Best Left Handed Acoustic Guitars

Best Left Handed Acoustic Guitars

If you're a left-handed guitarist, you may be frustrated with your purchase options when it comes to buying a new instrument. Often, music stores only offer left-handed models on a select few guitars.

If you're looking for a new acoustic guitar, you've come to the right place. We've gathered seven of the best left-handed acoustic guitars, both acoustic and acoustic-electric. We chose these guitars because they have great tonal quality and playability. And since we know many musicians are on a budget, our list places a special emphasis on getting a great instrument for the price.

12 Best Left Handed Acoustic Guitars

Make

Model

Rating

Price

Full Review

Fender

CD-60S

Cell

Martin

LX1 Little Martin

Yamaha

FG820

Cell

Ibanez

AW54LCE

Taylor

414CE-R

Seagull

S6

Donner

DAG-1CL

Cell

Fender CD-60S - Best Playability

Important Features

  • This time-tested left-handed acoustic guitar from Fender is ideal for both beginning and intermediate players
  • Easily one of the most popular & best selling Fender acoustic guitars with left-handed dreadnought body.
  • Solid spruce top gives quality tone that improves over time
  • Easy to play neck is ideal for newer players or those with small hands

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Very affordable for the build quality
  • Has a solid-top with full size left-handed dreadnought shape and scalloped bracing
  • Is very playable due to rolled up fret edges

Cons

  • Some players may prefer a guitar with electronics
  • Lack of cutaway makes it harder to access frets further down the neck

Brief Review & Star Rating

Specifications

  • Body Shape: Dreadnought
  • Top Wood: Solid Spruce 
  • Back & Sides: Laminated Mahogany
  • Bracing: Scalloped "X"
  • Fingerboard: Walnut
  • Cutaway: No
  • Pickup / Preamp: No
  • Scale Length: 25.3"

Review

Fender's CD-60S is a guitar known for affordability and great value. This version makes it an option for left-handed players, too. It has a solid spruce top and a laminate mahogany body for a balanced tone. 

But perhaps its best feature -- especially for newer players -- is its uniquely easy to play neck, which rolls at the fretboard for added comfort. This guitar is in the classic and popular dreadnought shape, giving it impressive volume and a nuanced tone.

Our Star Rating

This is a well-built left-handed acoustic guitar whose neck makes playing easier than ever. We give it four out of five stars.

Martin LX1 Little Martin - Best Smaller Guitar

Important Features

  • Has a solid-top, which is a rarity when it comes to smaller guitars
  • High-pressure laminate body is extra lightweight, making it easy to transport
  • Quality nut, saddle, and tuners preserve its tonal properties

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Small size is easier for smaller players to play
  • Solid-top for great tone
  • Comes with padded gig bag for easy transport

Cons

  • Some players may be looking for a full-sized guitar
  • Some might prefer a smaller guitar with electronics

Brief Review & Star Rating

Specifications

  • Body Shape: Concert (O)
  • Top Wood: Sitka Spruce 
  • Back & Sides: HPL Laminate
  • Bracing: Non-Scalloped X-Brace
  • Fingerboard: Richlite
  • Cutaway: No
  • Pickup / Preamp: No
  • Scale Length: 23"

Review

Legendary manufacturer Martin has been a favorite of many players for centuries. The Little Martin, with scaled-down dreadnought body, is a popular choice for those needing a travel guitar, as well as for smaller players. It belongs to the Martin X series range of acoustic guitars.

And since it can be very difficult to find short-scale left handed acoustic guitars, the quality build of this one is somewhat surprising. This version has a solid spruce top for quality tone, and the back and sides are made of Martin's own lightweight high-pressure laminate (HPL). A Tusq saddle and quality tuners help round out this impressive-sounding smaller guitar.

Our Star Rating

As scaled-down guitars go, this acoustic guitar is of excellent quality. We give it four out of five stars.

