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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | Hey, Y'all. I am searching for my first guitar (better late than never). I have done quite a bit of research and have decided to go with an Ovation. I admittedly know absolutely nothing about guitars. I have noticed that choices available to a lefty like me are limited. I realy like the looks of the multi-hole designs but I don't care for the black celebrity deluxe model and don't want to pay the $1500 for the L778 in black cherry, as I am just a beginner. Does it effect the sound if you string a right-handed multi-hole guitar backwards? With or without cutout? Does it effect a single hole guitar? Should I just settle for a lefty that I'm not really crazy about? I appologize in for my ignorance, and thank you in advance for any advice. |
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Location: Simpsonville, SC | Welcome shelly....lots of experts (I am not one) here...be patient and many will respond. Stick around and have some fun.
A nice used Lefty "O" would be the best choice and save you some bucks.
Good luck on your new quest...it is better late than never! :D ;)
Jim |
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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | Thank for your welcome BegginJIM! I look forward to it. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | We have other lefties here. I know they've complained about the selection. I don't think you want to just restring. The bridge is angled, so the pickup will be, too, and that will make your intonation off. The nut is cut for a righty, so the low strings won't fit down into the slots.
You might check for some used lefties. Since the market isn't so strong for lefties, there seem to be some deals in the used markets. |
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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | That's more than fine with me. Where are some good places to find them? I live in a small town in Ky and there's not much around locally, especially for lefties. Are there any used guitar sites online? |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Oh, oh. I started down this path a couple years ago with my Matrix and an Applause 12 string. Now look. Check with Al of Lost Art Vintage first to see what he has or might be able to find for you.
I check ebay Ovations most every day. Don't do what I did and start bidding without knowing what it's all about. You might check the completed listings and search for left or lefthand to get a sense for the market. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | A quick eBay search only yields this 1114 Acoustic only today...
It looks like a nice guitar if you can get it for cheap. Less than a day to go...
The Lady-Desk-Clerk in the building I live in went looking for a Left-handed acoustic guitar for her Ol' Man for a Christmas/Birthday present... And she was asking me about restringing a rightie to a leftie... Cuz they had done that to a coupla electrics.
As I told her, it is a whole lot easier to restring a LP or Strat style guitar than an acoustic, because of the adjustable bridge.
She lucked-out when she found Five left-handers in one store... (outta about a hunnert guitars!)
Anyway, Welcome Shelly...
And this is the best place to start your search. :cool: |
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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | I've paid my ebay stupid tax before, too. Ha, ha. Advice well given. I'll check with Al first thing. Thanks. |
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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | Thanks Arthur. I was so excited when I stumbled upon this site. I read quite a lot of it before posting and knew this was THE ground zero for me. |
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| Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
A quick eBay search only yields this 1114 Acoustic only today...
It looks like a nice guitar if you can get it for cheap.
With the prices for good used Ovations being so low and the quality of the instruments so high I'm starting to get dumb ideas about collecting guitars even though I just need one or two.
Question for the cognoscente:
The ad seems to say that the guitar is 1967-1968 but the picture below shows what appear to be sliders on the electronics. Is that correct for a guitar of that age?
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Don't know Joe...
But those ain't Ovation electronics!
Might be fishman, might be washburn, but they ain't OP! |
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| Originally posted by Old Man Arthur:
Don't know Joe...
But those ain't Ovation electronics!
Might be fishman, might be washburn, but they ain't OP! Thanks. That's the answer then.
I didn't think they had anything like that back then - volume control and that was about it..lol
Still a nice guitar though; I'd almost buy that and have it refitted for right hand. |
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Location: South of most, North of few | Welcome Shelly! That is a great guitar, and for under 400.00 it would be a good buy too. Plus, he gives a 7 day return. Those electronics were definitely added afterward. Think I've seen the slanted sliders on a celeb before, but not sure thats what they are. Besides, if it had the original electronics, (stacked tone and volume) it'd be a 1614. With a nut width of 1 7/8" it makes it very easy to play for people with large hands, and a slot head is, IMHO, more desirable than a solid headstock. |
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Location: Vernon CT | Welcome Shelly! This group is very knowledgeable
(Not me though, I pretend) and have helped me a few times with good advice. Good luck with your search. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | As suggested before, I would recommend starting with something that is used and better quality over something that, for like money, is new but lesser quality. Guitars get better with age when played. Many of the members on this website are here for the long term and can be trusted. We do a lot of business with one another and continuing relationships are important. In addition, Al (Lost Art Vintage) buys and sells used gear for a living, as well as new, and specializes in the Ovation and higher end Adamas lines. Even if somebody here doesn't have something for you, they'll be watching their sources and will point you in the right direction. Welcome! I hear the banjo players are pretty scarry in your neck of the woods. |
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Location: East Tennessee | Welcome Shelly,
The 1114 lefty looks like a good one to start with. One will probably not be enough.
