Any ideas on a 3/4 LEFT HANDED Electric Guitar kit for my son?

[BAMAVOO]

I have found a few online, but not being a guitar person is there really a giant difference in all the lower priced kits?


Thanks

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Gibson486]

They are probably all made from the place.....that said, don't go buying one of those kits from Toys R us or Best Buy.

 

[BAMAVOO]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
They are probably all made from the place.....that said, don't go buying one of those kits from Toys R us or Best Buy.

Gibson - hehe. We went into the Gibson store at the mall yesterday. I picked up guitars ranging from $3500-$10,800 I am looking for something along the lines of this kit.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: BAMAVOO

Originally posted by: Gibson486
They are probably all made from the place.....that said, don't go buying one of those kits from Toys R us or Best Buy.

Gibson - hehe. We went into the Gibson store at the mall yesterday. I picked up guitars ranging from $3500-$10,800 I am looking for something along the lines of this kit.

When you get that low in price, the differences don't really matter anymore. That said...you could do worse. As long as it is not from target, Best Buy, or any place like that. WHen you ago there, youa re getting the cheapest of the cheap. Try Musiciansfriend.com or samedaymusic.com

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: BAMAVOO

Originally posted by: Gibson486
They are probably all made from the place.....that said, don't go buying one of those kits from Toys R us or Best Buy.

Gibson - hehe. We went into the Gibson store at the mall yesterday. I picked up guitars ranging from $3500-$10,800 I am looking for something along the lines of this kit.

Tell him what my dad told me... "I'm getting you "this". If you want "that" , either build it or buy it yourself. Good Luck, I'll help you with whatever you decide to do."
And with that, I kindly shut up, took the acoustic guitar, learned how to play, and then in a week or two the girls will tear you apart... no that's the song... I actually learned to build them and repair them and made THAT a career, but that's just me. YMMV, and that's the truth aboiut "That".

And when I saw "kit" I was thinking "build it yourself" and I went to http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,_wood.html and started looking for 3/4 left handed .....

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft
And when I saw "kit" I was thinking "build it yourself" and I went to http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,_wood.html and started looking for 3/4 left handed .....

I thought the same thing, but then I read the post. Would have been cooler if you'd been right, though

 

[BAMAVOO]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: BAMAVOO

Originally posted by: Gibson486
They are probably all made from the place.....that said, don't go buying one of those kits from Toys R us or Best Buy.

Gibson - hehe. We went into the Gibson store at the mall yesterday. I picked up guitars ranging from $3500-$10,800 I am looking for something along the lines of this kit.

Tell him what my dad told me... "I'm getting you "this". If you want "that" , either build it or buy it yourself. Good Luck, I'll help you with whatever you decide to do."
And with that, I kindly shut up, took the acoustic guitar, learned how to play, and then in a week or two the girls will tear you apart... no that's the song... I actually learned to build them and repair them and made THAT a career, but that's just me. YMMV, and that's the truth aboiut "That".

And when I saw "kit" I was thinking "build it yourself" and I went to http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bodies,_necks,_wood.html and started looking for 3/4 left handed .....

I forgot to mention he is 6 years old. Has a full set of drums in his room and doesn't need anything super high quality at this point. He has an acoustic guitar, so this is why I am being cheeeeeap!

 

[Oceandevi]

Put the strings on upside down and flip one over.

 

[Lonyo]

Make him learn right handed.

 

[Amoreena]

Originally posted by: Oceandevi
Put the strings on upside down and flip one over.

a la Jimi Hendrix

 

[Fritzo]

Email Fender customer service. Their Fender Squire Mini is a GREAT 3/4 guitar, and they may make a left handed one for $99.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
Email Fender customer service. Their Fender Squire Mini is a GREAT 3/4 guitar, and they may make a left handed one for $99.

Yep, this is the winner.

 

[nerp]

He's 6. He can play right handed. He'll learn just fine and he'll actually have his more capable hand doing the fingering. He'll be a better player in the long run and won't have to deal with any complications with fingering charts, etc. Many ballplayers bat left but throw right. At his age and skill level, I'd just get him started and worry about left handed gutiars later.

 

[SludgeFactory]

SX will probably be OK, there seems to be good word of mouth about their Fender bass copies in particular. I don't blame you for going cheap, I wouldn't go sinking a bunch of money into a 3/4 scale guitar either. RondoMusic.com does a lot of lefty models BTW with their SX and Agile stuff from China, and I kind of doubt you're going to find a lot of other options in the lefty 3/4 market. You can contact Fender about the Squier, but I doubt they do that model in lefty.