Seagull S6: Best Midrange Guitar

Important Features

  • Solid cedar top produces warm, balanced tone
  • Wild cherry back and sides are an unusual choice, but they help balance out the tone
  • Unique design features improve tuning stability and playability
  • Comes with a padded gig-bag

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Very good quality guitar for the price
  • Has a solid top
  • Has an unusual tonewood configuration for great tone

Cons

  • Made with laminate back and sides

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

Seagull is a Canadian-based manufacturer known for producing high-quality guitars for impressively low prices. The S6 is one of their more popular models, and this one has a solid cedar top that's pressure tested for added durability.

Its wild-cherry sides add in a little brightness, making this guitar very tonally versatile. The S6 has Seagull's unique tapered headstock design, which is designed to improve tuning stability. It also comes with a padded gig bag.

Our Star Rating

Even though its back and sides are laminate, this is a fantastic guitar for the price. We give it five out of five stars.

Gibson J-45 Standard -- Best Tone

Important Features

  • All-solid spruce and mahogany build delivers a warm, versatile tone
  • SlimTaper neck profile and rosewood fretboard with rolled and beveled edges make it highly playable
  • LR Baggs VTC Active electronics give you stage-ready sound
  • Compound dovetail neck joint delivers great sustain and unmatched stability

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • The J-45 is an iconic guitar with very versatile sound
  • Hand-scalloped bracing helps support nuanced and resonant tone
  • Premium rosewood fingerboard, genuine mother-of-pearl dot inlays, Grover Rotomatic tuners, and other high-end appointments complete the package 

Cons

  • It's a very expensive guitar that may be out of reach for many players

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

Gibson's classic J-45 is a guitar that has been dubbed "The Workhorse" for a reason -- its rich, deep tone has featured on countless legendary songs. If you're a lefty looking for an incredible-sounding acoustic, this one is a great choice. The J-45 Standard has a solid Sitka spruce top with solid mahogany back and sides. Those tonewoods, combined with hand-scalloped X bracing, create the warm, smooth, earthy tone the J-45 is known for.

But it doesn't just sound great -- this is a guitar that is highly playable as well. Gibson's SlimTaper mahogany neck is capped with a premium rosewood fretboard. The fretboard edges are rolled over the neck and very slightly beveled, creating a beautiful playing experience. And if you're a performer, you'll likely appreciate the onboard LR Baggs VTC active undersaddle transducer.

The pickup's preamp and volume control are both mounted inside the soundhole -- there's no bulky plastic disrupting the surface of your guitar. The J-45 Standard is a fairly expensive instrument, but if you have the money to spare, it's an heirloom-quality instrument you can enjoy for years.

Our Star Rating

We think that the J-45 has the best tone -- whether unplugged or amplified -- and we give it five out of five stars.

Yamaha FG820: Best Value

Important Features

  • Solid Sitka top and scalloped X-bracing create a uniquely rich tone
  • Price is very good for the guitar build
  • Comes in several unique finishes

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Build quality gives it a tone that rivals more expensive guitars
  • Solid-top only improves in terms of sound quality over time
  • Affordable for many players

Cons


Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

Yamaha guitars have been known for quality construction for decades, and the FG series is no exception. These guitars are made with scalloped X-bracing, which enhances sound and emphasizes low-end and midrange frequencies.

This acoustic guitar is made with a solid Sitka spruce top, laminate mahogany back and sides as well as rosewood fingerboard. It comes in natural finishes as well as unique colors like turquoise and red.

Our Star Rating

This acoustic guitar offers quality tone for a fair price, and it has a dreadnought body, the shape chosen by a majority of guitarists. We give it five out of five stars.

Ibanez AW54LCE: Best Live-Performance Guitar

Important Features

  • Solid mahogany top offers a warm, rich tone
  • Distinctive finish is ideal for guitarists who want to stand out
  • Comes with onboard electronics, making it easier to play live

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Great build quality
  • Very affordable for many players
  • Solid top produces excellent tone

Cons

  • Back and sides are laminate
  • Some performers may prefer higher-end electronics

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

Ibanez is known for making quality acoustic guitars and offering them at fair prices. This one is no exception. It has a solid mahogany - top that's made with a beautiful and unique open-pore finish.

The back and sides are made of okuome, an affordable tonewood that is somewhat similar to maple. This is a left handed dreadnought acoustic electric with a cutaway, so it has a rich, overtone-heavy sound while still being easy to play. It comes equipped with Ibanez electronics, making it a great instrument to play live.

