# Gretsch Jim Dandy - Conversion to Left Hand



## dcole

Hello All,

I was looking for a little beater guitar to leave laying around my living room as I have done most of my playing while sitting on the couch for years now. I have always been turned off by acoustic guitars due to their typical dreadnought size in left handed versions. I have a big chest and short arms so it makes it uncomfortable to play such a big guitar.

I came across the Gretsch Jim Dandy one day and noticed the saddle slot is cut parallel to the bridge rather than at an angle as most acoustic bridges are. So I went looking on Graphtec's site (They are Canadian by the way) and found a left handed compensated saddle that would work perfect. I ordered it along with a pre-cut lefty nut and I was on my way to an easy conversion!

As you can see in the pictures below, while using a chunk of wood to tap the original nut off, a rather large chunk of the neck blew off. I was able to salvage most of the chunk and glue it back in place. Just missing a tiny piece that got lost in my shag carpet. If I can find my brown Sharpie, I may just color that part in.

Anyways, the conversion came out well and I learned a lot about setting up an acoustic guitar. This thing has sustain for days!

Here are the pictures below:


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## Guest

Except for the 'chunk', nice little strummer.

I also did that once when 'tapping' off a nut.
Now, if I have to do that, I'll first score the finish along the edge of the nut with an exacto knife.
It's a clean pop off then.


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## dcole

laristotle said:


> Except for the 'chunk', nice little strummer.
> 
> I also did that once when 'tapping' off a nut.
> Now, if I have to do that, I'll first score the finish along the edge of the nut with an exacto knife.
> It's a clean pop off then.


Thats what I was thinking I should have done after the fact. The wood in the guitar isn't very good. Looked like a cross between pine and balsa wood or something. Not a nice rock hard maple, thats for sure.


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## bw66

Can anyone else not see the pics?

Those Jim Dandys are a great little guitar for the money!


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## Steadfastly

bw66 said:


> Can anyone else not see the pics?
> 
> Those Jim Dandys are a great little guitar for the money!


All I see are minus signs.


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## dcole

Weird, I'll try using a different site to post the pictures from later tonight. I am using Google Photos.

Hopefully the picture issue is resolved now?


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## bw66

I see them now! Nice!


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## JBFairthorne

How'd you get the pg off without taking some paint or leaving some residue?


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## dcole

JBFairthorne said:


> How'd you get the pg off without taking some paint or leaving some residue?


The pickguard was on basically like a sticker. It just peeled right off.


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## Clintg

dcole said:


> Hello All,
> So I went looking on Graphtec's site (They are Canadian by the way) and found a left handed compensated saddle that would work perfect. I ordered it along with a pre-cut lefty nut and I was on my way to an easy conversion!


I just picked up one of the last Jim Dandy's from Long and McQuade with the intention of converting it to left handed. It'd be handy if the original poster could give me the part numbers of the saddle and nut they ordered from graphtech.

Thanks!


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## dcole

Saddle - PQ-9280-L0
Nut - Lefty PQ-6116-L0 1 11/16"

*TOTAL, shipping inc. - $35.30
*
P.S. Remember to score around the nut before banging it off to avoid chipping the headstock!


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## Clintg

dcole said:


> Saddle - PQ-9280-L0
> Nut - Lefty PQ-6116-L0 1 11/16"
> 
> *TOTAL, shipping inc. - $35.30
> *
> P.S. Remember to score around the nut before banging it off to avoid chipping the headstock!


Thanks so much!!


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## Tencars

Thanks so much for posting the info on the Jim Dandy left-handed conversion here. I just did the same conversion for my daughter's first guitar. It worked out quite nicely. For my setup here are some quick notes:

- Indeed the pick-guard came right off, with zero residue left over. I picked up a new left-handed black pick-guard on Amazon for about $7 - the dimensions weren't quite right (due to the smaller sound hole) so I had to trim it down with some scissors and some light sanding to smooth out the cuts - but turned out just fine.
- I got an ox-bone left-handed, saddle and nut set (2 pairs) on Amazon as well: Blisstime part number: X001B2BJP7 - was about $10. The saddle was about 3/32" shorter than the original, but it worked out great as the action is now even better and I still have no buzzing frets.
- For taking off the nut, I scored as advised and did not have any wood break off - came off with a single tap to a wood block. I glued the new one on with 50/50 mixture of wood glue and water - so it should come off easy if I ever have to replace it. The new nut fit perfectly, no trimming required.

Overall, an easy conversion and a great little guitar for very little $$. Thanks for the tips in this post - saved me from having to learn the hard way. Final result is the pic in my avatar


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