What is the best Guitar for Kids or Beginners in Australia?

What are the best beginner guitars?

For early beginners (5-8 years) old. These are my two favourite options. I would always start on acoustic and please avoid the toy guitars out there. If it's under $75 AUD new, it's probably not good. I personally think that the C40II is the better option since kids' hands are usually too small regardless of the guitar, it's the better option for their little fingers due to the nylon strings. The Mini is a steel string, which is okay if your kid is consistent with practice (lol). It's still a nice guitar to play and because it is a 3/4 size, the string tension is a little bit lower than a full-size steel string. Yamaha makes great intro guitars, so I would be pretty confident in buying most of their range (they fall off in the upper market guitars).

Yamaha C40II Classical Guitar https://amzn.to/3KE5wpW

Yamaha Mini Guitar JR2 https://amzn.to/3y0m0RD

If your kids are slightly older, perhaps moving into high school. I would start with the fender Squier series. The classic Telecaster and Stratocaster shapes are tried and true for comfort and playability. They also have great resale value down the road if you look to upgrade.

Squier by Fender Classic Vibe https://amzn.to/3ZljjFZ

Squier by Fender Bullet Stratocaster https://amzn.to/3ED9z25

In terms of acoustics for older kids. We will be looking mostly at full-size guitars. In terms of a cheap beginner starter, this is something that will definitely need to be upgraded within a couple of years but will get you by. This Monterey Folksize is an okay guitar and comes with a tuner built in for ease. With a little tweak from your local guitar shop, this will actually feel nice enough to play. Im going to put the Yamaha in here again, just a great beginner guitar for all ages. You can look at a much larger range of brands once the size of the guitar no longer matters.

Monterey Folksize Acoustic Guitar https://amzn.to/3xTFac1

Yamaha C40II Classical Guitar https://amzn.to/3KE5wpW

I have however saved the best for last. It's definitely not the cheapest option but it is a guitar that will last a lifetime. Small enough to lean on when you're younger, sounds great, plays well and you can even get a well-padded case that fits into the overhead lockers in planes. It's a delight to play and this is the guitar I use as my daily acoustic when teaching. If you have the money. This is the guitar. Or maybe it's the perfect second guitar since it is a steel string after all.

Taylor GS Mini Mahogany GS Mini https://amzn.to/3SuCBqi

When it comes down to it. It's got a lot to do with size. If your kid hasn't hit their grown spurt yet or is unlikely to soon. It could be a good idea to start on Ukulele!

Please check back later for a more in-depth look at some great starter options!