Christmas Presents and helpful people...

[Sassy]

My daughter asked me for a guitar last night.
I went out to buy her one today and was going to make the purchase when I asked a gentleman about a student one.
He asked me if my daughter was left handed. Which dawned then we would need to restring or buy a left handed guitar. Bought his own daughter one last year and she was left handed. Told me to go on-line.

I also remembered Mrs Smiths Son and his friends who make guitars for most of the top musicians in the world. It was good to remember old friends and now I have to search for a suitable guitar and lessons for a person with special needs.

Anyone any idea???

[bluehillside Retd.]

Sassy,

Anyone any idea???

I don't l know what your daughter's needs are, but I'd suggest that you go for a nylon string rather than steel string guitar. Steel strings are like cheese wires, and are difficult to start with because they cut into the fingertips before they've hardened up, and so can put off a lot of beginners. 

Also if you do buy a guitar strung for a right-handed player and want to swap the strings around for a left-hander remember to turn round the saddle (the bar the strings pass over just before the place on the guitar body where the strings are secured with knots or pegs) because the saddle should have a chamfer on it to keep the base strings further way from the fretboard than the treble strings. Better yet, if you buy it from a shop rather than online get them to do it for you!

Good luck!

[Gordon]

I'd try and get a left-handed guitar Sass, although they are thinner on the ground they are available - places like GuitarGuitar generally have them.

Especially so if you are after an acoustic because the saddle is angled so that the bass strings are slightly longer between the saddle and nut (at the top of the neck), which is needed for proper intonation - reversing it isn't ideal, since even if the open strings seem in tune they will be less 'in tune' when played further up the neck. I'd imagine that nylon-strung guitars are similar (I don't have one myself - nasty horrible things  )

Get a Snark tuner (about £20) - they are handy wee things that clip on the headstock - I use one for my banjos and non-electric guitars.

If you are buying from a shop (which I'd recommend) ideally you should take someone with you who can play (in your case, if they aren't a leftie themselves)  probably a right-handed version of whatever model of guitar you are thinking of, since if they can't get it to sound good then a complete beginner would probably struggle with it. 

[SweetPea]

Hi Sass

Re buying a guitar, there is an excellent shop in Stratford-upon-Avon that has a delivery service nationwide. Trouble is their gear is very pricey, so probably not the best place to look. But I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for on-line.

Regards the guitar lessons for someone with special needs, a local special needs school would be a good place to find a teacher in the field. Your local council will be able to advise you, if you don't know of such a school. Many teachers give private lessons.