Soldato
I'm left handed and I've learnt right handed - its just more practical - there's nothing worse than going round someones house / being in a bar and NOT being able to show your skills off - it takes the fun away
Guitar for my kid - any lefty guitarists here?
- Thread starter d_brennen
- Start date
Late to this so sorry if you already made a decision.
I'm not sure the handedness of the instrument is the issue, after all you don't have a left handed saxophone AFAIK. Young minds are more adaptable and I reckon she'd be fine on either. Of greater importance is general comfort. 9yo might be too young for a full size guitar - I suspect it is. Therefore getting something that fits her body and arms is important. I'd also think carefully about nylon vs wound strings. The biggest issue for most learners is the pain of fingering the strings (fretting hand). A classical guitar with nylon strings will alleviate this but sometimes the neck width can be too wide for kids to get their fingers around especially for barre chords. If it was me I'd be looking for a nylon stringed 3/4 size with as narrow a nut as possible.
My daughter was 11 when she started learning and as with most parents you never know if the interest will hold. I bought her the one below and its actually really good. Nice low action, sounds decent and can be amped. The choices are vast nowadays. Said guitar unfortunately gathers dust hanging on her wall but at least its on £80 worth and occasionally I have a twiddle on it.
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-a...ctro-Acoustic-Guitar-by-Gear4music-Black/10JJ
I'm not sure the handedness of the instrument is the issue, after all you don't have a left handed saxophone AFAIK. Young minds are more adaptable and I reckon she'd be fine on either. Of greater importance is general comfort. 9yo might be too young for a full size guitar - I suspect it is. Therefore getting something that fits her body and arms is important. I'd also think carefully about nylon vs wound strings. The biggest issue for most learners is the pain of fingering the strings (fretting hand). A classical guitar with nylon strings will alleviate this but sometimes the neck width can be too wide for kids to get their fingers around especially for barre chords. If it was me I'd be looking for a nylon stringed 3/4 size with as narrow a nut as possible.
My daughter was 11 when she started learning and as with most parents you never know if the interest will hold. I bought her the one below and its actually really good. Nice low action, sounds decent and can be amped. The choices are vast nowadays. Said guitar unfortunately gathers dust hanging on her wall but at least its on £80 worth and occasionally I have a twiddle on it.
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-a...ctro-Acoustic-Guitar-by-Gear4music-Black/10JJ
Man of Honour
Soldato
- Joined
- 16 Aug 2009
- Posts
- 7,740
Paul McCartnery just used to turn his upside down and restring it... still does on occasion by the look of it seen a few with the pickguard at the top
Lefty guitar player here, but I play right handed. Just felt natural to me, and really that's all I'd ever seen. Like most lefty's I can do numerous things right handed :shrug:
Let her decide imo. Take her to a music store and hand her a guitar and see how she holds it. If she wants to play left handed, so be it. But, it's a massive 'PITA' imo. Especially when you're with friends and don't have 'your' guitar... you can't play a friends.
Trust me when I say that not all guitarists you see playing right handed are 'actually' right handed.
Let her decide imo. Take her to a music store and hand her a guitar and see how she holds it. If she wants to play left handed, so be it. But, it's a massive 'PITA' imo. Especially when you're with friends and don't have 'your' guitar... you can't play a friends.
Trust me when I say that not all guitarists you see playing right handed are 'actually' right handed.
She does everything else like a right handed person except writing and struggles with left handed scissors. I think it's monkey see, monkey do
Might get her this one, looks decent
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-a...BYe1Xtu7eSIgkrzsyOZUl_JehGna0P0RoCiTAQAvD_BwE
Was just worried a cheap one would put her off sticking with it
I agree with that!! Nothing worse than a cheap guitar with horrible action ... especially for a beginner!
Get a decent, middle of the road guitar, that won't actually make her fingers bleed all the time.
One more thing while I'm at it... 
Lessons are a really good idea for a 9 y/o. She'll learn the major chord shapes in no time flat and with practice she'll master them. (Barre chords will take time to master, but she'll get them)
Once she knows all the major chord shapes (not masters... just knows) get her in a more advanced class where the focus is on learning the scales and how to play them.
Not learning to play scales will seriously limit her ability to play even if she never plays lead. I know a lot of mediocre players that can only play chords and have no idea about scales.
Lessons are a really good idea for a 9 y/o. She'll learn the major chord shapes in no time flat and with practice she'll master them. (Barre chords will take time to master, but she'll get them)
Once she knows all the major chord shapes (not masters... just knows) get her in a more advanced class where the focus is on learning the scales and how to play them.
Not learning to play scales will seriously limit her ability to play even if she never plays lead. I know a lot of mediocre players that can only play chords and have no idea about scales.
Man of Honour
So did Hendrix which meant his whammy bar technique was different because it was now on top.
Stevie Ray Vaughan had his whammy bar customised so he controlled it from the top to emulate Hendrix.
Thanks for all the replies, I'm going to get her a gear4music 3/4 right hand and see how she gets on
Soldato
Consider taking it to a local shop/luthier for a good setup I struggled for years playing a guitar with a bad setup and when I finally got it done it transformed it!