I've played guitar as a teenager... nothing fancy, just cowboy chords while camping during the summer break for a few years, to accompany a group of about 50 other kids that where singing around the camp fire.
Now, about 25 years later, guitars have caught my interest again and I've been thinking about getting back into playing - this time more serious though... I'd like to get into fingerstyle blues. So for the past month I've been debating if I should get myself a new guitar as a birthday gift and save up the money for it until then. Of course I'm aware that more money equals a better instrument but I can't afford anything expensive and have to follow my budget which would be quite tight (200€ the most, I'd even much prefer for it to be more like 100-150€) and I would try to avoid anything used from Ebay because I cannot afford spending that amount of money to end up with one that has a half broken or warped body/neck/headstock (whatever damage one could think of).
Anyways, I was wondering if there's any (experienced) guitar players here on Steamgifts who could recommend a specific brand/model of a cheap but still good (i.e. "affordable" - playing the blues doesn't need a high end instrument anyways) guitar surpassing the build quality one would expect for the money which I could check out online and eventually possibly order?

Also, I'm a lefty. And while I've always played right handed I'm wondering if things would be much different when playing with a guitar that's the other way around instead - you know, a lefty guitar. I don't remember it being difficult to learn (and I still remember how to play the major chords from back then) but besides one or two fingerstyle songs ('Stairway To Heaven' being one of them, 'Nothing Else Matters' another one... of course) I've never actually played something like fingerstyle blues which I assume to be quite a bit more difficult to learn finger-coordination-wise.
So, if there's some of you who are left handed as well... was it actually easier to (learn and) play with a lefty guitar instead?

I'd have to try and learn with what I can find online on YouTube since, well, I neither have the money for lessons nor do I have any family members or friends who can play and teach me (even though that is what I'd MUCH prefer over watching videos - any volunteers?). I've learnt it autodidactic as a teenager, so as long as I can find a good source I certainly wouldn't rule out being able to learn it sooner or later. Of course recommendations for that are welcome as well.

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2 years ago*

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I like listening to guitars but not knowing them very well. Have a bump anyway.

Also please let me know if I shouldn't join the gibs :)

2 years ago
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It's alright - I mean, you've commented ;-) Others didn't even bother with that.

2 years ago
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I hava an Hofma HF250 Mahogany Natural with Sapele everywhere. I paid pretty cheap when I bought and I must say, the sound is trully amazing for such a cheap acoustic guitar. The trick was... Search! Search like a lot! Go to stores, check videos reviews, check people using them on internet, check them comparing them using the very same pickup and preamp. When you find yourself the best acoustic guitar, you'll feel something close to "yup, that's the one".

2 years ago
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That's a nice looking guitar - though, Hofma aren't available over here and I had a dreadnought before - I want something smaller this time. I'll see what I'll get eventually :-)

2 years ago
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I went to a folk guitar class a long time ago and played steel string acoustic. I got a Hohner on the advice of others and was quite happy with it.

2 years ago
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Are you still playing it? I don't think Hohner is in the guitar business anymore nowadays.

2 years ago
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I haven't played it for a while. It's something I keep meaning to get back into but struggle to find the time. I realised I was never going to be as good a musician as an artist. Got a new USB audio interface with a guitar input though so I was thinking about getting an electric guitar to try and boost my enthusiasm a bit.

After making that post I skimmed ebay for prices - I discovered that Hohner are out of the guitar business but there still seem to be a lot of second hand ones about for reasonable prices. Never played the blues myself but there was a lot of finger picking in the folk I did and the Hohners seemed to be good for that so it might still be something worth considering. They were also fairly robust and durable. Can't advise with regards to a lefty guitar though!

2 years ago
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Yeah, while Hohner has basically the best reputation for harmonicas and accordions and such - basically traditional folk instruments, people apparently never really accepted them as guitar manufacturer because of the other types of instruments they are building. Despite the fact that the quality wasn't bad at all. So that seems to be what caused them to leave that market again eventually.
Hey, if you still have it, pick it up sometime and see what you can still do with it.

