Recommend a guitar and rig for a four year old

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 10:47 pm

I wanna help out some friends of mine that have an amazingly musical kid. He's a hell of a drummer, but I want to steer him towards guitar so he doesn't live a life of obscurity and heartache. He's gonna want the spotlight.

I'm thinking Gibsonish/Marshallish combo for this guy, but who makes tiny electric guitars, for a reasonable price, that don't suck? I'm wondering if electric uke makes more sense at this stage. 4 strings would be easier to manage for a tiny beginner, he can move up to 6 when he gets some size going. Anybody find anything cool in the guitar vein for the preschoolers in their lives?

blungo2 · Post by **blungo2** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:59 am

Does it needa be electric? These look pretty cool, but they're acoustic.

http://www.loogguitars.com/guitars/loog-ii

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:34 am

Jeez, 4 y.o.?

About 6 they might sit still long enuff ...

At that age I gave my kids the guitar-shaped keyboards where ya press and they play a riff. Theirs was a "Kawasaki".

When the kid's old enufff, ya can do this withit ...

roscoenyc · Post by **roscoenyc** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:46 am

If you want the kid to stick with it I'd wait till they were 8.

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:54 am

Being a teacher myself for many years (both in the classroom and private lessons), I'd have to say "ditto/+1" to the above comments about age appropriateness.

If the kid is a real Mozart-level wunderkind, or his parents insist, you could try the Uke idea (I just picked-up a neat acoustic yesterday at GC), or maybe a Backpacker. As far as electric, do they still make the Chauqitas?

GJ

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 11:36 am

OK. I hear you guys. I don't see how giving him one of those $39 Chinese Uke's from GC could hurt him though. Unless the bridge snapped off from string tension and hit him in the eye or something.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:07 pm

My "dining room" (60's ranch house when a formal dining room was all the rage) has some 30+ guitars and basses racked innit.

My son prefers his electric drums, and my daughter her Casio keyboard - go figger.

ubertar · Post by **ubertar** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:18 pm

My daughter (19 mo.) will play anything I'm playing. If it's a drum, she'll come over and start smacking it. If it's a guitar, she'll take the pick out of my hand and start plucking the strings with it. She'll rip the cello bow from my hand and try to play. I rarely get to play anything when she's awake-- she always wants to play too. If she's doing that at just over 1 1/2, I don't think four is too early at all. I don't where to get an electric guitar for a four year old, but when she gets around that age, I'll make one for her.

dsw · Post by **dsw** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:43 pm

When I was 8 you couldn't STOP me from playing guitar and I'd been begging for one for two years. (I'm old and lazy now of course)
Most kids don't really start to focus on an instrument until later its true, but if the kid wants to play let him play. There are lots of child prodigies these days that start out really really young. Those are the souls with a burning desire you can't stop, so just help out and try not to get in the way.
There are smaller instruments to be had, you just have to search them out. If the kid has true talent and starts to make headway, make the sure the instrument isn't holding him back, like cheapo guitars that won't stay in tune for example.

KennyLusk · Post by **KennyLusk** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:54 pm

Don't mess with The Force man.

Let it flow.

The Universe will guide him.

Nick Sevilla · Post by **Nick Sevilla** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:41 pm

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

This.

BennyD · Post by **BennyD** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 1:19 am

If this kid is talented, what's gonna hurt having another tool around? If he doesn't like it until he's 8, it'll be there for him then. I don't think having access to a guitar will create any conditioned aversion in the child! As was said before; don't mess with the flow man!

I don't know if you've ruled out six strings at this point or how big most 4 year olds are, not having kids of my own or having studied other peoples, but check out squier mini strats or epiphone pee wee guitars.

As far as an amp, if you want some versatility, check out the box da5 or Roland micro cube or the like. They have limited modeling capabilities & onboard effects. If the kid doesn't use it, you might in a pinch!

Thats my 2 cents... Not expensive; not the cheapest of cheap. I think it's quality enough to not be a hindrance to a little guy.

brew · Post by **brew** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:52 am

4 years is not too young to start on an instrument. Granted, you're not going to hear anything listenable for another 4 years, but the impact an early start can have can be profound. At that age, by "start" I mean a cereal box with rubber bands on it.

This is very common in the classical world. Many professional string players, elite soloists, began formal lessons when they were 3-4.

I would recommend this MIDI guitar reviewed in the NY Times a while back. It seems to be perfect for this. Then move on to a tiny real guitar, or something with four strings.

Suzuki is a teaching method that is great for getting started. They should have resources for your question. Their many regional summer programs would be a good place to start, and they can put you in touch with teachers experienced with this age.

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:47 pm

Just to clarify my (can't speak for anybody else) professional opinion (someone who has taught children for 20-plus years and who does have his own kids), what I meant to say was-- "Sure, there have been immensely talented four-year olds, and historically, some children have started that young. But on average, with most kids, especially in America, four years old is too young to start studying an instrument seriously."

Cereal box w/strings = yes. Expensive electric guitar = no. Not stopping the flow. For most kids at four, there is no flow (not in the way that you think), and their motor-skills are not up to par to even begin doing anything serious beyond "hot cross buns" or "Mississippi hot-dog."

That being said, some kids do excel, and Suzuki is an excellent program.
But also very expensive, BTW. The kids need a new violin every year for many years, for instance.

So, to reiterate and to clearly re-clarify, IMHO, I think 4 years old is a bit young. But, if the kid's talented and/or the parents insist, there are resources out there and instruments to look into.

After buying myself a Uke last week, I stumbled onto some cool sites with nice (but not inexpensive) electric ukes! The company is called "Risa," I believe; you may want to Google that one. Cool instruments that sound great amplified.

GJ

Gregg Juke · Post by **Gregg Juke** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:49 pm

Double Post Deleted

GJ

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Recommend a guitar and rig for a four year old

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