r/Leftyguitarists

Hi all!

After almost a year of development, I wanted to share my Lefty Toronado ‘Ultra’ build. I’ve wanted a Fender Toronado since I was a kid and first saw them in Musician’s Friend in the late 90’s/early 2000’s. This may be one of the only Lefty Toronados. As many of you know, Fender has never offered a Lefty Toronado, and if you’ve seen a post I made last year, they wanted to charge me **“**well above $15,000” (that’s an official quote from Fender) to make a Left-handed Meteora from the custom shop because they didn’t have “the tooling” or “CNC programming.” So, I built one myself.

 In addition to Fender never offering the Toronado lefty, to my best knowledge, no 3^(rd)-party manufacturers/builders are making Toronado-style bodies for enthusiasts. Towards the end of June 2025, I began the process of making a Left-handed Toronado a reality. In doing so, it’s now possible for others to build their own Toronado, regardless of orientation.

 A lot of time was spent trying to put all the pieces together to bring this to life, since it hadn’t been done before (again, to the best of my knowledge and research). It also took a while for everything to come together, but I think you’ll agree, the results speak for themselves, and the guitar looks and plays killer (will list specs below).

 In order to actually design and build the body, I worked extensively with JBL Instruments. Interestingly, I originally discovered his company from a reddit post here on r/leftyguitarists. As he was building my Meteora, I inquired if it was possible to build a Toronado, since no one had ever done so. Working from a PDF from the Electric Herald site, he developed the files to import into Fusion360, created a 3d model such that the body could be made with his CNC. Through hundreds of emails, we collaborated on different details for the body.

 Most importantly, if you’re considering a build of your own, regardless of body style, I hope you would consider JBL Instruments. I’m not affiliated in way (nor receiving anything), however, I feel like he has gone above and beyond for the projects I’ve wanted to do, and has been willing to take on new projects, where I feel like others wouldn’t. Also, the quality of his bodies has been excellent, and he’s been more than willing to accommodate any design features I have wanted (such as bridge and pickup styles, for example). I can’t recommend him enough.  

 Lastly, I’ll post all of the specs and sources below, with some notes/thoughts. I hope that you can appreciate all of the time and effort that went into putting this project together. I’m happy to hear your thoughts and opinions, and to answer any questions if you’re curious. Cheers!

 Specs:

• Finish: Aged Olympic White in Nitro Lacquer
  • Completed by Guitar Mill, TN
  • Notes: Nitro finish came out fantastic, and for a reasonable price. Took several months to complete due to them fully curing the Nitro. Easy to work with as well. I highly recommend Guitar Mill and will be using them again.
  • JBL Instruments, as mentioned above.
  • “Pro Mod D” back profile
  • Neck Finish: Satin Nitro by Guitar Mill, TN
  • Fingerboard Wood: Ebony-black, no streaks, w/ Block Pearloid Inlays, white Binding
  • Ebony Skunk stripe
  • Fender Locking Tuners
  • Stainless steel frets
  • Luminlay side dots
  • Fender string Tree, strap buttons
  • JBL Instruments, as mentioned above.
  • “Pro Mod D” back profile
  • Neck Finish: Satin Nitro by Guitar Mill, TN
  • Fingerboard Wood: Ebony-black, no streaks, w/ Block Pearloid Inlays, white Binding
  • Ebony Skunk stripe
  • Fender Locking Tuners
  • Stainless steel frets
  • Luminlay side dots
  • Fender string Tree, strap buttons
  • “Pro Mod D” back profile
  • Neck Finish: Satin Nitro by Guitar Mill, TN
  • Fingerboard Wood: Ebony-black, no streaks, w/ Block Pearloid Inlays, white Binding
  • Ebony Skunk stripe
  • Fender Locking Tuners
  • Stainless steel frets
  • Luminlay side dots
  • Fender string Tree, strap buttons
• Body: Alder
  • JBL Instruments, as mentioned above.
  • “Pro Mod D” back profile
  • Neck Finish: Satin Nitro by Guitar Mill, TN
  • Fingerboard Wood: Ebony-black, no streaks, w/ Block Pearloid Inlays, white Binding
  • Ebony Skunk stripe
  • Fender Locking Tuners
  • Stainless steel frets
  • Luminlay side dots
  • Fender string Tree, strap buttons
  • “Pro Mod D” back profile
  • Neck Finish: Satin Nitro by Guitar Mill, TN
  • Fingerboard Wood: Ebony-black, no streaks, w/ Block Pearloid Inlays, white Binding
  • Ebony Skunk stripe
  • Fender Locking Tuners
  • Stainless steel frets
  • Luminlay side dots
  • Fender string Tree, strap buttons
•  Neck: ‘CBS-style’ Headstock by MusiKraft
  • “Pro Mod D” back profile
  • Neck Finish: Satin Nitro by Guitar Mill, TN
  • Fingerboard Wood: Ebony-black, no streaks, w/ Block Pearloid Inlays, white Binding
  • Ebony Skunk stripe
  • Fender Locking Tuners
  • Stainless steel frets
  • Luminlay side dots
  • Fender string Tree, strap buttons

