Acoustic electric for 12yr old

berettafan · 12-09-2016, 05:46 PM

The boy has been playing guitar now for a couple years and seems to like it. His small scale Yamaha that I think was about $150 with case has become too small, he wants a full size now.

So we hit the music shop and he likes the fender cd140sce which is a mahogany model. I think it's as much looks as playability as he's still learning.

My plan is to get him this guitar ($350) and a fender acoustasonic 15 amp for Christmas. Also thinking of one of those irig things a buddy told me about that lets him play with apps on the iPad.

He's 12 and certainly big enough (5'2" and rapidly growing). My question for the experts is there another mahogany electric say Martin or Taylor (both suggested by musician friends) that plays significantly easier/better for reasonable money or is this a good price point for now?

He likes the guitar and we encourage it but who knows what the future holds.

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LEAKYSEALS951 · 06:33 PM

I don't think you can go wrong as long as you are at least buying a solid spruce top.

If he grows out of it- you can always sell a solid top on craigslist and recoup at least something.

For that matter- if you can find a taylor or something, it might hold resale value better.
In that price range, I was always taught to buy as much guitar as you can for the price, and add pickups later.

The guitar he chose has a solid spruce top, and plywood sides with a mahogany veneer. If you can find solid back on a used guitar- all the better tonewise and resell wise.

Also- in this price range, I always like to say, guitars are not like cars, where you buy a volvo and it drives like a volvo. One guitar might play really well, and the next one off the line might be a hit or miss- so playing the exact guitar you will be buying is key.

I have played some fenders and yamaha's that play better than supposedly much nicer martins, and vice versa, so playing a lot is key.

If he is loving the fender, great, but have him play some others for comparison. In my experience, a lot of these guitars in this range will seem awesome in the store and then over time, lose their luster after playing them. Have him try some different tonewoods (maple perhaps) and different size guitars (grand auditorium, cutaway, non cutaway, etc..) just for the experience of trying different things. He might not like them, but that's okay. If he comes back to the fender- great.

What I like about the fender type acoustic electric- is that it is done. Just plug it in and play, and the laminate sides/back will be more durable to teenage abuse than some fine tonewoods. Playability is key with these things, not some bindings/ exotic species of some extinct tonewood.

I wish I had some specific models or price points to suggest. My suggestions are just generalities, but it as much the father/son time as anything else.

If you haven't installed pickups, don't be intimidated. Under saddle pickups, and such are pretty easy to put in, and again- a good father/son project.

You may already know all of this

stomachmonkey · 12-09-2016, 09:27 PM

Guitars are a lot like shoes.

You wear what fits.

Meaning, try them on.

Buy what feels right.

berettafan · 12-10-2016, 12:22 PM

Went in shop today and played with everything on the wall. He still likes the fender, no love for the martins but did like a Taylor 714ce at about $3k. Told him you get good enough to show me the difference and I'll do whatever it takes to get it. For now though he is very excited at getting the fender in mahogany. It is a nice looking guitar. A buddy offered an old case of his for free which is great. Looking forward to Christmas!

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berettafan · 12-10-2016, 12:24 PM

Incidentally I didn't let him look at any tags so no mental games of high or low price impacting what he likes.

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scottmandue · 12-10-2016, 12:34 PM

I was about to say Taylor and Martin's are great guitars but I don't see them in the $350 price range.

Did you get a chance to pull the salesman aside and ask him to hold that specific guitar for you?

As was said all guitars are not equal, even if they are the same make and model.

Guitar center had a huge Fender Strat sale (made in Mexico model) and my freind wanted one.

We walked in and there were rows of them... his wife started looking for a color she liked... I started at one end and went down the line playing each one.

I found a nice one and yelled down to him, "hey... try this one!"

he bought that guitar.