Wanted - beginner lh guitar

ThePrettyDamned

Looking for a beginner guitar for a young lad who's lost his dad. He's getting lessons starting next year at school (he's 11 years old) and while he has an acoustic, it's right handed! He's quite probably going to benefit from a left handed guitar...

Electric preferred as easier to play. Hit me up if you know of something! Seen some real bargains, but £300 is a bit rich. Looking for something more like £100 - £125. 

longjaw

I would go for a new Harley Benton - plenty of choice.

ThePrettyDamned

longjaw said:

I would go for a new Harley Benton - plenty of choice.

How did I not think of this? The tele looks good to me, easy for a beginner to play. Wish they did a hardtail strat!

Cheers buddy. 

calazul

I have a Lefty Ibanez GRG170 for sale on Facebook if he likes the look of it, I always found it a bit to "rock" for me. Plays pretty well though.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1089630931896007/

Switch625

I have a LH Squier Affinity Strat in sunburst that my friend has tasked me with trying to sell. He bought it in lockdown with the intention of learning but never really got in to it. He was looking for around £150 but if you're interested I can ask if he'll lower the price. The only problem is I have no way to post it as it doesn't have a gig bag etc.

BillDL

If you are able to do some fret dressing and polishing and a setup, the Squier Bullet Strats and Teles are good value for money at £135 to £140.  The Bullets have the hard-tail Strat variant.  Sometimes you are lucky and the frets are well finished on them, but most often they are a bit rough at the ends.  In general the frets are usually pretty well levelled.

The Squier Affinity range are better and start at £190, but you can get ex-demo ones and used ones cheaper and if you can get one at £125 you have a good guitar for the money.  I have a feeling you don't get a hard-tail version of the Affinity Strat though.  The fretwork is usually a lot better than the Bullet range but could still need a little bit of attention to a few of the fret ends, and a setup is usually needed to optimise it.

The Epiphone Les Paul Special E1 models are stripped down Epiphone Les pauls and sell for around £160 new.  Again, I would anticipate that you may need to dress the frets a bit and do a setup.  A 2nd-hand one would probably bring it down to the budget.

I would normally recommend a used Yamaha Pacifica, but as far as I know they all have tremolo bridges and I think that can be a bit of an impediment to a learner trying to tune up and being distracted by a wobbly arm or strings changing pitch when they rest their hand on the bridge.  It's always possible to wind the spring screws in and deck the bridge, then raise the saddles a bit to compensate.  They have always been consistently well made guitars.

One outsider that I haven't tried out, but they seem to be rated as "good quality budget guitar", is the East Coast (not to be confused with the expensive eastman brand).  I'm not sure, but I think this may be an in-house brand made for the GAP buying group (GuitarGuitar, Andertons, PMT).  It might be one to consider if others are able to confirm the quality of them.

khaotic

BillDL said:

The Squier Affinity range are better and start at £190, but you can get ex-demo ones and used ones cheaper and if you can get one at £125 you have a good guitar for the money.  I have a feeling you don't get a hard-tail version of the Affinity Strat though.  The fretwork is usually a lot better than the Bullet range but could still need a little bit of attention to a few of the fret ends, and a setup is usually needed to optimise it.

You don't get an Affinity Strat of any kind now - Squier have discontinued the LH model, at least for the moment. They turn up pretty regularly s/h though

CavemanGrogg

I have a couple of left handed Revelation offsets in mint stock condition, one is olympic white, the oher is sunburst, one has 2 Entwistle humbuckers, he other 2 Entwistle P90's, can't remember off hand which colour has which pickup combination as they are currently stored in a proper selt storagee locker, and not at home with me., that I'd sell for £100,  They both have the vintage 6 screw Fender Strat style trem.  I also have a left handed Affiniy Strat that is in mint condition but for some reason I haven't looked into the picjups are not working  they do work, they're just not sending a signal down the cable, probably due to grounding or soldering issues.  Would happily let the Affinity for under £100, closer to £50.

Neilybob

Had a quick look at Richtone used section but they only have expensive LH twanger. 

Also checked the Andertons summer sale site and found a nice Squire Affinity butterscotch tele LH for the win at £189! Use the filter to check LH models 

https://www.andertons.co.uk/offers/all-electric-guitar-offers

Neilybob

Had a quick rummage through Cash Converters but nothing amazing. Sorry I'm solutions demander. 

Quincy Flying V -£100
https://www.cashconverters.co.uk/shop/music-tv--video/musical-instruments/guitars--string-instruments/electric-guitar/040600118054

Vintage LP £120
https://www.cashconverters.co.uk/shop/music-tv--video/musical-instruments/guitars--string-instruments/electric-guitar/021000107674

Washburn maverick £99
https://www.cashconverters.co.uk/shop/music-tv--video/musical-instruments/guitars--string-instruments/electric-guitar/046900096705

Stagg LP £120
https://www.cashconverters.co.uk/shop/music-tv--video/musical-instruments/guitars--string-instruments/electric-guitar/029100111917

Neilybob

PMT do the Yamaha Pacifica in natural or black for £207

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/yamaha-pacifica-112j-yellow-natural-satin-left-handed

CavemanGrogg

I should probably point out that the Affinity Strat has a trem, and has never been played, was bough a few years ago, put on a guitar rack and never picked up again until a few months ago.  So thde pickup issue it's curenly having is most likely due to lack of use.

icu81b4

Following this with interest. 

DrBob

If fancy a project I’ve got a Yamaha Pacifica that I’m about to stick up for sale,

needs painted/finished, probably a fret dress & setup, a jack socket and a trem arm