Shopping for the Leftys?

[leehop71]

It really must be tough for the leftys to shop for guitars. Are there only certain models available? I've never thought about that before.

[charles28722]

As to your questions:

Yes and Yes.

The problem is not availability -many companies large and small offer lefty models. The problem is that no one will stock them.

It is a bit frustrating at times.

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by jackajesusfreak

It really must be tough for the leftys to shop for guitars. Are there only certain models available? I've never thought about that before.

Depends. Some make it easy. Taylor will sell any standard model in a lefty for example (Same price).

I think what is tougher is finding a dealer who carries them. They can order at no up charge.

[leftybanjo]

Many companies won't make Leftys, they won't interrupt production lines. Most custom shops will now make a lefty with no up charge, of course getting to play before you buy can be a challenge. There are now 3-4 Lefty only dealers on the Internet and happily they are honest and very accommodating .

[AZLiberty]

Taylor, Martin, and Larrivee all offer every single model they make as a left-handed version at no extra cost.

Jean Larrivee plays left-handed BTW.

The problem is stocking dealers. Only 7% of the population is left-handed, and a significant portion of lefties either play right handed, or play a right-handed guitar upside down. Thus the population of left handed players is in the low single digits.

I see LOTS of used left-handed instruments for sale though.

[Wade Hampton]

This won't be a proper left-handed guitar thread until some right-handed guitarists chime in, in order to patiently explain to the rest of us that it would be so much easier for all left-handed guitarists if they'd just learn how to play right-handed....

This is always explained so earnestly and sincerely, too!


Wade Hampton "Leftist Tendencies" Miller

[softballbryan]

Different models are not really that big a problem. The problem is being available to try out a variety of different guitars since there are very few places that have an abundance of left-handed models to play.

Bryan

[Tuffythepug]

I play left handed and I've never had difficulty acquiring top quality instruments. I've had Gibsons, Martins, Guilds, Fenders, Gretschs and right now I have 4 Larrivee guitars. The real issue, as stated by others, is finding them in stock at a guitar store so you can try them out first. I've bought most of my guitars based on research and reading reviews and watching videos of guitars I thought I might want; Then ordering them or finding them on ebay or other such sources. Ironically, one of the guitars that I did find in a shop and played beforehand turned out to be one that I just never could bond with and I sold it after a few years. It was a Gibson Hummingbird. I think I was just so excited to find one hanging on the wall of my local guitar shop that I convinced myself I had to have it. Another Gibson, my 93 Gospel, was also hanging in a shop and I loved it then and still do.

It's so much better these days than it was years ago when us lefties usually had to resort to converting right handed guitars to lefties.

[dneal]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

This won't be a proper left-handed guitar thread until some right-handed guitarists chime in, in order to patiently explain to the rest of us that it would be so much easier for all left-handed guitarists if they'd just learn how to play right-handed....

This is always explained so earnestly and sincerely, too!


Wade Hampton "Leftist Tendencies" Miller

I was going to say "it wouldn't be a problem if they would have learned to play the 'right' way..." ba-da-bum... ding!

I certainly see the challenge of finding models to sample, but at least there is the comfort of knowing that they're readily out there at places like lefty guitars only or Jerry's.

[Lefty Guy]

Originally Posted by Tuffythepug

I play left handed and I've never had difficulty acquiring top quality instruments. I've had Gibsons, Martins, Guilds, Fenders, Gretschs and right now I have 4 Larrivee guitars. The real issue, as stated by others, is finding them in stock at a guitar store so you can try them out first. I've bought most of my guitars based on research and reading reviews and watching videos of guitars I thought I might want; Then ordering them or finding them on ebay or other such sources. Ironically, one of the guitars that I did find in a shop and played beforehand turned out to be one that I just never could bond with and I sold it after a few years. It was a Gibson Hummingbird. I think I was just so excited to find one hanging on the wall of my local guitar shop that I convinced myself I had to have it. Another Gibson, my 93 Gospel, was also hanging in a shop and I loved it then and still do.
It's so much better these days than it was years ago when us lefties usually had to resort to converting right handed guitars to lefties.

+100%, exactly my experience in my 8 years of playing/buying guitars.

[Otterhound]

This is one of the reasons that I build .
I shop in my wood pile , not someone else's .
You gotta wonder about the insecurities and egos of right handers .
Check earlier posts in this thread for verification .

[dneal]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

This is one of the reasons that I build .
I shop in my wood pile , not someone else's .
You gotta wonder about the insecurities and egos of right handers .
Check earlier posts in this thread for verification .

You must be reading a different thread...

[Otterhound]

Originally Posted by dneal

You must be reading a different thread...

Cognitive issues ?
Since you are having difficulty understanding ...
I do my guitar shopping from my own wood pile and then build it . This way , I am not at the mercy of any shop other than my own .
Concerning the part that you highlighted , please refer to the Wade Hampton post .
Totally unnecessary and unrelated to the original topic .

[dneal]

Originally Posted by Otterhound

Cognitive issues ?
Since you are having difficulty understanding ...
I do my guitar shopping from my own wood pile and then build it . This way , I am not at the mercy of any shop other than my own .
Concerning the part that you highlighted , please refer to the Wade Hampton post .
Totally unnecessary and unrelated to the original topic .

Regarding cognitive issues, I bolded the quoted text because that's what I was addressing. I couldn't care less about your woodpile.

I don't see WH's post as derogatory. You seem to have brought some baggage in with you.

Have fun with your woodpile and this thread...

[Zorker]

A good luthier can adapt most any right guitar to left. In most cases it makes very little tone change.