Hi everyone, Amy here with more tips

Left Handed Acoustic Guitar

My new Gibson CS-336 Electric Acoustic Guitar

A left handed Acoustic guitar is like any regular guitar in that different manufactures use different types of wood, each with its own unique sound. Even different models will have different types of wood used to build them. This is what makes each guitar unique and sets it apart from others. With the internet at your finger tips, you have a very large selection available. Here is a site that I like to use when purchasing my guitars,
Click Here to Find a Great Left Handed Acoustic Guitar at Sam Ash Music

When purchasing a new guitar you want one that is comfortable to hold, not too large and bulky, not to heavy, if you are a female you might prefer a slightly smaller guitar.

Left handed Acoustic guitar vs an adjusted guitar, for me this is a no brainer. Why would you buy a right handed guitar if you are left handed? Some people maintain that you simply have to change the strings around and you have a left handed guitar, this is simply not so.

It might pass if your guitar has no “Pick-Guard”. However if it does, it will look pretty silly with the pick guard on top. Besides there is more to changing the orientation of a guitar then this and it can be expensive. Stay away from this and buy a left handed acoustic guitar, there are plenty to choose from. I like to use this store when buying a new guitar, Click Here.

Left Handed Acoustic Guitar For Beginners

If you are a beginner set yourself a budget of $300 to $600 dollars. This will provide you with a good instrument to learn on. After you have mastered it you can then set your sites on a more expensive left handed acoustic guitar such as a Gibson or a Washburn if you want.

The Internet Is The Place To Find Great Deals On A Left Handed Acoustic Guitar

Now days, a left handed acoustic guitar is a lot easier to find. Most musical instrument stores will have them. But the internet provides a lot more selection right at your finger tips. You will find that many of the top brand names like Fender, Gibson or Washburn offer a left handed version of even their most popular models.

But remember you don’t have to go after the very best right from the start. There are many very affordable alternatives when you are just starting out. So don’t let the fact that you are left handed stop you from pursuing your passion of learning to play the guitar. There are plenty of great left handed acoustic guitars available. Here is a source that I trust and find particularly helpful when looking for a left handed acoustic guitar,
Click Here to Visit Sam Ash Music a Source I use and Trust for Purchasing a Left Handed Aoustic Guitar

Hi everyone, it’s Amy here with more tips

Know What Type of Music You Want to Play Before You Buy;
You might think that this is obvious but many times it’s overlooked. The excitement of buying your first guitar can sometimes cloud your judgement. Beginners can make the error of purchasing a guitar because of its good looks or because it has a popular name. Then they find out that it’s not the correct instrument for the type of music they want to play.

My First Fender Acoustic Guitar

Before you buy a guitar you first need to decide what type of music you want to play. This will help you pick the correct type of guitar for the style of music you wish to play.

Make sure it is a Good-Fit for You;
Guitars come in different sizes, so finding one that is a good fit isn’t that difficult. You can find three quarter size guitars that are a good fit for ladies and half size guitars for children. When you first start to play, metal strings can be a touch hard on the fingers. Nylon strings can diminish the pain and make it a little easier to play.

Decide on a Budget (and stay within it!);
Buying your first left handed acoustic guitar can be especially exciting and in doing so it is easy to get a little caught up in the moment and over spend. Do a little research ahead of time on pricing, then decided on a budget and stay within it. Sounds simple right? If you decide later on that you just aren’t cut out to play the guitar you won’t be stuck with a very expensive instrument that is just collecting dust.

Stay Away from Cheap Guitars;
Steer clear of cheap guitars, you will only have to replace if you continue to play. Spend a little extra on a quality instrument, it will last longer and stand up to continuous use.

Do Your Research;
Your local musical instrument store is a great place to start your research. Often these shops are owned by private citizens that are musically inclined. They will be more than happy to answer all your questions. Remember, you are just gathering information here, so don’t let a pushy salesman pressure you into buying!

These small music shops are great for gathering your information but they aren’t necessarily your best bet for finding a good deal.

Buying Online;
When you’ve decided on the make of your new left handed acoustic guitar the internet is a great place to find some excellent deals. You will find that there is a great selection of left handed acoustic guitars available. All of the most popular guitar brands like Fender, Gibson, Yamaha and Washburn have a good selection of left handed models.

Hi everyone, Amy here

Whether it’s a left handed acoustic guitar or a guitar in general the secret to becoming a good or even great guitarist, is to master the the basics, the fundamental elements of the instrument before trying to move on to more difficult and complex guitar techniques.

My First Gibson Acoustic Guitar

Do not be in a hurry to move on from learning the notes – they are the building blocks of chords, the next step in learning. Without a good understanding of notes you will not effectively master chords.

It may sound boring to spend a great deal of time running through notes, but when it comes time to learn chords and scales you will be grateful that you did. If you devote yourself to mastering these basics, you will find that, in the end, you will be a much better guitarist for it.

Simple guitar tabs are especially easy to read – a staff of six horizontal lines represents the six strings of the guitar and the numbers printed on each line tell to the guitarist which fret to play on that string. By rehearsing simple guitar tabs you can sharpen your left handed acoustic guitar skills, adding in what you learn about finger positions and picking techniques you can apply it to real songs.

Learning to tune your guitar and understanding how to properly replace strings and store your instrument can affect how well it plays and how long it lasts.

Replace the strings on your new guitar, because unless it’s a higher end guitar, they will be of poor quality. Having the correct set of strings on your guitar for the type of music you play and your playing style is very important. This is not only important for the sound produced but ease of playing as well.

Entry level guitars, ones in the $200 to $400 range will not come with good quality strings. Here is one of the best articles that I have found on how to buy new stings for your guitar, it really is excellent. Click here.

When you are first learning to play you may break a few strings. This can be due to strumming too much and too hard. It can be eliminated by using a thinner pick and learning to strum properly.

There are several effective methods when it comes to learning to play a left handed acoustic guitar. There is the old traditional method of student and teacher (private lessons), and sometimes you can find classes where there are several students at a time learning. These methods can be expensive and they are not always convenient.

One source that should not be over looked are online lessons. This type of learning has many advantages and a couple disadvantages, with the biggest disadvantage being no one to correct your mistakes. But I believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Many times you can find free lessons, you can learn at your own pace, you can repeat the same lesson over and over until you get it right, you are not holding up the rest of the class, if you have questions there are plenty of forums where you can get all the help you need.
Here is a link to one of my favorite Forums, Click here.

Now with the power of YouTube at your side you can find plenty of videos that provide a visual demonstration of how to hold your hands and perform the different techniques. This way much of the written material can be eliminated leaving just the video and its commentary constituting the entire lesson.

The guitar has been one of the most popular instruments to learn to play for decades. And now that there are plenty of left handed acoustic guitars available, lefties no longer have to sit on the sidelines and wish they could play.