Last Updated on October 14, 2025 by
Right! Let’s have a look at some great left handed electric guitars for beginners.
First off, I guess you don’t want to spend many hundreds or even thousands on your first electric guitar, but I’d say definitely buy something of decent quality and don’t aim to spend as little as possible by getting the cheapest piece of crap you can find. Sure, there are many dirt-cheap guitars out there, but you don’t want to get something so bad that you don’t even want to pick it up to play!
So to avoid all of that, I’ve put together a list of left handed guitars for beginners; great quality electric guitars that won’t break the bank.
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Left Handed Guitars For Beginners
What should you look for when buying your first guitar?
I would avoid any non-branded guitars, because quality can vary wildly, and you never know what you’re gonna get unless you try a few of them out first.
There’ll be some that play quite well, but you’ll probably need to try a few out to make sure. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, you might end up with something terrible!
Some of these will need to be set up professionally before they can play well at all. If it doesn’t stay in tune or has some really uneven frets, you’ll probably hate playing it and give up after a few months. At least with some of the more well-known brands, you can expect a certain level of quality.
With this list, I’ll give you a few different options, in a fairly wide price range, for the main types of guitar a beginner might want to look at.
I’ll also leave out some guitars, as they can be a little complicated for someone who’s never played before, especially avoiding things like Floyd Rose bridges, which can be difficult to tune up for the uninitiated.
Once you have chosen one or more guitars that you are interested in, it’s a good idea to go to a guitar store and see them in person.
Does it look as good in real life as it does in pictures? Is it too heavy to play when standing up? You don’t want to bust your back after a couple of hours of practice! Does it sit comfortably on your lap when you sit down and play?
These are just some of the things you might want to consider before paying for the thing! For some other things to check out when choosing your first electric guitar, have a look at this post.
Anyway, here are my choices, in ascending price order, for some fantastic left-handed guitars for beginners:
Yamaha Pacifica PAC112JL
Yamaha‘s Pacifica series of guitars are clearly influenced by the iconic Fender Stratocaster, and the PAC 112JL is a great entry-level guitar that gives you that classic feel.
It may be influenced by the Strat, but it’s lighter than the Fender, and it also has just one volume control and one tone control, keeping things simple.
The neck and middle pickups, being single coils, provide a nice Strat-like sound, and then the humbucker at the bridge gives you the option for some meatier tones that a regular Strat just doesn’t have.
The build quality is fantastic for the price, and it’s a guitar that’s suitable for many different musical styles; a very versatile guitar, and great to play. I probably would’ve recommended the PAC112V instead, as it has better quality pickups, but surprise, surprise, it’s not available to us lefties! Come on, Yamaha! Sort it out!
- Less than $250US / £220GBP.
- One humbucker, two single coil pickups.
- Alder body.
- Bolt-on maple neck.
- Rosewood or maple fingerboard.
- 22 medium frets.
- Available finishes: Black or natural satin.
Check price/availability at:
Jackson JS Series Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA LH
Here is another guitar aimed at metalheads and fans of shred guitar. Jackson Guitars made a name for themselves throughout the ’80s when their high-quality guitars became very popular, especially with metal guitarists.
The JS22 DKA’s Superstrat body features two high-output humbuckers, a fast neck with 24 jumbo frets, and cutaways that allow for easy access to the upper frets; just what you need for some heavy riffage and speedy solos.
A fantastic beginner’s guitar, with great build quality; recommended for any budding shredder or metal fan.
- Less than $220US / £190GBP.
- Two humbucker pickups.
- Poplar body.
- Bolt-on maple neck with graphite reinforcement.
- Amaranth fingerboard.
- 24 jumbo frets.
- Available finishes: Black.
Check price/availability at:
Squier Affinity Series Telecaster
The Telecaster is another Fender classic that has gained many fans over the years, and it’s available in the Squier Affinity series.
The Telecaster’s famous twangy sound is why so many guitarists choose this for country, blues, and jazz. Of course, it’s versatile enough to play other styles too, so don’t be afraid to get one of these if you like to rock out.
This Squier version does plenty enough to recreate the smooth, clear tones of the Fender original and feels solidly built to boot.
- Less than $230US / £200GBP.
- Two single coil pickups.
- Alder body.
- Bolt-on maple neck.
- Maple fingerboard.
- 21 medium jumbo frets.
- Available finishes: Butterscotch blonde.
Check price/availability at:
Ibanez GRG170DXL
Ibanez is well known for building high-quality guitars, and each of their guitars is set up to a very high standard, and that includes their entry-level guitars too!
The GRG170DXL is part of Ibanez Guitars’ entry-level GIO range and is a more affordable version of the company’s RG series of guitars.
Another Superstrat; this one has two humbuckers and one single coil in the middle. How this guitar’s pickups are set up gives you many options; by using the 5-way pickup selector switch, you can choose to play through the humbuckers as they are, or split them into single coils.
The GRG170DXL has great build quality for its price, and has a comfortable, easy-to-play, fast neck. It’s targeted at rock/metal players looking to shred, but it’s still quite a versatile guitar and can produce tones suitable for a variety of styles.
- Less than $250US / £220GBP.
- Two humbuckers, one single coil pickups.
- Poplar body.
- Bolt-on maple neck.
- Bound purpleheart fingerboard.
- 24 jumbo frets.
- Available finishes: Black.
Check price/availability at:
Squier Classic Vibe ’70s HSS Stratocaster
Squier‘s Classic Vibe series offers great build quality and incredible value, with playability to match! Because of this, it costs a little bit more than a Standard Strat (no longer available to lefties!).
The Classic Vibe series offers you setups of Fender guitars from previous eras, from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.
The Classic Vibe ’70s provides amazing bang for buck and seems to be priced ever so slightly cheaper than its ’50s and ’60s siblings, which is one reason to buy this over those.
It also comes with a beefier humbucking pickup at the bridge in place of the usual single coil, giving you a few extra sonic options.
- Less than $500US / £400GBP.
- One humbucker, two single coil pickups.
- Poplar body.
- Bolt-on maple neck.
- Maple fingerboard.
- 21 narrow tall frets.
- Available finishes: Black.
Check price/availability at:
Conclusion
So there you have it; my choices for left handed guitars for beginners.
Of course, other budget-friendly guitars are available, with affordable axes from the likes of Schecter and Harley Benton, and many others, but I hope this list here will be a good starting point for any beginner lefty guitarists out there!
All are available in left-handed configuration, and also in righty mode if you want.
Do any experienced guitarists out there recommend any other left-handed guitars for beginners? Please let us know in the comments below!
