Squire Mini Strat?

[Tone Monster]

Hi,

It's my sons 6th birthday next month and he wants an electric guitar, after a bit of searching I have come to the conclusion that the Squire Mini Strat is the best choice.

I have read the few posts from those that own them and see that they are impressed with them. Do any of you have kids that play them? I am still concerned that his hands will not be big enough.......

Cheers,

Chris.

[frank thomson]

i dont think kids have that dexterity at that age....but it does breed familiarity

...and thats a good thing

[usc96]

I just bought one for my son's 7th yesterday. He seems able to play (being generous here) better than my Mustang which he had trouble with. At least he doesn't have to lay the mini across his lap like is was an autoharp or something the way he does my guitar.

[Tone Monster]

Frank, I think you are right he probably doesn’t have the dexterity at the moment but at the same time I don't want to discourage him from wanting to learn. I have asked him over and over is he sure that he wants an electric guitar and he is adamant that he does. I figure that if nothing else it is something that he will grow into and like you have commented at least you will be familiar with the instrument and this will be good in the long run.

USC96 thanks for the information I'm glad I'm not alone in the challenge of wanting to encourge my kids interest in music.

Cheers,

Chris.

[frank thomson]

yea, it's great to get them started early.
i have the EPI mini V, the little squire, and a $69 epi LP jr(?) that i painted yellow.......

and i try to tune them to an open E so the kids can actually make decent noise when they strum....and then i try to get them to *just* fret...and they can make some good music/sounds w/ none of their little fingers getting in the way

[clayville]

That's all great advice. My 5.9 year old is asking too. He's been measuring his hand against mine and my Baby Taylor for years (every since I got him a Ukelele), and I know he's not really ready for the big grip.

But I've been thinking about the mini-Strat too. I'm going to start him off with Open G and teach him a bunch of Stones songs!

Too bad there isn't a mini-Tele.... or is there?

[Kap'n]

But I've been thinking about the mini-Strat too. I'm going to start him off with Open G and teach him a bunch of Stones songs!

There's nothing like a six year old singing "I met gin-soaked barroom queen in Memphis...."

[Fripperton]

There's nothing like a six year old singing "I met gin-soaked barroom queen in Memphis...."

If it was good enough for you......

[Tone Monster]

Too bad there isn't a mini-Tele.... or is there?

I know Fender produced both a mini Strat and Tele a few years back but I haven't been able to find one!

I bought a black mini for him yesterday (It's not his birthday until next month but I know that if I don't get it now there won't be one in the country when I need it!).

Cheers,

Chris.

[photoweborama]

my youngest son got his when he was seven. He has never really taken to it, which is ok. I had him playing barre chords on it, but he just never took to it.

But if anything, you have a great travel guitar. I love the thing!

[photoweborama]

You may be opening a can of worms though...
If your kid gets hooked, it can get costly...

My older son got hooked on playing at 10... The the GAS started... Then he started believing the slogan "Only a Gibson will do".

[frank thomson]

I know Fender produced both a mini Strat and Tele a few years back but I haven't been able to find one!

.

prove it!.....i've been looking forever for the tele, and it's no-where, brother. I think they call that an *urban legend*.

they did however make the mini strat and p-bass. i have one in red. very cool, and waaaaaaaaaaaaay playable.

[Tone Monster]

prove it!.....i've been looking forever for the tele, and it's no-where, brother. I think they call that an *urban legend*.

they did however make the mini strat and p-bass. i have one in red. very cool, and waaaaaaaaaaaaay playable.

Now you know I can't prove it....... but Guitarist magazine reviewed the Fender Mini Strat and Tele at the same a number of years ago (I have never seen one in the person or for sale since).

[photoweborama]

it was probably one of those early releases, or prototype they gave to the mag to review, and then felt that it would not sell and never produced them.

[chuckocaster]

... Then he started believing the slogan "Only a Gibson will do".

yet he is wearing a "Fender" shirt...

that's a cool pic!

[photoweborama]

It kills me I lost the original file. It would have made a great T-Shirt..

