Left hand acoustic guitar – for beginners

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nwgilbert

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Hi, I am looking to learn acoustic guitar and been doing some research into beginner guitars for quite some time. Originally I settled and decided on the Yamaha FG800M.


After taking further conservation I thought it would be worth exploring whether or not I am left handed (since I am ambidextrous and left hand in most things).

After a few tests, I am certain that I am left handed in guitar.

I soon learnt that left hand guitars are much more limited and costly than right hand.


So I spent some time looking for another guitar for beginners and came across the Yamaha FG820L.

So I am heading in this direction, however the reason for my posting here is that I have also seen that you can refit the strings in a right hand guitar to be for left handed.

Does anyone know if that's possible and easily achievable and the disadvantages of doing this, rather than buying a left hand guitar?
 

Boblets

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G'day mate, welcome to the arena.

It is possible to refit the strings but you also need to adjust the angle of the bridge saddle and change the nut. Depending upon the quality of the guitar, the bracing may be different on each side of the top.

As a fellow lefty, I would suggest that you start with a left handed guitar. Base model Yamaha acoustics are usually well made and suitable to learn with. If you buy one from a store, ask them to set the guitar up properly so it will be easier to play.

If you are unsure about your orientation, play air guitar and see which side comes naturally.
 

Bill Sheehan

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Gilbert, consider playing a standard off-the-shelf "righty strung" guitar upside down like I do. Your left hand will be your "strumming" hand, and your right hand will be your "fretting" hand. Your high "e" string will be situated nearest your chin, while your low "E" string will be situated down low, nearest the floor. It's not the most common way for a lefty to approach the instrument, but it has worked for me for over 50 years now.
 

Blister

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Hi, I am looking to learn acoustic guitar and been doing some research into beginner guitars for quite some time. Originally I settled and decided on the Yamaha FG800M.


After taking further conservation I thought it would be worth exploring whether or not I am left handed (since I am ambidextrous and left hand in most things).

After a few tests, I am certain that I am left handed in guitar.

I soon learnt that left hand guitars are much more limited and costly than right hand.


So I spent some time looking for another guitar for beginners and came across the Yamaha FG820L.

So I am heading in this direction, however the reason for my posting here is that I have also seen that you can refit the strings in a right hand guitar to be for left handed.

Does anyone know if that's possible and easily achievable and the disadvantages of doing this, rather than buying a left hand guitar?
I'm forced to play left handed. If you can do yourself a favor and play right-handed. The world is against left-handed people in designs for anything.
 

otterhound

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You need not change the saddle or bridge unless you are concerned with intonation . Not a real concern for a beginner in my book . Replacing the nut will become necessary for a guitar that is set up for ease of play . Once you move on , you can easily restore the righty to it's original orientation or not . Your call .
I suggest that you try different sizes to find your comfort and go from there .
Yes , you can learn lefty/righty , if you like .
Left handed guitar selection is no longer as limited as it once was , last century issue .
Most important is to play lefty or righty as you feel comfortable . It is no sin to play lefty . In fact , your guitar is far less likely to be nicked or borrowed .
 

Preacher

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Back in the day I was a fan of Wayman's as we played BBall in the same league in high school. I had seen him play guitar once and his fingerings for chords looked weird. It was years later that I discovered that he turned a right handed guitar upside down and played with the high E closest to his chin.

It does make a nice sounding guitar when you strum high to low.
 

nwgilbert

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Thank you for all of your replies. I've received very mixed opinions across multiple boards.

Taking everything into account and with further research, I am leaning towards left handed and paying the extra buck to get a left handed guitar from factory.
I understand the extra complications down the line but I know in myself that I will be better suited in the long run to play left handed. Right handed feels so wrong for me when comparing to left.

An opinion which has been stated numerous times is that learning guitar from new is a ***** as it is so if you can do yourself a favour and play something that feels more naturally comfortable then it will massively help as you'll be more likely to enjoy and continue playing. I think this outweighs those negatives, regardless of the added complications of learning as a left hander and not being able to walk into a room and pickup any guitar.

This is the model I am looking to buy from Dawsons - (link removed)
This seems to be a great model to go for as a beginner. What are others thoughts on this model?

I am also looking to buy picks, tuner, strap and capo - is there any particular brand or shop you would recommend getting these parts from?
- ideally I could order it all from Dawsons along with the guitar but I'm open to buying these parts elsewhere if need be.
 

ale.istotle

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Thank you for all of your replies. I've received very mixed opinions across multiple boards.

Taking everything into account and with further research, I am leaning towards left handed and paying the extra buck to get a left handed guitar from factory.
I understand the extra complications down the line but I know in myself that I will be better suited in the long run to play left handed. Right handed feels so wrong for me when comparing to left.

An opinion which has been stated numerous times is that learning guitar from new is a ***** as it is so if you can do yourself a favour and play something that feels more naturally comfortable then it will massively help as you'll be more likely to enjoy and continue playing. I think this outweighs those negatives, regardless of the added complications of learning as a left hander and not being able to walk into a room and pickup any guitar.

This is the model I am looking to buy from Dawsons - (link removed)
This seems to be a great model to go for as a beginner. What are others thoughts on this model?

