My wife and I stopped by Gruhn Guitars in Nashville as we were driving through and were a little ahead of schedule. Enormous display of guitars, banjos, and mandolins, but NOTHING LEFT-HANDED. I was incredulous. Hundreds of instruments, and nothing I could play. Only the tenor banjos were a possibility, assuming I bought one and then reversed the strings. When I asked, I was told flatly that there was no demand. Huh? Don't left-handed players buy instruments? Or do we all have to have them custom built????
9 Comments |
 | stanleytone says:
2/2/2015 5:22:21 PM
we are a rare breed. if we find a good righty that we like we just get a lefty neck made for it and just hold on to the other neck in case we sell it. Stelling charges I think an extra 10% to make a lefty, Huber made a few but doesn't anymore.Martin guitars didn't charge me extra for my two lefty Dreadnoughts.Many good luthiers out there now that will make you a good lefty neck . but good luck finding anything lefty in the stores.
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 | banjass says:
2/2/2015 5:32:20 PM
I have had necks built from a bunch of builders and most didn't charge me anything. If you keep your eye out they come up for sale. Elderly has a Gibson RB-7 lefty and I just bought a RS-75 Blackjack from them. Unfortunately the problem is getting to play a bunch at one time or even playing one before you buy it.
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 | kaybone says:
2/2/2015 7:26:57 PM
You are right, there are not usually a lot of left- handed instruments in stores. But I have never had trouble finding a left handed banjo, other than from Huber who are stubborn about making lefts. Gold Tone, Sullivan, Yates, Hatfield,Stelling,Deering, to name some, all make left hand versions. It's not that hard to do, they just turn the neck template around. Stores don't carry them much, well because they are stores, and the downside is you can't usually get to test drive them out first. So I just listened to a lot of people play the banjos I thought I was interested in, and made my decisions that way. It's not really a bad way to go to have a good player play the banjo you like right at you. I have 4 lefties; A Yates, Sullivan, Deering, and Gold Tone.
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 | Banjo Lefty says:
2/2/2015 8:01:16 PM
That's just it: I know we can have stuff custom built, but it costs more and you don't get to try it out before you buy. I can have somebody play a banjo made by the same maker, but it won't be the banjo I'll end up with.
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| stanleytone says:
2/3/2015 4:52:03 AM
let's file a class action suit!!
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 | Winnieff says:
2/3/2015 5:17:25 AM
It's estimated that as many as 12.5% of the population is left handed. If I was a manufacturer of banjos I sure wouldn't want to miss out on those left handed banjo sales.
Anyway,"'leftys rule"
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 | bob chappell says:
2/3/2015 5:36:40 AM
The first lefty-banjo I bought in 1975 was from a music store. It was a Gibson RB-250 for $700. I then moved up to a Stelling Staghorn in 1980, which I had to take a loan out as it cost $1700. By 1988 I wanted a Gibson Granada, but the folks at the Gibson custom shop said 'To have a lefty built would cost $600 more and take six months'. I then found out about a gentleman in Kentucky named Frank Neat who would build anything thing you wanted. Twelve weeks later, I had my Granada copy. Nine years later I went back to Mr. Neat and had him build me a mahogany RB75 copy. Today I still have both banjos and they sound better with each passing day. As to the Stelling, that banjo was stolen in 1992. Anyone finds a lefty Stelling Staghorn, I still know the serial number!
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| stanleytone says:
2/3/2015 6:26:23 AM
I have a lefty Stanleytone made by Frank Neat.as well as a bow tie copy made by Richie Dotson who is on BHO. Richie will be more than happy to make you a lefty neck.He can even reverse the 5th string tuner so it turns the correct way.
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| banjass says:
2/3/2015 6:59:03 AM
I can vouch for Frank Neat, Arthur Hatfield, Warren Yates and Robbin Smith who all made me great necks without extra charge. Rob Bishline also has made me a few left instruments. He did charge a couple extra $ for a lefty but he is a blast to work with, especially if you want to get creative, and well worth the cost.
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