I am a music store owner.

Personally, I have never understood this obsession with a left handed guitar. Frankly, guitar, like violin, is an ambedextrious (sp?) instrument. Furthermore, more advanced guitar playing has more work on the LEFT hand when playing in a traditional "right handed" configuration. So I would think that this would only be a benefit for a lefty to learn traditionally.

Violin players dont get the choice for example as all bows have to move in the same direction. If they did lefty violins, the lefty & righty players would have bows hitting between them constantly in a section.

That would make the symphony pretty entertaining. I wish they would try it.

Have her pick one up and pretend to play... Whichever she chooses will be the natural choice. I've played guitar left and right, banjo, piano, bass, cello, tenor banjo and numerous other instruments... All have their own natural feel when you pick one up. Her mind will make the choice for you.

Guitar? The Dane Cook of plucked string instruments? Please.

Set her up with a dulcimer.

Very true.

There is a place in Houston that specializes in left handed guitars.

I play right handed so can't vouch for the prices but check it out anyway, couldn't hurt.

http://www.southpawguitars.com/

can't agree with this. When I first picked up a guitar at the tender age of 12, I immediately held it in the lefty position. It didn't take more than a lesson or two in the right-hand position to switch my feel to that of a right-hander. And as myself and at least a few others have stated here, as a lefty, most of your dexterity is in your left hand, which is what flies around the fretboard when playing your guitar right-handed. I suppose there's no absolute answer, but coming from where your daughter is now, I am extremely glad I learned how to play right-handed...

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...58813204_n.jpg

But are you handicapped?

Can't do that without modifying/filing the nut. It's a major pain in the ass. One slight slip and you're buying a new nut.

She's nine, you dope.

I'm a lefty and I learned to play righty. It's an advantage. The left hand fretting and playing chords as well as scale runs is dependent upon left hand dexterity.

Have her learn right handed. It's really a tremendous advantage being a lefty playing righty if she ever wants to stretch it out.

First of all, I can't believe how many left-handed people we have here. :)

Thanks for all of the advice. I'm gonna let her play on the Strat tomorrow.

I was pretty surprised by that as well. I had always assumed that I was a freak of nature being a lefty playing right-handed guitar. Sounds like that's actually pretty common.

I agree, get the girl started right (pun intended)

Z

Where the **** are all you left handers coming from?

Not in terms of my guitar playing.

Right or left handed there is nothing natural about playing the guitar when you first pick it up. Natural comes with practice and bloody fingers, doesn't matter which hand imo. I really don't personally know any left handed players and I've known and jammed with many guitarists over the years. Maybe I have but I don't remember any.