Need Guitar Recommendation for 11 year old newbie

[Joe K]

I think I've seen similar topics here before, but I was not in the market then. My nephew wants to start taking lessons and has a birthday coming up. Do any instructors or other Dads/uncles here have some good ideas?

Basically, my questions are:

Would you start with a full sized guitar? I think so, I started playing at around that age but there were, ahem , not as many choices back then.

Acoustic or electric? My sister said she heard new players should start with an acoustic. I tend to think electric, since low action and light gauge strings make playing easier.

IF you think electric, any recommendations? My thinking would be a Squire or First Act solid body, something available for a little over $100. (Used would be cool but I don't know if that qualifies as a good birthday present from his parents.)

THANKS!

[SixStringSlinger]

I think he'll be fine starting on a full size. It may be a little difficult at first but it'll only get better. You'd end up getting tid of a 1/2 or 3/4 size one pretty quick, then he'd have to get used to the full size all over again.

I have no idea where the assumption that an acoustic is "better" to start on comes from. But I do think it's a good idea. It's tougher to play but it's a good work out (and face it, when you're first starting out you're working on the physical more than the musical). Plus there's less to distract him. No knobs, cables, whammy bars, amps etc.

If you do go the electric route know or later, this pack is pretty decent.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Amp?sku=513287

It's pretty much what I started on. The amp is nothing special, especially on overdrive, but I hardly cared. The guitar is also pretty good. I've since moved up to an American Deluxe, but I still have my Squier. The only reason I don't play it is because I screwed up the output jack and haven't gotten around to replacing it. All the guitar really needs is a nice setup, and maybe tuners later on.

[hamish5178]

Full size guitars are fine. I know several kids who I bet are smaller than your nephew that play EVH and Zappa on normal guitars.

As far as acoustic vs electric, I'd say electric. Acoustic is harder to play, and it would make electric easier when he starts, but the music he likes is problem played on electric, which means he'll be more interested and will stick with it.

For a first guitar I'd go here: http://www.rondomusic.com/electricguitar.html

I have one of these: http://www.rondomusic.com/wf150ta.html and I play it almost as much as my Gibson SG Standard, rondo has great guitars for the price.

Good Luck!

[stephwills]

I was just talking to my guitar teacher about this a couple weeks back. Is it better to start on an acoustic or an electric? He said, and I agree, that he thinks the acoustic is better to start on. He said most people who start on acoustic have an easy transition to electric, but many who start on electric have a really hard time moving to acoustic. I started on acoustic and take my lessons on it, but when I practice, I use both. I didn't have any issues moving to the electric. *shrug*

[hekawi]

if you go acoustic, go with a classical type nylon string guitar. much easier on a newbie's fingers.

if electric, can't go wrong with a squier...even a starter pack (guitar & small amp) would be just dandy for an 11 year old.

IX-NAY on the IRST-FAY ACT-AY....it's UNK-JAY.

[Cross Roads]

I think he's got to have fun with whatever you get him or he may lose interest.
I'm full grown (physically) and enjoy playing a squire strat ( I think it's 3/4 size) While the string spacing sometimes seems awkward at first the scale does not bother me at all. I bought this for a travel guitar the other day and am quite pleased. Sounds great with a Micro-Cube by Roland.
Restring it with 10's or 11's though, it does not like the 9 that come with it.

Can't imagine a kid not liking the above set-up and you can get into it for $225 new.

Squire mini = $99
Cube new = $125

[guitarzan13]

IMO... A lower priced electric will beat a low priced acoustic anyday. I have seen too many of my young students quit, due to the difficulty in fretting the strings.

[Derek S]

I started my son at 13 with a $99.00 Squier Bullet and a $59.00 Ibanez amp.

The reason we started electric was the salesmen's advice after talking to him about what style of music he'd like to play.

This seems to be the ticket because he got all fired up about playing. I bought him an acoustic 1 year later and the transition seemed to be fine.

Two years later and the same shop upgraded him to a MIM Strat and a Marshall 50 watt combo. He takes the Squier to school or to friends houses and also uses it for drop D or drop C tuning.

[Joe K]

A great start on answers. Thanks all. I will check again later.

[FMA]

Whichever way you go, it's best to buy the instrument at a shop that can do a pro set-up on it. Any cheap guitar can benefit greatly from a good set-up and some of the difficulty a lot of young players have initially comes from having an instrument that's not properly set up.

[neocaster]

Originally Posted by Derek S

I started my son at 13 with a $99.00 Squier Bullet and a $59.00 Ibanez amp.

Good job on the Squier, but great job on the $60 Ibanez amp. I sat down with three SS modeling amps at that price range, and the Ibanez was far and away the best of the three. Fender caught up to it, but with a 99.00 15w DSP. That's agreat starter rig at a very nice price.

I can't say enough good things about Squier affinity series. I'm still a pretty new player, but the Affinity Tele not only made me a player, it made me a Tele player.

[Derek S]

Thanks.

Squier is pretty cool considering the price and the kid still busts it out for
some purposes, 2.5 years later. If it had been a toaster it would've been
trashed by now......

Boy has tremdndous GAS though-wants a drum machine, a whammy pedal,
a Mustang, a Jaguar, a Boss DS-2, an octave pedal.....

He's getting a job this summer.

