Photo of the Day
Shoutbox

sysmalakian: TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!
361 days ago

dp: dude
342 days ago

Bango_Rilla: Shout Bananas!!
297 days ago

BillyBlastOff: See you kiddies at the Convention!
282 days ago

GDW: showman
233 days ago

Emilien03: https://losg...
155 days ago

Pyronauts: Happy Tanks-Kicking!!!
148 days ago

glennmagi: CLAM SHACK guitar
134 days ago

Hothorseraddish: surf music is amazing
113 days ago

dp: get reverberated!
64 days ago

Please login or register to shout.

IRC Status
  • racc

Join them in the #ShallowEnd!

Need help getting started?

Current Polls

No polls at this time. Check out our past polls.

Current Contests

No contests at this time. Check out our past contests.

Donations

Help us meet our monthly goal:

35%

35%

Donate Now

Cake April Birthdays Cake
SG101 Banner

SurfGuitar101 Forums » For Sale / Trade »

Permalink Buying left handed surf guitar!

New Topic
Page 1 of 1

Desperately seeking a left handed surf style guitar. In particular a fender jaguar, but would rather not buy the Kurt Cobain NOS style guitar. Any one selling a jaguar or can recommend an alternative which is more readily available left handed?

Don't know where to find a lefty Jag but best alternative would be a Strat. Way more common new or used. Welcome to the site!

Hi there - I am a lefty as well. I have 2 Jaguars and a Jazzmaster, but they all came from Japan. Up until 2013, Fender Japan was making left handed Jaguars and Jazzmasters in every color. You could order them from Japanese sellers on ebay, or directly through Ishibashi Music (the Guitar Center of Japan). Fender Japan stopped making them for some reason, and now there aren't many out there, but periodically, a new one will pop up from one of the Japanese sellers on eBay, or a used one will show up in the states- there was just a sunburst used one 2 weeks ago that had a buy it now of $1200 (it was in Texas).

Fender USA doesn't currently make left handed Jaguars and Jazzmasters, except for the custom shop. 6 months ago Sweetwater had 3 left handed Fender Custom Shop Jazzmasters - but they were VERY expensive - $4K or something. Vintage left handed Jaguars and Jazzmasters are out there (but with right handed tailpieces - they didn't make lefty tailpieces in the 60's), but they are also VERY expensive. I have seen them go for $6-7K.

So I think your best option is to either watch eBay for a lefty Fender Japan Jaguar or Jazzmaster, or as Surf Skater suggested, if you are not set on a Jag or JM, a Strat would be great and lefties are readily available from Fender USA, Fender Mexico and I think also even Squier depending on your budget. Used ones are all over the place.

Good luck,
Jason

The Counselors

One more thought - the electronics on the Fender Japan guitars are a bit inferior to those in the USA Fender American Vintage Reissue guitars (like the '62 or '65 reissue Jaguars and JM's). Some (including myself) find the Japanese pickups not as vintage-correct sounding as the AVRI pickups that Fender puts out (or other manufacturers - Lollar, Seymour Duncan, Fralin, etc.). I ended up rewiring all 3 of my Fender Japan lefties with CTS pots, Switchcraft switches and jack, cloth wire and AVRI pickups, like an AVRI model. SO you can always upgrade that stuff in any guitar you get.

The Counselors

Surf_Skater wrote:

Don't know where to find a lefty Jag but best alternative would be a Strat. Way more common new or used. Welcome to the site!

Ahhh its such a shame. I just really dig the more unorthodox looking jags/mustangs/jazzmasters. I think as I'm still going to be spending upwards of £600 i'm willing to wait for one to pop up.

And thanks! I look forward to using it, never knew such a community existed.

Jason wrote:

Hi there - I am a lefty as well. I have 2 Jaguars and a Jazzmaster, but they all came from Japan. Up until 2013, Fender Japan was making left handed Jaguars and Jazzmasters in every color. You could order them from Japanese sellers on ebay, or directly through Ishibashi Music (the Guitar Center of Japan). Fender Japan stopped making them for some reason, and now there aren't many out there, but periodically, a new one will pop up from one of the Japanese sellers on eBay, or a used one will show up in the states- there was just a sunburst used one 2 weeks ago that had a buy it now of $1200 (it was in Texas).

Fender USA doesn't currently make left handed Jaguars and Jazzmasters, except for the custom shop. 6 months ago Sweetwater had 3 left handed Fender Custom Shop Jazzmasters - but they were VERY expensive - $4K or something. Vintage left handed Jaguars and Jazzmasters are out there (but with right handed tailpieces - they didn't make lefty tailpieces in the 60's), but they are also VERY expensive. I have seen them go for $6-7K.

