How to choose the right guitar size for kids
Choosing the right guitar for a child is the difference between a lifelong hobby and a dusty piece of furniture. A guitar that’s too big is physically painful to play, while one that’s too small will feel like a toy.
Before you run to the music store, you need to know that fit is everything. Unlike shoes, kids don’t “grow into” a guitar – they need one that fits their current wingspan and finger strength to avoid frustration.
In this post, I’ll break down exactly how to find the perfect match based on age, height, and guitar type.
Why Guitar Size Matters
If a guitar is too large, your child will struggle to wrap their arm around the body or reach the first fret. This leads to:
Poor Posture: Slouching to see the fretboard.
Physical Strain: Sore wrists and fingers.
Discouragement: Most kids quit because the instrument feels “too hard,” when really, it’s just too big.
Guitar Size Chart by Age and Height
While every child grows differently, these industry standards are a great starting point.
| Guitar Size | Approx. Age | Child's Height |
|---|---|---|
|
1/4 |
4 – 6 years |
90 – 120 cm |
|
1/2 |
6 – 8 years |
120 – 140 cm |
|
3/4 |
8 – 12 years |
140 – 155 cm |
|
Full size |
13+ years |
160 cm and up |
3 Steps to Check the Fit
If you are buying in person, use these three tests to ensure the guitar is a winner:
1. The First Fret” Reach: Have your child sit with the guitar. Can they comfortably reach the tuning pegs and the first fret without fully locking their elbow?
2. The Waist Test: When sitting, the “waist” (the narrow part) of the guitar should rest on their leg. Their plucking arm should be able to drape over the top without their shoulder being pushed up toward their ear.
3. The Finger Wrap: Can their left hand (or right, if lefty) wrap around the neck so their thumb rests on the back and fingers reach the strings easily?
Acoustic vs. Electric vs Classical: Does it Change the Size?
Generally, the sizing remains the same, but the body depth changes.
Acoustic Guitars: Have hollow bodies that are much thicker. A 3/4 acoustic might feel “bigger” than a 3/4 electric because of the bulk.
Electric Guitars: Are thinner and easier to hold, but they are heavier. Make sure your child can handle the weight if they’re standing up.
Classical Guitars: Have “shorter” fingerboard length because they tend to have lesser frets than Acoustic guitars. This will make a difference particular for younger kids.
Final Checklist for Parents
Strings: For very young kids (4-8), consider a Classical Guitar with nylon strings. They are way more gentle on small fingers than Acoustic steel strings.
Strings action: Sometimes a “cheap” guitar has strings that are too high off the neck. A quick “setup” by a professional can make any size guitar easier to play.
Style: If they love the way it looks, they’re 10x more likely to pick it up and practice.
Here’s one final note on buying “cheap” guitars. They often suffer from intonation defect (you can’t tune it right no matter) and/or come with high strings actions (which makes it hard to play), and these problems either can’t be rectified or not worth the money to do so. While I understand that parents may not want to spend too much on the child’s first guitar (mostly because they don’t know if the child will persevere), handing them a poorly made guitar is actually counter-productive.
Hope these help!