Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm building a guitar for my daughters and I'm curious what gauge strings you think are easier on a beginners hands? The girls are 9 and 13 if that makes a difference.

Thin strings have less tension but, since they are thinner, may not produce less pressure. I can't tell much difference anymore so I'm curious what others think.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

my experience tells me that the lighter the gauge the lighter the pressure required to fret them....

tonally, and for the way I aggressively play, I prefer mediums, though I do use a medium-light hybrid when playing live and sometimes for recording...

I love to see kids learning to play musical instruments....In my opinion its not the size of the stings so much as the set up of the strings...I've seen kids and adults for that matter try and play a cheap guitar that had a very high action...After a few minutes playing they throw the guitar aside and give it up...Larry

I usually recommend silk and steels for beginners. When their fingers toughen up they can move to better sounding strings.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

Thanks for the opinions! The silk and steel option is a good suggestion......and I agree with Larry, an easy playing setup is very important.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Going with a shorter scale makes a big difference in string tension too. I've never built an acoustic less than 24.9" but I bet a smidge shorter would be good. Aren't some Gibsons at 24.625"?

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Gabriel Regalbuto
Carlsbad, California
Freedom 35!

For 9 and 13 year olds I'd start with nylons.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Colin, do you mean a nylon stringed guitar?.......or are you saying put nylon strings on a steel string guitar?

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Nylon stringed guitar. If a 9 year old starts getting sore fingers from steels it'll likely put them off playing. You want them to enjoy it. You can get small nylon string guitars especially for children.

In the UK primary schools (7-11 year olds) the recorder is being steadily replaced by the ukelele as the instument to introduce them to music.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

For younger players it is easy for them to do damage to hands and shoulders with the wrong sized guitar. Dreds and kids are not a good match. You did not say what sized guitar you are building but if it is a smaller bodied guitar, and planned as a steel string, you can lighten everything up (backs, sides, top, braces) and go with nylon and still have the narrower neck that could be a better fit.

In the photo the guitar on the right is a small bodied, short scale (24.625") nylon string guitar build like a classical but with a 1 3/4" neck (at the nut). The next one will have a 1 11/16" width at the nut. No truss rod but a CF rod in the neck. The other guitars in the photo are a Taylor GA4 and a standard sized classical.

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GEO
perpetual beginner

The guitar is an OM, 1 11/16" at the nut. I want them to be able to use it for awhile so I want to stick with steel strings. I sure don't mind using a lighter gauge if it's easer on them. The silk and steel may be a good option.

Thanks for everyones input!

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......