Entry-level 3/4 guitar - after some advice
Discussion
Hi all,
My son's been having guitar lessons at school for a while now and wants to continue, so we need to get him a guitar (acoustic for now).
Size-wise he needs a 3/4, but I'm not a musician, so I don't know where to start, except the advice I was given that the cheapest guitars go out of tune more quickly than the better-built ones.
Budget is a constraint though...so can anyone offer any advice / suggestions, please? Any brands that are consistently good (or not)? A rough budget that would get him something decent that he can enjoy for a few years at least?
Thanks,
M.
My son's been having guitar lessons at school for a while now and wants to continue, so we need to get him a guitar (acoustic for now).
Size-wise he needs a 3/4, but I'm not a musician, so I don't know where to start, except the advice I was given that the cheapest guitars go out of tune more quickly than the better-built ones.
Budget is a constraint though...so can anyone offer any advice / suggestions, please? Any brands that are consistently good (or not)? A rough budget that would get him something decent that he can enjoy for a few years at least?
Thanks,
M.
I'd probably say the 2 most important things in learning to play the guitar
- they have to want to play it. There is great value in getting them involved in choosing he guitar that they will want to pick up and play
- it has to be easy to play. Many guitars (especially if poorly set-up, loose tuning rapidly, or have very high action etc) are difficult to play, which is not what you need for beginner. If you can, find someone who can play the guitar to come and help test guitars and weed out the 'dogs'.
There are also many many 2nd hand beginner guitars (inc 3/4 size) for not very much (eg facebook marketplace). But you need someone who knows how to play to weed out the ones which won't hold tune, badly set-up, difficult to play etc, otherwise fair chance you may be buying someone elses 'dog'.
however - if going second hand - it still needs to be one that your son really WANTS to play, not one that someone else has chosen for them..
- they have to want to play it. There is great value in getting them involved in choosing he guitar that they will want to pick up and play
- it has to be easy to play. Many guitars (especially if poorly set-up, loose tuning rapidly, or have very high action etc) are difficult to play, which is not what you need for beginner. If you can, find someone who can play the guitar to come and help test guitars and weed out the 'dogs'.
There are also many many 2nd hand beginner guitars (inc 3/4 size) for not very much (eg facebook marketplace). But you need someone who knows how to play to weed out the ones which won't hold tune, badly set-up, difficult to play etc, otherwise fair chance you may be buying someone elses 'dog'.
however - if going second hand - it still needs to be one that your son really WANTS to play, not one that someone else has chosen for them..
Just to add - different guitars have different neck profiles, neck widths, fretboard radii etc , and once your son learns to play, they will have a feel for what is easiest, and works best for them.
If they are an absolute beginner however, I suspect they may be unable to really discern between them, as to a degree, they will all feel"hard".
In due time, the will be able to get a feel for what suits them best - but this is difficult at an absolute beginner level..
If they are an absolute beginner however, I suspect they may be unable to really discern between them, as to a degree, they will all feel"hard".
In due time, the will be able to get a feel for what suits them best - but this is difficult at an absolute beginner level..
Thanks - appreciate the advice.
The grandparents want to get it for him, so suspect they'll go new rather than 2nd hand (besides which, I only know one guitar player locally and I don't know in the current climate if he'd be willing to help hunt-around for a good 2nd hand one).
...and yes, my lad is still very much a beginner.
There's a music shop locally, and a specialist guitar shop which definitely caters for more expert players...might give them a call, see how they sound over the phone before taking him to look at some.
The grandparents want to get it for him, so suspect they'll go new rather than 2nd hand (besides which, I only know one guitar player locally and I don't know in the current climate if he'd be willing to help hunt-around for a good 2nd hand one).
...and yes, my lad is still very much a beginner.
There's a music shop locally, and a specialist guitar shop which definitely caters for more expert players...might give them a call, see how they sound over the phone before taking him to look at some.
Although a beginner may find it difficult to discern between them, it's important that the guitar is one that they actually want and feel comfortable with, or at least isn't one that they don't want.
This seems obvious, but I spend a lot of time in music shops and too often I overhear purchases being made without the kid actually touching the guitar!
This seems obvious, but I spend a lot of time in music shops and too often I overhear purchases being made without the kid actually touching the guitar!
Grrbang said:
Although a beginner may find it difficult to discern between them, it's important that the guitar is one that they actually want and feel comfortable with, or at least isn't one that they don't want.
This seems obvious, but I spend a lot of time in music shops and too often I overhear purchases being made without the kid actually touching the guitar!
Agreed. Have already decided I need to take him into a shop to look at / try a couple out.This seems obvious, but I spend a lot of time in music shops and too often I overhear purchases being made without the kid actually touching the guitar!
Trouble is, none of the local shops seem to stock Yamaha, oddly, which is the obvious benchmark at this level (c.£100 nylon-stringed 'classical') - so scratching my head a little.
