Tanglewood TRS4CELH Left-Handed Super Folk Cutaway Electro-Acoustic Guitar

A left-handed cedar and rosewood cutaway, built that way from new

The Tanglewood TRS4CELH is the left-handed version of the TRS4CE, and it is a proper left handed electro acoustic guitar, not a restrung right-hander. If you play left-handed, you get the controls, cutaway and strings on the side where they should be.

What left-handed changes

The body, neck and cutaway are all mirrored. That means the cutaway sits under your fretting hand's reach, so the upper frets are easy to get to. Left-handed players often have a short list of choices, so a solid wood model at this level is worth a close look.

Cedar and rosewood sound

The top is solid cedar, which responds fast and gives a warm, gentle tone. The back and sides are rosewood, adding body, projection and a ringing top end. Fingerstyle comes across clearly, and strumming stays full without turning harsh.

Shape, neck and electronics

The super folk body is comfortable to hold and not too large, so it works for long practice sessions and for gigs. The fingerboard is Eboncore. Enya electronics are fitted, so plugging into an amp or PA needs nothing extra.

Because the guitar is made for the left hand from the start, nothing about the set-up fights you. The strings run the right way across the nut and bridge, the body sits naturally on your leg, and the cutaway lines up with how you actually fret. That makes it a sensible choice for a first solid wood guitar as well as an upgrade from an older instrument.

• Left-handed super folk cutaway body
• Solid cedar top, rosewood back and sides
• Eboncore fingerboard
• Enya onboard electronics
• Natural gloss finish

The natural gloss finish shows off the grain of the woods. The right-handed TRS4CE costs £549, so the left-handed version is £569. If you want a bigger body, look at the range for a left-handed dreadnought. If you want the cutaway and a gentler voice, this is the one to try.