Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Babe Ruth, Napoleon Bonaparte, Leonardo da Vinci, Madame Curie, Aristotle, Jimi Hendrix. What do all of these prominent figures have in common?
They were all southpaws, also known as someone who is left-handed.
If any of these figures, living or otherwise, needed to purchase a Fender Strat per chance, they might have a hard time finding MI retailers to accommodate their specific southpaw needs.
That’s where Southpaw Guitars enters.
With over 900 guitars in stock at any given time, they’ve been servicing the needs of the everyday left-handed guitar player for the last 35 years, and they have no intentions of slowing down. This whole Southpaw journey began back in 1980, with two guys, Jim Duncan and Bill Townsend.
“In 1980 a friend, Bill Townsend, and I were looking to change occupations,” says Duncan, owner, a southpaw himself. “We opened a second hand store called Trader’s Corner in Houston. We were both guitar players and decided to start buying and selling guitars. I started buying lefties for myself. We were doing pretty well in the used guitar business but needed more stock. We met a man named John Stringer, who was a pioneer in the vintage guitar scene, and he taught us enough to start buying more intelligently… We changed the name of the business to Gold’n Guitars and started advertising in Guitar Player with a line ad seeking lefty guitars. At that time, guitar dealers across the U.S. felt that lefty guitars were worthless and began wholesaling to us. Next, we started doing the Dallas Guitar Show and snagged more lefties. We also started a mailing list, which by the time the Internet came about had a circulation of 8,000. We moved to our present location in 1982 and changed our name yet again to Southpaw Guitars.“
Duncan then started lobbying the big guitar companies with the idea of creating a more level buying experience for lefties who, at the time, were paying a 10 percent or more upcharge for their southpaw specific guitars. “The first to respond was Chris Martin IV when I quizzed him as to why lefties had to pay more,” says Duncan. “He did not have an answer but went home and deleted the upcharge. Companies following suit have been Taylor, Gibson, Fender, and many more.
Southpaw Guitars differentiates themselves from other retailers by shipping internationally and maintaining a large Internet footprint, as well as a brick and mortar location boasting an inventory that’s 99 percent left-handed. “In 1995 or so my friend Jim Roy said Jimmy you need to be on the Internet,” explains Duncan. “I asked, ‘What’s that?’ We built our first crude site and received a tremendous response. Now, with a 5th generational mobile friendly site, our only advertising expenses are site maintenance and our Vintage Guitar advertising, which I think has run for 22 years.” The Houston-based shop has become a worldwide destination for lefty musicians. When asked what’s unique about doing business in Texas, Duncan replied, “Texas has a business friendly climate and low taxes. Other state – not so much.” As far as things Southpaw prides itself on doing well, Duncan explains their setup and repair department is unsurpassed. “We take particular pride in our customer service and in the case of mail-order prompt safe delivery,” he says.
Southpaw carries an assortment of acoustic, electric, and bass guitars including Airline, Boulder Creek, Eastman, Eastwood, Guild, Heritage, Hofner, Ibanez, Jackson, Martin, Music Man, Nash, Schecter, and Taylor. As far as most popular lines, Duncan sites Fender, Gibson, Martin, and Taylor. “We also like Eastman, Gretsch, and Music Man. We are currently pursuing Ibanez and Collings.”
Duncan, when asked to offer insight on what trends he’s noticing in MI as of late, thinks independent MI shops are making a comeback. “It seems like Retro pedals tube amps and recreations of vintage guitars and keyboards is the new order,” he says. “Boutique guitar and amp manufacturers are doing well.
For Southpaw’s 35th anniversary, they are working with some of the major companies to build limited run models. Going forward, Southpaw is partnering with guitar teaching studios, providing their students guitars and accessories at discounted rates. They are also advancing their social media agenda, posting photos and changes on a daily basis.
“We would like to thank our friends, customers, and competitors for spreading the word and helping us to gain international notoriety and a great 35 years,” says Duncan. “We also would like to thank VG for our 22-year partnership serving up great ads replete with lefty eye candy… “One of every 10 of us who walk the earth is left-handed, which means about one of every 10 people who play guitar is going to be left-handed. It’s been a pleasure and passion to be able to meet the guitar needs of those of us in the left-handed community.”
