Advice on Buying a Guitar

[Carbo]

My 12 year old daughter wants a guitar for Christmas. I know less about guitars than just about anything. Who knows if this is just a kid's fantasy that will last a month, or she has some talent and becomes the next Hendrix. I'm willing to run with it.
So, where do I start learning, (and quickly!), and what do I buy? Any insights? Thank you.

 

[badkarma1399]

Electric or acoustic? For a 12 year old's first guitar, you're probably best off going to a guitar store and asking the salesperson for their cheapest stuff. At that price brand probably wouldn't matter too much.

Definitely get her lessons though.

edit: If she has no preference, get an electric. They're easier to play.

 

[lxskllr]

Electric...

http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Starcas...0849625&sr=8-2

Acoustic...

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Gigmake...0849685&sr=1-1

 

[Imp]

Get one of those Squier or Epiphone or even Ibanez starter kits.

Or, you can get that TV infomercial guy's acoustic kit. You know, the one with the black cowboy hat and outfit? Esteban! That's it.

All for about $200. Not bad considering a Mexican strat goes for $400+ alone.

 

[Jesusthewererabbit]

Yeah get one of the starter kits. I like the feel of the cheap Ibanez guitars better than the Squier or Epiphone, but on the first guitar it won't really matter much. Electrics are a little easier to play, and they are much easier to annoy the parents with. The best thing to do is go to a music store. I wouldn't order a cheap guitar unless you are comfortable doing a full setup on it yourself or taking it to someone to do it.

 

[JM Aggie08]

epiphone starter kit at that age fo sho.

 

[lxskllr]

You should match the guitar to the music she wants to play. Electric and acoustic guitars are 2 different instruments, with the only commonality being 6 or 12 strings. If she envisions herself playing early Bob Dylan, then an electric won't be appropriate. The same thing applies if she's a Hendrix fan. A acoustic guitar will be as useful as a typewriter for that.

 

[mrrman]

heres a good site to get info on guitars etc www.ultimate-guitar.com

 

[Kalmah]

What everybody else said.

I'd also like to add, being 12, she probably wont be fully capable of really playing until about 14 or so(due to motor skills associated with age.. based on my own experiences with teaching)

Just something to keep in mind.

 

[tcsenter]

Fender Acoustic Starter Pack

Doesn't show a price but I've seen it on sale for $79.95. Full sized guitar, though.

 

[garritynet]

Get her a few lessons first. Cheaper than a guitar. Find a teacher that is willing to provide the guitar for the first few, shouldn't be too hard if you shop for teachers at a guitar shop.

If she sticks with it do and buy whatever her teacher tells you to.

 

[foghorn67]

Epiphone makes really great entry level acoustic and electric guitars. I still love their Les Paul series. It's priced a wee bit higher then bargain bin guitars, but they will last years.

 

[Analog]

seagull acoustic ftw

 

[Carbo]

Thanks for all the replies. I should have said at the outset that I am looking for an acoustic. And what about the guitars I see advertised as 3/4 size? Garbage, or worth a look. She's only 12 and has small hands. I'm wondering if a smaller model would be easier to handle and still help her develop her skills.

 

[lxskllr]

It would be easier for her to play. The sound won't be as good, but you could say that about any entry level instrument. Acoustic is what she wants? I'm very much against treating an acoustic guitar as a starter electric; the technique's completely different, and it'll only be disappointing to someone who wants to play electric.

 

[dwell]

If I have a girl, she's getting:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...-Rock-Candy-Guitar-Electric-Guitar?sku=481909

 

[dawp]

If I have a girl, she's getting:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...-Rock-Candy-Guitar-Electric-Guitar?sku=481909

you try that with my daughter, she'd punch you in the gut. she hates pink.

 

[Carbo]

If I have a girl, she's getting:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...-Rock-Candy-Guitar-Electric-Guitar?sku=481909

Hehe. I'll pass on that beauty, but thanks anyway.

 

[jemcam]

Yeah get one of the starter kits. I like the feel of the cheap Ibanez guitars better than the Squier or Epiphone, but on the first guitar it won't really matter much. Electrics are a little easier to play, and they are much easier to annoy the parents with. The best thing to do is go to a music store. I wouldn't order a cheap guitar unless you are comfortable doing a full setup on it yourself or taking it to someone to do it.

I'd agree 100% with this. Plan on getting a good setup on any guitar you buy. The $25 or so that you spend can make the difference between an instrument that is unplayable to one that is. Cheap instruments are very difficult to play. Electrics are much easier to play for a beginner.

 

[jemcam]

What everybody else said.

