guitar size?

Question

I'm 5'11''. Will a 38'' guitar be the right size for me? If not, what size should I get? Thanks.

Answer 1

There are three main things to consider when buying a guitar:

1. Hand size

2. Arm length

3. Overall comfort

The only way to gauge all three of these successfully, is to go the the guitar, put it in your hands, and begin to play it! IT doesn't hurt to have a knowledgeable friend along to give you tips, but you are the ultimate arbiter of what feels right in your hands. Certain guitars are more appropriate for different styles of music as well. This has nothing to do with your body frame or even the size of the room. Classical guitar should be played with nylon or gut strings, with a guitar specifically made with a wider fingerboard and a body that is made to bring the nuances of the lower tensioned strings. A dreadnought guitar is made to ring out and has a body and scale to enable it to do just that. A parlor sized guitar is made with a smaller scale for a more intimate sound. A classical style guitar (commonly known as a Jazz guitar, with F holes) is made for another type of sound. The guitar's size is more for the benefit of the sound than the player in most cases. You would simply need a full size guitar in whatever style you decide you want to play in. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The size of a guitar really doesn't matter. Tiny Tim was 6'5" tall and played a ukelele which was barely a foot long.

I assume you are looking at an acoustic guitar. My guess is that the important measurement - the distance from the string nut (white thing holding the strings at the neck) to the bridge saddle (white thing holding the strings on the body) is 25.4"...the most common acoustic guitar scale length.

The vast majority of guitars that list a "size" are entry level instruments measured by the entire length which means absolutely nothing. I think this designation came about from the Chinese manufacturers who had to have an easy way of explaining body shape (not size) to their customers in the U.S.

If the guitar is comfortable for you go for it. If it seems small, consider a bigger guitar.

Answer 3

Go to ur local music shop and try out a few. If u have large hands, u might need a wider fingerboard. Do u want metal or nylon strings? Nylon strung tend to have wider fingerboards. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

To quote my maths teacher : "25 3/8 what? Oranges? Umbrellas? You, son, are an idiot. 25 3/8 inch scale sounds average length to me

Answer 5

Its the size of your hands - not your height. Jimi Hendrix wasn't all that tall, but he had huge hands for his size. As long as it feels comfortable to you, it should be OK.

Answer 6

Actually that sounds perfect, have fun =)