How do I choose the best electric guitar for my 12 year old son to learn on?

Question

I'm looking for affordable but I don't want a cheapie that will fall apart just as he is catching on and getting into it. A used one from a reputable manufacturer would be great, anyone know good quality guitar names? He's a big kid so I think a full size one would be right

Answer 1

I disagree. The Squier series are some very well put together machines, very solid performers. I've owned 2 in the past and they generally performed as well as my Mexican Fenders. The pickups are usually wound with a little less output and they generally are not set up perfect from the factory, but that's what you expect in a $100 guitar. They tend to have a bit better of a setup job out of the box than some of their competitors.

If you can buy one from a music store it will generally have had a basic setup job and perform pretty well. Buy one as a boxed set from a mail order house and you take your chances.

For the record, I have been playing for 20 years, currently own 16 guitars and have owned about 30 in my lifetime. 2 of those were Squier products - a Stratocaster and a Telecaster. I've also owned the Fender equivalents of both of those. As well as PRS, Ibanez, Jackson, Charvel, Gibson and several other brands.

Answer 2

Yamaha actually makes a very good beginner guitar. You can buy packages including an amp, cable and learning literature. These packages can run from $200 to $300. Well worth the money. I had mine for about 5 years before I upgraded.

Check Wal-mart, I've seen them there

PS- No offence to previous commenter, but do not start on a bass guitar, they are not the same instrument and they are not played the same way. Any guitarist who becomes proficient with a 6-string will likely have an easier time understanding the theory and basics in using a bass. It doesn't work the other way around because you cannot develop technique for use on a 6-string by using bass.

Answer 3

Don't get a Squire guitar! Everyone says those are the best because they come in a "starter kit" but it's the worst type of guitars I've ever played.

I'd recommend either a late 90's model Ibanez or an early 00's Schecter. I've owned both types of guitars before (while I was learning myself infact, the Schecter I still have today) and they were both good-quality instruments. A good size amp (about the width of your average keyboard across and about 2/3 the height of a keyboard longway up) would be good for him and both guitars are full size, bass guitars are slightly larger on the neck than guitars because of their decreased octave.

Answer 4

Squier Strat Pack from Fender is a great starter guitar set. It comes with the guitar, an amp, gig bag, electric tuner, and headphones (so you don't have to listen to him practice all the time!). The sets go on sale for about $300 for the holiday shopping season.

Answer 5

Get an electric guitar kit from the music store - where the kit includes the guitar, amp, etc. If he ends up really loving the electric guitar - then you can upgrade the pickups, get bigger, better amps or get him a better guitar- but wait to see if he sticks with it or it's a passing fad. A full size is fine.

Answer 6

Go to a pawnshop and find one which feels "right" to you. A mexican Fender is good, but apx $150 at a pawnshop,if you wanna go cheap, get a Fender squire, but stay away from serial numbers that have an N in the beginning. That was a bad time for squire. Example cn4xxxxx

Answer 7

Start him on a Fender Stratocaster Squire. It is a relatively cheap guitar that has easy action and a radial fretboard which will be easier on his smaller hands. On top of that it is a fairly good quality product.

Answer 8

if he's just learning, i would suggest to start him on bass guitar. That's what I did. Otherwise, he might get fustrated that he can't get the Chords Right. Cuz with bass, you can just do one string at a time to learn on.

Then move to electric when he gets the hang of it.

Answer 9

My grandson is 12. I would say "any" guitar is the one to choose.

Answer 10

ask a guitar player