Guitar moms, I need advice

[lynn]

What size guitar for dd who is almost 8.  Also, where do I find a  girls guitar?  Pink sparkly etc.

[Halftime Hope]

electric or acoustic?

[lynn]

electric or acoustic

 

 

   

 

 

Acoustic.

[Arcadia]

Pink guitars

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/pink

My big size 8 year old would be okay with a 3/4 size but my small size 7 year old would find a 1/2 size easier to handle. They tried them out at Guitar Center.

[Starr]

I would work more on sound than color. If it plays nicely and sounds good more time will be spent with it. 

[Stayseeliz]

DS needed a 3/4 guitar at 8.

[mamaraby]

Definitely depends on the child. My 8yo son has a full size thinline acoustic electric. We had thought about a 3/4 size or half size and whole they would have worked ok, the thinline means he can keep playing it on into adulthood. I would have preferred just a straight acoustic (cheaper), but it wasn't available. Definitely take her to a store to get her fitted. If they don't have the color you want, maybe they can help you find it.

[Live2Ride]

Well I have an acoustic student Yamaha 3/4 which has served my son for a couple of years before his arms grew crazy long and it holds a tune excellently. It needs to find a new home :) .  PM if you are interested.  It's got a case, strap and pick holder....but it looks like a regular guitar...she could always customize with decals :) like a lot of kids here do

 

[MissShellyA]

I would work more on sound than color. If it plays nicely and sounds good more time will be spent with it. 

 

I agree. Getting a "pretty" guitar will often result in one that sounds terrible or (without getting into detail) is basically unplayable. If she is serious about playing guitar you should explain to her that those kinds of guitars are basically just toys, and she wants a "real" guitar.

 

At her age a 3/4 size is probably what you'll need.

[Halftime Hope]

If I had to do it again, I'd get a young child a Baby Taylor.   Seagulls also come in small sizes, and they're a beautiful guitar, but ds found the bridge of the neck a bit too wide for his hands at 10yo. 

 

If there's a Guitar Center near you, they almost always have Baby Taylors for people to try.

 

He ended up with an Alvarez that he loved the sound of, and it was only "biggish" for his reach for about a year.  He's still playing it, although he has a Godin dual voice (electric or acoustic) that he uses for playing at venues.

 

I would not. never. ever. buy a pink or sparkly guitar unless it was a reputable brand that you liked the sound of, that just *happened* to be pink.  (Like that Yamaha someone mentioned--that's a reputable brand, and a top rated beginner guitar.)

 

 

ETA:  another poster already said this, but a cheap or cutesy guitar that won't stay in tune, that's hard to play, that doesn't sound good will end up killing the desire for a young guitarist to work past the hard work of *learning* to play.