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.
In the not-too-distant past, players with smaller hands could be stuck choosing between guitars that were closer to toys than premium instruments. More recently, manufacturers have pulled their heads out of the sand and realized that guitarists aren’t all behemoths with giant hands. We come in all shapes and sizes… and fortunately, now top-class guitars do too.
Investing in a guitar that is comfortable to play and equipped for your needs is one of the core factors in keeping you interested long-term. Pairing a smaller individual with a huge-necked guitar creates an additional hurdle for them to overcome and can make playing uncomfortable, or even painful. So, finding a guitar that fits small hands and still sounds amazing is critical. And our guide features a carefully-curated list of options that will help you do just that.
The quick list
The Mustang's size may be small, but in terms of features and sound, it’s bigger and better than most other guitars in its price bracket.
The majority of guitarists get their start on an acoustic guitar, but you can make things a lot easier on yourself by picking one with a short scale, like the Taylor GS Mini Rosewood.
With its fantastic sounding pickups and rich palette of finishes, the Epiphone Power Players Les Paul is perfect for the young rocker who wants a properly good electric guitar.
Based on one of the most popular guitar designs in the world, the Squier Mini Strat takes everything great about Fender's iconic axe and shrinks it to a more manageable size.
The perfect choice for the first timer, the Fender x Loog Telecaster is a 3-string electric guitar that makes taking those first steps on the instrument that much easier.
For the budding shredders and metalheads out there, this Ibanez Paul Gilbert miKro comes with some serious guitar heritage, two powerful humbuckers, and fantastic playability.
For players with smaller bodies, it may not be the most comfortable, but if you’re looking for a hollow-body guitar, with a manageable neck, this could surprise you.
Best electric
1. Fender Player Mustang
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The Mustang was launched in 1964 as a student guitar, with smaller sizing and smaller pricing compared to Fender’s premium range of instruments – including the Stratocaster and the Telecaster. Becoming a favorite of the indie scene due to its accessibility, the Mustang ascended beyond many other student guitars, becoming one of the iconic guitar shapes.
A shorter 24” scale-length means smaller players should find this really easy to pick up and play. The neck is also on the slimmer side, featuring a medium C-shape, which is round and allows smaller hands easier access to the fretboard. It isn’t specifically for junior players, however it will be noticeably smaller than the kind of baseball bat necks you can expect to find on vintage Stratocasters.
The Fender Player Mustang could be the perfect step up from a beginner guitar to top-class instrument and will continue to be a superb guitar even if the player’s hands get a little bigger. Its size is small, but in terms of features (that include Fender-designed Mustang single-coil pickups and strings-through-body Strat hardtail bridge with bent steel saddles) and sound, it’s bigger and better than most other guitars in its price bracket.
Best acoustic
2. Taylor GS Mini Rosewood
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Definitely one of the most popular non-full size acoustic guitars out there, the Taylor GS Mini helped redefine the potential of smaller guitars. Its body is smaller than most other acoustic guitars, but it still projects a rich, full sound with plenty of volume when you need it. It isn’t just one of the best guitars for small hands, it’s one of the best guitars at its price point.
The whole thing is a slightly shrunken down version of Taylor’s Grand Symphony body shape. It’s got a powerful low end, and detailed treble frequencies. There are a few different versions of this guitar with various wood combinations so there are options when it comes to honing in on the tone you want.
The scale length is a very easy to play 23.5” – short enough for small hands, but big enough so that it’s ideal for pretty much anyone else. The neck profile is fairly thin too, so again small hands shouldn’t have much trouble with fretting chords and single notes.
Best Les Paul
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The Les Paul is a beast of a guitar in many ways, including its size, which isn’t terribly suitable for the small-handed player. Fortunately the Epiphone Power Player Les Paul addresses the size issue, while maintaining the classic features that are synonymous with the Les Paul, including high-quality components and Epiphone humbuckers that offer plenty of grunt.
The Power Players Les Paul is one of the best guitars for kids or players with smaller hands, or is a good contender for a travel instrument for seasoned players. The bolt-on neck will not appeal to Les Paul purists, it has a comfortable slim-taper neck profile and a sculpted heel that means both rhythm and lead playing is a breeze.
Don’t be confused into thinking this is a toy, due to its shrunken body and reduced shorter 22.73” scale length – it feels well made and still delivers quintessential Les Paul tones, so players won’t feel short-changed.
Read our full Epiphone Power Players Les Paul review
Best Strat
4. Squier Mini Strat
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If you want something classic, but don’t fancy the Les Paul, then look no further than the Stratocaster. This Squier Mini Strat is a 3/4 sized electric guitar, boasting the quintessential Strat features that fans have fallen in love with over the last 70 years. It’s got three single-coil pickups married to a five-way pickup selector, giving you a broad range of tonal options, with the distinctive Strat voicing.
