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Original poster

Need a half-size, left handed guitar - where do I go?

19 replies

purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 21:49

We'd like to get ds a guitar for his birthday, and although he's only going to be 3 he's definitely a lefty. So where do I look for a half-size, left handed guitar?

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Milliways · 09/01/2006 21:55

My DS had a half size at 6 - so may be too big for a 3 yr old. At 10 he is still on a 3/4.

You can buy a half size and restring it the other way up. They cost less than £40 from the music shops. I think even Argos sell them.

chicagomum · 09/01/2006 21:58

DD is 4 and is a lefty. She got a guitar for her birthday this weekend and it can be restrung, (we didn't give it to her,mil did so will ask her tomorrow and report back).

Original poster
purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 21:59

Thanks Milliways. Dh is muttering something about a scratchboard, but I think the cheaper guitars probably don't have those anyway. having never played a guitar myself this is all new to me.

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Original poster
purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 22:00

Thanks Chicagomum.

You know, MN is more use than Google!

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Milliways · 09/01/2006 22:02

Cheap guitars are fine for beginners, they really sound quite nice (better than expensive violins for beginners ). DS is doing grade 2 on a £40 model. Will splashout when full size required.

MerlinsBeard · 09/01/2006 22:04

dp is a guitar player and says as its a new skill it doesn't matter whether u learn left or right handed. it will still have to be LEARNED to start with. If ur ds carried on playing there is more choice for right handed players than for left handed.

Original poster
purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 22:04

I'm not intending to spend more than I have to, because I want to allow him to play with it! I am not having one of those horrible orange ELC monstrosities, if I can get something that could actually be musical!

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Original poster
purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 22:06

But he was playing with a guitar yesterday, and he definitely had it the 'wrong' way round.

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starlover · 09/01/2006 22:07

even if you're learning a new skill, it's stil easier to do it with your dominant hand on the neck... doing all the fingering

starlover · 09/01/2006 22:07

learning to write is a skill... but we don't make lefties do it with the other hand!

MerlinsBeard · 09/01/2006 22:09

a question was asked, i asked a professional guitar player, i typed his reply

take it or leave it don;t have a go was trying to help

Original poster
purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 22:10

Thanks Starlover - I was beginning to wonder if I'm being over-indulgent.

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Milliways · 09/01/2006 22:14

We were talking about this last week as friends lefty son wants to learn. One man at church is lefty & plays on a conventionally strung guitar, but he strums. For classical playing, the right hand does more than the left.

At 3, to play about with, let him do what's comfortable?

Original poster
purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 22:14

YOu were helping mumofmonsters. Don't mean to sound like we're having a go. Sorry.

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Original poster
purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 22:16

Milliways - that's why we're looking for a left-handed guitar really. I wouldn't want to put him off so early, and i'm not really expecting him to learn to play it just yet - it's more for familiarity, and I'm sure he'll have a lot of fun regardless.

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starlover · 09/01/2006 22:17

i can play a bit, and my friend has a left-handed guitar and i cannot do it at all!
i guess it depends on the person, but at 3 he is really just going to be playing around isn't he? he'll do it how he wants!

MerlinsBeard · 09/01/2006 22:19

no luck finding half size or even 3 quarter lefty tho

Original poster
purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 22:22

That's what brought me here! Although I did turn up a closed listing on Ebay that suggests they do exist. Probably easier and cheaper to do the re-stringing thing.

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Original poster
purpleturtle · 09/01/2006 22:23

Or he could always just play upside-down music.

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