First Guitar For Left Handed Six Year Old

[buttmonki]

My daughter is 118cm tall and wants to learn the guitar.  She's been learning saxophone but a wind instrument with the current climate is less than ideal so I suggested a string for when she restarts music lessons.

I myself do not play, I was not allowed as a child, my parents insisted I learn the piano first so despite begging for a guitar for five years I lost interest in music after two years of torturous piano lessons during which I learned absolutely nothing and was still not rewarded with the guitar I had wanted.

Originally I was going to get her a classical guitar as it was my understanding this is the best to start with.  Personally I would love her to learn acoustic or electric but I want her to start with whatever is easier to learn and will be most enjoyable but also good to transfer skills from.

Of course now it seems I may be limited to what is available, because she is left handed and age 6 so I imagine needs a 1/2 size.  Finding a left handed 1/2 size looks to be absolutely impossible.

Can anyone recommend a good quality (not toylike) left handed guitar to suit a six year old just starting to learn please?

[Dad3353]

2 hours ago, buttmonki said:

...Can anyone recommend a good quality (not toylike) left handed guitar to suit a six year old just starting to learn please?

Have a look here, maybe..?

Left-handed guitars for children ...

Are you sure she'd play 'lefty', though..? My family are largely 'lefty'; I have a younger brother, 'hard' lefty, who started playing on my guitar (righty...), and was much better than me from the outset (and still is, by a long chalk...). Given a 'righty' guitar, she may well adapt without question to it.
Are you planning on having her attend tuition..? A good tutor would be well-placed to assess her aptitude for playing either way round, and would, whatever the choice, get her off to a good start. A classical (nylon-strung...) guitar would be a wise choice for someone that young, for many reasons, and there's plenty of time later to acquire other instruments, once the basics are 'down'.
The most important thing, however, is her own motivation. If she really wants to play sax, or flute, or whatever, that's the instrument she should be given the opportunity to get going on.

Just my tuppence-worth; hope this helps. 

[buttmonki]

6 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Have a look here, maybe..?

Left-handed guitars for children ...

Are you sure she'd play 'lefty', though..? My family are largely 'lefty'; I have a younger brother, 'hard' lefty, who started playing on my guitar (righty...), and was much better than me from the outset (and still is, by a long chalk...). Given a 'righty' guitar, she may well adapt without question to it.
Are you planning on having her attend tuition..? A good tutor would be well-placed to assess her aptitude for playing either way round, and would, whatever the choice, get her off to a good start. A classical (nylon-strung...) guitar would be a wise choice for someone that young, for many reasons, and there's plenty of time later to acquire other instruments, once the basics are 'down'.
The most important thing, however, is her own motivation. If she really wants to play sax, or flute, or whatever, that's the instrument she should be given the opportunity to get going on.

Just my tuppence-worth; hope this helps. 

Thanks, yes I was thinking to start on a classic guitar.  I was set to buy a 1/2 size Yamaha but no leftie ones!  I did look at this list too but they are all acoustic/electric.  She does really want to learn the sax and we have tried lessons on Zoom but it was too hard in virtual lessons.  She started recorder on Zoom as it is simpler but isn't enjoying it as much.  In October we go to join her dad abroad and she will have to wear a face mask for face to face lessons, so that pretty much puts an end to learning a wind instrument at the moment, hence suggesting she tries a string instrument for now.  I'm not sure if she will play left handed but she is very strongly left handed in most things so I suspect she will be.  She's had a toy ukulele since she was 3 and always plays with it left handed, she naturally picks it up that way (we are all right handed so she is not copying).  The problem is once we get abroad it is going to be very hard to obtain a musical instrument other than one sold in a big chain store.

[EdwardMarlowe]

If her natural inclination is to hold it left handed, she's a left handed player. DO NOT be bamboozeled by right-handed know-nothings in guitar shops who will tell you a load of lies that "oh, it'll be easier for her with her strong hand on the fingerboard" and other such rot (were that actually true, they'd all be playing what is considered "left-handed" now).

Very little is available for left handers in half size. Might be worth considering a travel guitar - https://leftyfretz.com/left-handed-travel-guitar-bass/

Travel guitars tend to  be much smaller in the body in paticular (saves luggage space...), and that should make it more wiedly for a small person.

Another option might be a 3/4 scale, like a Fender Mustang or Duotone - Squier versions of these are around £115 - but I think (being a left handed player myself and having searched these) you'll find it very hard to find a left hander in those - might need to do a Hendrix / Cobain,. i.e. have it set up 'upside down' for a left handed player. My first electric guitar was done that way and it didn't limit me. It's a cheaper (and more easily passed on) way of donig it as long as the yougn ladyt is comfotable with the guitar that way round. (EAsily tried in a store).

THomann has a page about (acoustics) for children beginners: https://www.thomann.de/gb/classical_guitars.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw3s_4BRDPARIsAJsyoLPMupFGAD7sFPm0TJPFFohkMar5pv-8gOkw-lgKBMulRYVgUiXLzUcaAnvLEALw_wcB

Edited July 19, 2020 by EdwardMarlowe

[EdwardMarlowe]

Gear 4 Music has acouple of 3/4 scale Statalikes at budget prices. Not played one myself, but:

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/3-4-LA-Left-Handed-Electric-Guitar-by-Gear4music-Sunburst/2CM3 

£89.99

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/3-4-LA-Left-Handed-Electric-Guitar-by-G4M-Sunburst-Nearly-New/3EAV

£64.99

Not too much of an outlay if she doesn't stick with it.