Learning to play the guitar is fun, educational, and if you stick with it, may even be a lifelong skill. However, if you are among the less than 10% of “lefties” living in a right-handed world, how do you perfect that passion to strum, pick, or shred?
Most guitars are made for right-handed people. For a lefty, this type of guitar adds obstacles on your path to success. When you turn a right-hand guitar to the left, the notes reverse so you have to learn them in reverse. Turning the neck to the right will put the bass string closest to the floor, which means the chords are upside down. As a lefty with a right-handed guitar, you’ll have to learn the chords in reverse.
Of course, another option would be to learn to play with your right hand. That isn’t as easy as it sounds.
According to guitarists and online guitar-playing teacher Tommy Merry, “[O]nly a very few number of left-handed players over the years have flipped a traditional guitar upside down with the high E string on top and the low E on the bottom and learned it that way. YIKES! That would certainly look cool, but then you would miss the opportunity to utilize all the incredible free lessons on the net.”
In the guitar world, getting a good classic vibe means being able to play comfortably, and for you, that may mean getting a special guitar for a left-handed player.
There are definitely some famous lefties who have also had problems adapting or finding the right guitar. The best example is probably Kurt Cobain, a natural left-hander who was taught to write with his right hand. He learned to play the guitar using his left hand and struggled for years to find guitars to fit his needs. Once he became famous, he went so far as to have guitars specially made for him.
Thankfully, times are different now and it is not that hard to find a good left-handed guitar. You just have to know where to look. Finding this type of instrument in a store may be challenging because the market is not that big and many sales assoicates may not be familiar with left-handed instruments.
Imagine, if only about 12% of the American population is left-handed, how many of those people want to learn to play the guitar? Not that many. With such a low number of buyers, a store can’t make much profit selling left-handed guitars.
Where to Find Left-Handed Guitars
There are very few left-handed guitarists compared to right-handed ones, which is why you are probably having a hard time finding one in your local music store. When you do find one, it likely isn’t within your budget.
Just because you are a left-handed person does not mean you have to buy a $900 Nick Johnston left-handed guitar at the music store. If you prefer the acoustic instrument, you don’t need an expensive classical guitar for left-handed players. An inexpensive beginner guitar—electric or acoustic—will do just fine.
Fortunately, you can find those guitars online—which is where this guide can help. Before getting to the actual purchase, though, you must know what type of guitar you want and need.
Acoustic or Electric
Many beginner musicians are told to start with an acoustic guitar and to get an electric guitar once they get some experience. The idea is that an acoustic guitar creates better “guitar calluses,” gives you a better grip on the strings, and improves your hand strength faster. In addition, some experts believe you can transition into any guitar if you start on an acoustic.
This idea is definitely old-school learning. In the 2020s, with so many ways and so much information on how to learn each type of guitar, you can start with either type of instrument: acoustic or electric. You no longer need to learn the acoustic before you learn the electric guitar.
If you want to rock ‘n’ roll right out of the gate, go ahead and get that electric guitar. You can learn to play it even if you don’t have experience.
One of the key elements to learning to play an instrument is motivation. You need to enjoy what you are doing. If the electric instrument is what motivates you, start with it. With so many learning options available, your first instrument is a matter of personal preference.
What Type of Left-Handed Guitar Do You Need?
Myth: Left-handed guitars are highly specialized instruments. Fact: Lefties just need a basic guitar. With an acoustic guitar, all you need is the instrument and a tuner to keep it tuned while you are playing. If electric is your weapon of choice, you need the instrument and an amp. Without an amp, every song would be the “Sound of Silence”—because the guitar can’t emit noise without the amp.
Just as you don’t need name-brand clothing to have something nice to wear, you don’t need a brand-name instrument to make quality music. Fenders and Gibsons are nice, but you can find guitars that are just as playable without the high price tag attached to a famous name.
When you are first starting out and don’t really know if playing the guitar is something you will enjoy for years to come, you might do better with a lesser-known brand., which will be a less expensive option. You can find a good guitar that fits your needs and plays well without spending an arm and a leg.
How Much Will a Left-Handed Guitar Cost?
