Hey all,
My son, who is about to turn 7, is wearing me out. Every time I start to practice, he comes running. He wants to play the guitar also. So, last night, I let him. He did pretty good. He was able to play an Em clean. :shock: Unfortunately, my acoustic is too big for him to handle. I've been looking at kid sized guitars online and I'm just not sure what to get him. So, I thought I would throw the question out to you all in the hopes that you can point me in the right direction.
Here is a Dean 1/2 size at Musician's Friend that I have been contemplating.
I've also looked at the mini-strats at Guitar Center.
So, two requests:
1. Recommendations or feedback on child size guitars
and
2. Acoustic (mini-strat type) or acoustic?
Appreciate the responses,
-Jim
Dean sells pretty good stuff. I bought a tradition package for a friends birthday and it's held up great for over a year now.
at that price you really can't go wrong. as far as child size goes it really depends on what his hands fit better (how long before he steps up to a larger model)
I say buy both.
#4491....
I had my world view badly shaken yesterday. I've always thought that accoustic is "the proper way" to start playing.
But then, my daugther (age 9) who has been practicing some open chords for a few weeks asked to try my telecaster. Evidently it is just as easy (and maybe easier) for her to play that one compared to her 3/4 sized accoustic. Action is lower, neck is more narrow. A little bit long of course, but not unmanageable - see thread here https://www.guitarnoise.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27987&start=15
Maybe a 3/4 electric is the way to go - especially if your son thinks that's cooler - and I guess he does 8)
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
My son has both a mini-Strat and the Dean Playmate J 7/8 Size Acoustic Guitar
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Dean-Playmate-J-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=519942
The mini-Strat is great. Good size for his hands and it feels and sounds good.
The Dean Playmate on the other hand is not so good. I bought it for him to bring camping and to play outside. He likes it cause it's a cutaway and it looks cool, but I've played it and I hate it. The neck and the frets are cheap and it does not feel comfortable in my hands. It comes with really low quality strings. Also, the action is way too high at the nut. I replaced the strings and filed down the nut a bit, but it doesn't play much better.
I would recommend a 3/4 size or 7/8 size guitar for a 7 year old. A half sized guitar sounds like a ukelele and he will outgrow the size pretty quickly.
Yamaha sells a 3/4 sized acoustic. I've played it at Guitar Center. It is comfortable to play and it actually sounds good for it's size. This may be the one I'm referring to:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-JR1-Mini-Folk-Guitar?sku=510692
I would recommend the mini-Strat though. It's inexpensive and it sounds and plays nice. Get him a small simple amp without too many buttons and knobs. Something he can just plug into and adjust the volume without getting too distracted.
If you want acoustic, I recommend you try a lot of them and make your own decision. If you can help it, don't buy it online. Guitars in the low price range have a wide variety in quality even within the same model so you should play the one you want before you buy it.
Thanks all, that's just the kind of feedback that i was looking for. After my lesson tonight, I'm going to head over to Guitar Center and check out their stock.
Of course, if I buy him an electric, I guess that I'll have to buy myself one also. :D
Have your son hold the Dean, and make sure he doesn't have to stretch for the first fret.
I've got a 5yr old student whose father bought a "3/4 size" electric Dean at GC. The body wasn't full size, but the scale length was still 25" - too long for the kid. I'm not sure if the guitar was marketed as 3/4 size or if that's just what the salesman told him, since it had a small body.
Anyway, the dad exchanged it for a mini strat, and the boy is doing quite well with that.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
He's able to reach the first fret on my full size acoustic, however, he can barely get his arm around the body. And it's too big for him to control. He must have hit every piece of my furniture in my home office where I practice while he was messing around with it. :lol:
Thanks to this thread I bought a Dean 1/2 size, $30.00..why not! It just came in here at work and it's killing me....I'm dying to check it out! I'm going to have a hard time holding out until the 27th for my daughter's birthday to give it to her!
How do you know if a drummer is knocking on your door.....
The knocking speeds up.
Thanks to this thread I bought a Dean 1/2 size, $30.00..why not! It just came in here at work and it's killing me....I'm dying to check it out! I'm going to have a hard time holding out until the 27th for my daughter's birthday to give it to her!
Just wondering if you have an opinion of that guitar yet.
