What age can a child begin playing guitar?

There are two primary factors that determine when a child can begin playing guitar. The first factor to consider is the physical maturity of the child. Being able to comfortably hold the guitar, reaching down the fingerboard with the left hand, pressing the strings down with the fingers and other things can be very challenging for any beginning guitarist, much less a child. Fortunately, the quality of youth guitars has improved dramatically in the last few years. Due to increased market demand for well-constructed youth-size guitars, the same manufacturers that build the instruments used by professional guitarists all over the world have begun to scale down many of their top selling models for kids (and young adults). A quality youth guitar that is comfortable to play can give a child as young as five or six years of age a far better chance of success on the guitar and in music.

The second factor is emotional maturity. This tends to vary considerably from student to student. In general, the age in which a child can focus on a task for twenty or thirty minutes without losing interest or getting distracted indicates good emotional maturity in a young person.

For some, the combination of these two elements comes as early as five or six years-old and others much later. There are many other factors that will ultimately determine if a young student will be successful in music but recognizing that your child has a desire to create music and then placing a quality, properly sized guitar in their hands will go a long way in giving them a lifetime of musical enjoyment.

I have heard it is better to start on an acoustic guitar rather than an electric guitar. Is that true?

We get this question a lot and it simply doesn’t matter. They are strung the same, tuned the same and for the most part they are played the same. Choosing electric or acoustic is more a personal choice. Most people tend to prefer the sound of one type of guitar over the other and this consideration should not be ignored when choosing a guitar. In fact, students are far more likely to pick up a guitar that has the sound they like, and in turn, achieve much more success. Most players wind up playing both types of guitar anyway. So don’t be afraid if your precious daughter wants to rock out on the electric guitar. It might just be the only thing that keeps her going when it gets tough.

How do I know what size of guitar to buy?

This answer will vary between the types of guitar. Because electric guitars have an overall smaller profile than acoustic guitars, most kids around the age of 9 or 10 can begin playing full-size electric guitars. For children 8 and under, Fender, Ibanez and Luna offer three-quarter size in lots of cool colors and styles.

If you are considering an acoustic guitar, a ½ size guitar such as the Dean Playmate JTJ works well for a child seven or younger. For ages 6-9, the ¾ size Squier MA1, Dean Playmate JT or Luna Fairie mini acoustic work nicely. Try the 7/8 size Dean Playmate J for kids 7-12. Also, for a smaller acoustic guitar with more professional features, the Ibanez Daytripper series guitars are great for a serious young student or an adult player that needs a travel guitar. A folk-size acoustic guitar that is included in the Ibanez Jolt Pack is ideal for students age 10-12. The smaller size of a folk guitar also makes it very popular among women.