Let’s talk about Beginner Guitars…
I totally understand, you might have once had a guitar and signed up for lessons but as time passed and you got busier focusing on work and taking care of the kids, you were not able to practice it anymore. One of your kids is now interested in learning the guitar and need a Beginner Guitar and you want to give them yours.
This might be a good idea in most parents eyes but it doesn’t ease the child towards learning the instrument, especially if you’re a 6ft 3 buff dad with a full-size dreadnaught guitar and your child is a 5’0 10 year old boy…
Let’s run through a couple of the best acoustic guitars for beginners in Kenya, where you can get them and their price. I have played each of the guitars in this list, and I’ve seen people of different ages and sizes hold guitars that are either too big, too hard or too small for them and I don’t want that to be the case for either you or your child, so let’s begin 😁
Beginner Guitars for
7-10 Year Olds
Ukulele (Concert Size / 23 Inches)
~14,000/=
The ukulele is a variation to the guitar:
Learning how to play the guitar at this age is often a very demanding task and in order to make things more productive with younger students, I often recommend that they DON’T go straight to the guitar, but instead begin with the Ukulele.
- It is Significantly smaller than guitar
- It has 4 strings instead of 6
- Strings are much easier to press on
Ukulele is the perfect gateway to the guitar! Students of all ages and sizes can fit through this broad gate and start developing the skills needed to play their first few songs and eventually transfer those skills onto the guitar. Although easier, students will still feel a bit of pain on their fingertips – as that is simply the ‘Nature of the Beast’ (Stringed Instruments). Within 2 weeks of regular practice and a positive attitude, finger pain will cease to be a topic.
Beginner Guitars for
10-13 Year Olds
Yamaha CS40 | Classical Guitar – 3/4 Size
18,000 – 20,000/=
- Nylon Strings – Much softer on the Fingers
- Perfect for Beginner Guitarists
- Perfect transition from the ukulele as the string material is mostly the same
- Not too big, perfect for smaller boys and girls.
- Durable – Can take a beating, and will remain intact if thrown at you by your cousin.
When I decided to take guitar seriously, this was the guitar that took me through the fundamendoz. I was 13 years old with a 3/4 size classical guitar that had worn out strings. It was the beginning of where I am today.
Yamaha JR1 or JR2 | Acoustic Guitar – 3/4 Size
JR1= 25,000/=
JR2= 30,000/=
- Steel Strings- More Modern Sound
- Will toughen fingers and make every other guitar easier to play
- Narrow Fretboard (Easier for fingers to reach strings)
- Super Portable
- More painful to hold than nylon strings
- Ukulele players will feel a little more pain but will quickly get used to it
- Would not recommend for absolute beginners
This guitar sounds great but needs a higher level of finger strength to create a clear sound. If your child has been raised on a farm and has a higher level of finger strength than the average video game playing child, then this is the guitar you’ve been looking for!
Beginner Guitars for
14 + (The Plus means up to 60 Year Olds)
14,000/=
Yamaha C40 | Classical Guitar – Full Size
- Nylon Strings, Easy on the Fingers
- Very Durable
- Wide Fretboard, Fingers need to stretch a little bit more
Yamaha F310 | Acoustic Guitar – Full Size
20,000/=
- Most Popular Guitar, Modern Sound
- Narrow Fretboard
- Very Durable
- Very Large Body (I don’t recommend it for students below a height of 5’5 /167cm)
- Very Painful on the Fingers (Needs a good attitude to get over this hurdle in the beginning)
Yamaha F370 | Acoustic Guitar – Full-Size
33,000/=
- Very Large Body (I don’t recommend it for students below a height of 5’5 /167cm)
- Very Painful on the Fingers (Needs a good attitude to get over this hurdle in the beginning)
- Modern Sound
- Full Sound due to different wood
- Narrow Fretboard
- Very Durable
Yamaha Apx600 | Semi-Acoustic Guitar – Full Size, Thin Body Guitar
58,000/=
- Acoustic-Electric – Can be plugged into a P.A. and used to play in front of large audiences
- Great for students who intend to play in front of audiences in the future
- Thin, Full Size body – Easier to hold even for smaller students
- Very Painful on the Fingers (Needs a good attitude to get over this hurdle in the beginning)
Accessories
Common Accessories that are often recommended with each guitar are:
Guitar Bag | 3,000 – 5,000/=
Guitar Strap | 500 – 1,000/=
Capo | 2,000 – 2,500/=
Guitar Picks | 200/= per pick
Locations
Each of these Beginner Guitars and Ukuleles are available in the following stores:
Credible Sounds along Moi Avenue | Great for Yamaha Products
Yamaha Store in Village Market | Great for Yamaha Products
Creative Hedgehog in Sarit Centre | Great for unique guitars
Note:
If you are travelling or have a relative in either the U.S. or in Europe, I highly recommend selecting a guitar from this list and purchasing it from abroad as it is often significantly cheaper. Don’t worry about travelling with it in the plane, it’s as simple as having it as hand luggage. Yes, it’s that simple, and No, you won’t have to worry about border control giving you issues.
If you would prefer to purchase an electric guitar and amplifier, head over to my article Best Beginner Electric Guitar Kenya and Best Beginner Amplifier Kenya.
Once you have decided on which beginner guitar you wish to purchase for yourself or child, please feel free to get in touch with me to schedule your First Guitar lesson! I am a Guitar Teacher based in Nairobi, Kenya, and I teach both beginner guitar lessons, and intermediate guitar lessons for Children, Teenagers, and Adults.
Let’s get Rockin!
Magnus (0721-129-919)