So I think your best option is to either watch eBay for a lefty Fender Japan Jaguar or Jazzmaster, or as Surf Skater suggested, if you are not set on a Jag or JM, a Strat would be great and lefties are readily available from Fender USA, Fender Mexico and I think also even Squier depending on your budget. Used ones are all over the place.

Good luck,
Jason

Aye thanks Jason, Im very jealous of your collection- jazzmasters seem to be particularly hard to find. I think im going to wait out for a lefty from japan, for some reason the shape of the strat just doesn't sit right with me. Its such a shame they stopped producing them in 2013, it seems like they would sell. Does anyone have any idea if they will start up again in 2016?

I'll keep an eye on Ishibashi so again thanks. In terms of alternative I was thinking about getting a Danelectro in the mean time as I know they have been producing the DC 59 left handed, but im unsure of how surfy that will sound.

Cheers,

Finn

Last edited: Jun 10, 2015 11:40:58

I am not really a strat guy either, so I get it. I'm not sure, but I think Mustangs were made lefty in US or Mexico for a while. Mustangs are also good surf guitars -- I believe a Mustang was employed by The Infrareds. I was not aware that you are in UK - but I still think eBay is the best route. One will come up. Good luck!

Cheers, Jason

The Counselors

Jason wrote:

I am not really a strat guy either, so I get it. I'm not sure, but I think Mustangs were made lefty in US or Mexico for a while. Mustangs are also good surf guitars -- I believe a Mustang was employed by The Infrareds. I was not aware that you are in UK - but I still think eBay is the best route. One will come up. Good luck!

Cheers, Jason

Yer I have been looking out for a mustang but in the end got put of by the pickups, they seem abit to grungy for me. It doesn't seem to have that range that the jag/jazzmaster have which can get some really punchy/twangy sounds.

Saying that, I don't know if you have heard of King Krule, but he is this guy from the UK that uses a telecaster and recently started using a sonic blue mustang and gets some amazing sounds.

As a fellow lefty i know your pain. About 14 years ago i discovered DiPinto Guitars and everything got a whole lot better. i have a Galaxie and love it. Chris DiPinto is also left handed (and a surf fan) so he gets it. Check 'em out. i've seen used ones on Reverb.com for $500-$600. Good Luck!

https://www.facebook.com/Timmymartymooney/
https://www.reverbnation.com/timmymartymooney
https://www.youtube.com/user/TimmyMartyMooney

You might also want to check out a Burns 'Marquee'.
I'm a lefty and I love it!!
photo

The TakeOffs
"Kauai's Only All-Instrumental Surf Band"
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-TakeOffs/312866840587

Last edited: Jun 11, 2015 02:41:14

The MIM Fender Jaguar Kurt Cobain is sold right or left hand... the pickups are not 100% surf but the rest is... more than 600£ but may be you could find it used.
There was a relic KC jaguar, nowdays it is a non relic one that you can buy new easely.
image

http://noskons.bandcamp.com/

Pure Salem guitars sold their reverberation right or left handed.
It is in your price range: 950$
There is nice demo vids on youtube.
image

http://noskons.bandcamp.com/

I have a friend who wants to part with a Lefty CIJ Stratocaster. He would prefer to trade for a Telecaster. PM me if interested and I'll help make the connection.

There is one on reverb.com:
Your text to link here...Lefty Jag

http://noskons.bandcamp.com/

Frelonvert wrote:

There is one on reverb.com:
Your text to link here...Lefty Jag

Ended up going for a NOS Jag. £850 but hopefully all worth it. Thanks for the advice everyone!

New old stock ? a Cobain one ?

http://noskons.bandcamp.com/

Frelonvert wrote:

New old stock ? a Cobain one ?

Yep. Turned out to be the road worn one actually not the NOS one. I didnt think i was going to dig it, but came in the post this morning its lovely. Only problem i have is the tremolo arm makes a click on the way up from pushing down. Do you have any idea if this to do with the tremolo not being set up properly or just how jags are?

image

Wow, wonderfull guitar.
Pushing down the trem arm, normaly when you heard the clic it is when the trem arm fits on it's place.

http://noskons.bandcamp.com/

Do you mean it clicks when you are using the tremolo as you play? On mine (a Jazzmaster, same series, same tremolo) it sort of bottoms out if I push the arm into the tremolo unit too far. If I ease the arm out of the socket by about 1/4" it's smooth and plays well. Try easing the arm out slightly and see if that cures it.

It could be that a knackered tremolo unit is part of the road worn vibe...! But I doubt it.

http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/

Page 1 of 1
Top