We'd love to hear from you at any time. If you have any questions about Left Hand Bear, please just ask. Why not use the chat button?

Left Hand Bear is the UK's only acoustic instrument retailer selling exclusively left-handed instruments. A small family firm created by left-handed singer/songwriter Simon Middleton, frontman of UK acoustic roots band The Proposition, Left Hand Bear sells a range of banjos and mandolins from the superb Goldtone brand in Titusville, Florida, plus a completely unique range of lefty guitars designed by the legendary Wayne Rogers and Paul Beard of Goldtone fame, as well as great instruments by Lag, Faith and more.

Price Promise: Many of our instruments are hard to find in UK stores, and our service standards are hard to beat. But for added reassurance we also make a price promise: if you can find an identical make and model instrument (left-handed) with the same specification for a lower total price (including shipping) then we will do our best to match it every time.

And remember, the price promise still holds up to 14 days after purchase... so if you can show us that you could have paid less elsewhere will refund the difference and send you a set of strings to thank you for spotting the lower price!

Right-handers fear not: although here at Left Hand Bear we stock only left-handed instruments, most of our accessories are suitable for all players of course. And you can find a great range of right-handed instruments at our sister shop Folk At Heart.

Left Hand Bear was created specifically to serve the needs of the neglected lefty instrumentalist community: thought to number around 13% of musicians and including some of the greats.

From Paul McCartney to Kurt Cobain, from Slim Whitman to Bobby Womack, from Jimi Hendrix to Dick Dale, you're in good company.

But us lefties have been neglected for too long, particularly when it comes to acoustic instruments. Often virtually forced to choose the only lefty instrument on the rack, then charged up to 20% more for the privilege.

So Left Hand Bear is a modest attempt to right that wrong. With a small but growing range, a passion for quality and a real small-firm commitment to service, we hope you'll grow to love Left Hand Bear, just like these two customers:

"Hi  Simon  and  everyone  at  Left  Hand  Bear. I  would  just like  to  say  that  I  am  delighted  with  my  new  GME-4  Goldtone  electric  mandolin,  also  I  am  very  impressed  by  the  wonderful  people  at  Left  Hand  Bear:  they  are  a  very  friendly  and  helpful team.  I  have  no  hesitation  in  recommending  them   to  other  left-handers. Thanks  so  much. Kindest   Regards  from  a  very  happy  mandolin  player. Keith  Cornell."

"My banjo arrived Monday and it looks and plays even better than I had hoped for, so thanks for a great banjo and service. I will get in contact the next time I buy an instrument. Martin Palmer."

And why the name Left Hand Bear? Well the native Americans believed that lefthandedness was indicative of a connection with the spirit world, and they also believed that bears were inclined to lefthandedness. For this reason they revered bears in particular amongst the creatures of the wood. There was even a Sioux chief named Chief Left Hand Bear (there he is below).

In the 21st Century ancient Native American wisdom has been vindicated by modern science. Naturalists have observed that lefthandedness (or leftpawedness perhaps) is much more common amongst bears than amongst humans. Bears are frequently observed catching fish, picking berries and searching for termites and for honey with their left paws. Polar bears too are inclined to lefthandedness.

The perfect name for a lefthand instrument specialist: we hope you agree!

We believe in the superb quality of design and build of Goldtone's wonderful banjos and mandolins, and we know you will love them just as much as the many high-profile professional bluegrass, folk and country musicians around the world who choose Goldtone.

And we are absolutely thrilled to present our completely unique range of Left Hand Bear guitars, designed by Wayne and Paul and built to their exacting standards. We think it's the best range of lefthanded guitars in the world, offering terrific quality at an affordable price, coupled with the true distinctiveness of the Left Hand Bear brand.

Incidentally, if you'd like to hear more of the band which inspired Left Hand Bear, here's a selection of our songs (some featuring a Gold Tone GT 500 banjitar!).!

Picture at top (by Justin Burgess) shows Nigel Orme and Simon Middleton, left-handed members of UK roots band The Proposition. Thumbnail picture of The Proposition on audio player by Maddy Pikarsky.

Picture right shows Left Hand Bear, Oglala Sioux chief. Copyright 1899 by Herman Heyn, Omaha, Nebraska. Hand-colored platinum print gifted to the Library of Congress by David A. Rector. Used under Creative Commons licence.

Tel: 01603 305800

Postal, Business & Showroom Address: Suite 4, 13-15 St George's Street, Norwich, NR3 1AB

Left Hand Bear Ltd is registered in England. Registration number 7169051.