In today’s article, we’re going to have a look at the top 10 best left handed electric guitars suitable for all-level players. As a musician with over thirteen years of experience, I know how difficult it is to find a new guitar. Although there are so many options out there, making the right choice seems to be extremely difficult.
Making a good choice when it comes to guitars is difficult when you’re a right-handed guitarist, but it’s even more difficult when you’re left-handed. Why? Well, the amount of lefty guitars on the market is significantly lower. But don’t worry – we’re going to highlight the best and cheapest models out there!
The list below consists of 10 best cheap and most affordable left handed electric guitars that are perfect for both beginners and more advanced players. We will cover each model in more detail in the next section and there will be sound demos included, so stay tuned!
Best Left Handed Electric Guitars – Top 10 List
| Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Stratocaster | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Ibanez GRX | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Fender Player Stratocaster | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazzmaster | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Yamaha Pacifica | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| ESP LTD EC-1000 | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Gretsch G5230 | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Fender Player Telecaster | See on Amazon | See on Thomann |
| Squier Mini Strat | See on Amazon | – |
1. Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Stratocaster
One of the best and most affordable left handed electric guitars available on the market right now. If you’re not familiar with this brand, it’s a part of a much bigger and well known guitar company – Fender.
This Stratocaster has everything you need to either start or carry on with your musical journey. I think that it will be perfect for both amateur and more advanced players. It’s comfortable, it sounds great, it has a really cool vintage feel and it doesn’t cost a fortune. Who needs anything else?
I highly recommend checking it out – the single-coil alnico pickups featured in this model will most likely steal your heart!
2. Ibanez GRX
Another really cheap guitar which will be perfect for all-level left handed musicians. The HSH pickup setting featured in this model offers a versatile range of tones suitable for all kinds of music. So whether you’re into clean melodies or more heavier riffs, the Ibanez GRX is the way to go.
In addition, the guitar is equipped with a reliable T106 tremolo bridge. It’s not a Floyd Rose, but it still works well, especially when you think about the price of this axe. Overall, the GRX Series is loved by a wide range musicians, so there is a high chance that you’re going to love it too!
3. Fender Player Stratocaster
One of the most iconic and popular models in the world. Undoubtedly, if you’re a fan of a classic Strat, the Player Series should be the right for you. This Mexican-made model is loved by both beginners who practice at home and more advanced musicians who like to use it on stage.
Is it better than the first Stratocaster by Squier? Well, that’s debatable. Some people say that the quality of these instruments is really comparable, but it’s all subjective. Out of my experience, both guitars offer awesome quality, but in the end – this one is a Fender.
4. Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Jazzmaster
If you’re new on my blog, you should be aware that I’m a massive fan of Jaguars and Jazzmasters. This specific model is one of the best and most affordable left handed guitars of this kind – that’s for sure.
Similarly as the first Classic Vibe Stratocaster on today’s list, this guitar features an amazing quality, vintage feel and remarkable playing experience. I think that it will work particularly well in indie and alternative genres, so if you’re into this kind of vibe, you should definitely give this guitar a shot.
I highly recommend checking out the demo below.
5. Yamaha Pacifica
One of the cheapest and most popular entry level guitars of all time. Undoubtedly, it’s a great choice for beginners and more intermediate players. Of course, at this price level it’s not a piece of art, but it does the job well and it’s more than enough for home practice.
The guitar follows the style of a classic Stratocaster and it features the HSS pickup setting, which gives you a lot of versatility when it comes to tone. Unfortunately, as per usual – lefties don’t get too many color options. Still, I think that the Natural Satin color visible above doesn’t look too bad either!
Who is it for? Well, if you’re looking for your first left handed electric guitar, the Yamaha Pacifica will be an excellent (if not the best) choice.
6. ESP LTD EC-1000
This guitar is from a bit higher shelf. It’s not cheap, but it’s one of the best mid-level left handed electric guitars. It looks stunning from the outside and it offers an amazing and powerful tone that works particularly well for rock and metal genres.
In fact, this is one of the most popular guitars offered by ESP LTD. It features two active EMG pickups, which are perfect for heavy and distorted riffs. In addition, it’s also made of mahogany, which is known for its durability.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the best guitars for all left handed metalheads out there. I think that it will be perfect for both amateurs who play at home and more advanced musicians who need reliable gear on stage and in studio.
7. Gretsch G5230
If you’re not familiar with this brand, make sure to check out my previous article on that topic. Gretsch is an absolute leader when it comes to hollow and semi-hollow guitars, but they also include a few solid body guitars in the offer too. Although the G5230 is not the cheapest guitar on today’s list, it offers an excellent quality.
