Best affordable lefty short scale smaller body guitar?

[mcmars]

I am helping an old high school girlfriend get back into guitar. She wants to re learn and play folk songs. She has an older cheap dread that is hard to play and she wants a smaller body guitar. I told her I would look into options for her.

She is talking under $200, but I am thinking for a lefty, that might be near impossible. She is working on some graphic art work for a business car now and maybe I chip in another $100 to see what $300 might do for a nicer lefty smaller guitar. Any suggestions?

[mcmars]

I found this orangewood on sale today for $189 with a cyber monday deal. It has solid top. 25.5 scale, but might be good as it gets in this price range? https://orangewoodguitars.com/collec...ny-left-handed

[phydaux]

Yamaha JR1/JR2

But I don’t know if they make them in lefty

[mcmars]

Originally Posted by phydaux

Yamaha JR1/JR2

But I don’t know if they make them in lefty

Thanks! I looked and looks like yamaha only makes a couple lefty acoustics, a dread at $379 and a fancier one for almost twice that price.

With the popularity of larger dread sizes, it is looking to be a challenge to find an affordable smaller sized lefty guitar.

I found this used ibanez at a guitar Center near austin where my friend lives and it might be a good choice :
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Ib...kaAu2pEALw_wcB

[phydaux]

$300 is a tough price point. I'm 90% sure you can get a lefty GS Mini, but that's going to be more like $600.

[phydaux]

"I am helping an old high school girlfriend get back into guitar"

So you're helping her get back into guitar, and you get back into her...



(JK, but it you pitch a slowball I'm gonna swing )

[sinistral]

The Yamaha Jrs are available in lefty versions and are priced nicely, but they’re on the small side. I think a used, non-electric base model GS Mini would be a great choice, and should be close to $300. Here’s a mahogany model for $350:

https://reverb.com/item/39842155-tay...gany-2012-2020

A guitar like this Ibanez might also work:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

It has a 24.41” scale length and a fairly narrow nut width.

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by mcmars

Thanks! I looked and looks like yamaha only makes a couple lefty acoustics, a dread at $379 and a fancier one for almost twice that price.

With the popularity of larger dread sizes, it is looking to be a challenge to find an affordable smaller sized lefty guitar.

I found this used ibanez at a guitar Center near austin where my friend lives and it might be a good choice :
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Ib...kaAu2pEALw_wcB

That looks like a decent option as well. Southpaw Guitars is in your/her area. Give them a call to see what they have—they have lots of guitars in inventory that aren’t on their website.

[mcmars]

Thanks! that GS mini is $450 with shipping, yikes! I love the tiny PNI, but thinking it is only right handed.

No comments on the orangewood oliver, I did some internet reading and U tubing, it looks too good to be true and the videos are all super processed and sound like a collins, lol. But might be best option for an under $200 lefty and it has solid hog top, bone nut and saddle, gig bag and a kit with tuner, capo, strap for under $200 with cyber monday deal, hummm???

Originally Posted by sinistral

The Yamaha Jrs are available in lefty versions and are priced nicely, but they’re on the small side. I think a used, non-electric base model GS Mini would be a great choice, and should be close to $300. Here’s a mahogany model for $350:

https://reverb.com/item/39842155-tay...gany-2012-2020

A guitar like this Ibanez might also work:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

It has a 24.41” scale length and a fairly narrow nut width.

[Wellington]

Wow, did some searching, lefties definitely have restrictions with what's available! I always thought hendrix and Paul McCartney were cool playing right handed guitars upside down, just get a new nut and flip and right handed, take off pickguard if necessary.

[RogerPease]

That is a tough ask: low-priced, small lefty.
Maybe a Taylor Big Baby. Just a little above your price point.
Hopefully not too big.

With a low-priced lefty dread you would have several good options.
Let us know what you come up with.

_Roger

[mcmars]

Originally Posted by Wellington

Wow, did some searching, lefties definitely have restrictions with what's available! I always thought hendrix and Paul McCartney were cool playing right handed guitars upside down, just get a new nut and flip and right handed, take off pickguard if necessary.

The real issue is the slot in the bridge that has an angle for intonation. If it was a more valuable guitar, then not to bad to fill in the slot and re-cut it but, not with a cheaper guitar. Lefty want-to-be guitar players have a challenge, unless they want to play like Elizabeth Cotton and play upside down.

[mcmars]

Originally Posted by phydaux

"I am helping an old high school girlfriend get back into guitar"

So you're helping her get back into guitar, and you get back into her...



(JK, but it you pitch a slowball I'm gonna swing )

Haha, us gals call all our friends "girlfriends", but nice try!

[NotveryGood]

Alvarez. I have a small bodied lefty AP70 and its a lot of guitar for not much (Though admittedly a new one is above the mentioned budget). Others have been and gone but this is still with me.Things aren't as bad for lefties as they once were.