My oldest daughter (11) has been hounding me to get her a guitar for Christmas.  I'm not opposed to the idea, but I know next to squat about guitars.  I'm not interested in buying a $60 Amazon special for the same reason I wouldn't buy a Hi-Point.  At the same time, I'm not going to be looking for a super-rare $10k Martin.

I'd like an idea of what makes and models I should consider.  Complicating matters a bit - she's a southpaw.  Do I need to be looking for a left-handed guitar, or a right-handed guitar strung for a lefty?

Advice on what accessories are "required" would also be appreciated.

Takamine G-series for the mid $300's.

Do her a favor, teach her right handed. You wouldnt get her a left handed piano, so dont get a lefty guitar.
The disadvantages to lefties are numerous.

Takamine, yamaha solid top fg series, taylor big baby, seagull, all good options.

Definitely acoustic.

How much harder is it for a lefty to learn right-handed?  I'm very right dominant and can't imagine learning fine motor skills with my "wrong" hand.

I really don't think it's any harder to learn "right handed". You have to use both hands at the same time anyway.

For a left handed person (including me) your strong hand is doing the fret work and your right hand is strumming or picking individual strings.

As far as brands this is a good answer Takamine, yamaha solid top fg series, taylor big baby, seagull, all good options.  

A solid top as opposed to manufactured wood is a very nice option, but it's more important to find a guitar with "good action". The neck should be straight and the string distance from the frets uniform at each fret.

A lower but not too low action is easier for beginners. You don't have to push as hard on the strings to get a clean sound.

A quick google search came up with this: What is good string action?

Head down to the guitar shop and let her try several instruments. When she finds the right one, she will know it.  Guitars are very personal objects and usually the right one just calls to you.

Enjoy.

Know you said an acoustic.  An electric is easier to play.  If you were to go the electric route.  You could pick up a mexican made fender with case around 300.  Nice amp and some headphones around 100.

For what is worth an electric can be played without an amp.  Play mine without an amp more than with one.

I thought the same for my lefty daughter... hand her a guitar and see how she naturally holds it.
My kid holds any guitar she's handed like a lefty... as a result, I'm teaching her lefty (and learning lefty myself as a result).

As for the electric vs. acoustic?... which does she prefer?  I was strongly leaning toward an acoustic for the little one, but she wanted no part of that.  If it wasn't electric, she wasn't interested in playing.

You can also get a much better guitar that's easier to play for much less with an electric in most cases. And playing the electric without an amp is much quieter.

Rocksmith® 2014 Edition and an electric guitar.

Vox headphone amp would go great with a starter electric.

I'm still loving the fender t-bucket.  The quilt top is gorgeous and it is a lot of guitar for under $300

I agree with what was said above about having her learn right handed. There are far fewer options for left handed players and the left hand does more intricate stuff in the beginning on a right handed guitar anyway.



As far as to what to get her, I would probably get an electric, and would probably go for something from Squier. They are Fender's beginner line that's built in China. Yeah, I know, China, but they do a good job with them and are plenty good for a beginner. Something from the Bullet series can be had for around $130 new, the Affinity series for around $180 new, or the Classic Vibe (these are actually very very nice for the money) for $380 - $400 new.

I can't speak on the lefty righty issue.  I'm ridiculously right handed.



I'm also a total beginner, so don't take my advice to heart.  Or do, since she is too.





       


Does she want an acoustic, or do you want her to have an acoustic?



If
she wants to rock out on an electric, you're setting her up for
disappointment if you get her an acoustic.  Not that there's anything
wrong with them, but if you want a beginner to really stick with it, you
want to make it fun.



Plus, an electric with some kind of amp with a headphone option will actually be quieter for you.





Whatever
you do, don't buy some $50 piece of crap, electric or acoustic.  I've
made this mistake probably three or four times in my life.  You buy one,
all psyched up to learn.  It's shit.  The action is shit.  It sounds
like shit.  It's uncomfortable to play.  Then you drop it for years and
regret it.



You can buy a lot of guitar in this day and age for a
couple hundred bucks.  Take advantage of it.  Someone mentioned trying a
bunch out until she finds one she likes.  Probably the best advice in
the thread.  





       


Tuner.  You absolutely need a tuner.  You can get a Snark clip on for about $10.  They're great.



Someone
else mentioned Rocksmith.  It's not the be-all end-all of guitar
teaching tools, but it's helped me improve a lot over the last ten
months.  Tons of songs come with it, thousands more third-party ones
available if you're okay with a little computer stuff.  Has built in
lessons.  Tracks your progress.  Built in "games" to help you practice
various techniques.   It's a lot of fun.



 

Youtube.  There's like a bajillion free lessons on
youtube.  From songs to exercises.  Search for a song and add lesson to
the search and there's probably five guys with videos teaching how to
play it.





       




These are surprisingly good.  I've got one of the classic rock versions.



 

I got a factory second Ovation solid top for $250.  It sounds really nice for what it is.  

If you look around you can find something good sound and affordable.  

Cort also makes decent guitars for the money.  Something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Cort-Concert-Acoustic-Guitar-Natural/dp/B003K16MVM/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1414123633&sr=1-5&keywords=cort+acoustic+guitar

Yeah, those little Vox AmPlugs sound good (I have one too) but they're $40 and for around that price you can get a good used Peavey Vypyr 15, or a Line 6 15 watt practice amp that will be plenty good for her to start with, sound as good or better, are alot more versatile, and they have a headphone jack too.

Whatever you do keep a 'semi-pro' level setup & action adjustment in the budget. Cheap guitars can be made to play well, and a well playing guitar is easier to learn on.



Electrics are generally easier to work on and have more adjustments available than acoustics.



Electrics take up less space, are more forgiving of dents & dings, can be quieter (with headphones) and will play better with lighter gauge strings. Depending on what looks mean to the kid, they can be more colorful as well.

I am left handed in a few things and ambidextrous in most but gravitate to the left side.

 My daughter went through this several years ago too. I bought her a Takamine Jasmine for a little over $100 back then. The action is really, really nice. So nice I  fact that I have no trouble or fatigue in using it for the bar and jazz chords I play. She long since lost interest and now the axe sits in my study where I can grab and play it whenever I want.

 

Thanks all for the replies.  I didn't know there was such a thing as a 3/4 guitar.  Fortunately my girl is 11 and just under 5' so a full size should work. She is more likely to want to play around a campfire than to turn it up to 11, so to speak.  

There are a couple of reputable guitar shops within a couple of hours of me. Instead of surprising her I guess we'll go shopping and see how she feels trying one right handed.

Yamaha FG series.  $200, takes a beating and stays in tune.  It's one of the more popular student guitars for those reasons.

Honestly, my baby Martin is the one I pick up most often.    it just sounds great and it's so easy to play.  
It also fits my 13 year old daughter perfectly.  


Being a lefty is awesome.   Mark Knopfler is a lefty!   plays righty.    BEHOLD