You might be wondering why there are small-sized guitars in musical instrument shops.
These smaller guitars are actually made for smaller players like children who might be uncomfortable playing the standard-sized guitars.
As well know, the guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments such that many, both young and old, desire to learn how to play it.
While they may be smaller, this does not affect the stocks of these guitars in the market to the point that you might have difficulties in looking for the best one.
However, you don’t have to worry.
This article will enumerate the factors you need to consider when buying a 1/2-size guitar.
It will also contain a list of the best half- size guitars in the market and a FAQs section to help you out, too.
Contents
The Best 1/2 Size Guitars
- Cordoba Mini M II – Best Overall 1/2 Size Guitars
- Squier Mini Strat – Best 1/2 Size Guitar for Kids
- Yamaha CGS102A – Best 1/2 Size Guitar for Beginners
- Cordoba Protege – Best 1/2 Size Guitar for Petite Players
- Ibanez Mikro GRGM21M – Best Small Size Electric Guitar
- Journey Instruments PJ410N Puddle Jumper – Best Small Guitar for Travelers
- Hohner HAG250P – Best Small Guitar for Classical Sound
Also Great | Editor's Choice | Budget Pick |
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Cordoba Mini M II
The Cordoba Mini II guitar comes with a mahogany neck, body, and back that makes it sturdy.
Along with this, this 1/2-size guitar features satin nickel hardware and a polyurethane finish which gives it a sleek and elegant look.
Not only that, the materials make this a good half-size classical guitar.
Mahogany is known for producing a warm sound, giving it a solid and punchy feel.
This sound quality makes it a good choice for classical music; however, the Cordoba half-sized guitar can also very well cater to other music styles.
The Cordoba Mini also has nylon strings and adjustable truss rods for easy playability.
Nylon-string guitars are known for being suitable for kids and beginners since it is easier to press on the strings, enabling them to master the chords easily.
Lastly, this half-sized guitar surprisingly comes at a low price despite its high-quality features.
If you are looking for an affordable yet high-quality 1/2-size guitar, you might want to consider the Cordoba Mini II.
Pros
- Good 1/2-size classical guitar
- Sturdy construction
- Low-cost guitar
- Varied sound quality
- Adjustable truss rods for easy playability
Cons
- Low sound reach
Squier Mini Strat
If your kid would like to try something new, the Squier Mini Strat is the best 3/4-size electric guitar for kids.
It is no secret that Fender makes one of the best guitars in the market.
Their Squier Mini Strat is no different.
This 3/4- size electric guitar features a Poplar body with a polyurethane finish, giving it the iconic Fender look.
Here, you will find that the Squier Mini Strat electric guitar comes with a five-way switch and three single coils for tonal control.
The guitar also has standard volume control for your convenience.
With this hardware, the Fender Squier Mini Strat produces a punchy and light sound that can cater to various music styles.
Aside from the user controls, this electric guitar also comes with sturdy steel strings.
The Squier Mini guitar also comes with a guitar kit where you can find a guitar strap, tuner, picks, cleaning cloth, and an instruction manual for beginners.
With all its specs, the Squier Mini electric guitar is suitable not just for kids but also for adults with slighter builds.
You can get this superior quality in just a low price.
Overall, the Fender Squier Mini Strat is one of the best beginner electric guitars for your kids and an excellent travel electric guitar for adults.
Pros
- Affordable Fender
- Cater to various music styles
- Available in various colors
- Compact fretboard
- Comes with numerous freebies
Cons
- Easy to outgrow
Yamaha CGS102A
Yamaha is a well-known brand in the guitar world due to its high-quality instruments.
For some reason, half-size classical guitars are not that common in the market which makes it difficult to find a high-quality one.
Luckily, Yamaha has provided a remedy to that dilemma with the CGS102A.
This half-sized guitar has a spruce top, meranti back and sides, and a nato neck, making it durable.
The Yamaha CGS102A guitar comes with nylon strings – the first three being made of nylon while the others are reinforced with wire.
Nylon strings are suitable for beginners and kids since they are soft and don’t hurt the fingers.
As for its sound, the CGS102A produces a bright and balanced tone, making it suitable for classical music.
However, its tone is flexible, enabling it to cater to various music styles.
This classical guitar is also easy to tune, which beginners and kids can appreciate.
In view of the foregoing, the Yamaha CGS102A is an excellent 1/2-size guitar for kids with its stable tuning and bright and balanced sound.
Pros
- Solid-body and construction
- Sturdy nylon strings
- Holds tune well
- Low cost
- Compact and easy to play
Cons
- Laminated construction affects sound quality
Cordoba Protege
The Cordoba Protege is a perfect beginner-entry level 1/2 size acoustic guitar, aimed at kids and petite adults.
This acoustic guitar comes with a mahogany back and sides and a spruce top, topped with a matte polyurethane finish to give the Cordoba Protege a sturdy and classical look.
Aside from that, the wood construction enables this 1/2- size acoustic guitar to produce a rich and full sound quality.
Instead of a cutaway design, the Protege features a conventional look, a reduced scale length, and a narrow width for the comfort of younger and petite players.