Some guitars can cost thousands of dollars. As a beginner or a hobby player, you probably don’t want to spend that much—at least not in the beginning. When you are just starting, you can find a decent acoustic or electric guitar for less than $200.
Prices will also vary depending on whether you want an acoustic or electric guitar. Often, acoustic guitars at the beginner to intermediate level are cheaper than electric guitars.
Remember, electric guitars also require you to have an amp to play them. The good news is that many electric guitars at this level are bundled with basic amps, so you can start immediately playing.
7 Best Left-Handed Guitars to Consider
Still confused as to what guitar to buy for a left-handed person? Here are seven suggestions that might work. Some are acoustic guitars; others are electric. Some are specifically made for children; others for both adults and children.
1. LyxPro Left Hand 39″ Electric Guitar and Starter
Are you looking for a beginner electric guitar with everything you need to start playing? This 39″ LyxPro Electric Guitar is just that.
LyxPro is an electric guitar manufacturer located in New Jersey. This LyxPro bundle includes everything you need to start playing.
This model is not very expensive: You can find it for $149.00 on Amazon. This is a great price, especially because the full-size guitar is bundled with a 20W amp. It also comes with a digital tuner, a spare set of strings, a carrying bag, a shoulder strap, pics, and the required user manual.
Despite the low pricetag, the LyxPro hasn’t skimped on quality with this guitar. The craftsmanship is pretty nice. It is made with a rosewood neck, maple body, and additional Canadian Maple for accessories.
The pickup is adjustable, which also makes the instrument easy to play. It is a 39″ instrument ready for beginner to intermediate adult and child players, ready to play. Just plug it in and start jamming.
Photo source: amazon.com
2. Donner 39″ Left-Handed Electric Guitar Kit
More than ever before in the past, manufacturers are interested in customers’ needs. Donner has put together a full guitar package at a beginner’s price. It makes finding a guitar to start with much easier.
Donner guitars are made in China, and while they may not be the top quality, their price, make, and style offers excellent sound for what you pay.
These left-handed electric guitars have two classic single coil pickups and a power 203S pickup, and both are adjustable to give the tone a better sound quality no matter the genre of music you play.
The build quality is pretty good too. It is Canadian Maple with a purpleheart wood fingerboard and a solid Poplar body. At 39″, it is appropriately sized for both adults and children. For $149.99 on Amazon, you can’t do any better.
Photo source: amazon.com
3. Left-Handed Acoustic Guitar with Case and Accessories
Are you looking for a basic acoustic guitar to get you started? Here is a simple, no frills left-handed, full-size, black acoustic guitar for beginners. At $59.99 on Amazon, it offers a great starting point.
The guitar comes with a shoulder strap, carrying case, spare strings, and a few sample guitar picks. It tunes well and retains its tuning for a while to give you the notes you want.
Although the construction is pretty basic, you can get some nice sound out of this instrument. And if for some reason you decide that guitar-playing is not your jam, you haven’t invested too much.
Photo source: amazon.com
4. Rise by Sawtooth Left-Handed Full-Size Beginner Electric Guitar Kit
Rise by Sawtooth is another great left-handed electric guitar kit built to meet the needs of people who are beginner players.
This instrument is a full-size 39″ guitar with an amp, cable, strap, picks, strings, and case. Sawtooth guitars are assembled in California and are beginner-level instruments.
For the price, these electric guitars are a great starting point for your career as a musician. For $99.98 on Amazon you get the guitar, amp, strap, gig bag, cable, a three pick sampler, and a pitch pipe.
The build is not bad, either. The guitar has a basswood body, a Maple neck, fretboard, and dot inlays to help you easily see the frets.
Photo source: amazon.com
5. LyxPro Left-Hand 30″ Electric Guitar Kit
Something a bit smaller might be just the ticket for that little “Jimi Hendrix” (another left-handed guitarist) in the family. Lexapro makes a smaller 30″ electric guitar kit for left-handed players.
Kids love this cherry red electric guitar they can use to learn to play their favorite tunes. LyxPro offers a full kit that helps them really rock.
This instrument is a 30″ electric guitar with a Maplewood body and a rosewood neck. The strings are durable steel, giving the guitar that “Twang” sound for those Rock’n’Roll tunes.
