Best guitars for small hands 2024: compact, thinline and slim-necked options for all ages

Close up of the Taylor Academy 12e-N nylon string acoustic guitar
(Image credit: Future)

Whether you’re buying for a younger player, or you just happen to have dainty digits, finding the best guitar for small hands isn’t always easy. A full sized guitar – so bigger body, longer scale length and thicker neck profile – can be quite cumbersome for those with a smaller stature, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun. 

While some shorter-scale guitars are designed from the ground up for the smaller player, other, full-size, guitars can also lend themselves to adults equipped with smaller hands. Either way, a guitar for small hands shouldn’t be lacking in anything other than size.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

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