Have any of you guys converted a Lefty guitar to a righty (or vice versa for righties to lefties)????

[onewilyfool]

I know Gryphon's repair shop does these conversions…I think they fill the slot and cut a new slot in the existing bridge rather than put on a new bridge….It's interesting, I'm wondering how this would affect sound, because the tone bars would be backward on the conversion…the reason I'm asking is that I'm eyeballing a very special guitar that is a lefty, and purchase plus conversion ($300 I think) would STILL be a good deal for this guitar….save for the Frankenstein bracing…Zomby?? Anyone???

[Jayyj]

Our repair shop has done it two or three times over the years - fill the original slot with Rosewood, recut with a router, and replace the saddle and nut. It seemed to have little if any impact on the tone of the guitar when completed. You could see the outline of the original saddle if you looked for it, but it was a pretty discreet repair as I recall.

 

When I was at college studying guitar making one of my instruments was an early (1860s) Martin copy where we had photos of the original guitar's bracing, which showed the tone bar being angled the wrong way round as though the guitar was a lefty. My tutor was of the opinion that although the angle of the tone bar affects modal vibration, the actual orientation of the bar didn't much matter and we replicated the bracing with the backward bar. Lots of people make the assumption that the tone bar angle contributes to 'bass side loose, treble side stiff', but in reality I think that's over simplifying things.

[capmaster]

...

Lots of people make the assumption that the tone bar angle contributes to 'bass side loose, treble side stiff', but in reality I think that's over simplifying things.

To violins and some archtop guitars featuring bass bar and sound post, this rule may apply more strictly than to flat top guitars. I think that a well-made bracing should affect loudness and tonal balance but guess there won't be a static problem through reverted stringing. So it will be a matter of taste in the end.

 

Might be different though if there's a single cutaway...

[onewilyfool]

To violins and some archtop guitars featuring bass bar and sound post, this rule may apply more strictly than to flat top guitars. I think that a well-made bracing should affect loudness and tonal balance but guess there won't be a static problem through reverted stringing. So it will be a matter of taste in the end.

 

Might be different though if there's a single cutaway...

Yeah…I think they would laff at me if I wanted to convert a lefty cutaway….lol

[Jayyj]

Actually we've done violin conversions as well - it's rare but if a lefty guitarist or mandolin player wants to try violin it makes sense. There are two approaches, one where the pegs and chin rest are reversed and the bridge and nut replaced, the other where the top comes off and the bass bar moved to the appropriate side. There's definitely a deterioration in sound if you convert without moving the bass bar.