Being a left-handed player comes with its perks, but there are also some common frustrations that most players run into. These left handed guitar disadvantages can affect everything from what you can buy to how you learn and play.
If you’re thinking about going left-handed, or already have, this guide will walk you through the most common challenges and what you can expect along the way.
In This Guide
- Limited choice in left handed guitars
- Harder to try guitars before you buy
- Some guitars simply aren’t made for lefties
- Fewer finish and color options
- Prices can be higher for left handed models
- The challenge of finding used lefty guitars
- Dealing with opinions from right handed players
- Not being able to play other people’s guitars
8 Left Handed Guitar Disadvantages
1. Limited Choice in Left Handed Guitars
Working for a guitar retailer myself, I’ve seen firsthand how quickly good left handed guitars sell.
When a desirable lefty model comes into stock, it rarely sticks around for long.
The real issue is how few of them are available in the first place.
Walk into most guitar stores, and you’ll usually see:
- Dozens, sometimes hundreds of right-handed guitars
- A very small handful of left handed options
And that’s if you’re lucky.
Why is the selection so limited?
It comes down to simple economics.
Left handed players make up a much smaller portion of the market, so stores have to be selective with what they stock. Most will only carry a few “safe” models that they know will sell.
So even if a store does carry left handed guitars, the chances of finding exactly what you want are much lower.
Luckily, many stores do stock an incredible selection of southpaw instruments. If you want to explore your options, check out my guide to the best places to buy left handed guitars.
2. Harder to Try Guitars Before You Buy
Buying a guitar isn’t cheap, right?
So naturally, you’d want to try it first. See how it feels. Hear how it sounds. Make sure it’s the perfect fit.
As a left handed guitarist, that’s not always an option.
Even if you’ve found the exact model you want, there’s a good chance that no local store has it in stock.
That leaves you with two choices:
- Special order it
Pay a deposit, wait weeks or even months, and hope it lives up to expectations. - Buy online
Take a gamble and rely on return policies if it doesn’t feel right.
Neither option is ideal. Returning a guitar might sound simple, but in reality, it can mean:
- Repacking everything
- Arranging shipping
- Waiting for refunds or exchanges
It’s a hassle that most right-handed players rarely have to deal with.
3. Some Guitars Simply Aren’t Made for Lefties
One of the most frustrating realities of being a left handed guitarist is that some guitars simply don’t exist in left-handed versions.
You’ll come across a model that looks perfect, with great specs, a killer design, and amazing reviews… and then realize there’s no lefty version at all.
Most brands only produce left handed versions of their safest, most popular models. Anything more niche or experimental usually stays right-handed only.
What this means in practice:
- Your options are limited before you even start
- Entire product lines are off the table
- You’re often choosing alternatives instead of what you actually want
It’s especially frustrating when a new guitar gets announced, and everyone’s talking about it, but you already know you won’t get the chance to play one.
Don’t fret too hard, though, as there’s almost always a decent alternative available from other brands. My left handed guitar database is a great place to start if you’re looking for more options.
4. Fewer Finish and Color Options
If you’ve spent any time browsing left handed guitars, you’ve probably noticed a pattern.
A lot of them are black.
While right-handed models often come in a wide range of finishes, left-handed versions are usually far more limited. In many cases, you’ll only get one or two color options for the exact same guitar.
For example, I’ve just had a peek at the range of lefty ESP guitars we currently have in stock at work. Out of 23 left-handed ESPs across all stores, TWENTY of them are black. That’s a whopping 87% of our stock!
Why? Black is a safe choice. It sells consistently, and it’s cheaper and easier for manufacturers to produce at scale. When brands are already taking a smaller risk on left handed models, they tend to keep things simple.
The result is that even when you do find a guitar you like, you might not love how it looks. And that’s frustrating, because aesthetics matter more than people like to admit.
5. Prices Can Be Higher for Left Handed Models
You’ve decided on your next guitar and have noted that the right handed model is retailing for $500 in this month’s guitar magazine. So, you phone up the local guitar store to see if they have the left handed version in stock. Boom. $550!
On top of lefty guitars being harder to find, as well as being available in fewer colors, some brands even have the cheek to dump a 10-15% upcharge on southpaw models. Well, that’s just the icing on the cake, isn’t it!?
