreates the natural tone and dynamics of the guitar.

• Top: Solid Spruce
• Back/Sides: Mahogany
• Neck: Nato
• Fretboard: Rosewood

Click here to buy

Yamaha Website

The company website is a laborious place to be when searching for a left handed Yamaha guitar.  There is no specific section for southpaw players, and trying to use the search bar just throws up a ton of older guitars which are now discontinued. This necessitates having to trawl through the entire website to track down the current lefty range. Searching for a left handed Yamaha guitar amongst Yamaha’s huge stable is akin to finding a needle in a haystack…

Good thing I put this article together for you then

For more information:
Yamaha Guitars Website

Following on from last month’s article on how to uncover the best left handed guitars on eBay, i’m back with a follow-up guide on how to get the best prices on the guitars (and other gear!) that you manage to discover.

There are several methods which you can employ, some sneakier than others, some riskier than others, but they do all work…very well!  If you have any of your own little tips be sure to leave a comment at the end of the article.

1. Bidding At the Last Second (Sniping)

If you bid on an auction early and show your interest in the item, you are likely to start a bidding war between yourself and the other trigger happy eBayers, which is generally great for the seller but not too great for you.  A bidding war is likely to inflate the price of the guitar considerably.

Sniping is just a term for bidding at the last second.  The hope is that if you bid late, the current highest bidder won’t have time to retaliate and place an additional higher bid.  It is of course pot-luck, as the current bidder could have already placed a maximum bid which is higher than your last minute offering.  However, more often than not sniping will result in a terrific deal.

There are several variations of sniping software available which will carry out this task for you, but they aren’t necessary unless you can’t be present when the auction closes. A few years ago they were convenient, but now that eBay has implemented a second by second countdown timer on all auctions, you can clearly see when an auction will end and can easily place your bid at the right time. Of course there is always the risk that your internet connection could crap out in the last few seconds of the auction!

2. Antisocial Auctions

Another great tip for finding the best deal is to look for auctions that end during unsociable hours.  An item which ends at 3am is going to have far less people bidding on it at the last minute, if any at all.  Likewise, auctions ending during work hours will attract slightly less attention.  Possibly even items ending on Friday/Saturday nights when many people are out enjoying themselves.

3. Incorrectly Listed Auctions

A sure-fire method which will almost always guarantee a cheaper sale is to look for items that are listed in the incorrect category.  If we stray from the subject of guitars for a minute I can give you a great example of this idea in action.  Whilst I was studying at university I bought a PlayStation which had been listed in the Sega Dreamcast category, and ended at silly o’clock in the morning.  I did some sniping and won the console for stupid money. Six months later I got bored of it and sold it for almost twice the price.

4. Use the Completed Items Filter

One sneaky method of landing a killer deal is to use the completed listings feature.  If you search eBay for a guitar and don’t find what you are looking for, scroll down the page and on the left-hand side you will find the ‘completed listings’ option in the sidebar.

This feature will show you recently ended auctions from the past few months. If you spot an item which has its price highlighted in red, this means that it did not sell.  Maybe the price was too high, maybe they listed it incorrectly, maybe they only offered local pickup, there could be any number of reasons why it did not sell.

If you find something you are interested in which did not sell, shoot the seller an email.  Offer them a price you are happy with and you may just get lucky!  After all, if it didn’t sell the first time they may just be in the mind-set to get rid of it quickly.

5. Local Pickup Only Auctions

Many sellers do not have the means or know-how to ship larger items, and so will often list their goods as ‘local pickup only’.  Depending on where the item is located you can get fantastic deals on these types of auctions.  If the item is located somewhere which is a little off the beaten path there will be significantly less competition for it.  While I was at university I bought a mountain bike from a small nearby town for £350. I didn’t have a car at the time, so the seller even delivered the bike directly to me. I used it for 3 years while I studied and then sold it for £400, because I listed it for sale in a much larger city where there was far more interest.

Even if you don’t live near to the seller you may be able to convince them to ship it to you if you explain how to do it.  So don’t just automatically disregard local pickup items – try your luck! I live in the UK, and have bought at least a couple of guitars from the USA where the seller didn’t offer international shipping.

6. Check Newly Listed Buyouts

Periodically sort your search results by ‘Time: newly listed’ and check the ‘Buy It Now’ (BIN) tab to show only the newest BIN auctions.  Buyers will often list items for a great BIN price in the hopes of a quick sale, so some really great deals can be had here as well.  You can try a similar idea with auction format listings by asking the seller if they’d end the auction early for a specific price.

