Guitar for a 7 year old.

ronnyb

My granddaughter who is 7 seems really keen on learning guitar. A full size acoustic is just too big for her and from my previous experience the 3/4 size guitars never seem to stay or get in tune properly. The baby Taylor sort of size would probably do but I'm not sure about spending a lot because it's likely it'll get battered about a bit. Any suggestions?  

crunchman

Steel strings will be hard on her fingers.

A decent 3/4 size nylon string might still be the best option unless she wants to go electric.  I think it's best to start on acoustic though.

Modellista

Have you considered a guitarlele?

On the basis that even a 3/4 size will be too big for a 7-year-old.  A guitarlele has normal string spacing, with a "virtual capo" at the 5th fret.  Genuinely decent tone.  Sized very nicely for a younger child I would have thought.  And it's also a very useful size to use as a travel guitar for adults.  Easyjet allow it on in your hand luggage without question or extra charges.  Budget for a new set of strings, the stock ones are rubbish.

57Deluxe

deffo NOT nylon stringed acoustics! I have tutor two lads 7 & 9 yrs and even on half or 3/4 sized gtrs they really struggle to fret cleanly with the unforgiving bulbous strings on a fat flat neck... and they don't like the sound either!

guitars4you

crunchman said:

Steel strings will be hard on her fingers.

A decent 3/4 size nylon string might still be the best option unless she wants to go electric.  I think it's best to start on acoustic though.

I would endorse that

Nylon strings can take a while to settle in regarding tuning and ditto regarding variation in room temperature - but you soon get use to tuning the guitar, especially with a tuner

Take her with you to a good local shop and let her sit down and see what feels comfortable - might be 1/2 or 3/4 based on her size - live with this for a while, build up some knowledge of playing then by a better guitar once you know she is interested - a nylon is fine to start to learn initial chords etc

crunchman

I wonder if part of the tuning problems with a lot of those entry level nylon strings is down them being fitted with cheap strings from the factory.  Would they be better with a decent set of strings?

guitars4you

crunchman said:

I wonder if part of the tuning problems with a lot of those entry level nylon strings is down them being fitted with cheap strings from the factory.  Would they be better with a decent set of strings?

I have sold all this stuff in the past - part of the issue is you have to buy them in a box of 4/6/8 as a dealer, so generally they are just left in a store room, as per from the factory - when you get one out it is probably the 1st time it has been tuned up to pitch - and nylon string stretch so much they take a while to settle in - Once bedded in they should be a lot better - granted better strings will sound better, but not sure they stay in tune any better - Plus if you've only spent 30-40 quid on that guitar, will they spend £10 on a good set of Augustine/D'addario or similar

I know what you are saying though

Modellista

57Deluxe said:

deffo NOT nylon stringed acoustics! I have tutor two lads 7 & 9 yrs and even oon half sized gtrs they really struggle to fret cleanly with the unforgiving stings on a fat neck... and they don't like the sound either!

Just tell them to press harder!

So we've had objections to both steel strings and nylon strings because they hurt the ickle kiddies' fingers.  Perhaps the hive mind is recommending this?

robgilmo

I bought my little girl (6) an encore blaster 3/4, it needed thicker strings to bring the tension up, nut height is still an issue, but the real problem is the neck, the nut width is wider than my tele, its as if they cut the first five frets off and put a head on it, she will struggle with this. The problem is if its a struggle they soon lose interest.

So I'm searching for a small electric guitar with a thin neck and narrow nut width, a trip to the guitar shop I think.

FX_Munkee

My 3 boys have learned/are learning on 1/2, 3/4 and 4/4 size guitars.
At 7 they would just be on a 3/4 nylon string. They can start to play 4/4 size at the same time they move to steel strings (acoustic and electric). This happens at about age 9 if they're reasonably competent on the 3/4 scale.
If you can't get a 3/4 nylon string to stay in tune, you're either using the wrong strings or fitting them wrong. No offense implied but it's simply not true that they don't stay in tune. They take a bit of stretching in, but that's about it.

guitars4you

FX_Munkee said:

My 3 boys have learned/are learning on 1/2, 3/4 and 4/4 size guitars.
At 7 they would just be on a 3/4 nylon string. They can start to play 4/4 size at the same time they move to steel strings (acoustic and electric). This happens at about age 9 if they're reasonably competent on the 3/4 scale.
If you can't get a 3/4 nylon string to stay in tune, you're either using the wrong strings or fitting them wrong. No offense implied but it's simply not true that they don't stay in tune. They take a bit of stretching in, but that's about it.

it is stretching in bit that I was referring to - can take a while to settle in but a few tugs should help - if they have been re-strung this is a simple knack to fitting nylon strings - get this wrong and they can slip as well -On a budget guitar can use nylon strings with ball ends if it helps as against using the loop method at the bridge end

octatonic

Almost all young children don't really have the capacity to really learn an instrument.
There are exceptions but they are rare.
Get any cheap 3/4 nylon string- it will essentially be a toy for a few years.

olafgarten

octatonic said:

Almost all young children don't really have the capacity to really learn an instrument.
There are exceptions but they are rare.
Get any cheap 3/4 nylon string- it will essentially be a toy for a few years.

