To buy my child a guitar?!

[juddyrockingcloggs]

Hi, relative newbie here so unsure if posting in the right place!!

It’s not so much a ‘aibu’ but more of a would you?!

Anyway, my child is 6 and very very much into music, he will sit and listen to his favourite musicians for ages! He has quite an ‘old’ taste in music for his age!

He has put on his Christmas list that he would like a real guitar and that he would like to learn to play. He specifically says he doesn’t want a ‘toy’ one.

He’s 6 though. What are the chances that at his age he has the skills to be able to learn to play, will he find it boring, give up after a month etc etc. I don’t want to fork out for one only to find he’s not bothered about it in the near future but it’s one of the only things barring Lego that’s he’s asked for!

Do we get him lessons? Do they even do lessons for young children.

Does anyone have any experiences with music lessons for this age group or should I make him wait til he is a bit older?!

Obviously I want to encourage it as I think it’s great that he wants to take up an hobby but I just feel perhaps it is slightly young!

Thanks

[Coldilox]

My three year old has a real guitar. It's a 1/4 size, still too big for him and of course he can't learn to play properly at this age. But he loves guitars, he was always playing with my wife's guitar which has great sentimental value and we'd rather he wasn't mucking about with it. And we wanted to get one that could be properly tuned so that when he does play with it it doesn't sound too awful. It wasn't stupidly expensive either. And as he gets older he can learn to play.

[juddyrockingcloggs]

Coldilox

Do you mind me asking where you got it from?

[19lottie82]

99% chance he will get bored after 10 minutes rather than a month, but you never know, and if that’s what he wants then why not get it for him? A small guitar isn’t expensive. As long as he doesn’t want an electric fender complete with amp

[Lancelottie]

Noooo, don't do it - not unless you want your house to be overrun with guitars, bass guitars, electric guitars, electric bass guitars, ukuleles, a violin, saxophone, tuba, TWO euphoniums (no, I'm not sure why), a keyboard and a synthesizer by mid-teens.

It starts small - just the one little try of the soft drugs acoustic guitar -- and then they get onto the hard stuff.

On the plus side... he'll love it.

[IWishYouWere]

This book has great reviews I'm thinking about getting it for my son along with a guitar.

[my2bundles]

My son stared learning drums and guitar age 7 so not much older. He is 10 and still as enthusiastic. My advice at this age would be to buy a half size but make sure he is comfortable with it before you buy. Also find a msic teacher who will teach to your child's interests and tastes in msic and who will also make the lessons fun, that makes a huge difference. It should be fun at this age, my don has learned a lot and has a talent but so far there has been no pressure during the lessons and us teachers stick to his taste in music. Grades will come much later if he wants to, for now I just want him to enjoy learning and to be creative, he learns more this way aswell.

[juddyrockingcloggs]

Thanks so much for the replies!

*Lancelottie
*
Ha! I can see it now! Over run completely by instruments with no where to sit!

*IWishYouWere
*
Funnily enough I looked at that very book yesterday, it looks brill.

*my2bundles
*
Brill advice thank you! Do you know where the best places are to buy a good half size? Are there any males that are best?

Thanks

[RitaMills]

My brother got my DS a guitar for his birthday last week. He plays guitar in a band and used to do a little tutoring while he was at uni so he at least has an above average knowledge of these things. He told me that the little acoustic guitars with the soft strings are perfect for this age group to start learning, they are just learning cords, how to hold it etc. He got DS the £35 student guitar when Aldi had it on their weekly buys specials. He said the ones in toys shops are also ideal (around £40-£50), it’s a guitar aimed at small children to learn so I’d say one of those is a good starting point.

[RitaMills]

I don’t mean the little colourful ones that are character themed btw, the ones that look like smaller brown acoustic guitars. I know Smyths and Toys r Us sell them if Aldi don’t do that promotion again.

[bellagood]

My daughter, and I am NOT kidding - taught herself to play the guitar (via internet tutorials) at the age of 8, after having a guitar as a gift for Christmas. Many kids are smart and many are talented; some are both. The younger they start to learn something, the better they will be at it.

YEAH, buy the guitar.

[JustBeingJobless]

My son started to learn at 7 and, at 11, his bedroom is now overrun with various guitars/amps and he still has lessons regularly. He’s a good little player and I love listening to him.

[Prusik]

I got given a guitar for my 7th birthday. I was desperate for one. My parents paid for lessons for the years and as an adult I still play now

[Welshmaenad]

My mum bought me a 3/4 size guitar and lessons when I was seven. I went on to work my way up to grade 8 classical guitar, and competed in competitions all over the country. It was my absolute passion.

Do it.

Highly recommend The guitarist's Way books.

[SomethingNewToday]

Ds1 started lessons and had his own guitar in Year 4 at age 8...the teacher told me that that's a good age to start.

I would get him a 'proper' guitar but not an expensive one - if he really takes to it then you can upgrade after a year or two.

[bellagood]

@JustBeingJobless is your son Ed Sheeran or Slash from Guns and Roses?

My daughter is Avril Lavigne rather than Joan Jett. Like your son though, she is really good, and used to do performances in the school plays, (and at college,) and she has even written some (really good) songs.

[juddyrockingcloggs]

Thank you all!

I have bought the guitar!

You’ve all been a huge help!

[bellagood]

YAY, happy strumming to your son!

[CoffeeChocolateWine]

My son was 6.5 when he started guitar lessons. I was similarly reluctant as I thought he was a bit young, his hands might be too small...I forced him to give piano a go first because I thought it was a better first instrument (plus we already had a piano at home) but he wasn't into it at all. So after lots of badgering I eventually gave in and he started guitar lessons.

He's been playing over 2 years now and it's going great. He has a half size guitar which is perfect for him. And like pp said, I specifically chose a teacher that would teach him music he wants to learn. He's not doing grades but he's very good. His teacher started teaching him chords, chord progressions and strumming different rhythms from the start and now they'll work on songs of my son's choice and they compose stuff together too. It's fab to listen to.

You've made a good choice by getting the guitar! Hope your son enjoys playing.

[missevelina]

I started guitar lessons 30 years ago, when I was 4 and haven't stopped playing since!

I think 6 is the perfect age.