7. Use Best Offer

Make use of the ‘Best Offer’ feature if the seller is offering it.  Even if you send a silly offer the seller may send you a counter-offer with a price he or she would be happy with.  They wouldn’t use this option if they weren’t open to accepting lower offers.

Recently I picked up a new set of headphones from a small store who had the best-offer feature enabled. I sent them a silly offer. Within 5 minutes I had a counter-offer which the seller told me was trade-price (i.e what they paid the distributor for them). I don’t know if the price they quoted was actually the trade-price, but it was way lower than what they retail for, so I grabbed the bargain!

8. Ditching the Middle Men

This tip is against eBay’s terms of service, so use a little common sense here. eBay will charge a seller Final Value Fees (FVFs), which basically means that for whatever they sell their item for, eBay will take a cut of the profits. And on top of that, PayPal will take a slice as well.  On an expensive guitar this can amount to a significant chunk of change.

If both you and the seller have a reputable feedback score you can try and come to a deal outside of eBay.  Offer them 5-10% less on the condition that you ditch eBay and complete the deal yourselves.  The result is that you have to part with less money, and the seller gets rid of his item for the same money (or better!) than if he were to have solid it through eBay.

You can even go one step further and ditch PayPal to get an even cheaper deal. You can save the seller another 5-10% by paying without PayPal.

Please use some common sense here folks, this is a very situational method and can obviously be risky. Make sure to research the seller beforehand.

That should be enough to keep you going for a while.  I’ve no doubt omitted a few techniques, so leave any insider tips you may have in the comments!

If you haven’t already read it, take a look at the previous article on how to uncover the best left handed guitars on eBay with smart search terms.

Godin Guitars is based in Canada, and offers up some truly innovative guitars which combine traditional design with state-of-the-art features and manufacturing techniques. The company’s Canadian heritage is proudly featured in many of their instruments, which are constructed of many home-grown tone-woods such as Canadian Wild Cherry and silver leaf maple.

What about left handed Godin guitars I hear you ask? Well Godin has slowly been improving their southpaw range, and at present has 6 guitars available, most of which occupy a niche which isn’t readily available elsewhere. For example, with its synth access, the Multiac Nylon SA is a pretty unique instrument in the realm of lefty guitars.

Oh, and it’s pronounced Go-Dan. But you knew that, right?

Left Handed Godin Guitars

A6 Ultra

The left handed Godin A6 Ultra gives you the sound of a plugged-in acoustic guitar with the comfort of an electric size neck. When plugged in, feedback is almost entirely eliminated thanks to its innovative chambered body design.

A Godin humbucker in the neck position provides a full and thick tone, and is combined with an under-saddle transducer. The guitar also features dual outputs which allows you to combine both electric and acoustic tones for a truly huge sound. The Custom Godin preamp section allows for independent control of both the acoustic and electric volume and EQ settings. An incredibly versatile guitar!

• Chambered silver leaf maple body with solid cedar top
• Mahogany neck with Rosewood fretboard
• Godin GNH1 Humbucker and under-saddle transducer
• Dual outputs for acoustic and electric blending
• Semi-glosss natural finish

Click Here For More Information

Multiac Nylon SA

The left handed Godin Multiac Nylon SA provides modern acoustic guitar design coupled with innovative in-built electronics and synth access for virtually unlimited sonic potential! Each string is given its own pickup, which results in a fantastic amplified sound plus the ability to go crazy with synth connectivity. It offers both 13-pin synth and 1/4″ outputs for the ultimate in versatility.

• Chambered mahogany body with solid spruce top
• Mahogany neck with richlite fretboard
• Custom RMC Polydrive electronics
• GR Series and Axon AX100 guitar synths
• High-gloss natural finish

Click Here For More Information

Multiac Nylon Encore

The left handed Godin Multiac Nylon Encore is the more affordable of the two lefty nylon string guitars on offer from Godin. Custom EPM dual-source electronics gives the ability to switch between (or blend!) acoustic soundboard and under-saddle transducers. The perfect choice for players looking for a comfortable, amplified nylon string guitar sound with practically zero feedback – and all at a price that won’t break the bank!

• Chambered silver leaf maple body with solid cedar top
• Mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard
• Blendable acoustic soundboard and under-saddle transducers
• Semi-gloss natural finish

Click Here For More Information

5th Avenue Kingpin P90

The left handed Godin 5th Avenue combines the vintage vibe of a ’50s archtop guitar with modern construction techniques and unrivalled playability. This modern beauty for the sophisticated player has improved dynamic range and projection when compared with traditional archtops. The Kingpin P90 single-coil pickup provides all of the vintage tones you crave, with plenty of attitude and improved clarity.

With the classy looks of a boutique instrument, you’ll no doubt be bowled over at how affordable this guitar actually is! Check out the current price at the link below.

