there's one main issue with flipping a right handed electric guitar to play as a leftie

KNOBS

they WILL get in the way of your strumming arm, especially on a strat style guitar. the toggle switch for pickups will also be a huge hassle.

as cheezyridr said, the intonation is also another big issue, here's the choice you'll have to make... either buy a right handed electric and then have the store flip the bridge / nut and recalibrate the intonation (might cost a little more than a standard setup). OR you can pay the extra premium for a left handed model (usually around $100). this one is actually 'easier' to fix as it usually has to be done by a tech since most people don't own harmonic tuners.

hey i was only pokin at ya with the mcveggie pants thing, i didn't mean no harm.

Hey, Cheezyridr,

No, no...I *liked* mcveggiepants! I thought it was cute and amusing that you called me angel mcveggiepants! It made me laugh! :laughing: I've never been given a nickname before and so I was pleased, but my response obviously must not have shown that. (That's the difficulty with the written word). I failed to add a smiley-face to give the proper intonation so you would know I thought it was funny. I apologize. Please do call me a nickname if you want. It feels very friendly. :beer:
Odyshape...Mr. Dave is right...the knobs *are* a problem when flipping over a right-handed guitar. I hadn't even thought of that before he mentioned it. I just tested what it is like to play my Squier guitar as you might, and depending on the angle of the guitar the knobs and the toggle switch for the pickups *did* get in the way ranging from a little bit to a lot. That was a very good point Mr. Dave made, and one I completely overlooked.

--Mcveggiepants

the only thing that's not "fixable" about my squier, that i don't like is where the knobs are. gibson has the good sense to put them out of my way. :D

In response to the whole guitar/amp thing, on a limited budget, I would recommend only purchasing an electric guitar without an amp. I know it seems crazy, but looking back I would have saved a bundle if I did it. If you use all your money on a decent sounding guitar instead of a guitar/amp combo I think you will be much happier in the long run.

The electric guitar can be played just fine without an amp (Hendrix did it all the time when he first started), and after you get better spend some money on a good amp. An amp can make a decent guitar sound great.

Just my two cents

I don't know if you're still looking to purchase a beginner's guitar, but don't get a look-alike Squier... when I was about 16 I bought an imitation guitar and amp and they were both a pile of shit and were definitely not durable. They wore out and things broke before I was ready to upgrade.