OT: Kid's first guitar

[Jaybee]

My 5YO has been expressing a strong interest in guitar for a few months now. I think she would really like to try it. I'm not much of a musician myself - what should I look for in her first guitar and presumably, first music lesson?

TIA.

[rwsaunders]

If you have a local music store, they usually sell guitars sized for smaller folks. I highly recommend lessons as well, as it can be a difficult instrument to master, especially for a kid. Some instructors specialize in kids, some don't want to deal with them...ask around for recommendations.

We are fortunate that we have a neighborhood music store, where lessons are their forte and where two of our kids went for years...a guitarist and a drummer. Something worked as they still play at 18 and 22 yo. The older one is 25 yo and still plays the piano as well. All started with lessons from around 2nd grade through the 12th grade and they played in school orchestras and ensembles.

Beyond playing an instrument, IMHO I firmly believe that reading music helps with math and language skills as well. Best of luck to her.

https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/best-guitars-for-kids/?mrkgcl=28&mrkgadid=3305392680&rkg_id=0&campaigntype=dsa&campaign=aaDSA%20-%20InSync&adgroup=InSync%20Pages&placement=google&adpos=1t1&creative=308259292029&device=c&matchtype=b&network=g&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpe-8guvg3gIVio-zCh2XHQieEAAYASAAEgKykfD_BwE

[MattTuck]

Have redir build one for your daughter :) :banana:

[srcarter]

For a 5 yo, you probably want about a 1/2 sized guitar. Generally, kids would start with a nylon string classical guitar at that age. A used guitar would generally be the way to go for a child of that age. There are many reasonable Chinese-made guitars which retail for $120-$300. A new Yamaha 1/2 size at $120 would be more than adequate.

If you live near an urban area, they are often on Craigslist (or Nextdoor if it is popular in your area). If you don't play, it is helpful to have someone who can test that the guitar is in reasonable shape.
Reverb and GuitarCenter both have used guitars, and some rating of condition. Like bikes, they depreciate pretty quickly, except for the high end.

For lessons, it depends on where you live. Many local music shops have introductory lessons. My daughter has taken lessons through a private teacher who comes to our house. Lessons are the more critical component than the guitar (and will cost far more than the guitar over time).

Here's an interesting article on choosing (for an older child) that came out around when I was getting my daughter her first guitar: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/what-should-you-pay-for-a-childs-guitar-or-any-musical-instrument/

[Blown Reek]

For a 5-year old, you should look at a Loog Guitar.

[josephr]

+1 on used from a guitar shop...my kid gave guitar a try and started with a 1/2 size used from a local music shop for $40. After a few lessons and stuff, her interest waned and she moved on to tennis.

[Jaybee]

Thanks for the advice, all. I figured on the used/music shop thing, but I have no idea what I'm looking at.

My brother is a semi-professional musician. I'll try to drag him to a guitar shop (won't have to twist arms too hard) over the holidays and pick something up.


Paceline FTW - again!

[marsh]

My kid just turned 8, he's been using his Yamaha 1/2 sized (https://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha/JR1-Mini-Folk-Guitar-1274115034021.gc) since he was 5. It has held up to tons of abuse and Pete Townsend windmills.

[djg]

For a 5 yo, you probably want about a 1/2 sized guitar. Generally, kids would start with a nylon string classical guitar at that age. A used guitar would generally be the way to go for a child of that age. There are many reasonable Chinese-made guitars which retail for $120-$300. A new Yamaha 1/2 size at $120 would be more than adequate.

If you live near an urban area, they are often on Craigslist (or Nextdoor if it is popular in your area). If you don't play, it is helpful to have someone who can test that the guitar is in reasonable shape.
Reverb and GuitarCenter both have used guitars, and some rating of condition. Like bikes, they depreciate pretty quickly, except for the high end.

For lessons, it depends on where you live. Many local music shops have introductory lessons. My daughter has taken lessons through a private teacher who comes to our house. Lessons are the more critical component than the guitar (and will cost far more than the guitar over time).

Here's an interesting article on choosing (for an older child) that came out around when I was getting my daughter her first guitar: https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/05/18/what-should-you-pay-for-a-childs-guitar-or-any-musical-instrument/

As a longtime guitar player (since the ‘70s) with 3 kids — 2 guitar players among them — I’d like to say that this seems like a very sensible post to me. Two thumbs up. Keep in mind the line about “reasonable shape” as a used CL guitar might look to be intact while in fact being virtually unplayable — there are many sound, inexpensive guitars out there, and shopping with an experienced friend or at a reputable shop can avoid headaches.

Guitar playing friends might have thoughts about individual teachers or shops to favor in your area. I’ll add that many music shops offer rentals and/or trade-ins for kids instruments, which might prove handy as you move from 1/2 size to 3/4, or one style to another (or to none at all).