• Canadian wild cherry back/sides and top
• Silver leaf maple neck with rosewood fretboard
• Kingpin P90 single-coil pickup
• Custom polished satin cognac finish

Click Here For More Information

Session

The Godin Session is available left handed in either lightburst with a maple fingerboard or blackburst with rosewood. As you’d expect from an S-style guitar, these two HSS instruments are super versatile and should be able to handle almost genres of music with relative ease. And as with most of the Godins featured here, the Session is another wallet friendly lefty!

And for those lefties who are dismayed at seeing yet another black Strat style guitar – don’t overlook this one yet! Although you can’t really tell from the image, the finish is actually transparent, allowing the grain of the wood to add some extra visual flair.

• Canadian Laurentian basswood body
• Rock maple neck with rosewood or maple fretboard
• Godin humbucker plus 2 GS-1 singlecoil pickups
• Blackburst or Light burst finishes available

Click Here For More Information

Godin Website

The Godin site ticks all of the boxes as all left handed Godin guitars are clearly displayed in their very own southpaw section – well done Godin!

For more information:
Godin Guitars Website

Agile is an affordable and wide ranging guitar brand which is available exclusively from RondoMusic in the USA. Although originally coming into the spotlight through their excellent single-cut style models, they have most recently gained a loyal fan-base due to their affordable 7, 8 and even 9-string guitars.

At the moment the Agile range only includes electric guitars and one acoustic, however RondoMusic does also have a couple of other budget in-house brands which offer extra choice.  For left handed players, RondoMusic is just a great place in general to go looking for some harder to find body shapes and niche guitars on a budget.

Left Handed Agile Guitars

The range of left handed Agile guitars is constantly changing depending on what Rondo have in stock at a particular time, so it isn’t possible to include a full list of the guitars available.  The image above shows a few of the more popular left handed Agile guitars, but know that there are also many other styles available.

Visit the link at the bottom of the page to see the current stock of left handed Agile guitars. A good way to keep abreast of the latest additions is to visit the following link, where Rondo post all of the latest guitars to come in. http://www.rondomusic.com/camp.html

You can also follow the store on Twitter for timely updates.

B-Stock Agile Guitars

The company will occasionally post B-Stock guitars which usually only have very minor flaws.  Keep an eye out for these as bargains can be had!  Recently the company offered a whopping 50% discount on a lefty 7-string single-cut model due to a barely visible ding on one of the pickup cavities.

Semi-Custom Agile Guitars

Rondo also offer a semi-custom service where they allow you to order specific guitars made to your own specs.  The wait time is generally quite long (around 6-8 months), but this is a very affordable way to realise the guitar of your dreams. Where else can you get a custom made guitar for well under $1000?

Fancy a 7-string, fanned fret acoustic? Or maybe a baritone single-cut? Perhaps you just long for a fast shredder in a color other than black?

Head to http://www.rondomusic.com/customquote.html to design your own custom axe.

8-String Agile Pendulum Pro Multiscale

RondoMusic Website

The RondoMusic website has left handed tabs at the top of each section, allowing you to easily find all of the available left handed Agile guitars – nice work!

For more information:
RondoMusic Website

Shopping for left handed gifts? Keep reading to discover my top 9 inexpensive gifts for left handed people.

I’ve included some novelty gifts for lefties, as well as some products designed specifically for southpaws which will make life that little bit easier. Crucially, everything in this list is relatively inexpensive and is guaranteed to make the recipient smile!

9 Perfect Left Handed Gifts

1. A Notebook WITHOUT Rings

A spiral-bound notepad is a lefty’s worst enemy. It’s near impossible to write on them comfortably, and spend more than 2 minutes with one and you’ll be rewarded with those sweet, sweet ring imprints on your hand. Ouch! After years of suffering with the standard issue spiral-bound pads I’m given at work, I finally forked out the cash for a high-quality Moleskine notebook. Crucially, they open completely flat, which allows us lefties to write close to the margins in comfort. Perfect!

Click Here For More Info

2. Scissors

Many right handed people probably don’t even realise that a regular pair of scissors is next to useless when used in the left hand. The struggle is real! Take the hassle out of cutting by picking up a quality pair of left handed scissors. Inexpensive, but invaluable!

Click Here For More Info

3. Pens

Yes, left handed pens are a thing! Who knew!? As a southpaw, finding a pen which you can use without smudging is akin to discovering gold. Check out the Maped pens linked below which use quick-drying ink, and feature an innovative curved design which allows us to actually see what we’re writing. Very cool!

