Buying a first guitar advice needed

[Howdy]

My grandson's 11 and wants to take guitar lessons starting next week. Somehow dad (who is remarried) failed to come through with the promised guitar so here I am seeking information about what I should know about buying an acoustic guitar.

Anyone have an idea what I should look for in a guitar less than $200.  Much less would be nice.  I want to encourage him and help him do well and am afraid a cheep one may be a waste of effort and money if it is too much trouble from the start.  But I am also nervous about spending good money and him losing the desire to continue playing.  Any help offered would be better than my trying to find something on my own.  Thanks.

[tyb525]

I was given a "Starter" brand (Walmart) stratocaster knockoff for Christmas when I was 10.

It was a terrible guitar, but I still have it stashed somewhere.

However, I grew more interested in guitar and started taking lessons. It was apparent that I needed something better, so my dad and I got on Ebay and looked around, and we found a really nice barely used Fender Stratocaster for $400, new was over $600. I realize that's over your price range, but it's an example of what you can get on Ebay.

I've bought several guitars from Ebay since, and they have all been good guitars. Now, I know there is a risk involved, but if you use your common sense it should be okay. You could also look at your local music stores.

Now to your question, an Epiphone/Gibson/Fender would be good if you are looking at electric. There are lots of good acoustic brands.

All in all, I would much rather buy a decent used one before I spent money on a Walmart-type guitar, because if your grandson loses interest, you should be able to sell it for what you bought it for. I doubt many people would be interested in buying a used walmart guitar.

If you want/need help looking, I'd be glad to help you.

[Tom]

nylon strings are easy to finger, but an eleven year old, with his first guitar, would probably be better off with steel strings.  The first thing he will do is fram the fool out of the thing.  The neck should be narrow enough that his chording hand can get around it.  (Left hand of he is right handed)   The machine heads (knobs that tighten the strings) should be of good enough quality as not to slip.

The action should be close. (The strings should be close to the frets so that he doesn't have to mash them way down. It hurts at first and chords are hard to make if too tall)

The strings shouldn't buzz on the neck.

He must be able to comfortably reach around the body of the guitar.

There is nothing wrong with an F hole guitar, but he will probably relate to a round hole, flat top best.

Get the guitar from a real music store.  The sales person should be able to talk with you about the best guitar for the money. There is nothing wrong with a used guitar if an experienced salesman helps to pick it out.  You could get more guitar for the money this way.

The best advice I can give you is to buy two of them.  You will find yourself strumming too.  The most fun for a beginner, whether old or young, is being able to play along with someone.  You learn a lot faster when one can show the other what he as discovered.

If you look for electric, use the salesman.

I bet he'll be playing inside of two weeks.

[DonT]

I know absolutely nothing about guitars,but when I was in toronto for the summer I heard a musician say he rented his guitar from a music shop.It allowed himto have a better instrument than he could afford to purchase.You might be able to do this for awhile to see what his interest level is or his father comes threw.Just a thought to consider.

[beenthere]

Also, get some helpful info from his music teacher. He/she will have some good ideas whether they are the ones teaching or not.

That has worked well with my grand-daughters and have found good deals on eBay.

Nice of you to jump in and fill the spaces when needed. You are a good grandpa.

[Doc Hickory]

Your grandson at age 11 may need a smaller body guitar, one he can get his arms around. Look for a 3/4 size, it'll fit him better than a full size. Either get him some lessons or a good guide book. I took guitar up a while back and the book helped a bunch. I've kind of gotten away from it and just pick things out by ear, but I'm never going to be all that good. He'll need a tuner and some kind of case to keep it from getting banged around, and some kewl picks too. Make it fun for him and you'll give him a gift that'll last his whole life!  Happy shopping!

[Ron Wenrich]

The first thing you have to decide is if you want an acoustic (hollow body) or an electric.  Electrics have an easier action, but you also need an amplifier.  That's an additional expense. 

Go to a decent music store.  I go to a local shop that's run by a friend of mine.  I bought a guitar for my daughter for $50.  It was concerned that it was too cheap.  But, as my buddy explained, the cheap guitars today are made as good as those older ones.  CNC technology has come about and they can duplicate what the craftsmen used to make. 

I played the $50 guitar, and it didn't play too badly.  I prefer either my Gibson or Martin when I play acoustic.  Usually, I play pedal steel, but that's a totally different animal.

When the time comes, move up to a better quality instrument.  That may be only 6 months away or it may be never.  The better quality uses a higher quality wood that gives a better sound.  But, that's not necessary to learn on.

A music store will be able to fit the guitar to the player.  They should be able to adjust the neck so that it isn't too hard to push down on the strings or too close to get a string buzz.  The width of the neck will be important.  Too wide will make things real difficult. 

[Norm]

So is it electric or acoustic he wants to play? If electric then I'd suggest a made in Mexico stratocaster with a small practice amp. Go used and especially shop the pawn shops and craigslist. Many folks get one for Christmas and soon give it up. Do not go too cheap of a guitar. They are very hard to make sound right and he will get frustrated and not enjoy it.

I don't know the acoustic stuff but do not get one with nylon strings. They are used for classical guitar mostly and from what I hear not easy to play or keep in tune.