This is an ideal starting point for kids wanting to play the electric guitar. Everything has been scaled down, so the body, scale length and neck are all smaller, making it much more comfortable for small hands. The neck has a nice and easy to play C profile, plus the body is slightly thinner, making it lighter. This feels more substantial than most miniature guitars though, and whilst the components aren’t of the highest quality, it doesn’t feel cheaply made.
As the sister company to Fender, which created the Stratocaster, Squier has the knowledge of what makes a great Strat. Many players will start their journey on cheap Stratocaster rip-offs, but going for the Squier Mini Strat is choosing authenticity, just in a format that suits smaller hands better.
Best for kids
5. Fender x Loog Telecaster
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Fender has teamed up with children’s guitar experts Loog to create a 3-string Telecaster with a super thin neck that is ideal for the smallest of small hands.
Taking the tried and tested Tele design and shrinking it down, the Fender Loog guitar is the perfect introductory electric guitar for particularly small individuals, and with half the number of strings, it’s not intimidating. Chords are easier to fret, and with the thin neck design there’s a lot less wood for them to get their hands around. It even comes complete with a set of flashcards to help kickstart the learning process.
In terms of the sound it can make, it’s a little like a cross between a guitar and a ukulele, or like a guitar with a capo on fairly high up – but there’s still that unmistakable Telecaster bite!
It isn’t a ‘proper’ guitar, in the traditional sense, so players looking for a full-fat electric, but a little smaller, should look elsewhere.
Best for shred
6. Ibanez PGMM31 Paul Gilbert miKro
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This guitar is loads of fun to play. If you’re just starting out, or perhaps you’re moving from acoustic to your first electric, then this signature collaboration between one of rock’s biggest shredders and Ibanez can provide you with everything you need. It also makes for a great travel companion for more experienced players out on their travels.
It’s fitted with two humbucking pickups that can dish out high powered rock tones, as well as more subtle sounds. There’s a five-way selector so you can actually get a wide range of tones from these two pickups. Whether you’re wanting to play rock, pop, metal or anything else, this compact guitar has you covered!
The 24 frets cover the 22.2” scale length, and the neck profile is fairly small and thin, making it a dream to play for small hands. It’s built well, and the price is super reasonable for what you get.
Best hollow body
7. Epiphone Casino
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If you’re looking to buy a guitar for small hands, the last thing you would probably think of is a large, hollow-body electric, but there is an option out there for you. The Casino is a legendary guitar that dates all the way back to 1961, appearing on stage with the likes of The Beatles. Over the years it has been refined, but kept the qualities that have made it beloved.
Featuring two P90 pickups that pair brilliantly with its hollow body, the Casino has really unique sonic characteristics that would be hard to replicate on a smaller guitar. It comes equipped with a D-shape neck that players may think would feel particularly chunky in the hand, but Epiphone has added a slim taper to the neck that makes it far more manageable, providing that vintage neck shape and feel, without the drawback of vintage-neck-girth. For players with smaller bodies, it may not be the most comfortable, but if you’re looking for a hollow-body guitar, with a manageable neck, this could surprise you.
More options...
8. Taylor Academy 12e-N
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Nylon strings are softer than steel strings so can be a good option for beginners, or for those that just prefer a mellower tone. Whilst this model errs on the larger side of our pick of the best guitars for small hands, it’s still a great option due to its slightly narrower nut width. Nylon string guitars often have wide, chunky necks, whereas on this, the neck is smaller. The space between the strings has been reduced so that there is less strain on the fretting hand, and the neck is easy to get your fingers around.
The idea behind the Academy series was to create the best guitars for the most amount of people, for the least amount of cash. The result is a range of incredible guitars that produce fantastic tone and are really playable. If you’ve got smaller hands, and you want the softer feel and mellower sound of nylon strings, then this is one of the best guitars you can get. It isn’t cheap by any means, but you’ll easily get away with this for any sort of live performance or recording session.
9. Yamaha JR1
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This is a simple, stripped-back 3/4 size acoustic guitar. It has everything you need to start playing the guitar, and nothing you don’t. It being a 3/4 sized instrument, the whole thing has essentially been shrunk down to make it more comfortable for smaller hands to play. It’s got a 21.25” scale length, so the frets are closer together than they would be on a full size. The body being smaller also makes it easier for smaller players to get their arm around to strum or pick.
For the price, it sounds pretty good. You don’t get quite the same tone as you would do with a solid top or full size guitar, but given its price point and size, it’s one of the best in its class. It’s perfect for beginners just starting out, or even for more experienced players who want a compact acoustic guitar to take traveling with them. It even comes shipped with a gig bag. Something that really helps make a difference are the quality tuners that help the guitar stay in tune.
