Southpaw Guitars — Local services in Houston

I have done business with Omar and his team several times. I live in Richmond, Virginia, but lefties are few and far between at local shops. I'm not afraid of buying a new one as long as the shipping procedures and protocols are tight. Southpaw doesn't cut any corners at all. But, recently, they had a 1980 Martin D35 that I was interested in, but was scared to commit to without playing it, seeing it, inspecting it. It's hard enough to commit to a brand new guitar without having it in your hands for a little while first. Committing to something that old (and expensive) without being able to give it a close inspection/tryout was daunting. I spoke with Omar several times about it over a couple weeks. He was patient, very responsive, sent me several additional pictures, described and detailed the condition of the guitar, and assured me that if I was dissatisfied when it arrived, he would work with me. Got it about 2 weeks ago. Took it to my local shop for assessment and setup. Everything was exactly as Omar described, and it is a freaking beast. You can trust Southpaw to shoot you straight and to deliver incredible customer service.

I have read that only about 12-15 percent of the world's population is left-handed. It's definitely a right-handed world. Southpaw, Omar, and his team are a trustworthy and welcome oasis for those of us in our right minds. I could not recommend them more highly, and they have my business for the rest of my playing...

A Left-Handed Guitarist’s Paradise.

With a nice selection of electric and acoustic guitars, it gives those that play with the unorthodox orientation a way to try before you buy! Mr. Omar and Mr. Jim are the nicest and the environment is welcoming. Patrons are encouraged to pick an instrument and try it out amongst the various amps and sitting stools placed about.

In my case, I went one day with hopes of getting a Fender and played near an hour with the Jazzmasters, Telecasters, and Stratocasters. Ultimately, I wanted a Tele but they didn’t have the American Professional in Butterscotch Blonde. Mr. Omar said they could place an order for it and so I did. I got a nice deal for the wait and a T-shirt! Sadly, COVID-19 took its course and it seemed to slow production on Fender’s side. One day Mr. Jim called saying that they had a pleasant surprise: It seems that my guitar I had ordered was postponed indefinitely but they were going to upgrade me to the Original 50’s Telecaster. I was stunned, especially when I got there and saw it in it's case. I went home happy as can be but when I played it, it felt like an old friend. Action was great and the Thick U shape neck didn’t feel cumbersome at all!

I couldn’t recommend this place enough and I’m looking forward to my next time...

Went to Houston last month and finally had a chance to go to Southpaw Guitars. It was an absolutely satisfying and fulfilling experience. Jimmy met me at the door and gave me a personal tour of his whole shop. His son, Omar, was just as welcoming. As a lefty, you might get to see two or three lefty guitars in a normal store. At Southpaw, there were a thousand! This is important in that for once in my life I was able to try out and compare not only an amazing amount of unique and boutique lefty guitars, but also able to try a 56 Strat, a 61 Strat and a 69 Strat -- getting a chance to finally see, feel, and get a real-time idea about the difference between the various year models. The experience also gave me a much better idea about the quality of my own guitars back home, and how to fill in the holes in my collection. I tried a number of Telecaster style guitars and kept coming back to a Nash T-52 which I ordered on line a week later. The "hands on" experience was priceless! Over the years, I've bought various guitars from Southpaw, and while their on-line service is superb and I've been happy with each instrument, a visit to the store is a must for any lefty player who can make it to Houston. Bravo fellas for catering to us often neglected "other"...