2 years ago
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For fingerstyle blues you may want to consider a classical/ wide neck guitar and nylon strings rather than steel. My most recent acoustic purchase was a regular-neck Epiphone that I paid around $300 USD for, and it's awesome. So you can get a fairly nice instrument without totally breaking the bank. My very first guitar was a hand-me-down from my dad that was a no-name classical, but it worked well for learning.

Someone else mentioned finding a used one at a local shop and I think that's your best bet. Guitars can be really personal, while I love Schechters and will recommend them left and right, it might not be the best for what you want. But getting to play several instruments and figuring out what body, neck, type of wood, etc you like are all important things to figure out.

As for being lefty vs righty, if the guitar doesn't have a pick guard, it shouldn't matter very much (on an acoustic). If you buy at a shop you can ask them to set up the guitar for you (which you should do anyway) and ask them to restring lefty. If the guitar is electric or has an acoustic pick up, then the input will be at the top of the guitar rather than at the bottom, which would be annoying if you ever wanted to plug into an amp. A true lefty guitar will be a little more expensive.

2 years ago
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Nylons for blues? That's the first time I've heard that. But no, I've always disliked nylon strings... how they feel and sound like. Yeah, Epiphone seems to produce quite decent guitars for the money... though that would already be out of my max budget.
Nice, so you're lucky enough to have someone who could teach you some things... I guess that's the best start one can have.
Walk in stores are ruled out - in times of covid these shops are closed and will be for quite some more time over here.
I'd assume the pick guard is the least problem... the biggest issue should be the nut since that need to fit the strings.

2 years ago
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2 years ago
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I'm familiar with those - and while most people (mostly beginners I assume) seem generally happy with them, it seems like it's a thing of hit or miss... some can be great, others need to be returned as there seems to be a lack of quality control. But sure, if one's lucky and gets a good one they are a great deal! I actually have a single cut gold top (it's not close to being gold - it's quite an orangy-copper shade) e-guitar model from them. It needed to be replaced twice - so it took three guitars to get one that was acceptable and that still needed quite some work done (like there was lots of glue residue all over the guitar but especially the fingerboard, sharp frets were sticking out, a general setup was badly needed).

2 years ago*
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2 years ago*
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There are affordable ESPs (though still either just at or a bit above my budget) and they have some nice looking models, but I don't think they make any accoustic guitars. Same for Solar - but they are certainly above the "affordable" budget range starting at about 650€.
Yeah, sure you can fix such "minor" flaws. But you shouldn't have to do that. The guitars should only be cheap/affordable due to lower quality components. Issues like frets being too long (or what was the issue with mine - several black fat smears under the clear lacquer on two guitars) then not only does the manufacturer suck but also the quality control. But that's years ago and even while it wasn't an issue with all of their guitars in general, they might even have changed factories by now. But as said, sure, if you get a nice one, you definitely get something good for very little money!
Nope, certainly not. Not sure if I'd actually ever spend the money on anything even mid-price from Taylor or Martin.
I've just checked reverb and although there's some listings for my country, they either are half broken and dirty cheap or just start at the max of my budget for guitars that I really don't like. But it might be a good source for something in the future. Thanks for the suggestion.

2 years ago*
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Why not visit local mucial store and ask for a help? You should look for wide neck guitar, it's better for fingerstyle. Narrow neck guitars are more suitable for chords.

2 years ago
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Because of Covid. Such shops are closed and won't open for quite a while.

2 years ago
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Oh, yeaaah. Shops are opened where I am.

2 years ago
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Yeah... but even if they were allowed to open, I'm unfortunate to be one of these people with pre-conditions so I'm having to self isolate for little over a year now 🙄

2 years ago
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You could have a look at Squire acoustic guitars. Made by Fender as a cheaper alternative, they are not at all bad for what you pay and would fit inside your budget.

https://www.muziker.de/fender-squier-sa-105ce-natural (Squire)
or even a Fender:
https://www.kirstein.de/Dreadnought-Modelle/Fender-FA-125CE-Dreadnought-WN-NAT.html?gclsrc=ds

edit: ok - perhaps not. I did not realize the big difference in availability and pricing on left handed guitars - I'd assumed they'd be just as easy to order.

