Guitar Size For 9 Year Old

CeeJay

One of our grandchildren is showing a keen interest in the guitar. She's learning the Uke in school at the moment. She's been round at ours today and obviously has a real job with my guitars, so I'm going to get her a Harley Benton short scale as a starter guitar. I'm unsure of what size to get her as they do a couple, and was hoping for some guidance from those who have been through this stage with children.
She's 9 years old and average height. I'm torn between two models, both Strat type guitars.

Guitar 1 has a scale length of 578mm and a total length of 875mm
Guitar 2 has a scale length of 492mm and a total length of 810mm

I'm happy to get her the shorter one if that's the one that fits right now, as I will upgrade it when she grows out of it, so it's not as if it's got to last her. What I don't want to do is get her one that doesn't work for her right now.
Unfortunately taking her to a guitar shop is not an option due to circumstances beyond our control. 
Grateful for your thoughts and input.

idiotwindow

492mm sounds short for a 9 year old. My daughter was fine with an affinity Strat (25.5” scale length) when she was 10 so the scale length of guitar 1 sounds about right for someone a little younger.

thegummy

When I've asked around guitar shops, they've said normal size guitars for that age (was actually 8 year old I was asking about).

I agree with that as well, they'll be able to play a normal one just as well as they would a small one at that age. Kids that age play basses.

randerson

I buy these for primary aged kids all the time - https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_st_mini_bk_bundle_2.htm Great value and decent enough guitar/amp plus warranty.

rocktron

There are three 3/4 size guitars that I know of which are suitable for kids:-

1. IBANEZ GRGM21 GIO MIKRO SHORT SCALE MINI ELECTIC GUITAR

2. Jackson Dinky Minion JS1X Black AM · Electric Guitar

3. Squier Fender Stratocaster 3/4 Mini Electric Guitar  (also comes in pink) 

Check here for Andertons reviews:

Jackson Minion:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu-yawi1nv8

Ibanez Mikro:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DETAPMJC21I

My advice would be to first check if the child could handle a full size Jackson Dinky which are small bodied guitars, anyway, so not much bigger than the Minion, or the Ibanez Mikro mentioned above. This would save you the expense of buying another guitar as the kid grows, and she would get used to Standard Tuning. You can try a Jackson JS11, or a JS22. The JS32 will cost a bit more.

The 3/4 scale guitars are tuned to G starting on the 6th string, and they can be little buggers to get it right, although I noticed that the chaps at Andertons are using Standard Tuning on the Minion.  

CeeJay

randerson said:

I buy these for primary aged kids all the time - https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_st_mini_bk_bundle_2.htm Great value and decent enough guitar/amp plus warranty.

Yes, that's one of the ones I was looking at. I have a spare amp she can use, and they do a B stock model with full warranty for £49. No huge loss if she decides it's not for her.

DefaultM

I had a 3/4 sized one at that age and it was fine for the few weeks before I stopped playing. Didn't actually realise it wasn't a full size guitar until I started playing again when I was 14 and everyone in high school was like why you got a miniature guitar?

CeeJay

DefaultM said:

I had a 3/4 sized one at that age and it was fine for the few weeks before I stopped playing. Didn't actually realise it wasn't a full size guitar until I started playing again when I was 14 and everyone in high school was like why you got a miniature guitar?

Yes. '3/4 size' seems to actually cover a multitude of sizes, depending on where you look too.

thegummy

DefaultM said:

I had a 3/4 sized one at that age and it was fine for the few weeks before I stopped playing. Didn't actually realise it wasn't a full size guitar until I started playing again when I was 14 and everyone in high school was like why you got a miniature guitar?

I had a similar experience in school except it was in the showers after PE and there weren't any guitars involved.

Modellista

I wouldn't recommend a full-size guitar for a nine-year-old girl.  I teach a 12-year-old girl and she's on a 3/4 size Tanglewood acoustic, and she also plays the 3/4 size Strat I keep here when she wants to play electric.

A full-size is completely unsuitable, she's had a quick strum of my J35 and it's far too big, completely pointless.  I know girls in the 20s who play big Taylors with a bit of a struggle and you can tell they'd have a much easier life on a smaller guitar.  A 3/4 is much easier to play - it's in no way a lesser instrument.  There's no need to tune to G, just tune to E, everything intonates fine and the strings are slightly slacker so, again, easier for a beginner to get on with.

To answer the question, 578mm is normal for 3/4 scale, 492 does indeed sound too small.

Modellista

As a beginner's guitar, you could do a lot worse than these little D'Angelicos.  Superb for the money, come with a set of Elixirs which are £15 by themselves.

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/190426342779008--dangelico-premier-utica-natural-spruce

(I cannot vouch for the Harley Bentons but I always feel kids should start on an acoustic.)

CeeJay

Modellista said:

I wouldn't recommend a full-size guitar for a nine-year-old girl.  I teach a 12-year-old girl and she's on a 3/4 size Tanglewood acoustic, and she also plays the 3/4 size Strat I keep here when she wants to play electric.

A full-size is completely unsuitable, she's had a quick strum of my J35 and it's far too big, completely pointless.  I know girls in the 20s who play big Taylors with a bit of a struggle and you can tell they'd have a much easier life on a smaller guitar.  A 3/4 is much easier to play - it's in no way a lesser instrument.  There's no need to tune to G, just tune to E, everything intonates fine and the strings are slightly slacker so, again, easier for a beginner to get on with.

To answer the question, 578mm is normal for 3/4 scale, 492 does indeed sound too small.

Yes, she was completely out of her depth with my full size electrics. I never gave the acoustics a thought but will take a look at the D'Angelico. Have a Wiz. 

DefaultM

My dad was gonna get me an acoustic but the guy in the shop told him acoustics aren't cool anymore and all the kids want to be like Oasis these days. The big song at the time being Wonderwall...

rocktron

The Dean ML guitar is as big as the kid!!!!  LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8UV7SAhvG4

gringopig

.

thegummy

DefaultM said:

My dad was gonna get me an acoustic but the guy in the shop told him acoustics aren't cool anymore and all the kids want to be like Oasis these days. The big song at the time being Wonderwall...

I like how he's saying that as if prior to the mid 90s, acoustic guitars were so hip with the kids