[OtayBW]

Get her a uke!

[GScot]

I have a college friend who bought himself and his son guitars when the son turned 6. He said they took lessons together at Guitar Center starting out but that fell apart after getting through the basics. Their next try they started watching online lessons and followed some personality on YouTube. Now the son is 14 and playing in his first band and my friend is good enough for campfire entertainment.

[benb]

My son is 6... we've had him in a bunch of music stuff. I've been playing guitar for about 4 years and had some piano lessons in the past (as an adult).. I've had a really good teacher for the last 2 and have advanced a lot in the last year.

The first thing we got our son was a Ukelele a long time ago, one of the cheap ones that is in every ABC store in Hawaii... he was real little, it was good enough. He broke it eventually.

He has a First Act plastic guitar (with a Disney theme) and that thing is a piece of junk, probably worse than the $20 convenience store Ukelele. It is near unbreakable and being plastic it is incredibly stable in the weather but the fretboard is just about unplayable. It has a reverse radius on the fretboard, never seen a real guitar like that, and the frets are tiny, and it has what look like acoustic phosphor bronze strings in "light gauge". It is shorter scale than an adult guitar but still all those add up to very hard to play. Those go for close to $100 in the Toy stores, I got his used for $15. It is worth $15, not $100. You will see those in quite a few of the toy stores.

From reviews I've read of the Loog guitar they are not quite at a high enough build quality to be real instruments, so they weren't recommended. Instability of neck, fretwork, etc.. I like the idea though.

Some of the cheap/used tiny Yamaha stuff is good as mentioned.

Definitely nothing that is a "full size" body 00/000/OM/Dreadnaught for a kid, and you want a short scale for less string tension. That's one of the reasons anything with nylon strings get mentioned.

The early learning curve for guitar is really freakin steep. Most people give up from what I understand. My first 2 years were really rough with not much progress... there are things with steel string guitars like having to build up calluses on your fingertips, etc.. that are really really beginner unfriendly and will turn anything but the most determined kid off.

We sent my son to a well known franchise piano group lesson thing last year.. it kind of sucked, it's an Asian program and it was way too strict/disciplined for the age group of kids it was being taught to. He goes to drum lessons right now which is 1:1 and is working out better, but you need to be realistic with kids and music.. the learning curve is long. The important thing with drums being it's more gross motor skills and teaches internalizing rhythm well. Drums require almost no reading ability which is important when you're in kindergarten!

So if my son REALLY wanted to play a string instrument, and we don't really trust him when he says stuff, cause he's mostly just looking for another toy/present, it'd probably be a Ukelele.. that would be a good enough for learning to strum basic chords, small enough for his hands, nylon strings and short scale means easy to fret and no calluses required, etc..

Electric guitars are actually a lot easier to play, easier to setup, easier for a small person to hold, etc... but what parent really wants to hear that? And you need an amplifier or something to practice with. Everyone thinks acoustic guitar when they start out unless they're 13... but a steel string acoustic guitar is about the most unforgiving place to start.

Guitar center is everywhere but they are the guitar equivalent of a really annoying LBS, probably worse, cause most bikes on the floor in an LBS work fine, most of the guitars in guitar center are screwed up, and it's a crapshoot whether their "tech" is actually qualified to do much of anything on a guitar.

Used is the way to go.. tons and tons and tons of good instruments out there. I know people with massive guitar collections who say things like, "Why on earth would I ever buy a new guitar?".

[martl]

Get her a uke!

Small people = small guitars? you ain't seen nothin' yet ;)

https://youtu.be/ru-pkOCj-kI

[JAGI410]

I'd go with a small scale electric, set up properly, with a headphone amplifier.

Save your household some sanity!

[Hakkalugi]

My kid played a junior Squire (Strat clone) from age 5-10. He’s now onto a full-sized Strat, but kept the junior with different tuning. It sells in a kit with a tiny amp for $100 and it’s a good deal, plus it plays like a real guitar.

[redir]

Have redir build one for your daughter :) :banana:

Ha! I missed this a few years back. Of course I'd be happy too but for a child's first something inexpensive but most importantly set up well and plays in tune is best. That way if after s o many months or a year they move on to something else you didn't pay a lot for nothing.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I know it’s an old thread, but my kid also wants to learn to play the guitar, and I wondered what his first steps should be.
I think it’s more logical for him to begin with an acoustic guitar and then, if he wants that, switch to an electric one.

That's been the steps taken by many many many if not most guitar players. I can't stress enough though, make sure the guitar is set up well and plays in tune. If the action is high and difficult to play then children get frustrated and give up, who can blame them?

