State of the Lefty Union at Eastwood Guitars, 2026 Edition
by Freddy Angelico
It’s no secret that we have more lefties than anyone else. Some of our favorite guitar players are left-handed, including our head of product design Carl Cook. Since today is International Left Handers Day, we decided to celebrate by taking a look back at the last year of Eastwood’s left-handed offerings. We want to see what real left-handed players are buying, and look through some of the instruments that set us apart from every other guitar company out there. Let’s dig in!
What's New?
Rivolta Mondata CC Left-Handed
The very first lefty we released in 2026 was the Mondata CC, which takes the classic Mondata platform designed by Dennis Fano and pairs it with the design sensibilities of our own Carl Cook. The result is a guitar that nods to the past while carving its own path. The one-piece roasted maple neck has a bound ebony fingerboard with a broken-in feel, providing the smooth playing experience Rivoltas are known for. Naturally, we had to offer this model as a lefty from the jump!
Backlund Super Vee Left-Handed
Speaking of carving its own path, the Backlund series has a documented history of not going along with the crowd. Designer John Backlund has his own retro-futuristic aesthetic that looks like nothing else out there. The Backlund Super Vee represents the latest evolution of classic V-shaped guitars, in a way that only John Backlund could imagine. The left-handed version of the Super Vee is available in an exclusive two-tone Blue/Black finish, which looks super sharp with the silver hardware and pickguard.
2026 has been a historic year for Eastwood Guitars, as we've released our very first acoustic instruments with the Ezra Tenor series. We were blown away by the popularity of the Ezra Tenor Deluxe, with its elegant arm carve, upgraded pearloid binding, and built-in electronics. It sold out so fast it made our heads spin, and we knew right away we had to make a lefty version too. Preorders are now open for this groundbreaking instrument, and it's estimated to be in stock this winter.
What's Hot?
Our top selling left-handed guitar has been the Hi-Flier™ for years now, and 2026 has proven no different. It's hard to nail its popularity down to any one specific reason. Is it the screamin' Phase 5 Humbuckers? Maybe it's the way the Hi-Flier™ captures the resonance of vintage originals, without months of hit or miss searching in pawn shops and online. But we would be remiss not to attribute some of its success to one of the most famous left-handed guitarists of all time: the legendary Kurt Cobain.
Kurt Cobain with his vintage Univox guitar
Cobain used vintage Hi-Flier guitars on stage because they were cheap, lightweight, and eminently smashable. Eastwood's Hi-Flier™ is certainly affordable. And weighing in at just 7.5 lbs on average, it's among our lighter electric guitar options. If you're a lefty looking for a new electric guitar, see what all the hype is about with a Hi-Flier™. We have a feeling you're going to dig it so much, you won't want to smash it.
Eastwood TB64 6-String Bass Left-Handed
It's hard enough to find cool left-handed guitars out there, let alone extended range instruments like a six-string bass. That's why Eastwood makes an inspired-by-Teisco TB64 Bass VI. With all the hallmarks of Japanese vintage favorites such as individual pickup on/off switches and a rhythm/solo circuit, it allows for a whole bunch of pickup configurations, seamlessly combining vintage flair with modern playability. We love this review left by our customer Sean D: "Absolutely ecstatic to have a Bass VI instrument since this is one of the few lefties available, and the vibe of the classic and rare Teisco is a bonus for sure in a sea of Fenders."
Eastwood "The Sandman" 2-String Bass Left-Handed
Few instruments have surprised us more with their popularity than the Eastwood “The Sandman” 2-String Bass. The Sandman is our tribute to the vintage Premier bass played (and extensively modified) by Mark Sandman, the slide-wielding bassist of the legendary band Morphine. We sold out of several right-handed batches before production was even complete, so it was a no-brainer to make a left-handed version available as well. The left-handed Sandman 2-String Bass has now become one of our most popular left-handed models overall. Who'd have thunk it?
What's Weird?
Sidejack Baritone Fretless Left-Handed
As long as we're talking about left-handed electric guitars that are hard to find, how about a baritone? That's rare enough as it is, but how about a fretless baritone? Until we released the Sidejack Baritone Fretless, you'd have been living in lefty fantasy land if you thought you could find a left-handed fretless baritone for under $1000. The Sidejack Baritone Fretless is an ultra expressive instrument that combines baritone growl with vocal-like slides. Only the most sonically adventurous lefties need apply!
MRG Octave Mando F-Style Left-Handed
In addition to making more left-handed guitars than anyone else, we are well-known for our broad selection of tenor guitars and other instruments tuned in fifths. As the popularity of our tenor guitar selection grew, we began to offer variations such as octave mandolins, which add octave string pairs for a "twelve-string" effect. The MRG Octave Mando F-Style is perfect for taking up space in an arrangement and adding texture to lead lines. It's newly available in a left-handed version, and we can't wait to see where lefties take this one.
Eastwood Lizard Microtonal Guitar Left-Handed
Eastwood has been making microtonal instruments since 2018. For years they sat quietly in the back of our pack, acquiring a small but ardent group of followers. In the last two years, artists like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Angine de Poitrine, and Maddie Ashman (a lefty herself, who plays a left-handed microtonal Hi-Flier™) have exploded onto the scene taking microtonality mainstream. We couldn't leave lefties out of the microtonal madness! The left-handed Eastwood Lizard MT microtonal guitar features the "Saz" neck popularized by King Gizzard, and it gives riffs an otherworldly shimmer. If you're a lefty looking to expand your harmonic vocabulary, the Lizard MT is waiting to ride into uncharted sonic territory with you.
What's Next?
Left-handed players have spent long enough settling for whatever happens to be available. We'd much rather keep giving them reasons to be picky, whether they're after tried-and-true classics, acoustic tenors, or something totally off the wall. As long as there are interesting guitars to build, Eastwood Guitars will keep making sure lefties aren't left out. Happy International Left Handers Day!