Check Ebay for 3/4 guitars too, you can get 30% off (up to $200 off) on Buy It Now listings with MS Live search. Rondo sells new guitars on there under the username kurtzentmaier. That discount is awesome for musical instruments.

The amps in those beginner packs are always a total POS, I'd just buy the guitar and get a separate little amp or modeler for him.

 

[JS80]

Wait, so does that mean he's only 1/4 right handed?

 

[SludgeFactory]

Originally posted by: nerp
He's 6. He can play right handed. He'll learn just fine and he'll actually have his more capable hand doing the fingering. He'll be a better player in the long run and won't have to deal with any complications with fingering charts, etc. Many ballplayers bat left but throw right. At his age and skill level, I'd just get him started and worry about left handed gutiars later.

I took that advice when I started and really wish I hadn't. I think he's doing a good thing, letting his son go at it lefthanded.

The demands on the picking hand are *woefully* underestimated in these lefty vs. righty threads. If you're hardcore lefty and play air guitar that way and instinctively pick up the instrument that way, IMO it's not worth banging your head against the wall and wasting the precision and proprioception and rhythm of your dominant hand on the fretboard.

 

[Jesusthewererabbit]

That SX combo is probably about as good as you are going to get for what you want. Most of what I've read about their guitars is very good for the price you pay. A short scale lefty is just hard to find. As long as it has decent playability and the frets are in good condition, it would be a very good starter guitar for a 6 year old.

In a few years, he will be ready for one of these!

 

[BAMAVOO]

He already has an acoustic that he plays upside down. I can't get him to switch. He even plays guitar hero upside down. The problem with turning it upside down is even if you switch the strings it will not be setup correctly. The strings are different lengths and other issues.


I will look at the Squire Mini.

Thanks

 

[Kalmah]

I am left handed as well and did the whole upside-down guitar thing for several years before I got a good one.

DO NOT BUY A GUITAR FROM ANYTHING BUT A MUSIC STORE.

Just trust me..

I would suggest finding a local music store.. big or small. There are usually some nice ones hiding in strip malls. My first actual left-handed guitar was a Gibson Epiphone. It was a fantastic guitar. I believe it was in the $500 area. I was about 16 when I got it.

As for the amp.. man, I used one of those cheapo $40 amps for a couple years as well. It does not encourage practicing; it sounded so horrible.
I think the cheapest option for this is to get one of those small effects processors with the volume pedal..(distortion, effects...) If you have a decent stereo he can use that has a line-in jack you can plug it into that. Or he could use headphones.

If you go with an actual amp, I wouldn't spend less than $400 on it.. It's a waste of money to buy a cheap amp usually.

 

[TechBoyJK]

Originally posted by: Kalmah
DO NOT BUY A GUITAR FROM ANYTHING BUT A MUSIC STORE.
Just trust me..

Ehhh...

I agree to a point. Guitars, even the same models, have differences. That's why its usually better to buy from a store and buy the guitar you picked up and liked.

However,

If you go with Carvin, who custom builds and direct ships their guitars, you'll get a perfect guitar. THey make lefties too. Google Carvin, its the best guitar you can buy for the money.

 

[jemcam]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Make him learn right handed.

My 11 year old left handed son has been playing a right handed guitar for two years now as a rightie without a problem.

 

[Chiller2]

In my Opinion there is a lot of difference between a $100 -$200 guitar and a $500-$600 but not as much of a difference between a 500-$600 and a $1000-$1200 guitar.
That said for a 6yr old a $100 starter pack will probably be fine. If he maintains interest and improves you can buy a better guitar then.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Oceandevi
Put the strings on upside down and flip one over.

I did this on my son's guitar.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: jemcam

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Make him learn right handed.

My 11 year old left handed son has been playing a right handed guitar for two years now as a rightie without a problem.

When I was in high school, I knew a couple lefties that learned to play, one of them right handed, and two years later, I couldn't really tell any difference in their competence level.
Certainly easier to find a guitar if a lefty learns to play right-handed.

 

[Poulsonator]

I am left-handed, and learned to play right-handed as well.

This advice was given to me by quite a few guitarists that I know, several of them who were left-handed themselves. Two of the biggest reasons why they said to do this was because of the incredibly selection of right-handed guitars, and the fact that your dominant hand (left) would be doing the intricate fretboard work.

Before I started playing, I would air-guitar lefty and couldn't imagine playing right-handed. Now that I've been a serious player for about 6.5 years, I cannot imagine playing left-handed. At all. And I have an unlimited selection of guitars to choose from.