I would suggest you search on line something like 'guitar buying tips' or something to get a good idea at how you can look at the specific points of guitar set up and determine if it's a) set up well already or b) if it's not it at least has the capability of getting set up well. Key terms here are, relief, neck angle, saddle height, action and so on.

If your only choice is to buy online then make sure they will let you return it if you don't like it and also look around for a local and trusted guitar tech so you can take the guitar to them for an opinion and or work.

[benb]

As the years have gone on I've come down pretty hard on the "start them on an electric dummy" side of things, which is not really a controversial opinion if you ask teachers.

a) Electric guitars are physically easier to play (SUPER important for kids)
b) Electric guitars are cheaper and quality appears at a much lower price point
c) Amps are not very expensive, especially for something for practice
d) Not many kids actually want to play acoustic guitar type stuff, don't buy them acoustic unless they are specifically interested in it

I bought my niece and nephew a Squier Mini-Strat a couple years ago and then did a thorough "setup" on it and my niece has really taken to it.

Meanwhile my brother's GF's son got stuck on an acoustic and put with a teacher who wanted him to play classical stuff even though he asked to learn AC/DC. That has very much not worked.

Most of my experience with my non-guitar playing friends is they force their kid to play an acoustic because of the parents taste in music while not listening to their kid. Their kid will then quit because they're being made to play something they didn't ask to play.

That Squier Mini-Strat required a HUGE amount of setup work. It's a piece of junk if you don't know what you're doing and try to play it out of the box. If you do, and put in the work on it, then it turns into a pretty dang nice guitar that's very easy to play. I might have worked on it for 2 hours, I'm decent at doing a setup but not a pro so it took me longer.

I've had a few acoustics under $500, they were mostly junk. I have a Taylor Academy 12e right now, it was $500 when I got it 5 years ago, but with all the crazy inflation they are now $850. That is really around where I think the bare minimum price point is for getting an acoustic that doesn't "hold you back". Acoustics just start getting really nice at a much higher price point. If you are smart about what you buy you can get a really really nice Electric starting around $1000 from certain brands. That point is really closer to $3000 for acoustics IMO.

My son has a Ukelele now (he's 10) and has learned quite a few chords. I let him play my guitars. He's still a little small to play a full size guitar even though he's huge for a 10 year old. If he really got into it I'd probably not buy him a cheap guitar. I'd just let him use my nice ones. Doing that is a huge advantage to a student.

If you're really stuck on putting a kid on an acoustic make sure to buy:
- Shorter scale - 24 3/4" or 24 7/8" at the absolute maximum. Stuff like the Taylors with even shorter scale is even better. This lowers the string tension (and required force to fret notes) and reduces the distance you have to stretch to reach notes, important for smaller hands
- Narrower nut width - 1 11/16" at the max. Most acoustics bias towards a little wider, making the reach harder for smaller hands
- Slim neck profiles - again this makes it easier for smaller hands
- Smallest body size possible - shorter arms have a harder time reaching around the body

All of those things minimize the physical challenges of dealing with an acoustic.

[miguel]

5yo? Ukulele and a tuner. Or maybe just a tennis racket and a doc Watson album.

12yo? Fender mustang and a champ amp

[Jaybee]

Wow - blast from the past. Since that initial post, the kid in question has started electric guitar, switched to keyboard, then went back to classical guitar. She's turning 10 in a month, and she's using this (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005B6EZ36/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) in full size. Her 8 year old sister uses the same in 7/8.

[deluz]

I have played various styles of guitars over the years.
Started with classical around age 30, then steel string acoustic and archtop electric and now flamenco.
Flamenco is what I love. I am not sure at that age you can determine what style of guitar or music that they eventually will gravitate to.
The important thing is a descent instrument and a good teacher and it helps a lot to start young. I started young playing clarinet which my parents chose for me and I always regretted that I did not start on a guitar.

[benb]

Classical/Nylon pretty much instantly cuts the string tension by 50% compared to steel strings so that's a great path for kids too. And takes string changing out of the picture for a long time.

[RWL2222]

I bought my son his first guitar--not the most entry level Yamaha--two years ago, when he turned 19. Much more experienced players have said the sound is quite good for a casual player. He's happy with it.

A little bit of drift here, but at important as the instrument itself is how it is taught. In general, I am a big fan of the Suzuki method, though I can't say how many S method guitar teachers are out there.

It starts with always having a standard repertoire playing in the background at home and in the car, so that--analogous to learning to speak--students absorb the sounds and underlying patterns. Then they play in a group, together with a range of ages and skills, always starting with the simplest piece to play, then moving on to the next one. As the difficulty advances, the younger kids sit out, to listen and watch, until the day they feel they are ready to hang in there to play the next piece. They make mistakes, miss the beat, lose their place. The group plays on. Nobody notices the mistakes. The students gain confidence through repetition, in a group, of the music they have been listening to for a year or two.