The guitar looks fantastic from the outside and it’s really versatile when it comes to sound. It’s equipped with two Airline Silver humbuckers, which are perfect for both clean and more distorted tones.
Undoubtedly, this guitar will be great for guitarists who want to try something new. If you don’t want to follow the route of choosing the most common and popular guitars available on the market, Gretsch is the way to go.
8. Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar
Of course, I had to include a signature guitar of one of the most popular left handed musicians of all time – Kurt Cobain. This guitar will be ideal not only for fans of Nirvana, but also for all players who are into playing heavier riffs.
This model is heavily inspired by the 1965 Jaguar that Kurt used in the early ’90s when he pursued the music career with his band. To be honest, Fender managed to create something really beautiful – this guitar looks and sounds absolutely fantastic. The modern C-shaped neck offers an extremely comfortable playing experience and two DiMarzio humbuckers offer a legendary tone.
Undoubtedly, this is one of the coolest Jaguars available on the market right now. Feel free to check out the demo below.
9. Fender Player Telecaster
Another legendary guitar that will be perfect for both amateur and more intermediate players. To be honest, out of my experience it’s really tough to be disappointed with the Player Series by Fender. These guitars play well, look fantastic and they’re great to use on stage.
Whether you’re just playing at home or if you want to conquer the world with your music, the Fender Player Telecaster will be an excellent choice. It’s an absolute classic that will be perfect for playing blues, rock and alternative music. I highly recommend checking it out!
10. Squier Mini Strat
A really affordable and a bit smaller-size guitar. This particular model by Squier will be perfect for guitarists who are just starting out. In addition, it features a shorter scale, which means that it will also be great for players with smaller hands and shorter fingers.
Although this Mini Strat is compact, it’s not a toy. Certainly, it’s really good and powerful guitar that offers a huge versatility when it comes to tone. Of course, you can’t expect any wonders at this price level, but to be honest – it will be tough to find something better for that amount of money.
FAQ
Are left handed guitar players better?
To be honest, it’s debatable. There are a lot of amazing left handed guitar players – think about Paul McCartney, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix or Ben Howard – they are all legendary. But at the same time, there are a lot of amazing right handed guitarists too.
People argue whether being left handed actually helps with becoming a better guitarist, but the truth is that it all depends on your practice routine, persistence and patience. Personally, I don’t think that being left handed makes you a better guitar player.
Why did Hendrix play a right handed guitar?
Back in the days, guitar manufacturers didn’t offer too many left handed guitars. So Jimi Hendrix just took a regular guitar, changed the strings in reverse and started practicing on his own. Although it’s extremely inspiring, it’s not recommended nowadays – you can easily access the left handed guitars.
Do left handed guitars cost more?
In general, the pricing of left handed guitars is fairly similar to the right handed models. In some cases, the left handed models cost more because the manufacturers usually produce less of them and making them requires a certain level of knowledge. Nevertheless, if you compare the models listed above with their right-handed counterparts, you’ll see that the pricing is pretty much the same.
It is also worth mentioning that the amount of right handed guitars on the market is significantly higher. It is much easier to find a right handed guitar than a left handed guitar. As a result, the lefty guitars are usually considered as more rare and sometimes it affects the final prices.
How do you tune a left handed guitar?
The tuning of a left handed guitar is exactly the same as in a right handed guitar – it’s EADGBE, although some people refer to it as the EBGDAE. It really depends how you look at it.
If you have problems with tuning your left handed guitar, make sure to check out the video below – that should resolve your issues.
Can a lefty play guitar right handed?
Yes! In fact, some left handed guitarists decide to play right handed guitars anyway. It’s not recommended for beginners though – it will significantly complicate your learning process. But it’s totally possible for lefties to pick the right handed guitar and play the chords upside down.
Nevertheless, if you’re just starting out, it’s always better to stick to the guitars made specifically for the left handed guitarists.
Summary
As you can see, there’s quite a lot interesting and affordable left handed electric guitars out there. Whether you’re into jazz, blues, folk or alternative rock, there is a high chance that you’ll be satisfied if you pick a guitar from today’s list.
Which one would I choose? Well, I’m a big fan of Squier and Fender guitars – their quality is always on point. At the same time, I love guitars made by Gretsch and ESP, so I’d probably stick to these four guitar brands. Nevertheless, all other brands also offer great quality – this is just my subjective opinion.
Thanks for checking out today’s blog post! Let me know in the comments below which guitar would you choose for yourself, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts. In addition, if you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