Our Star Rating

The quality build and value for price makes this an outstanding acoustic-electric guitar for the money. We give this one five out of five stars.

Taylor American Dream AD27e -- Best Rustic Look

Important Features

  • All-solid mahogany and sapele build creates a warm tone that still has great definition
  • Unique rustic aesthetics set it apart from other high-end Taylors
  • Taylor's remarkable Expression System II electronics create incredibly natural plugged-in sound
  • Grand Pacific body shape is similar to a round-shoulder dreadnought -- you get rich sound with reduced boominess

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Its warm yet focused voice is great for many genres, including folk, blues, and country
  • For an all-solid, acoustic-electric Taylor, it's a great price
  • Cosmetically-imperfect, beautifully-grained wood adds character

Cons

  • Some players may prefer a more traditional tonewood combination

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

Many of Taylor's most famous acoustics are bright-sounding and flashy-looking. But the AD27E's more rugged looks make it more reminiscent of the J-45 than of most other Taylors. This all-solid acoustic-electric is made of a highly unusual tonewood combination.

A solid mahogany top contributes a dark warmth to the sound while solid sapele back and sides add a hint of shimmer. Taylor even selects pieces of mahogany with minor cosmetic flaws to add some character to each instrument.

Like many of Taylor's new, high-end guitars, this one has the brand's groundbreaking V-class bracing. This design -- a new alternative to X bracing -- creates extra stiffness down the center of the soundboard while allowing the sides to vibrate more freely. The result is an increase in both sustain and resonance. And of course, the AD27e comes with Taylor's Expression System II electronics.

This behind-the-saddle design is controlled by a master volume knob and two tone controls. Though it isn't a cheap guitar, the American Dream AD27e offers many of the features that you only otherwise see on Taylors that cost thousands more.

Our Star Rating

This great-sounding, rugged guitar has the best rustic look on the list, and we give it 4.5 out of five stars.

Taylor 414CE-R: Best High-End Guitar

Important Features

  • Made with top-quality V-Class bracing
  • All solid wood construction for great tone
  • Comes with Taylor's ES 2 electronics

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Quality build makes this a professional-grade instrument
  • Comes with high-quality electronics for playing live
  • Easy to play at home or on stage

Cons

  • High price means it may not be the best selection for anyone

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

If you're a left-handed player who wants a world-class instrument, Taylor's 414CE-R is a fantastic choice. It's made with Taylor's recently developed V-Class bracing, which many players view as superior to the traditional X-bracing used in most acoustic guitars.

It's made of all-solid wood, with a Sitka spruce top and beautiful East Indian rosewood back and sides. This grand auditorium acoustic-electric guitar with a cutaway is easy to handle and play, and it comes equipped with Taylor's incredible Expression System 2 electronics.

Our Star Rating

This is an outstanding instrument, but it may not be affordable for most players. We give it four out of five stars

Cordoba GK Studio Negra -- Best for Flamenco

Important Features

  • Solid European spruce top is incredibly responsive and offers a detailed tone
  • Layered rosewood back and sides support a powerful bass response
  • Fan bracing offers a robust sound typical of flamenco music
  • Fishman Presys Blend electronics are much higher end than what you typically find in this price range

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • It's an outstanding value for the price
  • The C-shaped mahogany neck plays more comfortably than most classical guitar necks
  • Rosewood fingerboard and bone nut and saddle support traditional look and tone

Cons

  • In some cases, this guitar arrives with intonation issues

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

Many of the best left handed acoustic guitars on our list are traditional steel-string acoustics. But what if you prefer nylon strings? Whether you're a flamenco player or just like the mellower sound of nylon strings, the GK Studio Negra is a solid option. This instrument is a more affordable version of the Gipsy Kings signature guitar, and it's fast-playing enough for even electric guitar players to appreciate.

This beautifully designed guitar combines a solid European spruce top with rosewood back and sides for a clean sound with a prominent low end. Like most flamenco guitars, it has fan bracing for increased resonance.