I'd also like to add, being 12, she probably wont be fully capable of really playing until about 14 or so(due to motor skills associated with age.. based on my own experiences with teaching)

Just something to keep in mind.

I disagree. My 12 year old son has been taking lessons and playing for the past 3 years and he's pretty damn good. The hard part is making them practice every day for 30 minutes minimum. If they want to play more, great, but the minimum is 30 minutes a day.

 

[ZOOYUKA]

An idea of your price range would help.

 

[Via]

I agree with cheap. You can always upgrade if she gets serious.


So many kids want an instrument and sort of fold after a while when the novelty wears off and they see how much prctice it takes to get good. Even on guitar.

I will say that casual guitar is one of the few musical endeavors you CAN start at 12 and still succeed at.

 

[iversonyin]

Get a cheap acoustic to start with. If she get serious, you get her a nicer electric+ amp for new gift.

 

[Fritzo]

OK, I've given lessons to kids in the 10-16 range for about 10 years, and have seen just about every kind of kit and low priced guitar package out there. Here's what I can tell you:

- Starcaster and Maestro: These are newer kits by Fender and Gibson. They're usually made of glued ash wood. I've found the setup on these guitars awful- fret buzz, bad necks, and slipping tuning machines will make for a bad playing experience. Pair this with a terrible amp and you'll have no reason to look at these kits. Stay away. They're toys.

- Epiphone kits: The guitars in these kits tend to be a bit higher quality. Try to get one that includes the LP-100. The pickups on low end Epiphones historically have muddy sounding pickups, but a beginner isn't going to notice that. At least the tuning machines on these work and Gibson sets these up fairly decently. The amps tend to be tinny sounding junk however.

- Ibanez kits: The guitars in these kits also tend to be decent (pickups are usually where they cut the cost, but the guitar construction itself is OK). Again, the amps they tend to come with aren't the best.

I'm not a big fan of kits over all---it's a way to get someone to buy an instrument and then immediately say "I need something better." Here's what I tell parents/kids that want to get into guitar:

1. Expect to pay around $250-$350 for your first instrument. Anything much lower is likely going to have issues that will either turn you off to practicing or have sound issues that will discourage you. If it doesn't work out, you can sell it and get more of your money back then with a "kit".

2. The guitar must fit the player. There are fat necks, skinny necks, fat bodies, thin bodies...if you can't reach around the body of the guitar, you're not going to be comfortable, and you're not going to practice. Sit down and mess around with a few body styles at a place like Guitar Center or your local ma&pa shop.

3. Brand name should come last when considering a guitar- feel, sound, and build quality should come first.

4. Stay away from kits- buy your guitar and amp separate. It ends up being a way better deal than most of the bundles out there.

5. Start on an acoustic or an electric---it's your choice. Your desire to make the sounds you want are what will drive you to play, so make sure your instrument makes the sounds you're seeking.

Here's my favorite low cost guitars:

Acoustic:

Epiphone Hummingbird: Not only does it sound great, but comes from the factory with low action for beginning players. It looks beautiful to boot---if you don't play it you can hang it on the wall http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/...518028&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=40649576

Washburn D10 series- Washburn is one of those manufacturers where you say "Why isn't this more expensive?" Great construction, their acoustics tend to have a deep throaty sound. Excellent value: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Washburn-D10S-Acoustic-Guitar-?sku=515152

Yamaha FG7 series- Nice solid construction, middle of the road sound, and a wide fret board make them easy to fret. http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-FS700S-Folk-Acoustic-Guitar?sku=518274

Electric:

Washburn X10- Even through it has a floating bridge, it's still an excellent player. I personally still use an X20 version (basically same as the X10) for 8 years. The pickups are great for metal and 80's rock. Very easy player. http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Washburn-X10-Electric-Guitar?sku=515397

Squier Telecaster - Telecasters have a thin sound, so you need a beefy amp to make them sound full, but their neck design is perfect for beginners. Also, they're nearly indestructible, so they'll take years of abuse. http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Standard-Telecaster-Electric-Guitar?sku=510470

Epiphone Les Paul LP-100 : These guitars are built very well, and come with low frets-meaning less fret pain in the fingers. The pickups are not very good, but upgradeable later. I've used a 10 year old LP-100 for 10 years now. It's built like a tank and it's easy to play http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product?sku=518661V

Amps:

I recommend one amp to every beginner: The Roland Micro Cube. It has built in effects (that actually sound decent), it's LOUD for it's size, it's compact, and it can run on batteries if needed. Top notch amp! http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Roland-Micro-Cube-Combo-Amp?sku=481169