Recommended Guitars For Students

I am always being asked about which suitable guitars are for children, beginners and pre-grade 5 students. Here's what I recommend:

Ages 4-7 : Quarter-size classical/Spanish guitar (with nylon strings)

Ages 8-9: Half-size classical/Spanish guitar (with nylon strings) or as alternative resort a 'junior electric' guitar (with steel strings)

Guitar prices start at around 40-50GBP for a classical, 60-100 for steel-string acoustic and electric instruments.

Ages 10-12: There are three common options here:
a) Three quarter-size classical/Spanish guitar (with nylon strings)
b) a steel-string acoustic (or acoustic-electric) dreadnought guitar (with 9-46 gauge steel strings, you can opt for electric strings rather than acoustic strings if you desire a closer playability of an electric guitar)
c) an electric guitar the best starter is probably a stratocaster type. Harley Benton's are the cheapest and perhaps best for beginners.

Ages 13+: All type of guitars playable from this age depending on taste. More advanced students should look at Epiphone or Dean guitars, and Fender Squire models such as Stratocasters, Telecasters. Gibson Les Paul copies have a good thick and sustaining sound although they tend to be heavy and perhaps less-versatile, forget guitars will silly shapes (e.g. 'flying v') as finding suitable cases that will fit is a headache and cumbersome.

Recommended (and cheap!) sites to visit for purchasing guitars: http://www.thomann.de/gb/index.html
http://www.petercooks.co.uk/
http://www.gak.co.uk/
(http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/)
Please have a look at my blog listing: guitars for sale