The hand-inlaid wooden rosette, bone nut and saddle, and Cordoba gold tuners with black buttons are all characteristic of appointments you'd find on guitars that are much more expensive. Best of all, the Fishman Presys Blend system lets you combine the outputs of a piezo pickup and an internal microphone for a lively, natural amplified tone.

Our Star Rating

We think this great-looking guitar is easily the best for flamenco on the list, and we give it four out of five stars.

Fender Redondo Player -- Best for Small Hands

Important Features

  • Slim-C neck with Strat-style headstock looks and plays like an electric guitar neck
  • Dreadnought-like cutaway body with solid Sitka spruce top delivers classic, overtone-rich sound
  • Custom-designed Fishman electronics faithfully reproduce your sound in a plugged-in setting
  • An unusual, head-turning finish makes it a great stage guitar

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Solid spruce top and laminated mahogany back and sides give you a decent, reliable tone
  • The slim-C neck is extraordinarily playable
  • GraphTech NuBone nut and saddle increase sustain and harmonic content

Cons

  • The electronics aren't the best on the list

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

You likely already know that the available selections for left-handed guitars tend to be somewhat limited. And if you're a lefty with small hands, it can be incredibly tough to find the right instrument. The Redondo Player is a relatively affordable acoustic-electric that you'll probably find easy to play -- the slim-C neck feels just like that of a Strat.

However, the Redondo Player's sound is all acoustic. the solid Sitka spruce top is supported by scalloped X bracing for a beautiful balance of sustain and resonance. The body shape is close to that of a cutaway dreadnought, so you can count on plenty of overtones and present bass response.

And while the back and sides are laminated mahogany, they still add just enough warmth to the Redondo player's delightfully smooth tone. This guitar is part of Fender's colorful Calfornia Series, so it has a painted black finish with contrasting aged white binding and a sparkling gold pickguard. Its aesthetics might be unusual, but it's a guitar that's sure to turn heads.

Our Star Rating

We think this unique guitar is the best one for small hands on the list, and we give it four out of five stars

Ibanez AEG70L -- Best Finish

Important Features

  • The shallow, cutaway body is easy to handle and resists feedback issues
  • Satin-finished Comfort Grip neck is fast and easy to play
  • Ibanez T-bar II pickup and AEQ-TTS preamp with built-in tuner makes gigging easy
  • Tiger Burst finished flame maple top makes each unit unique

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Its finish and appointments give it a high-end look
  • Satin-finished neck and small cutaway body make it very comfortable to play
  • Mid-sized, concert-style body make it suitable for a wide range of genres

Cons

  • Despite its somewhat high price, it's made of all laminated wood

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

If you're like most people, the first thing you'll notice about this remarkable instrument is its stunning finish. The Ibanez AEG70L has a laminated flame maple top and laminated sapele back and sides and the Tiger Burst finish highlights each detail in the woodgrain. But this guitar is more than just something nice to look at -- it's an extremely comfortable, fun instrument to play.

The walnut-capped nyatoh neck has a satin finish for fast playability, while a Venetian cutaway grants easy access to the upper frets. The shallow body has two purposes-- it makes handling easier, but it also reduces your risk of feedback when playing live.

The AEG70L is a great first acoustic-electric for new performers, but it also could be a worthy backup guitar for the seasoned player. The simple Ibanez AEQ-TTS preamp has volume control, tone control, and an onboard tuner.

The affordable T-Bar II undersaddle pickup delivers decent plugged-in sound, too. Though it's pricey for an all-laminate guitar, the AEG70L resists changes in temperature and humidity -- it's a great choice for players who travel a good bit.

Our Star Rating

We think this stunning instrument has the best finish on the list, and we give it three and a half out of five stars.

Donner DAG-1CL: Best Beginner Bundle

Important Features

  • Spruce top and mahogany back and sides offer balanced tone
  • Slim profile neck and cutaway make it highly playable, even for new guitarists
  • Comes with all accessories you need to start playing right away

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Well-built guitar that's still affordable
  • Comes with needed accessories
  • Is very playable

Cons

  • All laminate construction means it isn't likely to sound as good as a solid-top guitar
  • Established players may not need extra accessories

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

Donner isn't as established as some guitar manufacturers, but they've quickly made a name for themselves in the guitar effects industry by producing affordable pedals that sound great. Now, Donner also manufactures entry-level guitars, and one of their beginner bundles features a full-sized spruce and mahogany dreadnought with a cutaway.