2 years ago*
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Ahh, hey, good to see you around! I hope you're doing well!
Yeah, I've looked for Squier but the ones within budget are all dreadnoughts as far as I've seen and I'm looking for a smaller body guitar. The problem with the actual Fender was that it's either - again - only dreadnoughts that are within my budget or e.g. the Fender FA-15 3/4 WN just wasn't my thing. What's your take on the Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy?

EDIT: Just seen the edit after posting... I guess it depends on the brand. You can get the cheap cheap guitars for almost the same price for lefties as the regular ones but the better (and more expensive) the guitar gets the bigger the difference in price for lefty guitars from what I've seen.

2 years ago*
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Ahh - ok - I get a better idea of what you're looking for now that you've mentioned the Jim Dandy. Does it come left handed though? I'm only seeing people converting to left hand, which would be a bit of a mission. Ideally, you'd want it pre-configured for left handed. Jim Dandy seems popular, plays and sounds well from what I've seen (never tried one), but will keep digging.

2 years ago
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No, only right handed - but I've never actually played lefty guitars, only "normal" ones.
Yeah, I'm not really up for replacing the nut and stuff... thanks for that link, that's going to be an interesting read!
Thanks - though I might actually just settle for it. I was just hoping to find something where you pay less for the name and therefore more for the actual build quality. Though it seems there's really not a lot of options (that would suit my requirements) and not only is it getting plenty of good reviews, I quite fancy the Jim Dandy's look as well.

2 years ago
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Haha - well, I know what it's like - once you start falling for a guitar there's little anyone can say to change your mind! But That Jim Dandy looks pretty sweet to me if it's in your budget. Btw - I agree with another post - if you started years ago as a right handed player - you'll probably still find it more comfortable now too - would be awkward for anyone to switch no matter lefty or righty. My son once was set on the Dean VSelect - I kept telling him, yeah cool guitar but awkward shape for practising and tried to advise against. We got it in the end, but soon traded it because of the shape, lol.

If you do want a lefty, I found this - looks and sounds cool - but no idea of availability and price in DE: Timberidge

Or this Dean AXS Mini for a cheaper option maybe. (I quite like Dean guitars)

2 years ago*
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Yeah, pretty sure it's going to be the Jim Dandy for me 👍
Maybe sometime I can get a used lefty from Ebay that nobody else wants for just a few bucks to just give it a try... at least that way it wouldn't set me back too much. And if it's not for me after a while, I could just donate it to somewhere, I guess...
A V Select? Wow... that's even a bolder choice than a Flying V... but, what can you do... teenagers 🤷‍♂️
Seems like those Timberidge guitars are Australian? No, apparently you can't get them anywhere over here. As for then Dean AXS Mini... that's not my style. I guess because the sound hole has no rosette.

2 years ago
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I'd advise against buying guitars without looking and "feeling" them.

I once wanted a certain model by Ibanez badly and then it turned out it didn't fit me at all, I couldn't like, play a single clean chord on it, because, while the basic techniques are the same, everyone still has some differences with the way they grip it, with the angle, with finger placement etc.

I myself have a Fender CD60CE, cost me around $200 back in the days. Kinda difficult to compare prices now as I'm in Russia and our prices are kinda inflated nowadays. Great for fingerstyle playing, but it's a dreadnought so perhaps not quite what you want.
My friend plays a Washburn (EA-15 I think) and really likes it, but I don't think it's really suited for fingerstyle playing. Take a look at other Washburn models though, some of them should be affordable I think.

2 years ago
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And I'd agree if it wasn't impossible during Covid times - at least where I live.
Right, that model would be much too big for what I like and Washburn aren't available over here - only via import from Poland I think. Thanks for your input though!

2 years ago
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I took a massive chance once - saw some specials on a local website - and ended up buying a few Squires online. Was super impressed by them, but so long as there is a return policy even if nothing is wrong with the model, it should all be good.

2 years ago
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The bigger online music instrument stores over here offer 30 day money back guarantee - no questions asked. So at least when it comes to that there shouldn't be any issues.

