If you’re a guitar player, chances are you’ve experienced the age-old question “Is my guitar too big?”
You might be asking this because your hands don’t reach all the way around the fretboard or perhaps it sits awkwardly on your lap and is hard to play.
There are many factors to consider when purchasing your first guitar, and in this instance, size does matter.
Playing a guitar that’s too big for your body size can leave you feeling frustrated and might make you think that playing the guitar isn’t for you after all.
In this article, we will discuss how to tell if it’s the size of your guitar that’s the problem or if some other feature of your guitar is the culprit.
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How Do I Know If My Guitar Is the Right Size?
Playing the guitar is an amazing experience, but you can have a much easier time learning and improving your skills if you’re playing the right size guitar. So how do you know what size is right for you?
Your guitar is about the right size for your body if it fits comfortably in your lap, and both your fretting and strumming hand are free to maneuver without too much resistance.
One way to check if your guitar is too big is by playing a simple chord that’s super easy for almost anyone to play. An example of this would be the E minor chord that involves just 2 fingers.
If you have a really hard time playing this chord, and it’s not your first day ever playing the guitar, then chances are you may have too big of a guitar for your body size.
Before you assume it’s the size of your guitar, however, be sure to check how large the gap is between the fretboard and your strings.
Sometimes, newer guitars that you buy off discount websites, are made cheaply and are not set up correctly.
If this is the case, consider bringing your new instrument into a guitar store and having them check it over. They may be able to adjust some things so it is easier to play.
How Big Should Your Hands Be For Guitar?
The truth is, it really doesn’t matter what size your hands are when it comes to playing guitar. There are some advantages and disadvantages when it comes to both small and large hands.
Larger hands will have an easier time reaching certain notes to play chords and it will also be easier to play barre chords.
Smaller hands will have a little harder time fretting barre chords, but the advantage is that smaller hands won’t get in the way as much when you’re making certain chord shapes.
No matter what size your hands are, there is a guitar out there that will fit your hands perfectly, so I would not worry too much about the size of your hands.
If you are someone who has smaller hands, then you might be better off purchasing a smaller, student-sized guitar.
These guitars are also known as 3/4 guitars, and they are quite convenient for someone whose hands are too small for a traditional guitar.
What Is the Difference Between a 3/4 Guitar and a Full Size?
Obviously, the main difference between a full-size guitar and a 3/4 size guitar is that the 3/4 size is smaller.
Considering that you can probably already figure this out, let’s talk about some other differences that you may not be aware of.
First off, a full-size guitar has more frets and a longer scale length. The reason for this is that a 3/4 guitar is about 7/8 the size of its full-size cousin.
3/4 size guitars are also usually marketed for kids who are just starting out on their guitar-playing journeys. This is because the strings on this type of guitar are generally easier to press down on than with a full-size guitar.
However, you don’t necessarily have to be a kid to justify playing a 3/4 size guitar. If you are a smaller, more petite adult, then a 3/4 guitar is probably your best bet when you are first getting started. It is also a great guitar to have for traveling.
Another thing to keep in mind is that because of its size, a regular guitar generally tends to sound better than the smaller student-size version.
A full-size guitar plays a richer, fuller tone, and a smaller guitar just doesn’t have the capacity to do so.
Can Adults Use a 3/4 Size Guitar?
The answer to this really depends on personal preference and how small you are in a physical sense. For smaller-sized grown adults, you may be better suited to buy a smaller 3/4 size guitar.
Keep in mind that as you get better and better at playing guitar, you will likely have a desire to upgrade your guitar to a full-size one.
If your intention is to learn to play guitar just enough to be able to teach your kid how to play, then you should definitely start out on the 3/4 size and upgrade when you need to.
In my opinion, I think most people are better off buying a regular full-size guitar to begin with. Not only do they sound better, but there really isn’t that much of a price difference.
Also, if you start off with a small guitar and then upgrade to a larger one, it may be a bit frustrating to get used to this new size. Thus, you’re much better off getting a normal guitar to begin with.
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Last update on 2025-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