This guitar is all laminate, but it features sealed tuners and a highly playable neck that make it a great guitar to start learning on. It also comes with a gig bag, tuner, picks, strap, capo, polishing cloth, extra strings, and pickguard.

Our Star Rating

We think this guitar has an interesting design that's great for those who want to blend different musical styles. We give it three and a half out of five stars.

Buying Guide: What Should You Look For When Buying A Left Handed Acoustic Guitar?

Shopping for left handed acoustic guitars is just like shopping for a right-handed guitar. However, it does have one unfortunate caveat -- left-handed offerings tend to be fewer and farther in between.

This can make your search frustrating, but it's important to not let frustration get the better of you. When shopping, don't just choose the first left-handed instrument you find; it's still important to carefully evaluate specs to make sure you're choosing the right guitar for you. Here's what to look for as you evaluate potential guitars.

Solid Vs. Laminate

Especially if you're just starting out, it can be tempting to purchase the most affordable guitar you can find. However, one of the most important things to consider is buying a guitar with a solid-top. This is often one of the most important factors in shaping a guitar's tone.

Guitars made of all solid wood often sound the best, but you can still get a great tone from a guitar with a solid-top and laminate back and sides. Since laminate is made of many thin layers of wood pressed together, the sound won't be as good as sound from solid wood. However, the top matters more than back and sides when it comes to tone.

Bracing

Bracing is the internal structure of a guitar. And while it's hidden, it has a major impact on a guitar's sound. Most modern guitars are made with X-bracing, a sturdy bracing style that emphasizes projection. However, there are some variants of X-bracing--some guitars are made with scalloped X-bracing, which tends to amplify bass and midrange notes. This isn't something that all guitarists prefer, but depending on your playing style, it may be worth investigating. This video helps explain the differences between the bracing styles.

Lastly, if your budget is a bit higher, you may be interested in Taylor's V-Class bracing. This new bracing style is meant to be an improvement over X-bracing, and may also improve projection and individual note voicing.

Tonewood Types

While bracing and build quality are also important to consider, the types of wood used to make a guitar are also important. Here are some of the tonewoods used on the guitars on our list:

Spruce

Spruce is commonly used as the material for guitar tops (or soundboards). It has a bright, balanced tone, and it tends to improve with age.

Mahogany

This warm-sounding wood is often used for guitar tops as well as bodies. It doesn't have all the brightness of spruce, making it great for fingerpicking and mellower playing.

Wild Cherry

This unusual tonewood has a beautiful color, and it's tonally like maple. While it has a more rapid decay than some woods, it's excellent when it comes to clarity and projection.

Okuome

This affordable tonewood is used in many budget and midrange instruments. Like maple, it's bright and clear, but it doesn't quite have the resonance of mahogany or spruce.

Electronics

If you plan on playing live, an acoustic-electric is often a wise investment. That said, if you find your ideal guitar and it does not come with electronics, this isn't the end of the world--you can always choose your own electronics and have them installed. However, in many cases, it's easier to choose a guitar with a built-in pickup.

Be sure to pay attention to the pickup quality--poor-quality electronics won't do your guitar's sound justice. If you can't try out a guitar before buying, you can always listen to a sound demo to get a feel for what the instrument sounds like both plugged and unplugged.

In Conclusion

Each of the left-handed guitars on the list is a great choice in its own right. But of our list of the best left handed acoustic guitars, we think the Seagull S6 is the top choice. Seagull is a brand known for its excellent value, and the S6 is an affordable instrument that can be enjoyed by new guitarists and pros alike. The S6 has the unusual combination of a warm, mellow cedar top and bright-sounding wild cherry back and sides.

If you have a bit more to spend, we think that the Gibson J-45 Standard left-handed is a prime selection as well. The Gibson J-45 is legendary for its full, earthy sound. And since the J-45 is made of all solid woods, that sound only improves with time. Plus, it comes with top-notch LR Baggs VTC Active electronics for effortless live sound.

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