What guitar should a kid start with?
In this video we are answering the question, what guitar should a kid start with?
Let’s talk about what kind of guitar I recommend a child to start with!
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Transcription
So what guitar would I recommend for a kid? So what I would recommend depends on the kid, their interest, how old they are, how big they are, how their hands are… But if they're really little, I wouldn't even recommend a guitar. I would actually recommend a ukulele. Kind of like a mini guitar, kind of. You know, the strings are a little different when it comes to like, you know, this higher pitch, then it gets low and then a little higher and a little higher. But the thing is like, the layout is the same. You have frets, the strings, the principles are the same. Just, you know, there are a little different hand shapes. Some people would say, “Well, what about a four string electric guitar?” Something like that? A four string guitar for kids. I've seen them. I have no experience with them. So there’s probably not as much material out for them when it comes to like, playing songs and stuff. So it might be good. But, personally, I would probably go with a ukulele. And then once they get a little bigger, they can move on to a guitar. Now what about when they are a little bigger? When they are a little bigger, maybe like eight years old or so, I would recommend a classical guitar. The strings are kind of similar to the ukulele where they're more like a plastic nylon and they're softer on the touch with fingers. So their finger tips aren't going to hurt as much, easier to play, they can start with one string songs, stuff like that. The only downside is like, the frets are bigger and the neck is a little bigger than the average guitar. But, you know, stretching is good. The other nice thing about these is the fact that they come in multiple sizes. You can get a half size, a three quarter size, a full size, like this one. I personally wouldn't go below a half size. That's a little too small, at least I feel that way. And as they get a little older, they move to a three quarter size and the full size. Or they could move on to, if they're doing really well, move on to a steel string guitar or anything like that. I wouldn't necessarily recommend an electric just because they're heavy. It might be a little easier to play than a steel string acoustic and maybe a little easier than a classical depending on the strings themselves. But they’re still metal strings that I think they're going to complain a bit, “Oh, my fingers hurt. I don't enjoy this.” Where these tend to be easier on the fingers, which means less pain. And you always start with just like easy one string songs, stuff like that. Because if they're more interested, they're going to play more. And the last nice thing I'll say about these is they're self-sufficient. That you just pick it up and play. Electric, you’ve got to plug it in and make sure it has electricity. You can't just throw it in the car because you're like, “Oh, do I have my cable? My amplifier? Is there going to be electricity where I'm going?” And, “Am I going to bother anybody?” Or with these, throw them in the case, throw them in the car and you’re good to go. And if you have any other follow-up questions about them or if you have any other questions regarding guitar, feel free to comment! Get out there, have some fun practicing!