[jjthinline]

The hilarious thing to me is that your son is barely taller than the guitar and he can play a real chord...On the thread though...studies have shown that children that grow up in their formative years...0-7 or so...with music are generally more creative and prductive adults. It would stand to reason that even with instruments AROUND them, they begin to understand different things at a much earlier age and can learn about stuff taht other "normal" kids are behind them one...case in point. I have a friend who is an attorney, but used to be a music teacher in Boston...He has 2 twins that are barely 2 years old. He buys tons of instruments and they love them. For as young as they are, it's stuff like toy pianos, ukeles, old trumpets, and little drums. He has gotten them a mini drum set and will be getting guitars for them next year...long storhy short...the boys get their instruments out and play along with muddy waters, bb king, and thelonious monk lps. They are really advanced in most of their other skills also. This is turning into a head-start early childhood rant...I think that it's never to early to give them an instrument and let them play on it...in open tuning at least so that it doesn't sound horrendous.

[concert410]

My 5.5 year old son has a Mini Strat, a 5 pc. drumset, keyboards and all that stuff. He absolutely loves music and I'm positive he will be quite the musician. ..but it is weird when you hear him talk about the drummer in the Doors playing straight 8th notes on Riders On The Storm.... He's only had two months of lessons. I hope he doesn't start telling me about all the bad notes I play.

[mmcquain]

My son turned 7 on 10/1 and starts guitar lessons on Wed. He's grown up around music between me (guitar) and the wife (piano/sings). He's got a really good ear and can pick out instruments and parts. He has a pretty good voice and can pitch match/carry a tune. He just got his 1st grade report card and got all + in music. Like you guys, I've been wondering if he was too young for lessons but he's been bugging us for a while that he wants to learn to play so I figure it's time to really encourage him.

For now he'll start on a 3/4 size acoustic but I've been thinking about the mini Strat (or Epi mini V or Les Paul). This thread came along at just the right time. I'll have to keep my eye out for a mini electric. Of course, thinking back to when I first took lessons (around 12 - God, that's 30 years ago!) anyway, my folks told me that if I saved up the money for the guitar then they'd buy the amp - they figured I'd appreciate it more and take care of it if I had to work for it. My wife and I have thought similarly for our son but since he's younger, the whole work and save money thing could take longer so we'll have to see. Maybe if he does really well and sticks with the lessons then we'll "reward" his continued work with an electric (or maybe we'll tell him that he needs to save half or something). Any thoughts from you parents on how you encourage your kids would be appreciated.

For fun, here's a pic of him back about age 2+ with a Tele I used to have...



p.s. On a side note, I've been "training" him well for years now on guitar-related things and he knows the different types of electrics, music styles, etc. I remember the Guitar Center salesman was surprised once when I had him with me a few years ago (around age 4) and he walks up to the guitar wall and says "Hey dad, that's a Flying V like Paul (from KISS) plays" and then there was the time in church when I'm tuning up and just hitting some blues licks and he (at age 4-5) yells out from the front row "that's BB King, right dad?" (our bass player did a double-take and I just smiled). Heck, he saw KISS at age 4, Gregg Allman at age 3, and he loves to watch my guitar videos (he knows Gary Moore, BB King, etc. and loves the Blues Brothers and Ace Frehely)

He's like that girl in the Gibson guitar TV ad - the one who's dad is quizzing her before she goes off with mom to help pick out a new guitar for the dad. Click here to see Gibson TV ad

[photoweborama]

I've heard that the mini Epi's have a problem with intonation. Even on a full size guitar a TOM bridge is limited on how far the saddles can move.

Fender saddles have much more room to move.

Do yourself a favor. Buy a mini Squier strat. Why? because they are REAL guitars that you can really play. Even when your kid out grows it, it still has utility as a fully playable travel guitar, or a guitar to keep in your car and play when your waiting for your wife at the mall.

I even considered playing it at last years Guitarmageddon competition.

[concert410]

Well said Photo-dude!!!

[mmcquain]

Thanks for the advice Photoweborama

[Tone Monster]

Well it was Jude's birthday this weekend and he got the Squire Mini Strat, he is absolutely chuffed!

It is still a little big for his hands but he is enjoying practicing with me, and he is getting the hang of rhythm.

The guitar is great btw, intonation and action was spot on out of the box.

Cheers,

Chris.

[photoweborama]

I strung up Cameron's with 10's. I expected them to be totally flabby, but it actually plays really good with 10's. If I remember correctly, it was setup pretty well, I had to do very little tweaking. but I did shield it like I do all my single coil guitars.

Play it a bit, those ceramics sound really good. They sound much better than stock MiM pickups.