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Instrument Notes
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Buying Your Child’s First Guitar or
First Mandolin
I recently
sold a guitar that I had repaired to a woman buying her
daughter’s first guitar. It was pretty exciting for the
young girl, new and strange for the mom, and brought back
memories of my efforts with my youngest son. So, these
thoughts will hopefully make the experience a bit easier for
the next parent trying to help their child find the first
mandolin or guitar. If you are buying for an older person,
a parent or friend who has decided they want to play guitar,
these same ideas apply. If you’re in a hurry, go straight
to the checklist at the end of this article. (This is
written more for the non player who does not bring
experience, and several extra instruments, into the
picture.)
A builder is
likely to consider four issues as they build: structure (the
engineering of the instrument), the acoustics (the sound
they are producing), the aesthetics (how it looks), and the
playability (how comfortable it is to play). While all are
important to the builder, or repair person, that’s probably
not true for the parent or child.
So, what would
you guess is most important to the child? You’re probably
right if you said “looks”. “Looks rule”, until they start
to play, then the issue is going to be more similar to the
parents concern – how comfortable is it to play.
Playability
Comfort
- Size and weight, and how the instrument fits the player’s
body is a first consideration. In an effort to find a
smaller guitar for my son we ended up with an electric
guitar – but it turned out to be too heavy, and we had to
get an amp. There are smaller bodied acoustic guitars
available, old and new. Have the player hold it (but be
careful not to scratch the back with a belt buckle or
zipper). Does it fit? How does the arm feel over the body?
Neck width
– Too wide a neck is not a problem with the mandolin.
Mandolin necks are narrow and reach is generally not a
concern. If you are buying for someone with large hands and
fingers there may be an issue, but with some practice it’s
overcome. There are slight variations in neck width, but
the real deciding factor is the feel of comfort for the
player.
In the guitar
world, the width of the neck is fairly standard – two
choices: classical or steel. Classical, or nylon stringed
guitars usually have wider necks than steel strings, but I
have seen some with necks not much wider than a steel string
guitar neck. Have the player move their fingers around the
neck and press down on the strings. How does it sit in the
palm of the hand? Do the arm and wrist appear relaxed?
Ideally they can reach all the strings comfortably.
String type
– In Oklahoma it seems as though most people love bluegrass
music and steel string guitars are a part of that. However,
with kids or older fingers (especially arthritic fingers)
nylon string guitars may be the way to go. The strings are
easier on the fingers and easier to press down to the fret
board. There is nothing comparable on the mandolin side
that I’m aware of, but you can use the lightest strings you
can find for greater comfort (or just four strings like on
some electric mandolins).
It is worth pointing out,
that nylon strings and classical guitars are versatile and
acceptable. One of Oklahoma City’s most popular guitarists,
Edgar Cruz, plays with nylon strings on a classical guitar.
Nylon strings are also used on “folk” guitars and Mariachi
and Spanish – so keep an open mind and open up options for
the person you’re buying for.
Action
– “Action” is the term used to describe the height of the
string above the 12th fret from the nut or
headstock. It used to be that with low cost instruments you
were likely to have high actions and thus they were harder
to play. That’s not necessarily always the case any more.
But whether or not you are looking for a new or used
instrument, beware that the ability to press the string to
the fret board is critical in terms of sound and hand
comfort. I have adjusted the action on brand new and medium
costs instruments that changed them from painful to
playful. The good news is, if you end up with an instrument
with bad action, you can usually have it adjusted at a
reasonable price. If you are buying new, make sure they
adjust if for you or find a repair technician on the web.
Action is
adjusted at the saddle and the nut – so know that just
looking at the height at the 12th fret isn’t all
you need to do. In fact, a new player may never get past
playing on the lower frets on their first instrument. What
you will see at the nut end is that the first fret is either
easy (that’s OK) or hard (not OK) to press the strings to
the fret board.
