Buying a guitar for a kid can be a tough thing to do. Especially of you are not a musician. You want to buy an instrument that doesn't break the bank in case they hate it, and you also don't want to buy an instrument that is so bereft of quality that it doesn't inspire.
This holiday season I had the opportunity to provide a resource to a friend of mine who was in the market for a guitar for his daughter. My friend emailed me and presented me with two models that were recommended by a store locally and asked my opinion. Being more than happy to look into it I spent some time researching the two models and also found some other models I liked. I then replied and gave my opinion and recommendation. Thinking I was done, I moved on.
A couple days later I was driving past the exit off of which the local music store was located, and I was overcome by a lingering fear that I was recommending a guitar that wouldn't play well, be inspiring, or that she will like in general...never mind keeping in mind the thought that she is growing fast and could outgrow a smaller guitar! I decided to stop in and get a real estimation of what I had chosen and found my assessment was entirely wrong!
The guitar I had chosen in my online research was actually 1/2 sized! She was going to grow out of it in two years at best! Also, the sound was reflective of the size and had a dry, cardboard sound, kind of like those backpacking guitars that Martin sells. Very nice creation, but not half the sound of an actual guitar. Thus, I played the other 4 versions available in the store and got another assessment in my mind. I decided on a larger guitar that she will grow into, that has a full bodied sound and a nice rich look to it that she will hopefully feel comfortable behind.
I quickly contacted my friend and left a message with the correction and hoped he hadn't made the purchase already. The timing was perfect as he and his two sons were going to buy the guitar that evening.
After the holidays were over I received a nice email from him informing me of how much of a hit the guitar was and that his daughter is looking forward to doing lessons in the spring. I was truly relieved that I'd made the stop and played all the models and that they were in possession of a quality, low cost instrument.
It was a good deal all around really. I enjoyed helping an un-expecting guitar player get an instrument of quality which I understand the importance of, and my friend got the experience of a guitar player to guide him in a purchase he wasn't qualified to make.
In closing, don't hesitate to ask your favorite musician to help make a qualified decision when buying a guitar for a kid. I'm sure all parties will benefit from the experience.
~Jason