I take online lessons from Jamplay.com. Nice folks with plenty of lessons for all styles of guitar. Even if he does take lessons from a real teacher, which is a good idea, the online lessons will really help to fill in the blanks and keep him interested.

[Chris Burchfield]

You may go to Portland Music Company to see what they have available.  On line, they just show their premium guitars.  Also try Target and Walmart.  These three will let you know what's available.  As mentioned above, nylon strings are on a classical and though can be strummed and picked are usually played by various finger rolls with some picking and strumming.  The Jr. size in acoustic or electric should not be to hard to cord for a beginner.  The neck is usually smaller than a full size guitar and when making cords is much easier on shorter fingers.  A full size guitar can be difficult to make cords on if you have smaller fingers and hands.  Also you can access free tuners on the web or you can buy one for around $20 give or take.  This will allow you to play along with a favorite maybe popular tune. PMC potentially be able to provide service.  If you buy a less $ value from them you may be able to trade it in a couple of years down the road should he stick with it.  There would be no service from Walmart or Target and PMC is local to you.  They were they only one I saw on line close to you.  I entertain myself with a guitar, mandolin, four string dulcimer I made from a kit in 1975.  Good luck.

[northwoods1]

Tom is right to point out about getting advice from a real music store, particularly if you are not yet real knowledgeable about what it takes for a guitar to be set up correctly. I am speaking of an acoustic one. But I have to agree with Norm also, hit the pawn shops. So many people try to learn how to play but give it up. You will find a lot of junk, but maybe you could find a friend that knows what constitutes a good low cost playable instrument, and even if not set up correctly you could take it to the music store and have it set up correctly.

Start teaching that young guy how to pick chords right off sooner the better I think.

I think it is really hard for a youngster to keep at it, because it does take dedication and if the guitar is a steel string... it hurts for a while! The harder you press the frets the sooner he will get over that. Wish I could be more helpful. I started when I was 11 or so then gave it up. Didn't have the attention span it required. But the desire to play never left me and those early lessons helped me when I got me another guitar. A good acoustic guitar is a real treasure and a pleasure to play.

[oldaxman]

Bought my 1st guitar at Walmart for 50 bucks. A few years later I thought I'd upgrade and spent 4 times as much money, guess what, the cheap one sounds twice as good.Real pickers can't believe it when they play my cheapo and have offered me serious coin for it. My theory is every so often the stars line up right and the perfect guitars made. If I had bought guitar next to mine in another box it very well could of been junk.Probably the better brand you buy the better your chances are for a good one but for a kid I'd get the WallyWorld deluxe.

[tyb525]

If you get a Walmart guitar, it might a good idea to take it to a guitar shop and get it properly set up and adjusted ;). Mine was all out of whack when I first got it as far as the action and intonation, plus the truss rod was loose in the neck causing way too much neck curve.

Once that all got straightened out, I liked it much more, but it still is no comparison to any of my "nice" guitars.

[Norm]

Usually I'd say NOOOO to buying a guitar from Wally world but Ty's got some good advice if you do. Find out what a setup costs before you do though. Some places charge way too much. I'd not pay more than 50$ for a complete one and that's with new strings.

[Bro. Noble]

If you have time,  ask a guitar playing friend to go with you to pawn shops.  If I were buying for a youngster,  I'd look for a small bodied guitar of a good make.  Taylor,  tokamini(sp), and Kentucky all make/made them as well as others.  They might sell for quite a bit less because of their small size and the seller might not know what he has.  Martin made one that was copied by others.  Even the copies of those are worth some money.

[Banjo picker]

Your situation is a little tough to handle from my view point....If it were for yourself , I would go against what is being said an say to buy the best inst. you could aford...Then if you don't like it sell it, and you could recoup most of your money...but if you are giving it to someone else...it will be forever theirs....and wheither they play or not the money is gone...When I first started trying to play the banjo I bought a $70 inst.   big mistake...it wouldn't stay in tune, an even if I made the same lick my buddies were making it sounded... not so good...Banjos are a different animal from guitars but...I guess the bottom line is still about the same.....get him as good an inst. as you can...a bad one will be worse than none at all....On a plus side as has been said..a cheap guitar now is lots better than a cheap guidtar of 20 years ago....Tim

[pineywoods]

Don't overlook the electrics. with a decent amplifier, they are quite flexible and probably will hold a youngster's attention more than an acoustic.

[Radar67]

I started my oldest daughter with a Peavy electric for about $150 new. She still has that guitar and it is well made. I have a Peavy bass that is over 25 years old and sounds just as good as many of the more expensive basses.

I picked up a good Peavy practice amp for her guitar for about $100. I agree with the advice of getting an electric for the youngster. He will be much more interested in playing it, especially when he gets into the rock phase of music in his teen years.

I have also picked up electric guitars on ebay for good prices. The last one I got was only $65 and it is close to a Fender Strat.

[Brucer]

My grandson's 11 and wants to take guitar lessons starting next week. Somehow dad (who is remarried) failed to come through with the promised guitar so here I am seeking information about what I should know about buying an acoustic guitar.