10. Yamaha APX600
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This is a full size electro-acoustic guitar, however it’s got a really thin neck, slightly shorter scale length and a thin body, making it perfect for players that don’t necessarily want a smaller guitar, but still need something that’s comfortable for smaller hands.
The APX range has been going for a while. This model offers amazing value for money; it sounds great played acoustically on its own, but is also fitted with a good quality pickup and preamp so it’s well suited to gigging. The neck profile is nice and thin, so it’s easy for smaller hands to wrap around, and the body depth is great for those with smaller arms too.
There are some really nice finishes available for the APX-600, so you can pick something that suits the sort of visual style that you’re going for. It’s a great guitar – easy to play, built well, good features and perfect for small hands!
FAQs
What type of guitar is best for small hands?
Regardless of whether you want to play electric or acoustic guitar, there are options specifically designed for players with smaller hands. It is always going to be the case that acoustic guitars will have slightly larger, deeper bodies than electric counterparts and this could be an issue for players with smaller arms too, though many acoustic manufacturers produce ¾ size models that even the smallest player should be able to contend with.
Small hands don’t always equal tiny bodies, of course, and thankfully many manufacturers have full-sized guitars with more slender necks. Even the likes of larger semi-hollow electric guitars can feature smaller necks, so you don’t necessarily need a tiny instrument.
What do I need to know about tuning on smaller guitars?
Many of the guitars that are better suited to people with smaller hands will have shorter scale lengths, which means the overall length of the playable part of their guitar neck will be smaller. This is great for people with smaller hands as they can easily navigate their way up and down the neck, but does present some other things to consider.
Given the shorter length, tuning your guitar into standard tuning (EADGBE) with standard strings will mean the strings have less tension. This is particularly noticeable on short-scale bass guitars, which require specific strings. Fortunately short-scale acoustic and electric guitars typically cope just fine with standard strings, though it may be worth considering thicker gauges if you enjoy playing in drop tunings.
What is scale length?
The scale length of a guitar refers to the distance between the bridge, where the strings rest on the body, and the nut which is at the top of the neck towards the headstock and tuners. It’s over this length that the string actually vibrates and creates the sound that you hear.
Different scale lengths can result in guitars that feel slightly different under your fretting hand. Generally, a guitar with a shorter scale will have less string tension, so they will be slightly easier to bend and feel a little looser, which can be ideal for younger players. A shorter scale length also means that the notes on the fretboard are closer together, so some chords and melody lines will require less stretching with your fretting hand.
Not all guitars have the same scale length and some guitars have specifically reduced scale lengths to be better equipped for smaller players. Original student guitars such as the earliest Fender Duo Sonic – the forefather to the Mustang – came in scale lengths as small as 22.5”, which is over 2” smaller than the necks on Fender’s full-scale models.
What about the girth of the neck?
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You may see a letter associated with neck profiles when buying a guitar; It’s not some kind of code, it is to do with the shape of the neck and relates to how a cross-section of the neck would look. For example, a C-shape neck would be very round in the hand, which makes it easier for the fingers to wrap around and reach the fretboard. The C-shape is the most common neck shape around and many Fenders come equipped with it. A V-shape neck on the other hand would be much more angular, and U-shaped necks – often referred to as baseball bat necks – have a deeper curve. Both the V and U neck profiles typically are less comfortable for people with smaller hands.
There is a common misconception that Gibson guitars have fat necks and Fenders have thinner necks, but this isn’t always the case. Different models in manufacturers’ ranges will have slightly different neck shapes, so make sure to do your research before ordering a guitar on reputation alone, as it may not fit your hands as well as you’d like.
How we choose the best guitars for small hands
At Guitar World, our team is comprised of seasoned players and experts deeply attuned to the nuances of guitar design. With years of playing and extensive product testing, we bring a wealth of experience to the intricate world of guitars. Our passion extends to every aspect of guitar playing, and this expertise is honed by utilizing instruments in live performances, recording studios, and rehearsal spaces. This wealth of experience forms the foundation for our curated recommendations in various guitar categories.
When it comes to identifying the best guitars for players with smaller hands, we embark on a thorough selection journey. Our process involves combining hands-on experience, insights from user reviews, and comprehensive discussions with our editorial team. This ensures a proper evaluation, providing a well-informed guide to the top guitars tailored for those with smaller hands.
As dedicated guitarists ourselves, our foremost mission is to assist fellow players in finding instruments that perfectly suit their unique needs. We meticulously consider factors ranging from budget considerations to the specific design features that cater to players with smaller hands. The outcome is a thoughtfully curated list representing what we confidently assert to be the best guitars for small hands on the market today.
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