Notes: MusiKraft charged a significant upcharge to make the 24.75” scale neck, unfortunately. For Fender necks, the Gibson scale has only been used seldomly and no one is offering a true replacement at that scale without a custom order, that I had found. Excellent built quality, however.

• Bridge: Halon Toronado Bridge
  • Phosphor Bronze saddles

Notes: Halon is the only 3^(rd)-party making aftermarket Toronado bridges. One thing that held up completing the guitar was receiving the bridge. I ordered in January, but it arrived in May. Apparently they had issues with getting the phosphor bronze to make the saddles. Fender Toronado bridges are readily available, however

• Pickguard: Dark Red Pearl from WD Music
  • Pickguard and backplate completed by Pickguardian in Ohio from files supplied by JBL Instruments.

Note: the original PG that came on the Toronado was a dark Tortoiseshell that is not available. I didn’t think the current tortoiseshell PG material looked close enough, so I went with the Dark Red Pearl from WD Music and had Pickguardian complete it. He did a great job and it fit perfectly.

• Electronics:
  • Pickups: Lollar Imperials
  • Left-Handed Long-Shaft CTS Pots
  • Stainless Steel contour-heel neckplate custom made for me by a local fabrication shop.
  • Gotoh string ferrules
  • Build and setup completed by Chris at Black Cat guitars. He’s my go-to and does a fantastic job.
  • Case: TKL Jazzmaster/Jaguar Hardshell case
  • Stainless Steel contour-heel neckplate custom made for me by a local fabrication shop.
  • Gotoh string ferrules
  • Build and setup completed by Chris at Black Cat guitars. He’s my go-to and does a fantastic job.
  • Case: TKL Jazzmaster/Jaguar Hardshell case
• Misc:
  • Stainless Steel contour-heel neckplate custom made for me by a local fabrication shop.
  • Gotoh string ferrules
  • Build and setup completed by Chris at Black Cat guitars. He’s my go-to and does a fantastic job.
  • Case: TKL Jazzmaster/Jaguar Hardshell case

Wanted to throw an update to my previous post! Took some time making sure all parts fit back together but it is now time for the hardware to be placed in! This is definitely going to be sent to someone who has a jig for the floating bridge as new post holes will need to be drilled. We went with some bronze resin to fill the gaps we couldn’t recover and added the gold Kintsugi over all cracks! Looking for a gold left handed pick guard!

While this was an emotionally hard for us, this Reddit community was awesome with support and love (you don’t always get that result)! A million thanks for those who reached out and DM’d me with tips and support, they were helpful and appreciated!

These guitars are about to begin their second life after being disassembled! Will share pics once they are 100% complete

Here's a custom Dunable R2 I picked up used the other month. I remember seeing this exact guitar on Dunable's social media a few times over the years and it always stuck with me, so when I saw it pop up for sale I decided I absolutely had to give it a shot. Plays and sounds fantastic.

Honestly I never would have picked these specific options if I had ordered one myself - I usually prefer simpler specs, but imo this just works and is so unique. It also feels pretty different from anything else I've owned. Even compared to my explorers, other bodies that are at least kind of similar. Took some time but it started to feel natural after a while. It's quite heavy as well, which is maybe my only real complaint.

I currently have it tuned to B standard. It's incredible and has been really hard to put down.

