Guitars have an unmistakable appeal in the world of music.
Their adaptability and distinctive sounds have enthralled various musicians throughout history.
Finding an appropriate instrument, meanwhile, can occasionally be difficult for left-handed people.
Did you know it’s possible to restring an electric guitar to be left-handed?
You can restring a standard right-handed guitar to play it with your left hand, and the strings will be in the correct position.
The restringing process follows a similar procedure to a right-handed guitar.
Can You Convert a Right-Handed Guitar To A Left-Handed Guitar?
You may, indeed! It can be used as a left-handed guitar by flipping it over.
The high-E string is on top of most lefties’ guitars when they flip them over to play them left-handed and restrung, but some flip them over.
Despite being uncommon, a left-handed guitarist can play the guitar.
The guitarist will achieve this by fretting the notes on the fretboard using their left hand.
Also, the guitarist will then pluck the strings using their right hand.
Do Right-Handed and Left-Handed Guitars Differ in Any Way?
There are no structural differences between right-handed and left-handed guitars.
Electric guitars are made using similar methods.
However, significant distinctions exist between the two regarding their design and features.
The location of the strings on both of these guitars is reversed to start.
A left-handed guitar’s E-low string will be the right-handed guitar’s E-high string.
Second, these two guitars’ waist curves have different sides.
The primary distinctions between a right-hand and left-hand guitar are these two.
Both of these guitars are essentially identical except for that.
Therefore, the differences mentioned above will help you distinguish between these guitars.
How Can I Make My Electric Guitar Left-Handed?
Step 1
- Turn the tuning knob on each string until it is slack, then take it off the tuning peg.
Step 2
- Untie the loops holding the three thinner strings to the bridge and take the strings off.
- Pull the three thicker strings away from the neck by exerting force, and then take the strings off the bridge.
- After removing each string, coil it.
- Be cautious about exercising caution around the strings’ sharp edges.
- Labeling the strings might be useful while restringing a guitar. For example, you could write the name of each string on a notecard.
Step 3
- Flip the guitar over so the strings can be attached backward if you want to restart it for a left-handed player. The neck should face the right when the guitar rests in your lap.
- Push every string through the bridge.
- Reattach the bridge to each of the three thinner strings.
- Push all three thicker strings through the bridge’s bottom to secure the bridge in place.
- Ensuring the strings are in order is crucial when restringing a guitar.
- The bottom E string, which is the thickest, should be the furthest from the ground when playing the guitar.
- Low E is on top, then A, D, G, B, and finally, high E, the thinnest thread, is at the bottom.
Step 4
- Tighten the tuning peg after putting each string into the appropriate tuning peg on the instrument.
Step 5
- Tune the guitar using an electric tuner or your ears.
- The left-handed guitar nut can be swapped out for a right-handed guitar nut if you want to increase the sound of your left-handed strung instrument.
- If the guitar has a saddle, the slots in the saddle can be altered to improve the fit of the strings.
- One might also purchase and install a brand-new left-handed bridge for the same result.
Is Left-Handed Guitar Harder To Play?
A player’s skill level determines the degree of difficulty when playing an electric guitar.
Whether a guitar is left or right-handed has minimal effect on the instrument’s guitarist.
Guitarists must achieve a proficient level of ability no matter their dominant hand to excel at the instrument.
However, left-handed people have historically struggled to grasp guitar playing due to a shortage of left-handed electric guitars.
Changing playing skills or adapting to a right-handed guitar may be challenging.
In return, this has given the idea that left-handed people experience difficulties playing guitars compared to right-handed people.
Why Do Left-Handed Guitars Cost So Much More?
Minimal supply and low demand have given rise to the cost of left-handed electric guitars compared to right-handed electric guitars.
These factors contribute to their increased price.
This price difference is a logical outcome that is easily understandable.
Less left-handed guitar models are produced by guitar manufacturers, which raises the cost of production.
The instrument’s components and design are flipped, for example, through specific manufacturing processes that add to the costs.
How Much Money Does It Cost To Make A Left-Handed Guitar?
Switching a right-handed guitar to a left-handed guitar typically costs between $80 and $130, with greater expenses possible depending on the exact model and conditions.
The cost is arrived due to the need for a new nut for the low end and the setup and intonation checking for the upper end.
What Happens To The Resale Value Following The Left-Handed Conversion Of A Right-Handed Guitar?
The appetite for left-handed guitars is small, accounting for only around 10% of the global population.
Many left-handed people, particularly beginners, resort to a distinctive way of using a right-handed guitar inverted.
They find it costly to purchase a specifically built left-handed instrument.
Generally speaking, any guitar converted to left-handed (such that the string sequence is reversed) will have a much lower resale value.
An expensive guitar’s resale value can suffer significantly, particularly if it’s a vintage guitar.
For instance, altering your dad’s right-handed Fender Broadcaster could result in a loss of thousands of dollars!
Therefore, consider your options carefully before making any long-term changes to a guitar.
Is It Hard To Switch From Right To Left-Handed Guitar?
Switching from right to left-handed guitar can be challenging for several reasons.
It requires relearning the finger positions and chord shapes and developing new muscle memory and coordination.
However, a successful shift is completely possible with commitment, persistence, and regular practice.
It should be noted that some people who prefer using their left hand may find it more comfortable to play a right-handed guitar by simply flipping it around.
In addition, they restring it appropriately.
This approach successfully eliminates the need to learn a unique procedure.
References
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+To+Restring+a+Left+Handed+Guitar/154916
https://rockshopguitars.com/learning-guides/can-a-left-handed-person-play-a-right-handed-guitar/