2 years ago
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This is outside my field of expertise by at least a measure and a half, so please take what I say with a grain of salt, but I think Jinnai's point remains valid even in face of the pandemic, so perhaps try putting a different spin on that advice: do you need to get it now, or can it wait for, say, some months? If you can wait, you may be able to make a better decision (and possibly get a better deal) later on. With mass vaccination underway (in some countries moreso than in others, but underway in any event), we have a timeline for things to return to normal, and it may be a good idea to wait until then. Or not, but I think it's an idea you should consider.

2 years ago
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It doesn't remain valid if you're basically isolated at home for little over a year, where you generally only ever left the house for doctors appointments or a hospital stay. I'm not going to sit here any longer waiting for god knows how long and staring at the wall because I should rather wait for a pandemic to end to lower the risk of ending up with a less good sounding guitar... which I can simply sent back should I dislike it for whatever reason. Add to that that vaccinations isn't an option for me due to my preconditions. And with mutations popping up everywhere there's really no timeline one can rely on. So there's that... I need to keep myself at least somewhat busy with things I enjoy to keep my sanity if I can't meet up with and actually talk to other people for that long. Not that I wouldn't have considered it - but as said...

2 years ago*
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Uh, is kinda sudden and fully outside the area of your request, but it's an honest, well-intentioned suggestion, so please take it as such: have you considered psychotherapy, assuming it's an option for you? I've done therapy for over half my life, and I can tell you that it helps. It helps even more in a crazy situation like, (pauses and makes a broad, annoyed-looking gesture indicating everything and a meaningful facial expression) you know, this, and especially if you feel your sanity is at danger. And I know it might not even be an option, but if it is, it sounds to me as though you should consider it. And from what you're saying, it sounds like you live alone, so I think a good therapist would go a long way in anchoring you to people in general.

I'm speaking from a similar experience here, too: I have been basically 100% stuck at home for a whole year, too. I see my therapist over video calls now, and it's most certainly not the best way to do it, but it's better than nothing. Our experiences seem to differ in that I have been fortunate enough to have family living in the same place and sharing in the madness with me, which I'm sure has been more important than I can tell you, but if I had to face it all alone and without therapy I'd probably be seeing my sanity slip, too (or it might have gone to hell already, who knows).

And again, I know I may be telling you to do the impossible, but you should try to get as much sunlight as you can while stuck at home, however little that might be, especially if you live in a very cold area. For some reason, that is really important. Unless you're a vampire, in which case please disregard this last bit. :)

2 years ago
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No, I don't feel like my sanity is in danger (...yet) - because I do try to keep me busy. As bad as the situation is, it's the same life I had from about 2009 to 2018 already... so although it's certainly not nice I at least was kinda already used to such a life (hadn't my health situation changed for the better to an extent where I was able to leave the house more often again after that and regularly meet up with an old buddy - until, you know, this situation started and threw me right back to being alone at home. But I had a therapist many years ago for maybe a year for other issues and would be (generally spoken) open for seeing one in the future. Maybe.
I technically don't live alone though, there's two more people living in the same house (family); but realistically spoken I basically still live (and am) alone... if you get my drift. So I only manage to keep myself sane because I manage to keep myself busy and because of people online - and because I'm used to such a life. Although I can't deny that it's borderline "difficult" at times. Anyways...
I have a daylight lamp and take Vitamin D3 pills to make up for the lack of being exposed to sunlight, lol.
EDIT: I appreciate your thoughtfulness.

2 years ago*
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Man, that bit about your family really hurts to read. :(

Anyway, sorry I can't help more about the guitar, but I do hope it all works out! Gotta think positively, or I'm not sure how we're gonna make it through this madness, either...

2 years ago
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Oh well...
Sure, no problem. At least you tried - that's worth something! ...unlike others who jumped on the giveaways without even a bump.
Right, keep on keeping on! It's going to be better...

2 years ago
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Yeah, I noticed that you can't buy it offline at the moment but had to mention anyway. If you absolutely can't wait, then perhaps you have some sellers there who can let you "preview" the instrument before you pay for it? Like, bring it with a courier and take it back if it doesn't fit.
Otherwise I'd wait. As long as you're not dying of boredom of course. :)

2 years ago
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Nah, I wouldn't know of anyone letting one try without paying. You simply buy it and hope for the best (after making an educated decision about what you spend your money on). And if it's not what you want you can return it within 30 days at most online instrument stores.
As for the boredom, look at my reply to Cassol above.

