Please recommend an acoustic for a 14 year old

fretmeister · December 2020

As it says. Cheap is good.
She wants to have a go and I don’t have an acoustic at all.

Not crap though, don’t want to put her off.

I know nothing about acoustic guitars at any price point.

Andy79 · December 2020

Full size or 3/4?

I would go for a used Yamaha F310. Loads around, cheap and Yamaha are the kings of entry level stuff

Worry about funding a J45 later

Shrews · December 2020

I have two acoustics and an electro-acoustic. My 'go to' is my 3/4 size 'baby Taylor'. Easy to pick up, weighs next to nothing, sounds good, looks good and would definitely go down the 3/4 route if I was buying a first acoustic for a 14yo

Cranky · December 2020

Aim for a solid wood top, solid back/sides is ideal but I wouldn't call that a must-have especially for a beginner. Unless the kid has unusually big hands/fingers, seriously consider a Gibson/Epiphone type 24.75" short scale.

A good solid top, laminated back/sides acoustic new could cost anywhere from $350-$600 in the US (whatever that is in £). If I were to buy one right now, the Epiphone EJ-160e is currently listed at 15% off $499 (i.e. about $400) and, if I really felt that I needed an acoustic I would buy it without hesitation and it would be a really good, fair price for that guitar.

If I strayed into the >$600 range, I would start to be more selective about getting an all-solid body unless the tone and feel of the guitar was just that good otherwise.

ICBM · December 2020

Vintage V300, either spruce top or mahogany. It has a small body, midway between a parlour and a OM, but full scale length, and the neck isn't huge. The spruce one is probably a more conventional fingerpicker's guitar, the mahogany one (which I've got) is a good bluesy flatpicker or strummer. Under £200 new, and not just good for that price, just good.

I've fitted mine with a soundhole pickup and it actually sounds very good for retro slightly-overdriven bluesy electric guitar too. I should probably put some Monel strings on it which would make it even better...

I also have a Little Martin which my 14-year-old daughter seems to have adopted, but it's really quite small - travel-size body, 23" scale - she does have small hands though. Probably less ideal if you want something you can 'borrow' as well

.

Cranky · December 2020

Good call by ICBM and Shrews on the smaller bodied options. I'm all about the full size dreadnoughts so I didn't even think about that.

I hear nothing but good things about the Big Baby Taylors, which seem to pop up used at good prices around me somewhat regularly. Vintage also, although that's an almost unheard of brand in the US.

Shrews · December 2020

This is the very lightweight 3/4 Baby Taylor next to the much heavier Fender Hellcat Electro. I think a 14yo is much more likely to pick up and play a 3/4, and this does have a nice sound to it (well, until I get hold of it!).

They look happy together don't they?

idiotwindow · December 2020

I bought my then 10 year old daughter a Baby Taylor and it looked too small for her even then. I would suggest it is too small as a serious guitar for a 14 year old, unless she is fairly small for her age. Something roughly equivalent in size to a Martin 00 would probably do the trick. Either way, I'd recommend something that has a scale in the normal range.

Incidentally, does it have to be an acoustic? I ended up buying my daughter an Affinity Strat when she was 11 and I think it suited her well. Much lighter strings (9-42) than on an acoustic, thinner (albeit heavier) body and no compromise on scale length.

richman6100 · December 2020

Some really valid comments here. I bought my son a Baby Taylor when he was 10, but it's pretty small on him now (he's 13). I gave him my Faith Venus (OM size, I think) a while back and he plays it without issue. I did get him a 3/4 size electric (and a cheap Blackstar amp) soon after the Baby Taylor and he played that more. He now has a full size Strat and Tele, both of which he plays more than his acoustic because he says they're 'easier'. I personally don't subscribe to the school of thought that kids should initially learn on an acoustic. A cheap Strat style guitar with a basic amp might be worth considering. If you do go for an acoustic, I reckon a full size, smaller bodied model, would suit a kid of your daughter's age.

munckee · December 2020

I got my then 14 year old daughter a Washburn harvester acoustic full size dreadnought after we tried all the acoustics in pmt for under £300 and it sounded the best. The size is no problem for her.

She also has a tele which she had no size issues with. I would look at how it sounds and not worry so much about size.

ICBM · December 2020

My 14-year-old daughter is taller than me, by the way!

OK, I am a ridiculously small bloke...

(And her hands are still smaller than mine.)

WindmillGuitars · December 2020

+1 for a Vintage V300. The "Starter Kit" package is available for under £200 right now and includes a gig bag, tuner etc ..

Shameless Plug >> HERE

Andy79 · December 2020

@ICBM recommended an amp for metal over on another thread. Turns out it was a Vintage V300

(Joke)

fretmeister · December 2020

idiotwindow said:

I bought my then 10 year old daughter a Baby Taylor and it looked too small for her even then. I would suggest it is too small as a serious guitar for a 14 year old, unless she is fairly small for her age. Something roughly equivalent in size to a Martin 00 would probably do the trick. Either way, I'd recommend something that has a scale in the normal range.

Incidentally, does it have to be an acoustic? I ended up buying my daughter an Affinity Strat when she was 11 and I think it suited her well. Much lighter strings (9-42) than on an acoustic, thinner (albeit heavier) body and no compromise on scale length.

Definitely has to be acoustic.
I have plenty of electrics lying about the house and she's not interested.

She's a great singer and she wants something to accompany the vocal and to start writing songs.

thermionic · December 2020

Nobody recommended a GS Mini yet? Extremely playable for the small of hands/body and a sound you won’t grow out of. Much better sound and a more normal size than the Baby Taylor. There’s also the Taylor Big Baby which is a full-scale guitar with a 15/16 dreadnought body.

Andy79 · December 2020

Cheap is a relative term but if she shows zero interest in electrics I’d be nervous to spend more than £100 on the experiment. Surely you don’t want to be lumbered with a £500 guitar to have to get rid of

fretmeister · December 2020

Ideally I don't want to go over £150. Maybe a smidge more if the quality step up is worth it.

I'm shuddering at the thought of the school nylon strings from my youth!

ICBM · December 2020

Andy79 said:

@ICBM recommended an amp for metal over on another thread. Turns out it was a Vintage V300

(Joke)

lol

Only because I was really impressed by the quality of mine - but a lot of people have never heard of them or associate them with cheap electric guitars.

It wouldn’t be a bad guitar for £300-£400, but for under £200 new it’s amazing.

fretmeister said:

Ideally I don't want to go over £150. Maybe a smidge more if the quality step up is worth it.

It is

. Or look for a second hand one, which should be in the £100-£125 range roughly.

malcolmkindness · December 2020

fretmeister said:

Ideally I don't want to go over £150. Maybe a smidge more if the quality step up is worth it.

I'm shuddering at the thought of the school nylon strings from my youth!

Vintage is quite a good brand in that price bracket, or maybe you could look for a Recording King 000 second hand.
I would definitely avoid the Baby Taylor!

Stratavarious · December 2020

Hard to go wrong with a Yamaha FG.

An FG800 might be at top of your price range but would be a lifetime player. Solid spruce top.

Best thing at that age, is go on a hunt and try a few together until she finds the one. That will be important memory of you and her.

fretmeister · December 2020

I would love to do that but Covid does not make that easy!

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Please recommend an acoustic for a 14 year old

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