The Squier (sp) starter pac is a pretty good deal. It has a serviceable guitar, cord, small practice amp and a strap. The Mexican Strats are also good sarters but remember that the price of an amp has to be added. check out MusiciansFriend they have a web sight. they carry several different starter kits. Then you can walk into your local music shop and have some idea of pricing. You may not be able to match the color request. Perhaps it would be good incentive to work with what you get and work towords that cherry sunburst finish when he gets through a years worth of lessons.

Go for Ibanez copy. Very precise guitar in my opinion. I have one of them.

hi vickie: i think your best bet might be to go to a guitar chain and check out the package deals. they usually have some packages they have put together for such instances, like the one that youre inquiring about: a child looking to get their first electric guitar. there usually is a pretty decent package put together by fender guitars which includes a strat or a tele with a small practice-sized guitar amp and a strap, or whatever that particular store might put into the kit. but that might be your best bet. it might un you about $250 for one of these packages in a larger guitar store[sam ash music, guitar center, mars music] and youll get everything that he needs. if that doesnt tickle your fancy, ive always been particularly fond of ARIA electric guitars. particularly the PE series. they are very beautiful guitars, play very well, and tend to be relatively inexpensive. you might wanna consider that option too. just my two cents. hope this helps. good luck w/ the purchase! regards, VIC

The color or finish is surely important thing to fulfil a wish but there are some in my opinion more relevant things. I bought my first guitar when I was young, very young and I have made a few mistakes. First of them was, that guitar didn’t won’t to stay in tune and trust me this is a thing that makes man sad. The next was that intonation was incorrect-also bad. I was very sad but during the time I have learnd how to correct the mistakes so I have corrected it but then the guitar was really useless. I know that you probably don’t know all these thing so It will be good to take to shop someone who know something about these things. It will be bad if he will have a guitar which looks like he want but cann’t play because it’s trash. I think that firms as a squier,cort,epiphone etc. makes guitar in good quality for that price you want. I also thing and mean that comparing to the quality in this price range it’s the same. I wish you to have a "happy" hand when choosing it better then I.

hey whilst i give fender in general a lot of crap i think for a 9 year old a squire would be a good guitar to learn on. I generaly dont like fenders because they are just not my thing. it will be quite a reliable guitar, and versatile.

: I’m soooooo confused! My "almost" 9 year old son wants an electric guitar for christmas and will be taking lessons to learn how to play. We are all musically "illiterate". I want a correct "size" for a 9 year old and a good quality and one he won’t outgrow in a couple of years. I’ve been reading bad things about the Fender Squire and that was one I was concidering.I also saw a Washburn BT2 and he LOVES the cherry sunburst color! Whatever you suggest, has to be available in a sunburst color-that’s his favorite. I am hoping to find a decent guitar in the $200.00-$300.00 range.I’m concerned about getting the proper size and I don’t want a"toy" 3/4 size. Anyone that can help me in the VERY near future would be much appreciated! KIND REGARDS FROM A TOTALLY CONFUSED MOM. : vickie i have a samick les paul copy im 20 and it would be perfect for your son all though washburn is a good guital jamie

I agree, a"toy" would not be a good idea. What style of music does your son like, and want to learn? I would recomend a Fender Standard Stratocaster. The Mexican made are good quality and sell for about $350.00 at Musicians Friend. The Stratocaster or "Strat", would be a good guitar for your son to "cut his teeth" on.