2 years ago
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I've had a few acoustic guitars but the first one I got for myself was a Norman B20. It wasn't much to look at and it wasn't well known outside of Canada back then but I just fell in love with the sound at the guitar shop. Took me quite a while to save enough and they've about doubled in price in the last 20 years, most likely due to a lot of the most precious woods used in good quality guitars going into conservation.

But enough about me, onto your query. I have not played the G9500 but from what I read it's a pretty good guitar for beginner, albeit a lightweight (literally) and a bit more reliable on delivering crisp high sharps than rich bass notes. It won't take you much further than a year or two into your beginnings but it's a good enough choice for the price tag. It may sound a little twangy depending on what you play though.

If you get into it though, think about a cutaway for your next one. It really extends your range by giving you access to the higher notes for soloing or even slide.

If you don't mind a strange looking bird, though, I'd recommend the Martin Backpacker, which comes in left-handed model for about 200 euros. It has a solid mahogany and spruce body which makes for a very rich sound for the size and weight. You won't get the 2,000$ Martin sound but you come ridiculously close for 1/10th the price. And you also get access to the higher notes due to the design.

2 years ago*
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Ha, yeah... 700€ the least is way above what I can afford.
I don't see where you've got the sentiment that the G9500 wouldn't last much longer (if not even for several decades) but only maybe 2 years to be honest.
For the type of music - and considering on what type of instruments that music was invented and popularized on I think the sound should match up quite good. And from what I could here on e.g. Youtube it actually seems to do so. But you're right, whit there being basically only 12 usable threads that leaves some room for enhancement.
Uhh... the Martin Backpacker... that's such a strange looking bird it should be called Martin Mocking Bird. It really is - to me - one of the most unsightly guitars. Also, I'm not sure where you're from but over here the lowest price for (a right handed) one is 319€. I have to agree regarding the sound though - it certainly sounds like more than what it is.

2 years ago
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I don't see where you've got the sentiment that the G9500 wouldn't last much longer (if not even for several decades) but only maybe 2 years to be honest.

What I meant was as your technique improves, you may want a guitar with a richer, more rounded sound, and better access to the higher range with a cutout.

2 years ago
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Ah, now I see what you meant... Yeah, maybe I'll bet another one when that time comes. 🙂

2 years ago
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I have a Fender CD-60 CE. It's a budget electro acoustic guitar (with steel strings). But it's a very good one in my opinion! But I have to admit, that I'm also a beginner, So I took that one, because it was a recommendation for me as well.

It is a little over your set price, but maybe you can get it somwhere on discount ;)
Here is an example on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNnTYioq4Sg

2 years ago*
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Yes, I'm aware of the Fender CD-60 series and the version without pickup is actually pretty cheap and very well within my budget, but a dreadnought is just too big for what I currently want. I think I've settled of the Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy.

2 years ago
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That's a nice looking guitar. Looked at the specs and it says the body is semi-gloss, but in all of the videos it looks more like matte, which I like -- no marks or finger prints. The gear tuners are nice. Synthetic bone nut. The white pickguard on dark body looks better than the usual dark pickguard on light wood bodies. The G logo looks more like an ampersand, which is kind of cool. The only think that maybe polarizing is the twangy sound heard in YouTube reviews. But overall that guitar looks like a winner.

2 years ago
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Yep, everything about it is good ;-)
It's a satin-like finish that's rather matte, yes. You can probably hear the best how it sounds here: https://www.thomann.de/de/gretsch_g9500_jim_dandy_flat_top.htm - and I tell you what... I've changed my plans and my budget around a bit and actually have ordered it. I actually already have it as it arrived one day after shipping from Thomann. And I have to say, the praise it gets is justified - there's nothing I'd change about it. Also, not twangy - not to my ears. And certainly less boxy than what it even sounds on the samples on Thomann's website. The thing is, they play the instruments loud and with mics very close to them - maybe that's what enhanced it slightly. And I'm very impressed by the sustain - I hadn't expected for it to be that long considering the size.
If you can check it out in person - do it. If you do like it though, you could buy it online as long as they allow returns if you absolutely don't like it (which I'd be surprised about).

