Guitar for Small Hands
 

Hi,

My girlfriend and I were out look for a guitar for her. We picked up a bunch of guitars, ones that I and the guitar sales guy recommended. Unfortunately, she likes the sound of a full dreadnought guitar and doesn't like anything smaller, but it's hard for her to chord certain chords and play with a thick neck. Any recommendations? Less than $400 range.

Plenty of D size guitars with 1 11/16 wide low profile necks.

I think Taylors have very slim necks, and the D ones all have a 1 11/16" neck, if I'm not mistaken. I think Takamine has even less wide necks on some models, but I'm not very sure about that. I don't think there's much to get under 1 11/16". Also, some practice helps too! When I started I couldn't finger an open C chord (x32010), and now after 1.5 years of serious playing I manage to finger a G barre chord (e.g. 542225).

correct me if 'm wrong but Taylors from 210 on down have 1 11/16th nut width.......310 on up are 1 3/4............................

Something you might look for are some vintage instruments: Gibsons from the late 1950's through the 1960's often have extremely slim necks, and there's a brand of guitars made in the 1970's called Gurian guitars that often have tiny little necks, as well.

The Gurians are usually a pretty good buy if you can find one, because they made enough of them that they're not truly rare, but the brand never really caught on with the guitar-playing public, so they're not especially sought-after. And they're really quite nice, well-made instruments.

Anyway, those are a couple of possibilities to consider and maybe keep an eye for on eBay and Craigslist.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

My daughter has a Martin J-40 which has what Martin calls a "low profile" neck. It's 1 11/16" wide and pretty slim front to back which is why I gave it to here. My hands are average, but I prefer the fatter modified V as opposed to the lo pro on most standards. Here small hands help her handle the J pretty well in spite of the large body.

I know a lady from San Diego who has very small hands. She had a McAlister custom made for herself with a small, narrow neck. The reason I mention it is that it may, *may* be available, but it won't be cheap.

-Raf

Oh, yeah? Susan might be selling her McAlister?

Foolish of her, perhaps, but maybe she needs the dough.

That's a great guitar if it is Susan we're talking about and it's the same McAlister I saw and played. Of course, Roy McAlister is virtually incapable of building anything less than a great guitar....

My sister also has a custom made guitar built with a tiny little neck specifically for her tiny little hands. The guy who built it for her was a relative unknown at the time, this guy named Wayne Henderson, in Rugby, Virginia.

But that's another story for another time....


Wade Hampton Miller

I should have clarified. Looking for something in the <$400 range!

I'd suggest looking at a Seagull S6 slim.

You might want to keep your eyes open for an Alvarez Masterworks MD-60 or MD-80. They're not made anymore, but about six months ago they were being blown out by quite a few online sellers for quite a bit less than your posted budget.

I'd imagine some of them would be coming up for sale on the used market by now. Both of these models are all solid wood dreads with very slender satin finished necks on them......very nice guitars.

While I know most people have a prefernce, nut width shouldn't be that limiting. Check the You Tube videos of children playing classicals with impossible stretches. Most of us can compensate with work and time

yamaha fg730s has a narrow neck - that's why i returned it. btw, i'm female and 5'3" and i love playing nice wide necks as they're much more comfortable and have more space to maneuver. it's more her personal preference than hand size.

+1 on the Yamaha FG730S. Low profile neck, dread, but not overly large, great player and sound.....and use the $100 left over from your budget for a bone saddle and dinner for the two of you.

I read lots of good examples of guitar suggestions. Great. I suggest that along with body size considerations you consider the neck profile in your quest.

Disclamer; I am a 5'3" male (weighing 133#'s today for the inquiring minds;)) and have small hands. I can wear my wife's large gloves and have room in the fingers.

That said, I have had the same experience as Patticake, that a wider fret board works like a charm for me (playing fingerstyle blues). The width does not effect me as much as the neck profile. When the neck fills my hand I feel "ready to move." When the neck does not fill my hand(resting and mostly filling my palm) I have to work to move my hand. The extra tension fatigues me quicker, especially in the muscles that move and work the thumb. I have mostly 1 3/4" nuts on my guitars and they work well. Bigger still fine, as long as I can play the full neck profile. again everything n moderation as I have picked up some early 30's Gibson guitars and found the neck to be "too" thick.

The nut width in a classical guitar is bigger, mosty 1 7/8" and smaller handed classical players work magic on them. Muriel Andreson the classical guitarist comes to mind. Google up a couple of her vids on YouTube and check out the terrific example of smaller stature and fretboard/nut size considerations.

I did not intend to divert the discussion, rather I hope I added an important dimension to consider for small stature players.