Click Here For More Info

4. Computer Mouse

Most mice are designed with a right handed user in mind, but you don’t need to struggle with poor ergonomics or extra buttons on the wrong side any longer! The Razer DeathAdder is a high quality mouse which is available in a left handed version. Although aimed at gamers, its ultra-high precision makes it ideal for any day-to-day task.

Click Here For More Info

5. Can Opener

I HATE using can openers – by the time I manage to get into the tin i’m a sweaty, angry mess. Left handed can openers do exist, but why not pick up an option which everyone in the house can use? The Bartelli model I’ve linked to below has an innovative ambidextrous design which allows for both left and right handed use.

Click Here For More Info

6. Knife Sharpener

Many years ago I bought a 3-stage knife sharpening block, and always thought it was pretty useless. It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I realised it was designed to be used only with the right hand. Pick up an ambidextrous design such as the one linked below so that everyone in the house can safely keep kitchen knives in tip-top condition.

Click Here For More Info

7. Tape Measure

Most southpaws will favor holding a tape measure in their left hand, which means that the numbers will be upside down. A left handed tape measure solves that problem in one fell swoop. Check it out at the link below.

Click Here For More Info

8. Books for Lefties

There are a ton of books centred around left handed topics, so why not give the lefty in your life a book which talks specifically about our ‘gift’. A classic which has been around for decades is ‘The Natural Superiority of the Left-Hander’ by James Tertius de Kay.

Click Here for More Info

9. T-Shirt

Show off your lefty pride with a t-shirt announcing your southpaw awesomeness to the world. Check out the shirt below which bears the slogan ‘I May Be Left Handed, But I’m Always Right’.

Click Here For More Info

If you have any of your own ideas for the perfect left handed gifts, please leave a comment below!

Learning the notes on the fretboard is an important part of mastering guitar and will help unlock and take your playing to the next level.  Things really do begin to fall into place once you realize what you’re playing, rather than stumbling around in the dark regurgitating memorized shapes and patterns.

There isn’t really a lot out there in terms of left handed guitar fretboard note diagrams, so when one of our readers emailed this week requesting one, I was only too happy to oblige.

Left Handed Guitar Fretboard Notes

The left handed guitar fretboard note diagram below shows a preview of the chart – if you don’t want to strain your eyes, click on it to download a high resolution version (or click here).  Print it out, set it as your wallpaper, or just pull it up on-screen whenever you need it.

Time For Some Basic Music Theory!

In the world of music there are 7 whole notes : A – B – C – D – E – F – G

In between these whole notes we have some sharp (#) and flat (b) notes :
A – A#/Bb – B – C – C#/Db – D – D#/Eb – E – F – F#/Gb – G – G#/Ab.

Your first task is to learn this sequence of notes, as this is the order in which they will appear on every string. Once you know this pattern you will be able to figure out any note on the fingerboard. Notice that all whole notes have a sharp/flat in between, apart from the intervals between B and C, and E & F.

What is the Difference Between a Flat (b) and Sharp (#) Note?

Nothing at all, they’re just different names for the same notes.  For example a D flat is exactly the same note as a C sharp. When ascending a scale you will use sharps, and when descending you will use flats.  Simple!

The distance between 2 whole notes is called a whole step, whereas the distance between a whole note and sharp/flat note is called a half step.  Therefore, a sharp note is a half step above a whole note and a flat note is a half step below a whole note. Still pretty straightforward right?

To the Fretboard!

Now that you’re armed with some very basic music theory, let’s tackle the fretboard!  Assuming that you know the notes of the open strings (E – A – D – G – B – E) you really only need to learn frets 1-11 on each string. This is because the notes will repeat themselves (an octave higher) from the twelfth fret onwards, so once you know the first 11 you automatically know the rest. Less work is always good!

Start off by mastering the low E string – begin by learning only the whole notes to make memorizing easier, and then fill in the gaps later on. The good news is that once you’ve conquered the Low E you’ve also automatically learned the high E string! Keep in mind the note sequence mentioned above and take it one string at a time – before you know it you’ll have the entire fretboard under your belt!

There are various little tips and tricks to help speed up the process, such as by using octave patterns to quickly recognise other notes.  For example, play an A on the Low E string and you can find another A on the D-string two frets higher.  You can also test your knowledge by picking random frets and trying to quickly figure out what notes they are.  Mix it up and make it fun!

Hungry for more left handed guitar tuition?  Check out our Lessons Section!

Further Reading : Recommended Left Handed Guitar Tuition Materials

• Left-Handed Guitar: The Complete Method by Troy Stetina
• Left Handed Guitar Fretboard and Chord Chart Instructional Poster
• Big Left Handed Guitar Chord Book by Richard Moran