Comments on: Buying Your Kid’s First Guitar (A Parent’s Guide)

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:44:41 +0000

I concede your point about the impression of having already learned the instrument and then getting to the electric guitar, but I don’t agree with your point of it being hard to adapt to lighter strings. If anything it would be harder to start with electric and having to adapt to heavier strings.

Either way, the bottom line is that as long as people are learning to play guitar, I’m happy.

By: Somebody

Somebody — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 20:29:42 +0000

I don’t really think starting on an acoustic is better.
(Be warned I might be biased, as I started on an electric and know only one person who started on acoustic)
Of course, it may actually be emotionally worse for the child if he wishes for an electric, but besides that, guitar teachers typically teach chords, chord progressions and similar stuff, and if he wishes to be a shredder all of this is only going to push him down. If he finally gets his electric guitar, I suppose it’s going to be pretty hard to adapt to the lighter strings, lower action and such, and it’s even worse if high-gain distortion is where his tone is at, like mine, because (in case he was trained on chording) his right hand is probably not going to be precise enough, if at all, and the rest is obvious. As far as I’m concerned, psicologically, the impression of having already learned the instrument yet not being able to perform whatever he wishes to is algo going to push him further down, and blah blah.
In my opinion, whether or not to learn on an acoustic first relies a lot on what playing style the child aims to be proficient at.

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:41:41 +0000

Generally speaking I would say yes, Gabrielle, because the string tension on an electric guitar is typically lighter, and the strings are usually closer to the fingerboard than on an acoustic. However, if you learn to play guitar from an acoustic first I think in the long run you will be better off because your finger strength and the coordination between both of your hands will be better.

By: Gabrielle

Gabrielle — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:26:17 +0000

Is the electric guitar easier to play compared to the acoustic?

By: James C.

James C. — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 15:47:09 +0000

Getting a child kick started on a new instrument is always tasking. This article provides goods tips & help to the parents considering a new guitar purchase!
James C. recently posted: Slayer Guitarist Hospitalized

By: Johnnie Black

Johnnie Black — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 08:08:05 +0000

I always think it’s good for new electric guitar players to buy the guitar without the amp. Especially if it’s a kid or young teen, and their parents are paying for it. It gives mum or dad room to say something like “if you practice at least half an hour every monday through to thursday i’ll buy you an amplifier” – way too many kids start playing guitar but don’t put any work in, and I think the fact that they get the gear for free from their parents often makes it worse.
Johnnie Black recently posted: Lucille – BB King’s black electric guitar

By: Tweets that mention Buying Your Kid’s First Guitar (A Parent’s Guide) | Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog | guitar news & reviews, amps, effects, guitars, music theory, guitar lessons -- Topsy.com

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:03:41 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Richard Chng, Richard Chng. Richard Chng said: Buying Your Kid’s First Guitar (A Parent’s Guide) [Fretterverse.com: Guitar Blog] – http://is.gd/ep0EQ [...]