I am also looking to buy picks, tuner, strap and capo - is there any particular brand or shop you would recommend getting these parts from?
- ideally I could order it all from Dawsons along with the guitar but I'm open to buying these parts elsewhere if need be.

That's a nice choice. Yamaha will not let you down.
Picks - get an assorted pack. You won't know what you prefer until you try different thicknesses and materials.
Strap - Not sure if the guitar has two strap buttons or even one based on the photos. Most have one at the base so you can probably count on that. Maybe get a strap you can tie at the headstock so you don't need to worry about mounting a second button at the heel.
upload_2021-2-23_9-20-33.png

Any inexpensive clip-on headstock tuner will do. Maybe just check the reviews before adding to basket.
 

beninma

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If you're really sure you want to play lefty then that is probably the right choice.

You don't have to though.. there are lots of us lefties who just play a right handed guitar. That's what I do.

All it means is that you have an advantage with your fretting hand when you start out and a disadvantage with your picking hand. Right handed players who play a right handed guitar learn picking more easily and have more challenge fretting. It's 6 of one, half dozen of the other.

Guitar is a 2-handed thing.. no matter who you are or what orientation guitar you use you have a ton of fine motor skills to learn and you are going to have to learn some of them with your off hand.
 

Fretting out

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My fellow lefties aren’t gonna like me for this but....
If you are just learning I’d seriously consider learning right handed

I’m a lefty that was “encouraged” to play right handed and I’m actually pretty grateful

After all....instruments are unnatural things and are a little uncomfortable either way when being learned

There are a lot more options out there today but it’s still pretty limited

Just my 2 cents and something to mull over if your not to far in your guitar journey
 

nwgilbert

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My fellow lefties aren’t gonna like me for this but....
If you are just learning I’d seriously consider learning right handed

I’m a lefty that was “encouraged” to play right handed and I’m actually pretty grateful

After all....instruments are unnatural things and are a little uncomfortable either way when being learned

There are a lot more options out there today but it’s still pretty limited

Just my 2 cents and something to mull over if your not to far in your guitar journey


@Fretting out Out of curiousity, what is the reason you're so grateful that you went right handed?
 

Musekatcher

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I soon learnt that left hand guitars are much more limited and costly than right hand.

Not really. Plenty of lefties from cheap to decedent. For a beginner, who doesn't have a local store that will perform a setup so it plays without unnecessary pain and difficulty, I'd recommend a Martin D Jr, or a Taylor Big Baby. The smaller profile will help a lot with position and posture while you develop hand and arm muscles and coordination, and both come setup reasonably easy to play. And both sound like a full-sized guitar.

Lefty instruments were hard to find 20 years ago. Not anymore. PS - you will find local stores that refuse to carry lefty instruments on principle, projecting the fallacy there are no lefty instruments. Funny stuff.
 

24 track

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Hi, I am looking to learn acoustic guitar and been doing some research into beginner guitars for quite some time. Originally I settled and decided on the Yamaha FG800M.


After taking further conservation I thought it would be worth exploring whether or not I am left handed (since I am ambidextrous and left hand in most things).

After a few tests, I am certain that I am left handed in guitar.

I soon learnt that left hand guitars are much more limited and costly than right hand.


So I spent some time looking for another guitar for beginners and came across the Yamaha FG820L.

So I am heading in this direction, however the reason for my posting here is that I have also seen that you can refit the strings in a right hand guitar to be for left handed.

Does anyone know if that's possible and easily achievable and the disadvantages of doing this, rather than buying a left hand guitar?

the beauty of yamaha lefties is , a yamaha will mellow with age , and sound outstanding with new strings on them 40 years later ( i have 2 ) they are not a bad investment
failing that a lefty epiphone acoustic or simon and patrick, or seagull are really great intermediate and fine sounding guitars, I have tried takamine fine instrument ,however the neck at the nut was too small for my sausage fingers so i sold it
 

Fretting out

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@Fretting out Out of curiousity, what is the reason you're so grateful that you went right handed?

The thing I found most beneficial is that I can walk into any regular guitar store and try any guitar I want
I don’t have to wonder if a guitar I like is available or not
Just the options Are the biggest positive


I will say though that I might have better dexterity if I played left handed but that may just be because I have a mutant left hand that I fret with

It all comes down to comfort and what you think is best

I just thought I’d throw it out there in case it was a consideration
 

VintageSG

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Yamaha make superb guitars. Buying a Yamaha isn't a decision you'll regret. If you can though, hold on until the grip of the BeerVirus has lessened and you can get to a shop. Always worth buying from a shop. Try a leftie, try a righty. Wilko and Joe Strummer?, lefties ( in more ways than one )
One of my Sons ( I have spares ) is a leftie who plays Ukulele as a righty. He could not get on with leftie stringing at all. His left hand formed chord shapes naturally, while his right baulked trying. His right hand keeps rhythm while his left is best left unmentioned.

Whatever works for you is correct for you. Look up the basic D + C chord shapes, print them out and try them on left and right handed guitars. Doesn't matter whether they're acoustic or electric. It's the hand feel. Whichever feels less forced is your fretting hand.

Then buy the Yamaha of your choice and handedness.
 
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