However, which of these options would you prefer? No left-handed options at all, or a slight price increase from the manufacturer. I know which would be my pick!
At the end of the day, guitar brands are businesses, and they need to ensure they can still turn a profit when offering instruments to this much smaller market. If you want a full breakdown, check out my guide on why left handed guitars cost more.
To be fair, there are plenty of companies out there that don’t upcharge for lefties. So if this bothers you, give your hard-earned cash to the brands that support us.
6. The Challenge of Finding Used Lefty Guitars
If the guitar you’re after is discontinued, you could potentially be in for a very, very long wait to find one. Looking for a used left-handed guitar can genuinely be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack.
When I was a young shredder, my dream guitar was the super-rare Ibanez RG3120L Prestige. In what must have been an entire year of scouring eBay, I think I spotted one. It was overpriced. And slightly damaged. And on another continent. And the seller wouldn’t ship internationally.
That’s the reality of the lefty used market.
Sometimes it feels less like shopping and more like waiting for something to randomly appear.
But hey, when you finally stumble across the guitar you’ve been coveting for so long, it often feels like you’ve just won the lottery.
But it definitely requires patience.
Better get used to setting up those custom search alerts! I’ve put together a full guide on how to find used left handed guitars, including some smart ways to uncover hidden listings.
7. Dealing with Opinions from Right Handed Players
‘Why didn’t you just learn right handed?‘. Working for a guitar store, I get this all the time. Here’s the usual line…
‘If you’d have learned right-handed you would have had your dominant hand on the frets. You’d have had a big advantage!‘
In that case, GENIUS, why are left handed guitars not the norm? Why don’t righties all play left handed and enjoy this so called ‘advantage‘? Why don’t YOU play left handed? Spare me…
Another common one is – ‘You don’t get a left-handed piano‘. Hardly a fair comparison though is it? Unlike with the guitar, both hands are carrying out similar tasks on the piano. P.S. There is a left handed piano.
After a while, you learn to just ignore their silly ramblings.
Check out my guide on whether you should play guitar left or right handed. It’ll give you some prime comeback material for when you inevitably stumble across those know-it-all players.
8. Not Being Able to Play Other People’s Guitars
This left handed guitar disadvantage is similar to not being able to try before you buy.
Perhaps you’re at a friend’s house, and they have an awesome vintage Les Paul you’d love to try. Or, you’re sitting around a campfire with an acoustic being passed around.
Well, you’re basically screwed. You can certainly hold it and get a feel for it, but that’s about as far as you’ll get, unfortunately. Unless you’ve learned to play a few basic things upside-down as a neat party trick – which you totally should!
On the plus side, it also means that your buddies can’t play your guitars. You can keep them all to yourself. So at least there’s that.
So, Why Bother Playing Left Handed?
After reading all of that, you might be wondering why anyone sticks with playing left handed.
The truth is, while these disadvantages are real, they’re not deal-breakers.
For most players, playing left-handed still feels more natural, and that matters more than anything else.
There are also a few upsides I love that don’t get talked about as much:
- I stand out from the crowd, always getting questions from other players.
- Many of my guitars are rare and special, and often valuable as a result!
- The hunt for the next instrument is always a satisfying challenge.
- Fewer choices equal fewer impulse purchases to later regret.
- The lefty guitarist community is awesome!
Plus, as a lefty, I’ve come across and owned so many guitars from amazing, lesser-known brands. This is because I’m often forced to look a little further afield for what I need. For example, check out my custom Mensinger guitar build!
It’s certainly far more interesting than being an average Joe right-handed player.
Sure, we may not get as many choices as right-handed guitarists, but come on, how many guitars do you really need anyway?
At the end of the day, most of these negatives can be turned on their heads.
It’s not worth playing the wrong way around and potentially limiting your playing ability just to have the choice of a few extra guitars. That would just be silly now, wouldn’t it?
Frequently Asked Questions
The main disadvantages include limited choice, fewer available models, higher prices in some cases, and difficulty finding guitars in stores or on the used market.
It’s harder because fewer guitars are produced for left handed players, and most stores only carry a small selection. This often forces players to buy online without trying first.
Not necessarily. While there are some practical challenges, most players find that playing left handed feels more natural, which is more important for long-term progress.
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