Just ask "The Ol' Trader" |
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Location: NJ | Stupid Question #7:
If this is your first guitar (and I'm assuming you're "just learning"), why not learn how t'play "rightie" and make it easy on yourself on this and subsequent guitar purchases?? . . . |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Shelly, one other advantage in starting off with something used but of decent quality is that in the event your interest in guitars should (heaven forbid) wane (which occasionally happens to beginners), or you go hog wild and start upgrading to even better quality models (which is what has happened to most of us), you may decide to part with it. When you do, you'll find that a good quality used guitar is more likely to retain its value over a new lesser quality guitar. This is an important consideration for some. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Cliff's question isn't stupid. I'm not so sure that learning to play lefty is any easier for a lefty than learning to play righty. |
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Location: Atlanta GA | Shelly,
As a lefty I feel your pain. Go to the site below for Lefty Heaven.
http://www.southpawguitars.com |
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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | Thanks everybody for your input. To answer some of the posts:
ProfessorBB - Yes, the banjo players can be pretty scary in this neck of the woods, I happen to be married to one. LMAO! He's next to me right now pickin', and he's very scary looking at the moment as he just got out of bed.
cliff - I wish I could just play righty but I have tried to play my husband's righty banjo and do ok as a beginner to a point, but am very limited when it comes to the finger pickin' and rolls. The same thing happened to me when I've tried to fiddle around on my daughter's righty fiddle. I can do fairly well on the piano, my son's instrument of choice. I can play simple melodies on all, but can't really dig in on any. So, I have resigned myself to being a true lefty playing lefty.
As you can see, I have a musical family without a guitar player, and I'm just a Jill of all trades and master of none. (unless you count the clarinet, flute and piccalo I played in high school, but there's not much call for them in bluegrass lol)
As to all the posts on the 1114 on ebay, I'm watching it and am working on my husband. I'm in this for the long haul guys and am not above paying more for a really good guitar that may last me for my lifetime. I'd just really like to keep it under $1000, but may be tempted to wait a while and go over for a "lifetimer". I tend grow attached to things and keep them until they fall apart. (if you saw my husband, you'd believe me lmao)
Thanks for the great responses and keep them comin'! |
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Location: NJ | ". . my husband's righty banjo . ."
I'm SO sorry. |
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| Looks like it sold for $373. What's the damn case worth, that's what I want to know..lol
Good luck on your search there Shelly if it wasn't you that bought it.
I was looking for a Les Paul once and we checked out a lot of them new in stores and used from private sellers etc. - no ebay then...lol
Anyway, I hadn't seen anything that I liked and then we went to this music shop in a small town; the only LP they had was some dog awful yellow/red sunburst deal that I wouldn't want to be buried with. I pulled er down and plugged er in; the guitar wanted to play jazz so I ran off a few riffs and my friend says to me that's the one you should buy.
So I guess my point is keep looking till you find something that speaks to you. |
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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | Thanks Joe. After listening to the advice and info so freely given here and doing a little more researching, I decided that the 1114 just might have too wide a neck for me. I'll keep looking. It's just so hard finding a lefty. (scream) lol |
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Location: East Tennessee | Shelly,
I'm left handed and play,(not that well), right handed. It can be done.
Also I have seen some pretty good lefty players who use a right hand guitar. It just makes the chords look weird. It also can create other problems with strumming and finger picking. |
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Location: SoCal | Shelly,
Don't play left handed guitar. You seriously limit your choices of guitars. It's just as easy to learn to play right handed.
I'm left handed and have always played right. It puts your good hand on the fingerboard (where it should be).
I play golf left handed and it has seriously limited my choice of clubs. And I'm still a bad golfer.
Play right handed. If you're just getting started then no matter which way you play, it's going to feel awkward for a while. Playing right handed will open up a huge world for you...... |
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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | What are the pro's and con's to playing a righty upside-down? |
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Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by shelly:
What are the pro's and con's to playing a righty upside-down? Con: Massive blood rush to your head! Ask Rosie O' D... :D |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by shelly:
What are the pro's and con's to playing a righty upside-down? Do you mean without restringing it? I explained the problems with that, above. You would have to replace the bridge or somehow rerout it to angle the saddle the other way.
