One of the most challenging tasks must have been buying a Guitar for a Child. It is important to appreciate that different users have different needs. The needs of a child are not like those of an adult.
The children may not be able to handle the best concert size guitars or even the best intermediate guitars. However, they will be able to play the guitar for small hands early.
Children love classic things, but they will need a guitar that makes their lessons easy as beginners. You will therefore need to look closely at some determinants for their good guitars. We have come with the good news that will make your work easier. Below is a guide to simplify your decision-making.
Understanding various types of guitars
Before we get into the specifics of buying guitars, we need to understand the various types of guitars.
Classical guitar
A classical guitar comes with nylon strings. What may make it good is that it has a lightweight design. It does not have a steel rod and a pickguard. They come at reasonable prices hence quite reliable.
Its major advantage is that it is simple to play due to nylon strings. Since you are buying a guitar for a child, you can ensure that the one you buy has the best classical guitar strings for a beginner. Otherwise, you may need to upgrade the strings later to suit your child.
Something lovely is that it has minimal noise making it best for learners. For Latin and classical genres, it is the best.
The unfortunate thing with it is that it has a limited style. Having a wide neck makes it challenging for a child to handle. Therefore you have to be keen when buying a Guitar for a Child.
Acoustic guitars
Acoustic guitars seem to be similar to classical ones. The difference is the steel strings and a steel pickguard. You will love how they sound, especially when amplified.
When used as a musical accompaniment, they make some of the best choices. For classical and jazz pieces, it makes the best choice. Children who want to learn to play and singing find it best.
Their disadvantage is that they are slightly heavy. Having steel strings makes them slightly challenging to handle. They are painful to children.
Electric guitars
These models are usually solid slabs of wood that have steel-reinforced necks. You will not hear them if not amplified. You will therefore need an amplifier to make them operate.
Most rock stars and gamers love electric guitars making children love them. You will get the best guitars for clone hero here which every child yearns for. This is because each child wants to be like their model superhero.
They are good as they do not strain the fingers much. Their disadvantage is that they pose a challenge in volume control. Its weight may also be slightly challenging for a child to handle. Having beautiful knobs tend to distract the child.
However, there are several electric guitars for small hands that even a small child can strum easily. These guitars are made with children or adults in mind.
Can a child play a full-size guitar?
Playing a full-size guitar can be slightly challenging for a child. However, depending on their age and size, they may attempt to play a full-size one. A child’s determinants to handle a full-size guitar are the age of the child, body size, and experience.
If your child starts playing the guitar at the age of 5 and gathers experience to 9, then it is easy. As they graduate in expertise, they can begin to handle full-size guitars. You will need to understand the size of the child, as small hands will find it challenging to handle a full size.
The Comfortability and expertise of the child will therefore determine their ability to handle a full-size guitar.
What is the good age for starting to play the guitar?
The age of playing the guitar gets determined by the child’s motivation. Some children start when it is early, and those that start slightly later. The age of 6-7 years makes great times to start playing the guitar.
At the age of 7 years, a child is usually aggressive. The chances of learning the art of guitar playing, therefore, get deep-rooted in them. You can therefore let them start with the small ¼ size guitars, then let them slowly grow to the bigger sizes.
Things to observe when buying a guitar for a child
There are several factors that you will look at before you buy a guitar. They are highlighted below.
Size
The basic thing for a child to manage a guitar is its size. It should have a comfortable weight and size for the child to handle. When choosing the best size, it should neither be too small or large. The child’s height is a great determinant of usability.
Between the heights of 3-5 inches, a ¾ size guitar is perfect. Those around 5 inches can try a bigger size. Their hands will therefore determine the kind of guitar they can handle.
Tuning
An ideal guitar for a child should make tuning easy. A lovely thing with children is that they will love tuning frequently. The tuners should therefore maintain great durability and make the child comfortable.
String choice
The hands of a child are generally young and immature. They may not be so good at maintaining resistance to the strings. You, therefore, need a guitar that will make the child comfortable. A model with nylon strings is lovely as it will make them play for a long time comfortably.
Sound production
Considering that children are learners, sound production should be good. They should be able to understand and feel each note they play without a hassle. Provision of creativity room should also be a possible thing.
Quality of the guitar
There are many guitar brands in the markets with different qualities. Your guitar should therefore maintain great quality. Considering that children will handle the guitar in the manner they wish, it should be strong to resist the pressure.
User-friendliness
The best guitar for a child should maintain great user-friendliness. After assessing the needs of a child, they should find it quite simple to handle and play. Managing the various tasks should be a very simple task for the child.
So which is the best guitar for a child?
There are many brands with different functionalities. You should therefore get the brand that has a reputation for quality. Using the assessment that has been highlighted above, you can consider each factor individually to get the best model. Focusing on quality, size, and user-friendliness will land you on a lovely model.
However, we have made it easier for you to choose the best guitar for a 5-year-old kid and other children. Using the guide and reviews in this article, you will be able to get the best guitar for your child.
Conclusion
Buying a Guitar for a Child is a very simple task. Putting into consideration the many features that each comes along with, you can get the best models. All you need to do is to have a clear focus on the specific things that your child needs, then get a model.
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