Electric Guitars for Kids

Electric guitars for kids are a great way to allow your child to enjoy and have fun with music. Regular, full-sized guitars are often too large for children under 14 to use. But that does not mean that your child has to go without: there are mini guitars especially made for kids from the ages 6 and up. Since music has been shown to improve children's educational performance and IQ, if practiced early in life, giving your kid the opportunity to start with music at an early age is an excellent way to help broaden their experiences and boost their achievements. Read on to find out more about electric guitars for kids.

Guitars made specially for children or petite musicians are known as short scale guitars. Guitars are measured by their scale length, or neck length. The scale length relates to the length of the strings from the nut to the bridge. The scale length can determine the tightness of the strings and how close or far the frets are from one another.

Electric guitars for kids come in a variety of sizes ranging from 22.5 inches to 24 inches. A regular, full-sized guitar will come in at around 25" (or more) inches. 22.5 inches is usually best for children around the ages of 6 to 9 or 10, whereas 24" inches is good for children in their early teens (13 or 14). Usually by 14 or older, your child will be large enough to handle a regular, full-sized guitar. Some individuals who are petite or have small hands use small scale guitars even as adults. Depending on the size of your child, the size of guitar necessary for ease of use may be different.

Furthermore, not only do short scale electric guitars offer a greater ease of use for children, they will not become useless after your child is fully grown. Many musicians specifically use short scale guitars for the difference in sound and playability they offer. So as long as your child's short scale guitar is well-preserved and kept in good condition, it can still be used for music even in their elder years.

Popular brands of electric guitars for kids are Fender, Gibson, Taylor and Epiphone. These brands offer a variety of short scale models that come in many different sizes. While it is possible to shop for kids electric guitars online, it's a good idea to nonetheless have your child outfitted at a guitar or music store to make sure they are comfortable using a specific size guitar. Kids' electric guitars can be very pricey, depending on the brand, so make sure to shop smart.