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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Left Handed Acoustics

tralfamadantralfamadan Frets: 31
in Acoustics
Maybe this is a dumb question  B) but - ignoring cutaways - what makes a Left Handed Acoustic Left Handed?

Pickguard on the other side, okay. Takamine style asymmetric neck profiles, yes makes sense. Otherwise? Are they braced differently to accommodate the inverted string arrangement? Externally most acoustics seem fairly symmetrical.

Why am I asking? Keep seeing Left handed models of guitars I want selling cheaper than the RH equivalents. I'm quite happy playing with an upside-down pickguard but if I reverse the strings and its likely to contort itself into a splintery wreck of soon-to-be firewood then I will hold the trigger on buying one.
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Comments

  • CHRISB50CHRISB50 Frets: 4001

    Bridge and nut I guess, but both can be changed.


    I'd imagine (I am no expert) that some more high end guitars may be braced differently between the bass and treble side, but I don't think it would affect the structural integrity. I would presume it may just sound different strung the other way round. Even then I'm sure most wouldn't necessarily notice.


    Out of interest what left hand models have you spotted cheaper than their right handed counterparts?! I'm left handed :)

    I can't help about the shape I'm in, I can't sing I ain't pretty and my legs are thin

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  • tralfamadantralfamadan Frets: 31
    edited April 2018
    CHRISB50 said:

    Out of interest what left hand models have you spotted cheaper than their right handed counterparts?! I'm left handed

    There were a couple more I now can't find, but this was the one that made me curious:
    https://reverb.com/item/7149282-larrivee-d-40-legacy-series-natural-satin-rare-left-handed-model

    ~£300 less than the RH model
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  • earwighoneyearwighoney Frets: 3380
    tralfamadan said:
    Maybe this is a dumb question  B) but - ignoring cutaways - what makes a Left Handed Acoustic Left Handed?

    Pickguard on the other side, okay. Takamine style asymmetric neck profiles, yes makes sense. Otherwise? Are they braced differently to accommodate the inverted string arrangement? Externally most acoustics seem fairly symmetrical.

    Why am I asking? Keep seeing Left handed models of guitars I want selling cheaper than the RH equivalents. I'm quite happy playing with an upside-down pickguard but if I reverse the strings and its likely to contort itself into a splintery wreck of soon-to-be firewood then I will hold the trigger on buying one.
    The Larrivee you linked will not work right handed as not is the bracing for set for that particular configuration the saddle itself is relevant for a left handed guitar.  

    Aside from that series of Larrivees, most if not all other have symmetric bracing but again it's not really possible to convert a left handed to right handed as the bridge is angled for compensation.  

    If you google Martin bracing patterns you'll see how guitars are braced asymmetrically. 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 69426
    Don’t even think about it. It’s hard enough to properly convert a right-handed acoustic to left handed, and there’s actually a legitimate reason to do that given the rarity of left-handed acoustics.

    It probably won’t fall apart, but it won’t sound right and will not play in tune.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

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