2 years ago*
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Yes, satin finish, not matte. I am going to look at and test the Makana one more time. If that doesn't work, then I'll check out the Gretsch and the Cort Luce Bevel and make a decision. There is something about the bevel / armrest that I find highly appealing, though I don't see myself playing enough that my arm would hurt without it.

Enjoy your guitar!

2 years ago
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Thinking back - if you play A LOT (for hours) that edge can indeed be a little "hurting", but it stops when you get used to it. So it's really not something to worry about. As for that sloped corner of the Cort... honestly I'd be afraid that it could negatively affect me holding the guitar (when playing while sitting) as I rest my arm on the guitars body. For playing while standing I can actually see a small benefit from having it. But in the end I think that the slope does more for the guitars visuals than it's ergonomics. I might be wrong though, I've never used a guitar with such a slope. And if you like it - go for it!
Thank you :-)

2 years ago
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https://www.staggmusic.com/en/products/guitars-and-basses/acoustic-guitars/

Should be in your price range, and are decent for beginners. Had one myself for a decade and only sold it maybe 2 years ago.

2 years ago
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Stagg is only selling dreadnought or auditorium models - both are too big in size for what I want.

2 years ago*
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Thomann has cheap and decent acoustic guitar with steel strings for starters, they are also electrified which is a plus. They deliver in all Europe AFAIK. If this advice was already given, take the free bump!

2 years ago
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Thomann has been my musical equipment/instruments dealer for years already - I know about their Harley Bentons 😉

2 years ago
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Hello eiion
Take a look on the thomann 'produced' trademark guitar. They do have cheap guitars and good ones.
My other advice would be to consider the second hand guitars.
Expecially on acoustic guitar because the sound has been 'liberated' by the previous owner 😉
Stay on right hand you will have so much more choices in guitars and there is always a right guitar somewhere a left is rare...

2 years ago
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Hi. Look at the comment you've replied to... I wrote "Thomann has been my musical equipment/instruments dealer for years already" - so I do know about what they are selling. That as well as used guitars also has been discussed in several other comments before. Still thanks for trying to help. A guitar has already been bought a while ago though - this thread is old ;-)

2 years ago
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I totally support this endeavor and wish you good luck!

Right handed vs left handed:

Playing guitar is an ambidextrous activity. Your right hand needs to pluck the right strings and vary the strength to control dynamics, while your left hand needs to move up and down the fretboard and hold down the right strings at the right frets. Is one hand's job harder than the other? I honestly don't know. I don't attribute any particular benefit to guitar-handedness, and encourage new students to learn right-handed since that opens up more guitar options and lets them easily play a friend's guitar. Since you already started learning right handed, I would just stick with that.

Guitars to look for:

I'm not sure what's available to you in Germany, but here's some general recommendations. I would recommend the smaller body style (Folk, Orchestra Model (OM), Concert Hall, Parlor) over the larger Dradnought and Jumbo bodies. As far as brands, Yamaha and Godin both make great steel string acoustics. Godin have a variety of sub-brands - Norman, Simon & Patrick, Seagull, Art & Lutherie - which are all good.

Edit: Oh, just see you've settled on the Gretsch. It looks good.

Learning:

JustinGuitar is what I would recommend. I find YT lessons to be too scattershot, many aren't actually useful, the ability level of the lessons varries greatly (one video on a subject may be beneath you, while the next is way over your head), and the "teachers" vary greatly in their ability to actually teach and convey information clearly. It's too easy to waste your time trying to find something worthwhile.

JustinGuitar, on the other hand, is logically organized into a logical curriculum, and Justin does a great job of explaining things. I think going through his course is the next best thing to private lessons.

Just remember that guitar is hard to learn, even harder now that you're older, you'll likely suck for a while (months? years?), and the more you learn the more you realize you have left to learn, but it's awesome and rewarding. Mark down your progress, so that when you feel demoralized like you're not making any you can look back to where you were last month and realize just how much you've progress you've made. Good luck, and I hope you have a blast with it! :)

2 years ago
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Thank you!
Yes, griping chords on the neck is much simpler and quickly goes into muscle memory opposed to coordinating my right hand fingers to pick certain strings in a certain order and rhythm at even different strengths. But maybe that's just me (though others who commented seem to feel the same way about it).
Yes, I went with the Gretsch and am quite happy with it 🙂
I know about Justin - though unfortunately I cannot afford any course. So Yutube has to do... which should be OK, i he always been Autodidakt when it comes to playing guitar.
Thanks for your advice.