LyxPro has outdone itself with a kit with a 20w amp, cable, strap, gig bag, picks, and even a few instructional pieces to start. All for just $149.99 on Amazon. It’s a gift of music you can give to your favorite kid.
Photo source: amazon.com
6. Monkey 38″ Left-Handed Acoustic Guitar
Play those folk songs, jingles, and old familiar tunes with the Monkey—a full-size acoustic guitar that any left-hander can play. Nylon strings make playing easier. New players won’t experience the pain of playing steel strings. Although an inexpensive guitar, it is a wonderful beginner instrument for the $79.99 price tag on Amazon.
Monkey guitars offer a rich, clear sound and are suited to all types of music. Specially designed tuning pegs allow you to tune and keep the instrument tuned for a long time. Adults and children enjoy using Monkey guitars.
Photo source: amazon.com
7. Donner Left-Handed Full 41″ Acoustic DAG-1CL Guitar Kit
Let your dreams fly with the full-size Donner left-handed acoustic guitar kit. You could be another Malina Moye with this guitar bundle set. Mix blues, rock and R&B to create your own unique sound.
It is a left-handed guitar starter kit that comes with the acoustic guitar, gig bag, strap, clip-on tuner, pick guard, and extra string set for just $149.99.
Mahogany and spruce are the tonewoods used in this beautiful instrument. These woods bring out the rich, clear sound of the instrument—one that will take you from beginner to intermediate level without a hitch. It is a guitar to keep by your side for at least a few good years.
Photo source: amazon.com
Don’t Forget Your Accessories
Most of the guitars listed above come in bundles, which are great to get you started. Once you get familiar with your instrument, you may want to upgrade some of those accessories.
Strap
Most of these kits come with basic guitar straps that don’t give you the comfort of better-quality straps. These guitar accessories are relatively inexpensive. You can get a good strap that gives better neck and back support for about $20 to $30.
Guitar Amp
If you have your heart set on an electric guitar, the 20W amp these kits come with are great for practice. However, eventually you will want to get a better amp of at least 50W. They aren’t very expensive, running somewhere along the lines of $50 to $100.
Guitar Strings
Make it a practice to keep an extra set of strings on hand. You never know when a string will break during an important practice or performance session and will need to be quickly replaced.
Maintenance Tips for Your First Guitar
Protecting your beloved guitar is important once you have it. Ideally, you want to keep it at a temperature between 65 to 75 degrees and with a low humidity level of between 45 to 55%. When you can’t do that, use a hard case to protect it from extreme temperatures.
Don’t leave your guitar in the garage or in the car overnight if it is cold outside. It is better to store them indoors, where the temperature is more balanced. Make sure to keep it away from heat vents as air that is too hot and dry can also make the wood brittle; further, direct sunlight can cause fading.
As these are beginner instruments, you may want to preserve the instrument by loosening the guitar strings when you aren’t playing. Beginner instrument tone woods are not as durable, so loosening the strings when you store the guitar relieves stress on the neck, and preserves the guitar for longer.
Advantages to Left-Handed Guitars
Left-handed guitars have their advantages. Besides making it easier for you to learn to play, they also have a more balanced sound, especially when you solo. Left-handed people have a distinct advantage when they play a left-handed guitar because they can more easily reach the higher frets and notes.
Final Thoughts
It isn’t (yet) a proven scientific fact, but many people believe left-handed guitarists are especially creative musicians. People often say that left-handed people are better at sports because of their unique way of doing things. The same is said of left-handed scientists and inventors.
If this notion is correct, then the combination of creativity and innovation would certainly result in some incredible left-handed guitarists. The first hurdle in that musical journey is either getting past the initial learning curve for a standard beginner guitar or taking the time to find a good left-handed instrument so you can learn to play guitar as easily as a right-handed person.
Having a left-handed guitar places you in a very small and very elite group of musicians. Some of the most famous are Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Steve Vai, Joe Perry, Albert King, Brian May, and the aforementioned Kurt Cobain. These left-handed musicians have or had a very specific way of playing that benefits from being left-handed and playing a left-handed guitar.
Just think, you could be the next Tony Iommi if you start out on the right foot—and your left hand—and get a good beginner left-handed guitar.
