How to tell a guitar's size?
Generally, guitars only come in two sizes, full scale and 3/4. This isn't the size of the body, it describes how long the string length is. 3/4 are generally thought of as kids or traveler's guitars, though artists like Ed Sheeran use them for performance as well. If it looks like a kid's guitar it's probably 3/4, otherwise it's a full scale guitar. There's another aspect of the guitar called the body shape. Different body shapes have different sizes. Dreadnought and Jumbo shapes are quite big and can be unwieldy even for big adults. In short, the full size and 3/4 size are a good fit for most people. As for your height, you are able to play a full size guitar and it is suitable. From where I come from, most adults are just around 5 feet or shorter, and they are all capable of playing full size guitars.
Beginner guitar player.. should I get 3/4 or full size acoustic?
In the ad it states it's a "travel guitar," so there's nothing wrong with getting a guitar like this. It's much like getting a little Martin Backpacker. One thing to consider, and DEFINETLY find out about is...sometimes smaller guitars are not tuned to standard guitar tuning, meaning E-A-D-G-B-E. It may be tuned to A? A-D-G-C-E-A Sometimes smaller guitars are not able to handle regular guitar tuning. This won't be a problem...the guitar and chord shapes will all be the same, unless you're playing with other musicians, in which case you'll have to play different chord shapes to be on the same pitch. With the above example, and everyone else playing an E chord, you'd have to play what looks like a B chord to be in tune. I'm a long time subscriber to the bible of guitarists....Guitar Player Magazine, and surprisingly, the Daisy Rock line of guitars consistently get very good reviews for playability and tone, so do not discount this line of guitars if you want something flashy.
How big is a full size guitar?
That really varies depending on whether it's a jumbo, dreadnought, or a smaller bodied concert or auditorium style body. There really isn't a standard size. Most full size guitars have either a 24.75" or 25.5" scale length though, which is the length from the nut to the bridge (the vibrating length of the strings). The body of the guitars come in all kinds of shapes and sizes though. Some are 3" thick and some are closer to 5" or 6" thick. They can have different width upper and lower bouts and some come in more in the middle. Some have a cutaway and some don't. The only way to know if a guitar is a comfortable size and shape for you is to sit down and and hold it (or stand up and hold it if you prefer). You can go to any web site for guitar makers though and get exact dimensions for any particular guitar you want. I can't possibly list them all here. Again, there isn't a "standard" size. For a full size dreadnought acoustic (the most typical style), here are some approximate dimensions for the guitar body (not including the neck): Width 15.75" (lower bout - the widest part) Depth/thickness 4.75" Length 20" (from the lower end to where the neck joins the body) (Those are for an Ibanez AW70NT)
I’m not sure that’s a thing, really. There are plenty of big violinists with big hands and big fingers. My own teacher - a professional of some standing - had fat, flat fingers and he had an incredibly supple technique. It’s about practice and finger position above all.Full-size instruments do vary in size quite considerably, and it’s possible that yours is at the smaller end of the scale. It’s the length, width and depth of the neck that are crucial here. So first off I’d recommend trying a few different instruments to see what fits under your hand nicely.And you may need to rethink your hand position and work out how your fingers should accommodate the neck of the instrument. Talk to your teacher.But I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone who simply couldn’t play the violin because they were too big for it.
Difference between 3/4 and full size classical guitar?
Make sure your thumb is on the back of the neck, NOT curled around toward the fretboard. There are times when you can and will curl it around, but it's important not to make this a habit. Even people with the longest of fingers usually keep their thumb at the back of the neck and hand parallel to the fretboard to allow them to stretch and reach properly. And I'll second the previous note about neck diameter. If you're going to buy a different guitar, don't get a 1/2 or 3/4 scale mini guitar. Instead get one with a thinner neck. There is a world of difference between the various neck sizes. Go to a guitar shop and try a bunch of guitars and you will certainly feel the difference.
What Acoustic Guitar size should I get?
Well, if your friend's full sized guitar was too large, an you're looking for one of your own, i would recommend trying a 3/4 sized guitar. It's the size i learned to play with, they're very comfortable, and it's easy to maneuver with them. Hope this helped!
I don't mean to parse the question, but 8 year olds come in many sizes from petite to relatively large. Rather than make age a criterion, make a cellist's size the determining factor when choosing a cello. If the cellist's fingers reach to the highest point they need to go, and a bow can reach all the places it needs to go -- and if knees can safely hold a regular-sized cello, use that. You fit the body to the cello, and then pick the correctly sized instrument. When I was 8 years old in third grade, I took cello lessons. I was fully grown to my adult height in sixth grade, and when I was 8 years old I had an adult-sized cello. I deeply and passionately loved its sound, its vibrations, and the feeling of its body and mine, playing together. I think if you are in doubt, let the cellist and her or his teacher make the decision about which size is best. Ask: which do you prefer? And why? Sometimes one instrument just feels better than the other. That should be determinative assuming all the reach requirements are met.
They are. The explanation for this is found in basic acoustics.Not surprisingly, the scale length (the length of the string between the bridge and the nut which actually vibrates to make sound) of a full-size instrument is longer than a fractional instrument. That increase in length should mean a drop in pitch, all other elements being equal.However, the pitches of the open strings can kept the same among instruments of different sizes by differences in tension, i.e., the tension on the strings of a full-size instrument can be set higher than that on the strings of a fractional instrument. They can also be manipulated by differences in gauge (diameter) which will alter the mass and subsequently the resulting pitch.Some manufacturers of strings (Larsen among them) produce models designed specifically for use on smaller instruments such as 3/4 cellos. I expect that both the length and the gauge of these strings is adjusted so that the tension at pitch and the performance of the string when played is better than if the player simply installed strings designed for a full-size instrument.
What size (acoustic) guitar should I buy?
Great question. Listen carefully and I'll explain it to you. It's a little confusing since the word "size" refers to two separate things. Full size versus 3/4 size refers to something called scale length, which is the distance from the nut to the saddle (that is, the part of the string that vibrates). A full size guitar has a scale length of about 24 1/2" to 25 1/2". You are tall enough for a full size guitar. The other size when talking about acoustic guitars is body size. There is a range of sizes from large (dreadnought and jumbo sizes) to medium (OM, 000, grand auditorium), to small (grand concert and parlor). You would do best with a medium or grand concert size acoustic guitar. They are much more comfortable to play than the larger sizes and have the added advantage of a more balanced tonal range. For a starting point, look at the Yamaha FS800. It's a great beginners' guitar. Good luck and don't forget to get lessons.
Should I buy a classical guitar? And if so, what size?
a full-size classical guitar will have a smaller body than your dreadnaught. don't go too much on the cheap, though. largely you get what you pay for. you don't need a very fancy one, but get a good one. i play a little yamaha classical that wasn't very expensive, but overall a good instrument. your best bet is to try some out. it's going to be important that you like the feel and tone of whatever you choose, so don't skip over the trying them out. and as an alternative to a small classical, some lines (martin springs to mind) make very small body guitars that are intended for light packing. martin's model is even called the backpacker. those have nothing like a full sound, but they have a size that makes them convenient to "bum around with". i use mine for rehearsals when it's not necessary to have one of my full guitars and i just don't feel like lugging the extra weight.