Acoustic guitar recommendations...

[Michael Messer]

I have been asked by a neighbour to recommend an acoustic guitar for his 10 year old son. He has been looking at the Yamaha APX T2 travel guitar and has asked for my advice about what to get. The budget is up to £150, any recommendations of a good one to get - either short scale or travel-size would do it.

Thanks

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

I really like the looks of the Traveler AG105 -- it's also a travel guitar, with a smaller body, but it has a full-size neck (it's headless, and I love headless guitars!). And of course I'm a big fan of parlor-sized guitars in general.

A 10-year-old should be able to handle a full-size neck, and he's not likely to play much beyond the first four frets for the first year anyway. By then, his hands will be getting close to full size anyway. And if he's like most British kids I know, by the time he's 11, he'll be as tall as me!

My opinion has always been that, unless the kid is dead set on playing folk music (or another acoustic style), the best place for a kid to start guitar is with an electric -- they're easier to play (and less frustrating), plus with the new modelling amps, there's all kinds of cool sounds to play with when they get bored of practicing. You can get an excellent started electric + amp for next to nothing these days. (I used to keep a spare guitar and amp on hand to lend out to friends' kids who were interested in learning.)

I also recommend that an experienced guitar player help choose the guitar. If someone had helped my parents back when I was kid, I wouldn't have end up with an unplayable, untunable Teisco ...which put me off from learning altogether.

[washboardchris]

Hi, don't know how big he is but there is a Yamaha JR1 3/4 size, new on ebay for £110. always found that Yamaha are very playable (even the cheap one's) hope this helps

[Deleted]

The Taylor GS Mini looks good.

[Quarterquay]

I've had a lot of fun with a Gretsch 9500 'Jim Dandy' flat top over the past year which sounds surprisingly good for around 150 quid. Has a satin vintage tobacco sunburst finish which might appeal to a ten year old too. It appealed to me and I'm 56. I'd intended to use mine as a knockabout guitar for toting back and forth between the UK and Ireland but as it happens it gets played a lot more than that. Great with slide too.

I think you may have a point though MickeyZ. My girlfriend's son who's just turned 13 and his mate two doors down who's 11 or 12 have both recently begged and borrowed electric guitars and amps and are both well into playing them. I can see a band forming... the brother is into drums.

[lexluthier]

Gretsch Jim Dandy. Never tried one myself but Eric Bibb seems to like 'em. There's a limited edition colour example on ebay at the moment.



Chris

[lexluthier]

Is there an echo in here......?

[Quarterquay]

Nice! Yes that's the other colour version.

[Dessery]

I haven't tried the Jim Dandy myself but I used to own a Gretsch Americana cowboy guitar which I think is quite a similar guitar. Cost me £100 new and I loved it, was a lot of fun to play and sounded good too!!

It was a limited edition and they don't sell them anymore but you might be able to get one on eBay. It came in 4 designs which were all really cool. The guy that bought mine got it for his 10 year old who fell in love with the design.



This was mine, kind of miss it but had to make room for others

All the best
David

[Deleted]

+1 on the Jim Dandy...I've been tempted to pick one up too. Looks like an excellent knockabout guitar. Lots of them available used too.

I can also recommend looking at the old Framus parlor guitars from the 60s (when they started using truss rods). The one I have (trying to sell it now) has quite a slender neck. It's a shorter-scale, but handles standard tuning without a problem. I picked mine up for less than 200 euros (abut 150 pounds) shipped, but that was because I bought from a professional seller.

[Michael Messer]

Thanks everyone, there is some some very useful information there. Much appreciated.

Shine On
Michael

[Deleted]

The Recording King Tombstone is a great looking guitar, though full sized.

[Michael Messer]

Thanks for all the recommendations. It's all done, the Gretsch Jim Dandy won the day!

Shine On
Michael

[Pickers Ditch]

He's a lucky boy!

[Deleted]

The Jim Dandy's had great write-ups in the AGF.

AGF