Can anyone recommend a guitar for a kid? I've seen cheap ones on amazon ($20), but the reviews say they don't stay in tune.
I'm hoping for around $100 give or take. It's important that it stays in tune. If you want to give tips on what else to look for or is important, that'd be great too.
Thanks so much in advance
N.
It is for Christmas, just want plenty of time to look into this. It's for my daughter who is 6, very much into music and has an Uncle willing and able to teach her.
Music store. Cheap guitars are a good way to get kids to hate playing.
They are hard to strum and don't stay in tune.
You may want to wait till you can spend more like at Christmas. He can ask for money from grandparents to chip in to get a good one, then.
My son plays guitar and I would go to a regular music store and talk to them about it, he is a junior size guitar and he has been using it for several years. I believe we started in the 4th grade and it is still god in the 7th. I think it was about $160. It is acoustic. I would not buy on line for this.
I'd ask your child's music teacher, or go into the local music store. They can give you good advice and sometimes they have a board with used instruments for sale locally. You might also be able to rent one to start. That's what we did, I didn't want to make a big investment until I knew whether or not my daughter was going to stick with it.
Please, please, talk to your music teacher, get a recommendation, and then go to a real music store. See what is available in the size you need. If this is a beginner project, ask about renting an instrument. It's a good way to start learning on a little bit of cash. Later you could purchase an instrument, when you know that the guitar study isn't just a passing phase.
If you buy a guitar at a toy store, you will be buying a toy guitar. I'm assuming you're not buying this for a toddler.
By the way, guitars, like violins and harps, are sensitive to heat, cold, and all sorts of other things. One of the first tasks a student learns to do is to tune it. Over and over! (There are inexpensive electronic devices that can help with the tuning.) I started learning to play guitar a couple of years ago. I'm probably better at the tuning part than anything else because I do it so much!
Go to a real music store and let them help you with this. Amazon cannot give you the advice that you need.
We bought a junior-sized Ibanez electric and it doesn't stay in tune. Both my husband and I play guitar and are both well-versed in guitars and were very disappointed in it.
Go to a music store and get a good recommendation.
Go to a music store. If your son is in school, ask the music teacher for a store reference. If not, go to a local music store in your area so they can measure him for the correct size.
You need qualified help with this decision because if your son is interested, he needs a good quality instrument that will last him a long time.
Remember the saying "you get what you pay for". Don't go cheap, but find something in your range that is suitable for him.
Good luck.
A friend of mine bought a nice one from Toys R Us a few years back. It was slightly smaller than a full size guitar but my now 14 year old can still play it comfortably. I believe it was $75 or $100 - can't remember. DH plays the guitar so it was important that DD's stayed in tune and functioned correctly. It does both. I don't know the name of it off hand, but check the Toys R US website. Don't waste your $$ on one that won't stay in tune.
Your music store professional should be able to assist you with the appropriate size guitar for your child.
Some things cannot or should not be purchased online.
Depending on the age of the child. I gave a cheap one to my son and next thing i seen was they both daughter and son was useing to for a stepping stool to look out their bedroom window. So the next one was after they were 10 years old the boy anyway...so 5 yr is abit young for something that is going to cost alot. But in a nut shell you can find a cheap one on ebay. Son back when he was 18 bought me a beginners one on ebay for one cent yup thats right a beginners one came with gig bag and extra strings and pitch pipe tuner and picks. I stiill have it dont play it.I figure it was the thought that counts. Oh by the way he plays better than me...lol
Toys R-Us has some really nice ones. You might want to check their website. They have some in the store but not many.
Also, check music stores. They have really nice ones but usually quite pricey!! They sometimes sell used ones too - not sure if you'd be interested in used.
Good luck!!