Hey everyone! Just wanted to show off my Pacifica 112 after my last round of modifications. I think it's in it's final form now, I honestly can't think of any other changes I would want to make to it! This is my project guitar that I've used to learn how to work on a guitar and it's been a lot of fun working on it (and even more fun playing on it!). Here's all the changes I've made to it so far:

Seymour Duncan P-rail with triple shot pickup selector ring

Fleor Alnico V dual rail middle pickup

Fleor Alnico V neck pickup

Guyker bridge with roller saddles

Grover locking tuners

Upgraded Pots with push pull to create "7 sounds" mod

Upgraded selector switch

Switch craft input jack

Copper foil pickup cavity

This first has so many sound options with all the pickup variations I have now that it's honestly overwhelming. I was considering putting together a sound bite with all the different options but I realized it's 19 different pickup combinations and figured y'all don't want to sit through that lol. Let me know what you guys think.

Hi guys! I am looking to buy this guitar used from a local classifieds posting. I know these pics don’t show much, but any insight I could get on this being a genuine fender or not would help. Also, anything I should specifically look for when I go see it to verify its authenticity?

I have a 90's MIJ Jazzmaster and a CV Jazzmaster that were both missing the tremolo arms when I purchased.

I finally found a source that pops in perfectly. Best of all, I only paid $1. Was shocked when it arrived 2 weeks later as described. 3 tip color options.

Hope links are ok to post. I'm sure I'm not the only one that has had trouble locating these trem arms.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806468602390.html?spm=a2g0o.order_detail.order_detail_item.3.2804f19cyeNJmn&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

I should note it doesn't fit in my MIJ, but this is most likely an issue with my tremolo. I believe a piece of the collet is missing.

I originally learned right handed but I broke my pinky years ago and never got it fixed. So it had made playing very difficult. Learning again left handed and man the guitar selections suck. Was looking for a jazzmaster but couldn't find anything ended up coming across this explorer and couldnt pass it up. I have had the hellcat for a few years planning on learning left handed but finally getting use out of it.

Is this a specific thing of the Norlin era? Curious to hear if anyone has more context about this.

New , used behs

2022 Epiphone Korina Explorer, used but like new

There's never going to be a good time ever to buy a guitar. Because I'm left-handed and also because I've always been extremely poor I've had to make do with the same guitar since I was 15 years old (im 31)

I love my Epi DOT - it's really an excellent guitar and is perfect for the material that I play. But it's so ridiculously worn that it needs about $1,000 worth of maintenance type repairs and work done to it. It's absolutely not giggable let's put it like that lol.

I'm strictly a home player but I have beat it to absolute hell over hundreds of thousands of hours of jamming.

Point being I'm about a decade overdue for a new guitar.

I've been flipping back and forth between a Flying V or an Explorer. I've been able to try a V many times because you can easily take a right-handed one and just flip it over so it's been easy to go to guitar Center or wherever else and try one out.

And I enjoyed them way more than I expected.

But my heart has always been in the Explorer :P

Unfortunately I was only able to try a right-handed one upside down which of course gives absolutely zero idea of how one is.

So this is basically a good faith purchase. But I'm sure it'll blow me away.

I was browsing reverb on a whim this morning not planning on getting a guitar anytime soon, and this listing jumped out at me SCREAMED at me "fucking buy me NOW you dumb fuck or you'll regret it for the rest of your life!!!!"

You know sometimes you just get that kick in the gut, instinctual feeling of "THATS IT!"??? Yup, this is it. I know it and I can feel it.

Even better it's coming from Chicago Music Exchange and they have been terrific about sharing information with me and easing my concerns about various things before I buy it. It's free shipping with a 3-day return policy so either way I'm good.

It was $1060 after taxes. Unfortunately I am poor so had to settle with a $56/mo payment plan that adds $300 in interest over the course of the two year payment time but after 2 years I won't even remember that and who will give a crap at that point.....

Point is.... I CAN'T FREAKING BELIEVE I'M GETTING A NEW GUITAR AND IT'S MY DREAM GUITAR AND IF IT DISAPPOINTS ME I'M GOING TO BE SO MAD AND SO SAD SO PLEASE DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE AND PLEASE HELP ME CELEBRATE THE JOY THAT IS MY BEING AT THIS MOMENT :D

Thanks guys. :)

Nearly 20 years ago, I had stolen from me a 2002 left-handed Gibson SG special faded brown, with crescent moon inlays on the ebony fretboard and had Zakk Wylde EMG pick ups installed. This happened around Armstrong, BC, Canada around ~2006-2007 when I was about 15/16 years old.
I’ve been searching for this guitar ever since. It broke my heart when it got stolen, and I’m hoping I can find it again.
Attached are pictures I found online that have been flipped for accuracy.