Like many half-sized guitars, the Cordoba Protege is a nylon string acoustic guitar which are known to be softer on the fingertips compared to steel strings.
The strings are complemented with a fan bracing pattern, enabling the soundboard to respond to the strings’ tension easily.
The affordable Cordoba Protege also comes with an adjustable truss rod, which is commonly found in more expensive acoustic guitars.
If you are looking for a high-quality beginner 1/2-size guitar for your kid, you can never go wrong with the Cordoba Protege.
Pros
- High-quality 1/2-size guitar
- Soft nylon strings
- Comfortable to play with
- Affordable
- Produces great sound
Cons
- Easy to grow out of
Ibanez Mikro GRGM21M
For most kids, the electric guitar seems like a pretty cool instrument to play.
However, many teachers don’t actually recommend electric guitars for beginners, pointing them to safer choices like classical or acoustic guitars.
But if your kid is adamant, then it’s best to find a high-quality electric guitar that suits them.
The Ibanez Mikro is one of the best small-size electric guitars in the market.
It features a solid body made of basswood, a maple neck, and a fingerboard and topped with a gloss polyester finish, giving it a fun and vibrant look.
While not technically a 3/4-size guitar, the Mikro is still a small instrument ideal for kids and petite adults.
The Ibanez Mikro features a short scale paired with the iconic thin neck, making it easy to play in.
As for its sound, the Ibanez Mikro comes with humbucking pick-ups, making it a master at distorted and overdriven tones.
When fitted with a good amp, this electric guitar can play classic rock, the blues, indie, and punk with ease.
Overall, the Ibanez Mikro is a great kids electric guitar as well as for petite adults.
The electric guitar’s high-quality build makes it perfect for traveling players and for those who like to busk.
Pros
- Five-way pickup selector
- Can play classic rock, the blues, indie, punk, metal music
- Excellent playability
- Well-built guitar
- Beautiful design
Cons
- Tuning stability needs work
Journey Instruments PJ410N Puddle Jumper
The Journey Instruments PJ410N guitar is one of the most interesting guitars in the market.
In fact, it’s one of the few collapsible guitars to ever exist.
However, its flexibility does not mean that it’s made with cheaper materials.
The PJ410N is made of solid Sitka Spruce top with African Mahogany sides, back and neck, and topped off with a Satin finish, giving it a sturdy and elegant look.
With this wood construction, Journey Instruments’ PJ410N functions as an acoustic-electric guitar.
Its patented neck system makes it easy to assemble and disassemble in minutes without needing to remove the strings!
Simply detach the wingnut found on the back of the guitar, fold it, and store it in its free gig bag.
If you want to use it again, simply adjust the string retainer to put the neck back in place.
Moreover, the free bag not only stores the guitar comfortably but it also has extra pockets to store guitar accessories and tools.
The Journey Instruments PJ410N comes with steel strings.
However, contrary to belief, these are not hard nor difficult to play in since they are light-gauge strings.
But if these are not your style, you can also easily replace them.
Overall, the PJ410N is an ideal acoustic-electric guitar for travelling players since it is collapsible.
Its small-body and easy playability also make it perfect for kids, beginners, and petite adults.
Pros
- Detachable neck
- Sturdy construction
- Spacious gig bag
- Produces rich and full sound
- Comes with light gauge steel-strings
Cons
- Assembling can be difficult
- Requires tuning every time you disassemble
Hohner HAG250P
The Hohner HAG250P is intentionally designed as a 1/2-size classical guitar for kids aged five to ten years old.
This classical guitar comes with an Agathis top, back and sides, a Mahogany neck, and its bindings and pickguards have black bindings, giving it a classic and simple look.
The HAG250P also features a wide fretboard and soft nylon strings that make it easy for children to play the guitar.
As for its sound, the HAG250P classical guitar produces a clear and basic sound that is good for beginner guitar players.
The guitar’s six open-gear tuners are easy to tune; however, it is not the best for tuning stability.
If you want a simple classical guitar that is ideal for beginners, you might want to check out the Hohner HAG250P guitar.
Pros:
- Simple and practical design
- Produces a clear and basic sound
- Comfortable to play in
- Ideal for beginners
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Agathis wood is soft and prone to dents
- Tuners are not best for tuning stability
Buying Guide
So, your child wants to learn to play guitar and as a parent, you are fully supportive of that choice.
However, finding and selecting a suitable half-size guitar can be a bit challenging.
Contrary to popular belief, there are numerous 1/2-size guitars in the market.
If you do not choose well, you might end up getting a low-quality model.
So, how do you ensure that you get the best 1/2 size guitar for your child?
Here are some of the factors you need to consider:
Guitar Type
A half-size guitar can either be an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar.
It is essential that you first ask your child what type of guitar they prefer playing.
However, many teachers recommend starting out with an acoustic guitar since they are easier to play and learn the basics on, especially for younger players.
Once they can master the notes and chords a bit, they can then transition to a 1/2-size electric guitar.
Sound
The guitar’s sound is influenced by its tonewood.
For beginner kid guitarists, a high-quality tonewood might not be necessary since they are still learning the basics.
