Especially for young beginners, choosing the proper guitar size is extremely important. Students playing a guitar of inappropriate size tend to experience frustration in trying to master the instrument. This may cause them to drop out of guitar lessons altogether, assuming, erroneously, that the guitar is just not for them. An instrument that is either too large or too small also leads to the development of wrong playing habits, which can be very difficult to correct later on.
Guitar size depends primarily on the student's height and arm reach.
With that in mind, the following charts provide some basic suggestions to help you find the right student guitar for your child. Measurements in inches refer to total length of the guitar.
Acoustic Guitars (Nylon and Steel Strings):
| Age |
Size |
|
| 4-6 |
1/4 (30"-32") |
|
| 6-8 |
1/2 (33"-36") |
|
| 9-12 |
3/4 (36"-38") |
|
|
12-adult
|
4/4 (38"-42") |
|
Electric Guitars:
| Age |
Size |
|
6-10
|
Junior Electric
|
| 8-12 |
Short-Scale Electric Bass
|
| 10 and up |
Full-Size Electric Guitar |
| 12 and up |
Full-Scale Electric Bass |
Please note that in addition to overall length of the instrument, there is great variation in the construction of guitars (body shapes; tone woods; neck width; scale length; etc.), which may impact the way the instrument "feels" in relation to arm length, hand size, and finger strength. Therefore, we recommend that you see a guitar dealer and test different sizes and models of guitars before making a final decision.