That's not true, it just depends on the teaching. In my Primary School they had a really good Music teacher and almost all of the children were successfully taught to play Piano to a decent standard at the age of 8.

Unfortunately the school was a bit crap in every other respect. I still turned out okay though. 

FX_Munkee

guitars4you said:

FX_Munkee said:

My 3 boys have learned/are learning on 1/2, 3/4 and 4/4 size guitars.
At 7 they would just be on a 3/4 nylon string. They can start to play 4/4 size at the same time they move to steel strings (acoustic and electric). This happens at about age 9 if they're reasonably competent on the 3/4 scale.
If you can't get a 3/4 nylon string to stay in tune, you're either using the wrong strings or fitting them wrong. No offense implied but it's simply not true that they don't stay in tune. They take a bit of stretching in, but that's about it.

it is stretching in bit that I was referring to - can take a while to settle in but a few tugs should help - if they have been re-strung this is a simple knack to fitting nylon strings - get this wrong and they can slip as well -On a budget guitar can use nylon strings with ball ends if it helps as against using the loop method at the bridge end

Sorry @guitars4you ;, I just re-read and obviously I had a comprehension fail, apologies.

As for @octatonic and they're inablity to learn, I disagree with that, at 7 my eldest was doing basic finger picking folk tunes. He's now 10 and doing Van Halen, this wouldn't be possible without the basics he learned at 7. But I do agree with treat it like a toy, at 7 they don't have the ability to look after themselves let alone a guitar.

octatonic

FX_Munkee said:

As for @octatonic and they're inablity to learn, I disagree with that, at 7 my eldest was doing basic finger picking folk tunes. He's now 10 and doing Van Halen, this wouldn't be possible without the basics he learned at 7. But I do agree with treat it like a toy, at 7 they don't have the ability to look after themselves let alone a guitar.

As I said, there are exceptions but they are rare.

I say this as someone who taught many children over a 20+ years of teaching and had many conversations with other teachers.
You don't teach in the same way- it is essentially 'play' like playing in the schoolyard is play, rather than 'study'.

robgilmo

I dunno, my wee girl looks after her guitar, its always put on its stand, amp off before unplugging the cable, I just wish she had the ability to sit down and practice playing it.

FX_Munkee

robgilmo said:

I dunno, my wee girl looks after her guitar, its always put on its stand, amp off before unplugging the cable, I just wish she had the ability to sit down and practice playing it.

If it helps, I made loads of mistakes trying to get my kids to practise. I think I've got it down now though, the key (for mine) is a very small amount of practise very often. Something like 5 or 10 mins every day. The older they get, the better they get and the practise gets longer as they try to master more complicated things.
I absolutely don't force them to do it though, that's massively counter productive. Also I leave the guitars lying about in the back room so they can just go and pick one up and have a go. My wife obviously loves this...

octatonic

FX_Munkee said:

robgilmo said:

I dunno, my wee girl looks after her guitar, its always put on its stand, amp off before unplugging the cable, I just wish she had the ability to sit down and practice playing it.

If it helps, I made loads of mistakes trying to get my kids to practise. I think I've got it down now though, the key (for mine) is a very small amount of practise very often. Something like 5 or 10 mins every day. The older they get, the better they get and the practise gets longer as they try to master more complicated things.
I absolutely don't force them to do it though, that's massively counter productive. Also I leave the guitars lying about in the back room so they can just go and pick one up and have a go. My wife obviously loves this...

Yes, this definitely works better.
It also works better for adults, incidentally.

There is something about picking it up and putting it down that solidifies things more than grinding it out for hours at a time.

ronnyb

Thanks all but after reading all the posts i'm not much wiser. Think i'll take her to the local music store and get her to sit down and try a few out. Of my 2 granddaughters the elder one is 9 and very patient and studious and she would be really good to learn but is not in the least bit interested. The 7 year old is totally different and has quite a short attention span so i'm not sure she'll continue with it but you've got to encourage and give them a chance.

guitars4you

ronnyb said:

Thanks all but after reading all the posts i'm not much wiser. Think i'll take her to the local music store and get her to sit down and try a few out. 

best bet that -

Rocker

IMHO seven is too young for a child to try to learn how to play guitar.  A seven year olds hands are very small, tiny fingers etc.  If they must learn something, I suggest a beginner violin or a basic keyboard.  But seven is too young for guitar.  Sorry.