[SixStringSlinger]

Originally Posted by Derek S

Thanks.

Squier is pretty cool considering the price and the kid still busts it out for
some purposes, 2.5 years later. If it had been a toaster it would've been
trashed by now......

Boy has tremdndous GAS though-wants a drum machine, a whammy pedal,
a Mustang, a Jaguar, a Boss DS-2, an octave pedal.....

He's getting a job this summer.

A whammy pedal plus delay is fun.

[geoff_in_nc]

Sorry for the thread hijack here, but:

Originally Posted by hamish5178

I know several kids ... that play .... Zappa

Wait... wha??? Seriously? Zappa? Kids these days listen to Zappa?

[JayFreddy]

Get him something he likes.

Don't force him to play acoustic unless that's what he prefers. If he wanted to play saxophone, would you get him a clarinet?

http://www.dallasguitaracademy.com/H...er_Guitar.html

If he's over 4 feet tall, get a full-size guitar.

Those Rondo Teles look like just the ticket. +1 on the Roland Microcube.

When most "starter" amps are collecting dust in the closet, the Microcube will still be useful and fun because of the battery feature.

[casterway]

Originally Posted by geoff_in_nc

Sorry for the thread hijack here, but: Wait... wha??? Seriously? Zappa? Kids these days listen to Zappa?

Paul Green School of Rock.
Montana

Apostrophe

Peaches en Regalia

Zombie Woof




http://www.imdb.com/media/rm975412480/tt0436727

Really good movie.

[studio1087]

My 11 year old daughter has a 3/4 sized black "Jay Turser Jr." acoustic and a hot pink strap....she loves it. She also loves playing my electric guitars because they are easy to play.

Buy a Squier and a little Vox DA5 or a Microcube. $200 or so for everything.

Search the Jay Turser Jr if you are interested in an acoustic...you can buy these for $60-$70 on line and they're good student guitars.....

[photoweborama]

I know this won't be much help... but I got this one for my son when he was 10....

[Unseen]

Mustangs have smaller necks, and if he's still on the small side, a Mustang is a good choice. I played a mustang as my first good electric guitar. It was great. Also, as to acoustic vs. electric, I'd let HIM make that decision. If it's for an electric, I'd go with a Mustang. But it may not be in the cards because of the price. Daisy rock makes guitars for small (girls) hands. If you can find a model that he doesn't think looks too "sissy," that's another possibility.

[garytelecastor]

Photoweborama, will you adopt me?????
I'll be a good son, I promise.

I think that it is important that whatever you get for him you make sure to give him something of quality. Nothing turns a kid off faster than having to play on junk. Today they know the difference.

[Tim Bowen]

My default answer would be to have the kid try on a few models to see what fits. This disclaimer aside, a few thoughts on teaching kids from ages five to seventy three, since 1984:

* Yes, kids will eventually grow into a full size guitar. You have to look at their size. Buying guitars for kids is a bit like buying them shoes. You wouldn't send your kid to gym class with a pair of sneakers two sizes too large, would you. If you buy a 3/4 size guitar, it's impossible to say when exactly that the kid will outgrow it. However, if it's uncomfortable initially, he or she won't be motivated to pursue it, and creating a spark of interest is crucial at the entry level. If you're concerned about resale, and/or you'd like to have an instrument that can be passed down through future generations within your family, consider something like a Baby Taylor.

* It has been my experience that most entry level players sound absolutely horrible on electric guitars. Yes, they're 'easier' to play, and with all that skinny strings enable, comes the additional downside of wonky fretting hand intonation. I've met very few entry level players that had good intonation in a natural sense. Additionally, a good steel string acoustic will promote much needed hand strength. The acoustic is a far better entry level choice, in my opinion.

* Unless the kid is a prodigy and has designs upon becoming the next Segovia, Liona Boyd, or Christopher Parkening, I definitely steer parents away from classical guitars. While the physicality of the wider neck is certainly a consideration, the bigger hurdle here is the visual aspect. Fretted instruments are viewed north and south, east and west, unlike the linear format of a piano. It has been my experience that the dot inlays are fairly important in a visual sense to beginners. Heck, I've been doing this for a while and they're still important to me.

* Make sure that you choose a teacher carefully. Go for one that strikes a balance between teaching cool noises and popular tunes, as well as providing a balanced musical education. There's absolutely no reason that a youngster should not learn to read standard musical notation, as their mental files are wide open and ready to accept knowledge. You wouldn't send your child to a math teacher that didn't explain decimals, fractions, division, and algebra. Don't trust your child's musical education to just anybody, ask questions, interview.

[Joe K]

You've all offered a wealth of great information, and it is much appreciated.

Looks like you can start on either an electric or acoustic, depending on where the child's interest lies. Talking to the new player is, duh, a good idea.

Great info on starter amps and particular guitar models too. If the MicroCube is affordable, I agree that is a good way to go. I used one at a guitar show when trying out a multi-thousand dollar Les Paul and thought the amp (or I) sounded good.

Many thanks TDPRIers.

[TG]

Originally Posted by FMA

Whichever way you go, it's best to buy the instrument at a shop that can do a pro set-up on it. Any cheap guitar can benefit greatly from a good set-up and some of the difficulty a lot of young players have initially comes from having an instrument that's not properly set up.

+1

Very important.