Guitar Size Buying Guide

You may not be aware of all the guitar sizes out there, but it is very important that you get the right fit! When on the market and looking at different sizes, the most important factors are playability and sound qualities.

What are the main difference size acoustic guitars? Let’s start from the smallest and work our way through.

Ukulele

s are small Hawaiian guitars with only four strings, and are highly likely to be the smallest guitar you will encounter! Ukuleles are very popular, and not just for their size, the sound of ukuleles are very trebly with no low end. They are great for children and adults! However, ukuleles are tuned differently to normal guitars so keep this in mind if you wish to move onto bigger guitars in the future.

Half Size Guitar

The half-size guitar is as the name suggests, half the size of a normal guitar. This is a very popular choice with young children,  the size is perfect for comfortable playing and allows the guitarist to have better control over the guitar. Ideal for young guitarists, aged 4-6 years old, half-size are nylon strung meaning it is a little easier on young hands!

3/4 Size Guitar

Next in line is a 3/4 size guitar, this guitar works great for 7-11-year-olds or even petite adults too. Many young children start on acoustic guitar to learn all techniques and picking up on new skills, then they move on to electric guitar. Both electric and acoustic 3/4 are the same size, although the body of an electric is much thinner as it doesn’t need a hollow body!

Parlour Guitar

A parlour guitar is the smallest out of the ‘full-size’ guitars and is the perfect transition from 3/4 to full size. It is known as a compact adult guitar. The perfect solution for people who find jumbo guitars bulky and awkward, they are playable and have a lovely tone.

Auditorium

Now we move onto the bigger guitars on the market, next up is the ‘Auditorium’. This guitar sits perfectly halfway between a parlour and dreadnought. It has a classic hourglass figure which allows it to sit comfortably on your knee, This guitar is ideal for those who want big sound without the big body!

Dreadnought

Dreadnoughts are the most common types of guitars, it has a large body which allows a lot of space for the sound to bounce around, it is a big guitar that makes a big sound. A dreadnought is very versatile in many music settings and genres. The dreadnought strikes the evenest balance between volume, size and ease of playing, and for this reason, it has been used by just about every big-named player you can think of.

Jumbo

The jumbo acoustic guitar is the largest of all acoustic guitars, it has a large, warm and powerful tone which is expected from such a large guitar. The big sound has to come from a big guitar! The jumbo acoustic guitar was popularised by Gibson in the ’30s. The jumbo design offers a distinct resonance and is the perfect match for the hard strummers!

The final decision will come down to you trying your guitar before you buy, it depends on your physical characteristics and what style of guitar you are looking for! Each guitar has its own unique features, some favour comfort whereas some favour volume. Whatever you are looking for will be easier to find once you come into store and have a look through what we have in for you!