Mumsnet Talk

DD is 4.5 and we were given a 1/4 size guitar but the machine heads are totally out of shape and it's untunable. I've been advised it would be better to just buy a new one and dd has been asking for one.

Dd is left handed and I play RH acousitc guitar. I tried the clapping test and she uses both hands, but when I ask her to hold the guitar how she feels most comfortable she definitely holds it LH.

I can get a RH guitar for under 30 quid but LH is 50 or so. Is it worth it? How muchdoes it matter? Frankly, I don't think dd is at all musical, but since she's asking, I'm happy to encorouge her. Anyone else BHDT?

OTOH, she might play better on a LH guitar, OTOH, most guitars she will ever meet will be RH (and it would be a lot easier for me to teach her since I am spatially challenged).

both my ds and dd are left handed and both used acoustic and electric right handed guitars with no trouble.

DD (6) is left handed, but plays her guitar right handed.

The guitar shop should be able to re-string a right handed one for the left hand, rather than resorting to buying a LH one.

Pedantic I know - but I'm not keen on restringing a RH guitar - it's not the same intonation. I don't suppose dd would care - but I would.

How old were your dcs when they first played a cord?

DD was 5, HTH.

Just asked DH (as he's the guitarist here) and he says your DD is better learning on a RH guitar, if they show aptitiude then potentially invest in LH one, but at her age she's probably just going to be bashing it. He also agrees stay away from restringing a RH one because of intonation issues. LH people tend to find their own way either by turning a RH guitar the other way (playing upside), going LH, or just playing striaght RH.

OFC if you're loaded get a LH and if she doesnt like it sell it on!

my dh - guitar teacher/ degree in jazz says....

If it's a classical guitar, there are no intonation issues as the nut and bridge are parallel (as good as) and so there will be no problem. Steel strung acoustic guitars, however, have a compensated, angled bridge, and so wouldn never intonate properly, and also the bracing inside would make it sound unbalanced. I've done this many times for young starter players, and never had any probs. Hope this helps!

DP is L handed but plays right handed, no probs

Thanks guys for your expert advice. I want to get her a classical guitar partly because I think the strings will be easier for her to press. I mainly play (actually have hardly played since she was born ) classical and used to have an acoustic - but I played it so rarely it always hurt my fingers.

So I think I will get a quater-size RH classical style nylon-stringed guitar with a view to restringing if really necessary. If she's just going to play a few chords for fun it would be nice if she could just pick up any guitar and play.

Now dh thinks this is a foolish present altogether as she is so young and shows NO musical talent I see his point, but as I'm playing more she wants to join in and I cannot stand the sound of the guitar she has that can't be tuned.

Anyway, he wants to buy her a humungous box of leggo - far more than she could use (she has a little set) and I know who that is really for.....

steel-strung acoustic, I mean