Assuming you are talking about just pointing it the other way, you could not play any music or learn any chords. It would be like changing the ends of the keyboard so the low notes were on the high end and then trying to transpose it in your head. It's much easier to just learn to play it right handed. Most people have problems with their left hand coordination when they learn to play guitar. You will have an advantage.
Knowing that Moody is left handed explains a lot. |
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Location: SoCal | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
Originally posted by shelly:
You will have an advantage.
Knowing that Moody is left handed explains a lot. Seen on a t-shirt: God created everybody left handed, and they stayed that way until they commited their first sin.
Shelly, it's a major advantage to have your good hand on the fretboard.
If you persist in playing left handed, I'll never talk to you again. |
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Location: Simpsonville, SC | Moody, quit pushing her to play lefty! ;) |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Hello Shelly , Welcome to the Board :)
..at first I was not getting myself engulfed in this discussion , but really , buying without seeing/feeling , is like buying a cat in the bag , unless , a cherished member has a " lefty " for sale , I would strongly recommend a NEW Celebrity , Both my Sons are " Lefties " , my youngest has a Celebrity cc047 , sporting a Solid Top , a Great PU / Amp., and compared to my ( US made ) 1617 has a Voluminous sound , Great Sustain , and Nice Tone , Celeb`s are not copies , they`re licensed by Ovation , they are the " Real Deal " , they go for around 500 USd , and , Set -up Correctly , they can take on any acoustic , and there`s NOTHING WRONG with being a " Lefty " , I am RightHanded , yet , I have Allways Encouraged my sons to use their capabilities the way they want to , it is easy , to say , .." ah , just get used to be a righthander " , well, I have tried my sons guitars ( lefthanded instruments ) , and , ferget it , can n`t do it , ..there are more righthanded instruments , TRUE , but it is POSSIBLE to find a FINE , and NEW lefthand guitar , of Fine quality , for a reasonable fee , usually , 1st time purchaser has a warranty , and the possibility of a payment plan , 50 bucks a month over some years buys the guitar that you want , without the drawback of a " slim wallet ", follow y`er own nose and y`ell get there..Good Luck :)
Vic |
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Location: NJ | ". . I'm left handed and have always played right. It puts your good hand on the fingerboard . ."
THAT explains your rhythm-playing . . . |
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Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by Beggin:
Moody, quit pushing her to play lefty! ;)  |
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Location: Marlton, NJ | My brother is left handed. My Czech born Grandmother thought he was evil and tried everything in her power to change him over.
Didn't work... he just bought a lefty guitar. |
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Location: SoCal | Originally posted by cliff:
THAT explains your rhythm-playing . . . Clifford, I don't think there's anything that can explain my rhythm playing.
I am extremely left handed. I do everything lefty except playing the guitar. If you're just getting started, it's awkward no matter which way you pick it up, so why not start playing in the way that will give you more opportunity and less grief down the road.
I've got two friends who both play lefty (Jeff, you wanna speak up here?), and both are limited in what they can play. And when it comes to new Ovations, they are left (pun intended) out in the cold. The LX models are not made lefty.
Why you people want to encourage Shelly, an admitted beginner, to play lefty is beyond me. But I'm done with this.
But I won't encourage somebody to do something stupid....... |
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Location: NJ | ". . I don't think there's anything that can explain my rhythm playing . ."
How about "Lack Thereof"?? |
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Location: SoCal | Originally posted by cliff:
". . I don't think there's anything that can explain my rhythm playing . ."
How about "Lack Thereof"?? That would, probably do it...... |
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Location: Utah | Hmm, is there really such a thing as a righty or lefty guitar? It's designed and built the way it is. Is there a lefty piano? Left flute? Lefty violin? Lefty typewriter? |
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| Hope You find good left-handed Ovation, Shelly. When I got my first guitar abut 40 years ago it was just natural for me to put my right hand around fretboard. Can't think of playing any other way- But my son who is lefthanded, too likes to play as right handers.
Here is one good Ovation store to lefthanders:
www.adirondackguitar.com
Ilkka |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Just a thought . . . could you reverse or change out the nut and saddle on a non-cutout Legend and end up with a lefty? As we all know, Hendrix restrung a righty and played it lefty, but the Strat bridge allows for individual string adjustments. |
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| Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
Just a thought . . . could you reverse or change out the nut and saddle on a non-cutout Legend and end up with a lefty? As we all know, Hendrix restrung a righty and played it lefty, but the Strat bridge allows for individual string adjustments. It would depend entirely on the particular bridge you had. If your bridge & saddle look like this:
then you'd probably be OK flipping the saddle 180 degrees (that says nothing about the peizo wires if it's an A/E - in that case you'd have to drill a hole for the wire and not be a PU assy about it).