2 years ago
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With regard to fretting hand vs picking have, that's not unusual, but that may also be due to us spending so much more time on our fretting hands. I know I've reached a point where my picking hand is holding me back, but I've also spent 80% of my time on my fretting hand, so it's not terribly surprising.

With regard to Justin Guitar, the course is free. There's nothing to afford, Justin just takes donations. The only things that cost money are extras, like the apps or the music theory course.

2 years ago
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Sure, with how much time is spent of a specific task that would make sense though there's actually things that are just much more difficult to do with one hand while it's not that hard with the other.

As for Justin... well, I had looked at the app and apparently at the only course on the website that is charged for. I've taken another look and you're right. Thanks for pointing it out.

2 years ago
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2 years ago
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Three at once? Well, have fun with them 👍🏻

2 years ago
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Hey. Personally, I would recommend a used instrument, you can buy great japan vintage guitar for 200 pounds. I don't like new cheap instruments, but you might check brands like crafter or recording king, those are really popular lately and sounds really decent. Also, it doesn't really matter if you are lefthanded, you can just restring a guitar without the cut upsidedown. The guy on the video left-handed as well btw...and it's a smaller guitar as you wanted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=490jihZTmSQ

2 years ago*
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As said before, a used instrument is out of the question - and 200 pounds would have been out of my budget anyways. A quick google search also brought up no used Japanese guitars that would be anywhere near it in my country.
Recording King I know and while they sound nice and have nice looking fret boards I can't stand the look of their headstocks. If it wasn't for that their RPS-7 could have been an option.
Restringing to left really isn't a good idea if you're not also changing the saddle and the nut. Otherwise you're just completely messing up the intonation. So if lefty then rather one that was meant to be played left handed in the first place.
Anyways, thanks for the input. The decision has already been made though a few weeks ago.

2 years ago
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I can't help much for a specific model as I primarily play electric and my acoustic guitar is a nylon strings guitar. I'm also not super experienced.

But here's my two cents on the lefty thing. I'm right handed in life but somehow playing left handed was always more natural for me, so I play lefty. I know some lefty people who like you play right handed, some of them because they were told it's better, some of them just like me somehow felt it more natural to pick with their non dominant hand. Point is, everyone is different about this and there is no universal answer about if you should play righty or lefty, it boils down to you and how you feel about it. If you feel more comfortable a certain way, go for it. Not because you are left handed in life means you will inevitably be better playing the way we call left handed. Some of us are weird like that and are reversed x)
You started learning right-handed, and it felt natural to you - I say keep at it. No reason to switch if you don't feel like you are going against your instinct or whatnot. If you always felt good playing righty, it will probably be a waste of time and money to get a lefty instrument. You'll probably realise just how much muscle theory you already had the other way around and how unnatural it feels to switch.
Also the obvious argument that lefty guitars are more expensive (as a point or reference, I bought a guitar for 535€, the same model right handed costs 475€), and you will have less choice. I personally don't really care about it because I don't buy a guitar every so often and don't plan to ever do, and despite there being less choice there still is plenty of choice (it also helps not getting GAS lol). But as your budget is limited, and you already can play righty, this doesn't seem to be a good move.

Hope it helps somehow, good luck on getting back into guitar you'll probably have a lot of fun 🤘(blues is fun)
Also my two cents again but I strongly suggest you use backing tracks as a practice tool, there are a lot of blues ones out there! Jaming over backing tracks is an incredibly powerful and fun way to practice and it helped me develop my technique and musicianship as well as my understanding of music more than anything.

2 years ago
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Thanks for the advice!

2 years ago
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I have been thinking of getting a guitar aswell i have never played them but they just sound very nice and it could be a lot of fun to learn and master it. Have a bumpo!

2 years ago
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Good luck!

2 years ago
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