Left-Handed Guitars

Fender Stratocaster, pre-1972 (right-handed)

Status: Sold

No picture available.

For a while way back in the early 70's I used to go to the Marquee Club almost every week with my best friend, Daniel Wherrett (of whom you can find out more on the web) and one of the bands we used to see was Skid Row. At the time their lead guitarist was Gary Moore, and one evening I witnessed him playing a terrific classical-based electric solo on a powder-blue Stratocaster. As I recall, we somehow ended up going to the post-gig party in the Marquee's bar where it transpired that Gary was selling this Strat. Consequently, I ended up going round to Gary's Belsize Park flat one day to buy this Strat off him. I don't recall exactly how much I paid for the guitar, but I seem to recall a figure of around £80.

Anyway, the guitar was actually right-handed, so I restrung it to play lefty and it seemed fine to me. However, the time came when I needed to take it to a well-known tech in Soho (Sam Lee was his name, spelling may be incorrect), who informed me that the prize Strat I'd bought from Gary Moore had Vox pickups instead of proper Fender ones. As I knew very little about guitars at the time I would never have known any differently had Sam not educated me, and I was not a happy puppy.

The good news was that, after Sam's attentions and a bit of refinishing, I managed to sell this Strat on for for a very good price indeed.