Moreover, you might not even be sure if your child will maintain their interest and enthusiasm in playing the instrument.
Nonetheless, a guitar with a solid top produces fuller and richer sounds compared to one made with laminated wood.
However, if you have a low-budget, using the latter is completely fine.
You can always upgrade to a nicer model once your child truly shows that they want to keep on playing.
Playability
Of course, the guitar’s playability is one of the most important factors you need to consider.
Children can easily get discouraged and might even stop playing if the instrument is too uncomfortable or it is too difficult for them.
A guitar’s playability is affected by the following components:
Guitar Strings
Like a full-sized guitar, the 1/2-sized ones comes with steel strings or nylon strings.
Teachers recommend purchasing a nylon-string acoustic guitar for beginners and kid players since they are softer compared to a steel-string acoustic model.
As such, they are more comfortable and easier to play on.
However, nylon strings have less tension than steel strings, but you can always make the transition if your child becomes a better player.
Fretboard and neck
The guitar’s fretboard and neck can also affect playability.
Generally, a half-sized guitar is already smaller and thus, easier to play on compared to a full-sized guitar.
Still, it is best to constantly communicate with your child and check if they find it easy to play on the instrument.
Guitars with wider fretboards and thinner necks are usually more comfortable since one can easily reach and press on the strings.
This also makes it easier and faster for your child to master the chords and notes.
Appearance and Design
How the guitar looks like would surely be the first thing your child will notice when you are in the market.
For children, the flashier the guitar looks, the more chances that they will become interested and continue to play the guitar.
Hence, it is essential that you consider your child’s tastes when looking at the instrument.
Bonus Accessories
Most 1/2-size guitars come with a guitar kit which typically includes extra strings, guitar picks and strap, instruction manuals and DVDs for beginners.
Some electric guitars may also give out free amplifiers in the package.
These extra accessories help save on the cost as well as the time and effort to buy these accessories.
You might want to consider these kits when looking for the best 1/2-size guitar in the market.
Why Consider a ½ Size Guitar for Your Child?
As in their name, 1/2-sized guitars are smaller than the full-size ones.
They are especially made for younger players like children and tweens.
Due to their small hands or short arm lengths, these players might have difficulties reaching the strings or might feel uncomfortable playing.
Instead of enthusiastically playing, kid guitarists might even quit playing the instrument.
Hence, a smaller guitar is ideal since it is more suited to their size which makes it easier to play.
Half size guitars are also ideal for adults with smaller hands for the same reason.
Backpackers and other travelers also prefer smaller guitars since they compact and lighter and thus, easier to carry around.
½ or ¾ Size Guitar for a Child – Which is Better?
It depends on the age and comfortability of the guitar player.
Full-size guitars are not ideal for kids since they are big and bulky, resulting in difficulties when playing.
However, both the half-size and 3/4-size guitars are smaller and the strings are easier for them to reach.
1/2 guitars
Half-size guitars are for kids aged 5-8 years old, making them popular since many kids start playing the instrument at this age.
You can choose from a nylon string guitar, a steel-string or one from this best acoustic guitars list.
However, the nylon strings versions are recommended since they are easier to play in and are built for learning.
There are even half-size electric guitars in the market, but they are not recommended in the early learning stages.
3/4 guitars
These guitars are best for kids aged 8-12 years old.
Like the half-sized guitars, these ones also come in nylon string, steel-string or acoustic, and electric guitar versions.
While a guitar with nylon strings is still preferred, many children often start playing the acoustic guitar at this stage to prepare them for the full-size instrument.
Aside from children, some adults also prefer using the 3/4 guitar since they are easy to play.
FAQs
Are half-size guitars more comfortable for a child to play with?
Yes, half-sized guitars are more comfortable for a child to play with.
A half-size guitar has a lesser inch-scale and a smaller neck, unlike a full-size guitar.
Moreover, the guitar’s strings are easier to reach and press on which makes them comfortable and easy to play in.
Can adults play a 1/2 size guitar?
Yes, a half-size guitar is not exclusive for kids.
Adults with smaller hands might have difficulties playing
Half-sized guitars are ideal for adults with smaller hands since the full-size guitar they cannot comfortably grasp the neck and body.
Hence, they might it more comfortable to play in a smaller guitar.
Can a guitar be too small?
Yes, a guitar may be too small depending on your body type.
Half-size guitars are ideal for younger players or adults with slighter builds since they are more comfortable to play in.
However, it is a different story if you have large hands.
Playing the half-size guitar might be challenging for players with larger hands and builds.
What is a mini guitar?
Though it is technically not a guitar, the ukulele is considered a mini guitar.
Ukuleles usually come with nylon strings and are a great starter for kids to play with and familiarize themselves.
However, the ukulele only has 4 strings compared to the 6 strings is found in a guitar.
Conclusion
There are numerous half-sized guitars for kids in the market.
However, if you want to encourage them to play, we recommend buying a high-quality guitar.
Not only are these guitars sturdy, but they also have better sound quality and tone.
Hopefully, this article was able to help you pick the best half-size guitar for your child.
Happy playing!