If you are left handed, buy a left handed guitar. The old advice to learn right handed because lefty models are scarce is out of date, and playing an instrument that fights your dominant hand makes an already difficult first year harder than it needs to be.
The one real caveat is choice. Left handed models exist across every price bracket, but any given range will offer fewer finishes and fewer body styles than the right handed equivalent. That is an inconvenience at purchase time, not a reason to learn backwards.
Key takeaways
- A left handed guitar mirrors the whole instrument, including the nut, the bridge, and the bracing inside an acoustic.
- Selection is narrower than for right handed players, so decide on the body style first and search within it.
- Restringing a right handed guitar upside down is a compromise, not a fix, and it causes intonation and nut problems.
- Some left handed players do learn right handed successfully, usually those who have not started yet and have no strong preference.
- Chord diagrams and tab work fine for lefties once you learn to read them mirrored, and most learning apps have a left handed mode.
What makes a guitar left handed
A proper left handed guitar is a mirror image, not just a reversed string order. The nut slots are cut in reverse widths so each string sits correctly. The bridge saddle is angled the opposite way, which is what keeps the instrument in tune as you move up the neck. On an acoustic, the internal bracing and the position of the bridge plate are also mirrored, and on many electrics the body contours, control layout, and jack position change too.
That is why simply reversing the strings on a right handed guitar does not work well. The nut slots end up the wrong width, the thick low E sits in a slot cut for a thin high E, and the compensated saddle now leans in the wrong direction so the guitar plays sharp or flat as you go up the neck. It is playable, and generations of players have done it, but it is a workaround with real costs.
Should a lefty just learn right handed?
Some do, and it works for them. The argument in its favour is that both hands have demanding jobs on a guitar, and the fretting hand arguably does the more intricate work, so a left handed person fretting with their strong hand is not obviously disadvantaged.
The argument against is simpler. Strumming and picking control the rhythm and the dynamics, and rhythm is what most people find hardest at the start. If your right hand feels clumsy holding a pick, you will spend months fixing a problem you did not need to create.
A practical way to decide before you buy: hold a broom handle like a guitar without thinking about it, and see which way round it lands. Whatever feels natural in that first unforced attempt is usually the right answer. Once you have chosen, commit, because switching after six months means starting over.
What to expect when shopping
- Fewer options per range. Expect one or two finishes rather than six, and expect some models to have no left handed version at all.
- Bundles are a good route. Left handed starter packages exist and often bundle the case, strap, tuner, and picks, which saves hunting for lefty specific extras. Our guide to what is in a guitar starter bundle covers what is worth having.
- Straps, cases, and stands are handed neutral. Only the guitar itself needs to be left handed.
- Check the setup on arrival. Local shops stock fewer lefty models, so they get handled less and may sit longer before sale. See guitar action and setup explained for what to look at.
- Resale is slower. There are fewer buyers, so plan to keep a lefty guitar rather than treat it as a stepping stone.
Learning materials and left handed players
Chord charts are drawn for right handed players by default, which means a lefty has to mentally flip them. Most people adapt within a few weeks, and it stops being a conscious step quickly. Most tuition apps and many chord reference sites include a left handed display mode, so turn that on early rather than training yourself on mirrored diagrams.
Video lessons are the awkward part, since a right handed teacher on screen is already mirrored from your point of view. Some lefties find that helpful, because the teacher’s fretting hand appears on the same side as their own. Others prefer to search out left handed instructors. Either approach works, and it is worth trying both before deciding.
Four left handed guitars worth a look
These four cover acoustic and electric, full size and compact, and each is reviewed in full on this site.
- Fender CD-60S left handed acoustic bundle. A solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides, and a neck with rolled fingerboard edges that reduces finger fatigue. A sensible first acoustic for a left handed beginner who wants a recognised name.
- Vangoa left handed acoustic kit. Built specifically for left handed players with a C shaped neck and fret markings, supplied with a padded bag, tuner, capo, picks, strap, and spare strings. Good value if you want everything in one purchase.
- Yamaha Pacifica PAC112JL. A left handed electric with a solid alder body, an H-S-S pickup layout, and a vintage style tremolo. The pick for a lefty who wants one electric that covers a wide range of styles.
- Donner DST-100BL left handed kit. A left handed electric package with HSS pickups, a rechargeable mini amp, a padded gig bag, strap, and cable. Suits a beginner who wants to plug in on day one without buying an amp separately.
You can also browse the acoustic guitars and electric guitars sections directly. If you are still deciding between the two, read acoustic versus electric for beginners first.
Common questions
Can I just flip a right handed guitar over?
You can restring one in reverse, but the nut slots and the angled bridge saddle will both be wrong, which affects tuning stability and intonation up the neck. A guitar technician can cut a new nut and fit a reversed saddle, which improves matters considerably. On an acoustic, internal bracing still stays mirrored the wrong way.
Do left handed guitars cost more?
Within the same model and range they are usually offered on comparable terms, though production runs are smaller so fewer variants exist. The bigger practical difference is availability rather than what you pay.
Is it too late to switch if I already started right handed?
If you are only a few weeks in and it feels wrong, switch now. If you have been playing for a year and it is going fine, stay where you are. Progress you have already built is worth more than a theoretical advantage.
Are left handed strings different?
No. Guitar strings are identical regardless of handedness, and you fit them in the same order relative to the instrument. Only the guitar body and hardware need to be built the other way round.