Always good to visit a music store as others have suggested. I'd recommend an inexpensive 3/4 size 6-string guitar. A full-size guitar is pretty big for an 11-year-old. Things to watch for:

- A neck that is bowed out will lift the strings too high off the fretboard. That makes it really difficult for small hands to press the strings down.
- The strings should not rattle against the frets. Press a string down firmly and strum it -- it should give you a nice ringing tone. Try this for all the strings.
- If your grandson is taking music lessons, the teacher can help him keep it tuned to the proper key. There's lots of fancy tuning devices these days -- I just used a harmonica when I was a kid.

An electric guitar is fun, but it ties you to an amp. Even with a hollow body electric you won't get the volume without an amp.

• I had to buy my own guitar when I was 12. You guess it -- 3/4 size 6-string acoustic.
• After my first real summer job as a teenager, I bought a hollow-body electric. No amp -- I just plugged it into the stereo.
• Heard "The Birds" playing "Mr. Tambourine Man" and absolutely had to have a 12-string. The kid next door bought my original 6-string (for what I paid for it), and I bought myself a 12-string (inexpensive brand-x).
• When it came time to leave home I bought a small amp so I could take the electric with me.
• Eventually sold the 12-string (for what I paid for it) and replaced it with a high-quality 12-string.

All that was on my own dime. If I'd been given a pricey electric guitar and amp, I may never have followed through. Having to "pay my way" meant that I had a vested interest in continuing on.

[northwoods1]

I really wonder if an electric is a better starter instrument? Kind of like giving a kid a 20 shot repeating .22 rifle as a first gun as opposed to a single shot. Maybe that is not a good analogy :D

I think ebay is a great place to find an instrument also that is where I found my current guitar. Got it for less than 1/2 list price which I thought was a very good deal for a hardly used guitar.

[Norm]

For me the acoustic is harder to play. They use a thicker string diameter and take more finger strength to fret properly. But I guess it comes down to what kind of music the young man likes to play.

[T Red]

Bought my 11 yo daughter this one last year.  I think it is a good value.  This is a kit including a tuner and soft case. 

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-GigMaker-Acoustic-Guitar-Pack?sku=519040

I tried the pawn shops but had no luck.  They want too much for an inexpensive guitar compared to what they cost new. 

[Howdy]

With sound advice in hand, I visited several music stores and looked over the guitars available in my price range.  Several good models were offered and with samples new, and used ranging from just under $100 to my cap at $200.  Johnson, Yamaha, Jasmine, and many others would have all been just fine.  I continued with Craig's list searches and there I found a Fender DG8-S for $80.  I looked it up and all the reviews said it was a good $200 guitar new.  Although it had a small dent on the side it was in almost new condition and came with a bag, tuner, extra strings, and replacement parts.  I met with the seller and as his add said he would be open to offers, I offered him $60 and the guitar was mine. 

I had a friend who was knowledgeable examine it and now have given my grandson a very nice—good quality guitar.  The look of delight on his face as we went to his first lesson was wonderful. 

According to the reviews:

Fender's most popular acoustic guitar package, the DG-8 S features a dreadnought acoustic guitar with a solid spruce top, gig bag, chromatic electronic tuner, instructional DVD, strings, picks and strap.


General
Model Name:   DG-8S Acoustic Pack
Series:   Acoustic Packs
Color / MSRP* / Part # :   ·   Natural $349.99095-0801-100
Body
Body Shape:   Dreadnought
Body Back:   Laminated Mahogany Back
Body Sides:   Laminated Mahogany Sides
Body Top:   Solid Spruce
Body Finish:   ·   0950801100Gloss Polyurethane Finish
Bracing:   X Bracing
Body Depth:   3.94" (100mm) to 4.92" (125mm)
Width at Heel:   2.25" (57 mm)
Body Binding:   Simple Black/White Body Binding
Neck
Number of Frets:   20
Position Inlays:   White Dot Position Inlays
Fretboard:   Rosewood
Neck Material:   Nato
Nut Width:   1.69" (43 mm)
Scale Length:   25.3" (64.3 cm)
Truss Rods:   Dual Action Truss Rod
Hardware
Hardware:   Chrome
Bridge:   Rosewood with Compensated Saddle
Bridge Pins:   Black Bridge Pins w/ White Dots
Tuning Machines:   Die-Cast Tuners
String Nut:   Synthetic Bone

[sandhills]

Good for you, and you're grandson!   Hope he enjoys it and wants to stick with it, I can't play anything much less carry a tune so it always amazes me to watch/listen to those who can.

[Norm]

A solid top acoustic for that money is a darn good deal, way to go Grandpa!

[Banjo picker]

You did good...Tim

[Brucer]

Very nice .

[isawlogs]

 I don't know much about gatars, but I am sure that as a grand parent you did darn good
My wife and both my kids are music oriented, they can play what ever they put there hands on, Alex is more wind, Andrea keys and Renée strings.... My music orientation is as good as the radio button I turn  :

[Bill]

Good job getting a good guitar -

( the little woman did the same thing many years back - slightly used with one ( or two ? ) blemish on a dreadnought - but plays real good )

Good Luck