Does this help. You sure you prefer nylon strings and ‘classical’ rather than steel strings? I’ve had a ‘Vintage’ and an’Eastman’ so I can vouch for them. Yamaha’s are well respected around that price point and I believe the cheap ‘Tanglewood’ and ‘Washburn’ are OK too.
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/products/guitar/acoust...
https://www.gak.co.uk/Search/#&auto=true&m...
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Yamaha-...
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/products/guitar/acoust...
https://www.gak.co.uk/Search/#&auto=true&m...
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Yamaha-...
havoc said:
Thanks - appreciate the advice.
The grandparents want to get it for him, so suspect they'll go new rather than 2nd hand (besides which, I only know one guitar player locally and I don't know in the current climate if he'd be willing to help hunt-around for a good 2nd hand one).
...and yes, my lad is still very much a beginner.
There's a music shop locally, and a specialist guitar shop which definitely caters for more expert players...might give them a call, see how they sound over the phone before taking him to look at some.
Be warned. Guitar stores will first steer you towards the piece of crap they just can't shift, before showing you what you asked for. The same as when you are looking to buy a house or a car.The grandparents want to get it for him, so suspect they'll go new rather than 2nd hand (besides which, I only know one guitar player locally and I don't know in the current climate if he'd be willing to help hunt-around for a good 2nd hand one).
...and yes, my lad is still very much a beginner.
There's a music shop locally, and a specialist guitar shop which definitely caters for more expert players...might give them a call, see how they sound over the phone before taking him to look at some.
Best advice is (if you know one) take a guitarist with you to look at guitars. Depending on where you are, you may even get a PH'er to pitch in.They'll be able to assess things like the neck and action to ensure it's decent and suitable. Neck width is also important on a first guitar. Too wide and it's really hard to play.
Defo take someone along if you can ....
Some music shops basically sell crap, and pass it off as 'good' to those who don't know better, and don't have the ability to set them up correctly. A badly setup guitar can be unplayable, so as part of the sale you need a shop that is able to set it up if required (some guitars come set up correctly from the factory).
As for brands, you probably won't go far wrong with Yamaha, and Takamine make some lovely sounding cheaper instruments.
I suspect there is a print point at which you will ned to aim to get something half decent, although there will be exceptions - unfortunately having not bought a guitar for many years I don't know what £xx is ....
Some music shops basically sell crap, and pass it off as 'good' to those who don't know better, and don't have the ability to set them up correctly. A badly setup guitar can be unplayable, so as part of the sale you need a shop that is able to set it up if required (some guitars come set up correctly from the factory).
As for brands, you probably won't go far wrong with Yamaha, and Takamine make some lovely sounding cheaper instruments.
I suspect there is a print point at which you will ned to aim to get something half decent, although there will be exceptions - unfortunately having not bought a guitar for many years I don't know what £xx is ....
Harley Benton 3/4 range are fantastic. We bought one for my 8 year old son last year (RG Junior).
Thomann are the seller so you’ll have to pay import etc to the U.K. as they’re based in Germany.
If you don’t want the hassle and wait of importing, the Squier and Kramer 3/4 strats are safe bets from U.K. sellers.
Thomann are the seller so you’ll have to pay import etc to the U.K. as they’re based in Germany.
If you don’t want the hassle and wait of importing, the Squier and Kramer 3/4 strats are safe bets from U.K. sellers.
BabySharkDooDooDooDooDooDoo said:
Harley Benton 3/4 range are fantastic. We bought one for my 8 year old son last year (RG Junior).
Thomann are the seller so you’ll have to pay import etc to the U.K. as they’re based in Germany.
If you don’t want the hassle and wait of importing, the Squier and Kramer 3/4 strats are safe bets from U.K. sellers.
Was also going to suggest a Squire Strat Mini... around £100 brand new if you keep an eye on eBayThomann are the seller so you’ll have to pay import etc to the U.K. as they’re based in Germany.
If you don’t want the hassle and wait of importing, the Squier and Kramer 3/4 strats are safe bets from U.K. sellers.
This is what I ended up getting for our daughter after a couple of sub £50 jobs from Amazon which were awful and couldn't be tuned.
I got my daughter a 3/4 size classical from, Gear4Music last year - I was a bit sceptical as it's cheap, but it's been great:
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/3-4-Cla...
You can get different colours etc - the action is excellent (not too high, which makes it difficult to play) and she's got on really well with it. They include a tuner and bag too.
I got her a Squier Mini strat after which I've been less impressed with - I ended up taking it to a local shop to get a tech to set up as it wouldn't stay in tune.
As noted above, when you move up a bit in budget, Yamaha's are always a good choice.
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/3-4-Cla...
You can get different colours etc - the action is excellent (not too high, which makes it difficult to play) and she's got on really well with it. They include a tuner and bag too.
I got her a Squier Mini strat after which I've been less impressed with - I ended up taking it to a local shop to get a tech to set up as it wouldn't stay in tune.
As noted above, when you move up a bit in budget, Yamaha's are always a good choice.
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