Frets –
Frets are the metal pieces that mark the space along the
neck for making different notes. Frets can be a source of
buzz. If you are buying a used instrument and the frets are
worn or uneven, but if there is no buzz I wouldn’t worry
about the fret condition except for one other thing – run
your hand along the side of the neck. If the frets are
sticking out and scratch your hand they will do so the same
to the player. If the seller can fix it fine, otherwise you
probably will want this corrected by a repair person. Fret
cuts can be nasty.
Looks
Let’s face it,
looks may be the most important thing to your child, or your
older friend. What looks good to me may not appeal to
another. I like the look and feel of wood grain, but most
builders will look for smooth finishes. I’m biased towards
older instruments that show some wear – gives them character
like the wrinkles on a face. But you’re buying for someone
else, so do what you can to please them when it comes to
looks – I built a pink electric guitar for a friend’s
daughter once! She liked it.
Don’t worry
about pick guards unless you’re buying used and it’s all
curled up. This could mean that it’s shrinking and could
crack the top of an acoustic guitar. That may not be
devastating on an inexpensive instrument, but the purpose of
a pick guard is to protect the top.
From the
financial perspective, if you are purchasing a new
instrument and there are some finish problems, sometimes
even a simple scratch, you should ask for a discount.
Unless the appearance is really bad and will negatively
impact the value from the receivers end, save yourself some
money. I bought a very nice mandolin once at a significant
discount due to a crack in the finish – it has no effect on
the sound or playability.
Structure
With a
beginner instrument there probably are not too many worries
in terms of structure. You are not buying something that
will be an heirloom. If the guitar or mandolin is new there
should be no worries. If you see something that looks like
a crack or a ding, ask the seller – you may be able to get a
price reduction.
If you are
looking at an old instrument and it has a crack ask the
seller about it and use your logic. If it’s real nasty,
leave it alone. Most cracks can be repaired without a great
deal of expense, but that depends on where it is on the
instrument.
Straight
neck – Almost any article on buying a guitar or mandolin
will tell you to sight the neck to see that it’s straight.
While this is generally true with used or new instruments, I
still think the biggest concern (if it’s an inexpensive
beginner instrument) is that it is playable on the first
five frets. When a player progress past that point, and
many never do, then the straight neck is essential
Buzzing
– As mentioned before, buzzing can be an issue. If the
action is too low you may have a fret buzz, where the
strings are hitting against the frets as they vibrate.
There are many other causes to buzzing, so unless you can
have this fixed by the seller, just stay away from it. Fret
work, on both new and used instruments, can get expensive.
It can drive you crazy and makes learning to get a clean
sound almost impossible.
If there is
some damage that might injure the player then leave it
alone. I sometimes do what I call “structural cosmetics”
where I will insure that a finish crack won’t jab into the
player. It’s not a true refinish, which can be very time
consuming and expensive, but it gets the job done and
protects the owner.
Acoustics
The sounds
of a guitar or mandolin are very subjective – you either
like it or you don’t. In a beginning instrument you want it
to sound good to you, and beyond that - who cares.
If you
purchase an electric or an acoustic/electric (can be played
either with or without an amp), make sure you check the
electronics. Here again, it is pretty subjective. Have the
seller play it for a bit with the electronics on – if it
hums, crackles, or does nothing, then you may want to move
on to another or have it fixed before you buy it. Make sure
you understand what it will take for it to work – an
acoustic with a pre-amp will require a battery for
instance. Don’t forget to get an amp if you want to hear
the instrument electronically.
Used or new
Should you
buy new or used? The advantages of new are the
possibility of a warranty on the instrument, a place to go
with questions (unless you buy on line), and perhaps a place
to resell or trade up later on depending upon the continued
interest of the player. With an older or used instrument,
you generally get what you get, especially with an
individual seller. If you buy from a shop you may get the
chance for a longer relationship to resell, trade, etc., but
not always. The biggest advantage of buying used from an
independent seller is you should expect to pay less than you
would for a comparable instrument from a shop or online.
