Exclusive Insider Secrets! How Brands Choose Lefty Guitars

Have you ever wondered how exactly a company decides which guitars to build left handed? Most brands won’t make every model available to us, so what’s the thought process? After countless years of painstaking research involving many, many leather-bound books I have finally discovered the answers!

For the sake of simplicity I’ve collated my findings in the form of flowcharts.

How Do Guitar Companies Decide Which Guitars To Make Left Handed?

Fender

As Fender is well aware, all of us southpaws are raving Metathesiophobiacs. For those of you who don’t know, a Metathesiophobiac is someone who fears change. Even though some people claim to be bored of the current lefty range, Fender is actually doing us a great service by offering us the exact same guitars….every…single…year.  We don’t want no Mustangs or Jazzmasters here, no sir!

Fender : Should We Make a Left Handed Guitar

Gibson

Ah, Gibson.  They love us, they hate us, they love, us, they hate us.  Make up your bloody mind, eh Henry? Here is the thought process behind Gibson’s lefty line-up.

Gibson: Should We Make a Left Handed Guitar

Ibanez

Like Fender, Ibanez have gone to great lengths to conduct thorough market research to discover the tastes of left handed guitarists.  And the findings of that research is that we all love affordable, gloss black guitars…apparently.

Ibanez: Should We Make a Left Handed Guitar

The Dream

Why can’t all companies be like this eh?  What a glorious world that would be.

Should We Make a Left Handed Guitar

Wait…some brands are like this? Shout out to Taylor, Martin, Larrivee, Tom Anderson, Schecter (more or less), Kiesel, Collings, PureSalem, Framus, Gaskell, GJ2, Heritage, James Trussart, Alexander James, Kauer, Macpherson, Mensinger, Nik Huber, Overwater, Peerless, RAN, Ruokangas, Sandberg, Stonebridge, Suhr (pretty much). And many, many more.

Neal Author Bio
Author
Neal
Neal has been playing guitar (left-handed!) for over 20 years, and has also worked in various roles within the guitar retail industry since 2012. In his spare time he loves to travel, ride bikes, and suck at videogames. More Info

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