Left-Handed Guitar for Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Choosing the Right Start

If your child is left-handed and wants to learn guitar, you have probably already hit the first question: should they play a left-handed guitar or a right-handed one?

The honest answer is that experienced players and teachers disagree. Some left-handed guitarists play left-handed, and many others play right-handed and are perfectly happy. What matters most is that your child starts comfortably, enjoys it and keeps going.

This guide walks you through the options in plain language, with no guitar knowledge needed.

First, how do you know which hand is dominant?

Younger children do not always have a clear preference. Watch which hand your child uses to draw, use a spoon, throw a ball or brush their teeth. Then notice how they naturally “air strum” when they pretend to play a guitar. If one hand always does the strumming without being asked, that is useful information.

A mixed picture is fine. Plenty of children use one hand for writing and the other for sports.

The three ways a left-handed child can start

1. A left-handed guitar. This is a true mirror image of a standard guitar, with the neck pointing to the right. Many left-handed children find it feels natural. The trade-off is that there are usually fewer models to choose from, and they often cost more.

2. A standard right-handed guitar, played in the usual way. This is what most lessons, videos and books assume. It is widely available and often cheaper, and many left-handed players choose it for exactly those reasons. The child simply learns to strum with the right hand and press the strings with the left.

3. A right-handed guitar restrung for left-handed play. This lets you use a guitar you already own. It is not always as simple as swapping the strings, though. The slots in the nut (the small bar near the headstock) are cut for a particular string order, so for a clean sound the nut often needs to be replaced or adjusted. On some guitars the body also has controls or a cutaway that makes flipping awkward.

What changes on a left-handed guitar?

On a right-handed guitar, the left hand presses the strings along the neck and the right hand strums. On a left-handed guitar, those jobs swap: the right hand presses the strings and the left hand strums.

This is why chord charts matter. A standard chord diagram, printed for right-handed players, looks reversed to a left-handed player. Children can get confused when the picture and the guitar do not match, so it helps to use charts drawn as a true mirror image.

So which option is best?

There is no single answer, but these questions help:

• What feels natural to your child? Let them hold a left-handed and a right-handed guitar, and see which one they reach for.
• What is available and affordable? Left-handed guitars in small children’s sizes can be harder to find. A good right-handed starter guitar might be easier to get.
• What will the teacher use? If you plan on lessons, ask whether the teacher is comfortable teaching left-handed students.
• What do you already own? A spare guitar might be restrung, but check the nut and ask a music shop for advice.

If possible, let your child try both for a short time. A music shop or a friendly teacher can help. Once your child chooses, stay with it. Switching back and forth means starting the muscle memory over again.

Don’t forget the right size

Whichever side your child plays, the guitar has to fit them. Many children aged 5 to 10 are comfortable on a 1/2 or 3/4 size guitar, depending on height and arm length. A guitar that is too big makes learning harder and can lead to frustration. Nylon-string guitars are also often suggested for young beginners because they are gentler on small fingertips.

Tips for helping a left-handed beginner

• Keep sessions short. Ten happy minutes a day beats a long, tiring hour.
• Use mirror-image materials if your child plays left-handed, so what they see matches what they play.
• Tune the guitar before every practice. A guitar that is out of tune sounds wrong even when your child plays correctly. A free tuner app works well.
• Celebrate small wins. A clean chord, a steady beat or five days in a row deserve a high five.
• Be patient with finger strength. Pressing strings takes time. It is normal for the first weeks to feel awkward.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing a guitar because it was cheap, even if it is too big or hard to tune.
• Switching between left-handed and right-handed playing every few weeks.
• Assuming a left-handed child must play left-handed, or must play right-handed. Both can work.
• Using right-handed charts with a left-handed guitar without realizing the pictures are reversed.

Frequently asked questions

Can a left-handed child learn on a right-handed guitar?
Yes. Many left-handed players do. It is a personal choice, and the most important thing is that your child is comfortable and motivated.

Is it hard to restring a guitar for a left-handed player?
Swapping the strings is easy, but the nut slots are shaped for the original string order, so a clean result often needs a new or adjusted nut. A music shop can advise.

Are left-handed guitars more expensive?
They often cost more, and shops may stock fewer of them, especially in children’s sizes. Prices vary by brand and shop.

Does it matter which hand is the “strumming hand”?
It helps if your child feels relaxed and in control with it. Let them try both ways and choose what feels natural.

Can left-handed kids use the same learning materials?
They can, but mirrored materials make learning easier if they play on a left-handed guitar.

A kit made for both

Our printable My First Guitar Adventure kit comes in a right-handed edition and a left-handed edition. The left-handed version is redrawn as a true mirror image, with chord charts, fretboards and hand instructions all drawn for left-handed players. Each has a 12-week roadmap, a mini game on every page and practice trackers for ages 5 to 10. If your left-handed child plays a standard guitar, the right-handed edition fits them. If they play a left-handed guitar, the left-handed edition does. A bundle includes both. It is a practice companion, not a replacement for a real guitar or a teacher. You can see what is inside the kit here.

The best guitar for your child is the one they want to pick up tomorrow.