Home Forums Guitar Discussion Acoustic Guitar Recommend a good 3/4 size acoustic?

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  • #24874
    1bassleft
    Participant

    Hello regs and passers-thru. My 10y.o’s school is offering free guitar lessons with a genyooine tutor for up to seven kids (trust me, this is pretty unusual) and I’ve put him first on the list.

    He has a Strat but they say no electrics and, in any case, he’s still all over the place holding a 25″ scale guitar; he’s below average height even for ten. So, I’m wondering what would be a good purchase for him. Please don’t say “Baby Taylor” because I’m not spunking £200, but I’d go to £60 or thereabouts.

    I’m considering the Yam JR1; http://www.imuso.co.uk/ProductDetail.asp?StockCode=AG00061. I’ve found that the top is laminated spruce and the sides and back are laminated meranti and some reviewers say the sound is thin and trebly (expected from a small body?). Alternatives are a Westfield B200s (spruce laminate and nato) and Staggs (basswood) but there may be others.

    Anyone who’s bought a 3/4 for a child and can give me an opinion would be a real help, thanks.

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    • #79528
      lee_UK
      Participant

      i had bought my other daughter a small madolin sized 6 string nylon acoustic guitar, and once you pick it up you can’t put it down, it has a great tone to it.

    • #79521
      1bassleft
      Participant

      😆 , careful when you joke about your kids. Mine went on Mozilla and clicked “OK” on the “Do you want to go back to where you were?” option and the first thing he saw was me calling him an “idle git” 😳

      I didn’t mention it, but next to their common/garden Chinese budget was a C70. This was noticeably superior and I wasn’t keen on buying the cheapie but when the sales guy brought in this new “Valencia” they were stocking I was happy to hand over. The finish and tone were much better than the other Chinese and pretty close to the C70, considering that’s a fullsize. I bought OK, but I would like to open the glass case on that ’70s Japanese one @ £100 s/h.

    • #79536
      lee_UK
      Participant

      My daughter has had 4 lessons with the guitar teacher in school, and she told me he commented on the lovely tone of the guitar! she said it was better than the usual guitars the kids bring in, (probably Argos catalogue returns) obviously she wasn’t playing it when he commented but when he was tuning it up for her.

    • #79514
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Sprog’s now playing his Valencia more often. He ought to make more effort as he’s improving nicely after a coupla weeks. A decent attempt at “Michael Fineghan” without much string-deadening.

      Not having had tuition myself, I’m a bit surprised that he’s been shown “Smoke on the Water” and the mini-arpeggio from “Chasing Cars”. I used to demo this sort of thing when friends insisted on me showing them how to play. Is it usual, then?

    • #79513
      acoustica1
      Participant

      ….seems to be in stock here my friend. 😉

      http://www.dv247.com/invt/4013/

      Valencia…..yes, probably very decorative on the wall…. :D…..just kidding!! Did you receive it?

    • #79531
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Oh, I ordered it but, seeing as it wouldn’t arrive before 15/10/08, I’ve cancelled. The “Valencia” will do fine; especially as he hasn’t pulled it out of the gigbag since the lesson – idle git.

    • #79544
      lee_UK
      Participant

      so did you order the CS40??

    • #79541
      1bassleft
      Participant

      I placed the order for the CS40 but they’re not getting a delivery before mid-October which is too late. On Saturday, I went to the local (biggish) independent. They’ve had a batch of 150-ish 3/4 sizers made to order in China retailing at £40. Unlike their previous 40 quidder (which wasn’t any more than adequate) this was a prospect.

      Laughable stuff like a “Valencia” brand name and “Casa de Guitarras desde 1972” label inside but very decent build, finish, action and tone for a 3/4 and, surprisingly for this price, Graphtech NuBone saddles.

      I’m struggling to think of any new kit I’ve bought recently that hasn’t been Chinese (600W stereo PA amp <£150, trumpet £60, classical guitar £40). They're going to take over the planet, y'know. HST, as I was walking out, I noticed a full-sized classical made in Japan, 1970s, no-lam spruce and mahogany going for £99. I'd like sproggy to grow and learn quickly before that's gone.

    • #79547
      1bassleft
      Participant

      I retried a search with “yamaha cs-40” and this, for no reason I can make out, turned up a load of matches. Yes, looks good. 7/8 is probably even better than 3/4 at his age, nylon’s kinder than the JR1’s steel and GAK sell online for the aforementioned £59 + del and can send next day. I’m just waiting on the name of a guitar a girl has in school. Can’t remember the Spanish moniker (of the guitar, not the girl) but it was a very pleasant sounder and she said inexpensive.

      If that’s not right, the CS40 looks like it will do the trick admirably. Thanks.

    • #79508
      1bassleft
      Participant

      Thanks, Lee. I turned up a dead on the CS40. Any links you can provide for me? Muchos gracias, 1BL

    • #79512
      lee_UK
      Participant

      I just bought my 11yr old girl a Yamaha C70, i paid £70 for it and it’s a fantastic guitar, i would recommend it to anyone, it’s a full size one but there is a 3/4 variation, i think Acoustica recommended it on this forum.

      EDIT: just checked the Yamaha CS40 is the 3/4 sized one, and retails at £59, bang on your budget, i bought the C70 i think they are the same woods, excellent value.

      Having lessons with a couple of other pupils is the best way to go, it encourages competition and musical friendships too, myself and 2 of my friends Victor (check him out on google ‘victor davies’) and Charlie Rabicano who went on to a trip hop band called ‘Deep Joy’ learned guitar together and bonded a long friendship and made up our first band, wouldn’t have got that if we had lessons on our own.

      Anyway, check out the Yamaha, plus you know the resale value.. yadda yadda.

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