But if they look like this:
then the angle of the saddle in the bridge would be completely opposite of what it needs to be if strung for a lefty.
Photos courtesy of Jerome's site. |
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| I've done so to my guild d-35 but the result is never like the instrument that has been made left-handed from the start (IMHO).
Greetings from Finland,
Ilkka |
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Location: Hollywood, FL | Jimmy Hendrix was a lefty player who played right
handed guitars mostly strats strung upside down. He liked the sound of the backward pick up. |
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Location: Hollywood, FL | Electrics are much easier on the fingers. |
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Location: big island | very
nice lefty on the bay: |
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Location: Central Florida | Originally posted by moody, p.i.:
I've got two friends who both play lefty (Jeff, you wanna speak up here?), and both are limited in what they can play. And when it comes to new Ovations, they are left (pun intended) out in the cold. The LX models are not made lefty.
Well, I haven't chimed in because I don't know that really have anything constructive or definitive to say here. I don't know if I could've forced myself to learn to play righty back when I first started or not. My first guitar teacher tried to encourage me to do just that, and even made me go through my lessons holding the guitar in the right-handed position, but I'd go home and study the lessons all week holding the guitar like a lefty. Eventually my mom ratted me out to the teacher and he finally agreed to let me do it however it was most natural for me.
It is true that left-handed players have a much harder time finding new, quality, guitars for purchase than right-handed players. However, most guitar manufacturers do offer their best-selling models in LH versions. The caveat is you usually have to special order them and wait -- and sometimes the wait can be anywhere from six months to a year or more. Ovation does offer a few left-handed models, but due to the nature of how they're built, the choices for us southpaws are extremely limited, and as Moody pointed out, they don't offer any models with the LX features to leftys.
So, I suppose my advice would be try playing right-handed for a period of time and see how well you progress. It would be to your advantage in the long run if you can do it. However, if it just doesn't feel right (no pun intended) after, say, 90 days, don't let it discourage you away from learning to play, just flip it over and go with what feels natural.
Good luck. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Here's another lefty Elite that has what looks like a nicely done reset bridge. Looking at the pictures it looks like everything has been corrected and it looks like it may be a very good deal. It would even be nicer if you could get a club member in CT to check it out for you. The Buy-it-Now is only $499 Lefty Elite on Ebay |
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Location: Cincinnati | Vince,
the description says it's a right hand, and the bridge looks like it's a right hand. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | L718 with OP-X!! This is really a lefty with a nice case!
And it is $600 BIN...
Also... 1617 lefty |
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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | Hidie, y'all. Been away for a day or so. I've got a 4 year old who was diagnosed with the flu on Friday, so I've been a little busy. I've been reading what all was posted and discussed this with my other half. I want to give a BIG thanks to all y'all for your comments and advice. They have halped me with my decision! I think I'm going to buy a RH guitar to start with. I'll give it a try and if after 3 or 4 months, if it still doesn't feel right then my husband will have a nice father's day gift and I'll buy a lefty for myself. That ought to satisfy Moody well enough :p . Maybe he'll talk to me again ;) .
I've found this one on the bay that I like pretty well.
1778LX on ebay
From what I've learned on this site, the LX's are good guitars and this one doesn't seem to have much if anything wrong with it, and I like the looks of it. Any comments or advice on this one?
Thanks in advance,
Shelly |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | You seem to have thought of the most sensible course. If you tried to learn left handed and gave it up, it might be more difficult to dispose of the lefty guitar. The one you chose looks decent. Go for it and enjoy. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | After I looked for all them Lefty guitars for you too... :mad:
[If your child has the same flu I had, it'll be done by Monday...
Mine just ruined my 3-day weekend! Get Well!] |
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Location: Winchester, Kentucky | I'm soooo sorry Arthur! I really do appreciate all the effort and I truly did consider them. I'll remember what you recommended in a few months, should my attempts as a wannabe righty fail miserably.
Humble and appologetic,
Shelly |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | No reason to be too sorry. But if I was left-handed, I woulda got that last L718.
But if you can do the right-handed thing, you can get any-old-guitar and play... It'll be easier in the long-run.
I had a left-handed drummer-friend who played right-handed guitar...
But that was only cuz he HAD to learn on a right-handed guitar... That was what we had... :rolleyes: |
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Newby & Lost Lefty in need of advice