You should understand the
word “vintage” before you start buying as well. The term is
frequently used in instruments these days to describe not
just the age, but the possibility of a financial
investment. In other words, you could be looking at
something that’s high priced. It’s similar to what happened
to the word “antique” – that used to mean something 100
years old and perhaps of value. “Vintage” may get you into
a category of instrument that is considered valuable because
of either its age or the era in which it was built.
Regardless of
where you do your shopping, be a smart consumer
Case and gig bag
I’m big on
taking care of things to the best of my ability. That means
that any instrument I care about is in a gig bag or a case.
Unfortunately, if you are trying to stay on the low end of
the price range, a case could cost as much as the instrument
and even some gig bags are pricey.
Consider gig
bags and cases on a continuum in terms of price and
protection offered. Some gig bags are so thin that you
might as well wrap the instrument in a paper bag. The
danger with the really thin gig bags is that you think you
have protection when you don’t. This can lead to careless
behavior and serious damage to the instrument. Padded gig
bags are better, but have another problem as with the thin
bags – the instrument is not held solidly but tends to float
in the bag, and this can lead to damage.
In the middle
you have cardboard cases, and watch out as some people call
these hard shells – they are not. The biggest problems I’ve
seen with cardboard cases are that the instruments do not
fit well. Slipping and sliding is not good for the
instrument. This can be remedied here, but not in gig bags,
by inserting some rags or towels to fill up the empty space
enough to keep the instrument from bouncing around. You do
not want the head of the instrument bouncing around.
Hard shell
cases come in a variety of types and materials. Even on
small bodied mandolins these will cost a minimum of $40 and
can go as high as several hundred dollars. The main issue on
these is the fit of the instrument. It is more common to
come across the loose fit which is easily remedied, but you
can also get too tight a fit. This usually occurs in terms
of the depth. If, as you close the case, it needs pushing
to close this could mean that you are squeezing down on the
bridge and the top of the instrument – not a good thing.
You can test this at a store. If you buy online try to get
measurements first – you may have to contact the seller
directly as many online stores do not provide measurements
as a general rule.
You don’t have
to have a case. Arguably, if you are dealing with a child,
it’s a good opportunity to teach them how to care for
something. A much safer learning situation than a little
puppy!
Price Range
This is for mom and dad.
As a builder I hate to admit it, but you can find good
beginning guitars for under $150 and learning mandolins for
about the same. These are usually built in China and they
are not a bad way to start. In the USA a builder probably
can’t get raw materials for less. Spending more doesn’t
guarantee a better instrument. Consider the items discussed
above, and your own budget.
Once you get past the
beginner stage, there are a lot of luthiers in the US making
custom instruments at affordable prices – and at very high
prices. Support your local luthier!
Final Thoughts
My dad loaned
me money to buy my first guitar. He then made the mistake
of offering to pay for lessons as long as I wanted – being a
slow learner that went on for about three years! It could
have lasted only one week. Whether you are buying for an
adult or a child, enjoy the process even if it doesn’t
produce a great musician. You are offering an opportunity
for great joy and creativity – while you’re at it, how about
picking up a bass for yourself!
First Guitar or First Mandolin
Checklist
Comfort
Fits the body
Fits the hands
Frets don’t scratch along
the side of the neck
Playable
Comfortable pressing
strings down
Strings feel OK to press
Structure
Neck looks straight
No buzzing on any fret when
you press the strings
Looks
Love it or Like
New or used it still looks
good
Acoustics
Sounds good to me
Price
Comfortable on the wallet
or purse
Ed Cunliff,
MandoAiki
You are welcome to use this
article on your website, blog, or in your newsletter as long
as you include this complete credit line: Copyright
2008 Ed Cunliff.
Stringing Your Guitar >>
Keeping Your Guitar or Mandolin in
Playing Condition >>
Oklahoma, Humidity, and Guitars >>
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