Beginner's amp recomendations needed

[111518]

Great news that your son is interested in playing. Wish I'd started at 8. With that said, if I were buying an amp for an 8 year old, my search would start at the headphone jack, and work its way out from there...

[Hfan]

 

I always let the person decide for themselves, even if they are going against their own instincts.

 

Had an adult lefty decide to play right handed, every time he picked up the guitar he held it lefty, then for righty. The only reason he decided to go right handed was because it would be cheaper to buy right handed guitars than left handed ones. After a year of lessons he decided to play left handed, it was like starting all over again and he lost interest and gave up. I had said to him on day one he would be better off playing lefty.

 

At the moment I have one girl who says she is ambidextrous, she's been playing right handed but after two months can't remember even basic chords, her hands just can't make the shapes. Gave her a loan of my acoustic for five minutes and even though she had never held or played a lefty guitar she had the basic A, D and E in five minutes.

 

Everyone is different, I have to play lefty but use a mobile phone, scissors, etc. right handed. I don't see anyone hitting on sports players for being lefty .. baseball, basketball, tennis, snooker, golf etc. etc.

 

A simple test I use to determine which way a person is handed for guitar is to ask them to clap their hands vertically to a beat.

 

A lefty will have the dominant hand on top, the left hand does all the work and the right hand gets hit. Some people, even some kids still these days, are told to write with their right hand, but when it comes to guitar they suddenly find they have no rhythm because they're using their non dominant hand for strumming. As I mentioned already I still let them decide which way to play but very often they have a weak strumming hand and can't keep time to a beat.

Did the test, yep he appears to be lefty and my right handed daughter confirmed her rightiness as well. I've had him hold a guitar both ways, likes it lefty every time.

[Hfan]

Great news that your son is interested in playing. Wish I'd started at 8. With that said, if I were buying an amp for an 8 year old, my search would start at the headphone jack, and work its way out from there...

Yeah headphones...good idea. Actually I was at a dress rehersal for a grammer school talent show last night, mostly 2nd and 3rd graders. 3+ hours of assorted musical and dance acts. 1st 1/2 hour was really cool, cute etc. After 3 hours I was ready to run out screaming. Told a mom, if they made prisoners listen to 8 hours of this stuff every day there would be way less re offenders. Music teacher raved about my son, says he has a lot of potential, he is a ham for sure.

[DetroitBlues]

Get him a good practice amp that has headphones. Your wife will appreciate it... Of course mine wishes my amps had headphones.

[schundog]

 

I always let the person decide for themselves, even if they are going against their own instincts.

 

Had an adult lefty decide to play right handed, every time he picked up the guitar he held it lefty, then for righty. The only reason he decided to go right handed was because it would be cheaper to buy right handed guitars than left handed ones. After a year of lessons he decided to play left handed, it was like starting all over again and he lost interest and gave up. I had said to him on day one he would be better off playing lefty.

 

At the moment I have one girl who says she is ambidextrous, she's been playing right handed but after two months can't remember even basic chords, her hands just can't make the shapes. Gave her a loan of my acoustic for five minutes and even though she had never held or played a lefty guitar she had the basic A, D and E in five minutes.

 

Everyone is different, I have to play lefty but use a mobile phone, scissors, etc. right handed. I don't see anyone hitting on sports players for being lefty .. baseball, basketball, tennis, snooker, golf etc. etc.

 

A simple test I use to determine which way a person is handed for guitar is to ask them to clap their hands vertically to a beat.

 

A lefty will have the dominant hand on top, the left hand does all the work and the right hand gets hit. Some people, even some kids still these days, are told to write with their right hand, but when it comes to guitar they suddenly find they have no rhythm because they're using their non dominant hand for strumming. As I mentioned already I still let them decide which way to play but very often they have a weak strumming hand and can't keep time to a beat.

That clap test is interesting; I failed. I'm right handed, but I clap left handed, and I kick a football with my left foot. Of course, my right-handed handwriting sucks eggs, and I'm not the greatest righty-playing guitarist, soo....

[SouthpawGuy]

That clap test is interesting; I failed. I'm right handed, but I clap left handed, and I kick a football with my left foot. Of course, my right-handed handwriting sucks eggs, and I'm not the greatest righty-playing guitarist, soo....

 

I'm left handed and right footed, write left handed, play guitar left handed and throw left handed. I could never play golf, my top half wants to stand lefty but my feet want to point the opposite way for a righty stance, so I always hit myself on the leg with the club

[111518]

Interesting thread. My father was left handed, as is us my oldest sister; my mother and other sister right handed. I always considered myself right handed, but with a few quirks ... I've had several people with experience coaching basketball over the years comment that my basketball shot looked exactly like lefthanders they've known who learn to shoot righty, and, I've always felt that my right hand was my weakest point as a guitar player. Then, about ten years ago, while celebrating the birthday of the woman who helped raise me (my mother was a school teacher, back in the days before group child care --and back when there was a substantial salary difference between teachers and caregivers), she told, with a pride, a story that when I began to reach for things with my left hand, she scolded me until I stopped. I'm still not totally convinced one way or the other ... clapping vertically is not natural for me, and I know the point of the test, so, don't trust the results. Too late at this point to do much except concentrate my practice in a way that maximizes what I can do with my right hand.

 

As a teacher, I agree with Southpaw that the best thing is to let students do what is natural. My students over the years have usually been older, and most already have a strong sense of "handedness" ... but I'm always a little torn when the issue arises with students who want to learn classical technique. Just as there are no "left handed" players in orchestras, the traditional practice is that all classical guitarists learn the "right hand" technique. Not sure that's the best way to go.

[SouthpawGuy]

I never let someone know they're taking a "test", I just ask them to tap their foot and clap their hands to a beat at the same time along with me. Almost nobody claps with their hands "horizontal", ( having said that there's always one ! ), there's always a hand that's on top.

 

I used to do group lessonss with six at a time and there would often be one right hander clapping left handed, that's how I first noticed that leftys do actually clap differently. In a group of violin players in an orchestra, one bow going in the opposite direction would really stand out, which is why of course lefty playing in classical music is frowned upon, it would upset the rhythm of the group, and probably distract the conductor.

[SouthpawGuy]

Although here's one conductor who might not be easily distracted ....

 

[Hfan]

I never let someone know they're taking a "test", I just ask them to tap their foot and clap their hands to a beat at the same time along with me. Almost nobody claps with their hands "horizontal", ( having said that there's always one ! ), there's always a hand that's on top.

 

I used to do group lessonss with six at a time and there would often be one right hander clapping left handed, that's how I first noticed that leftys do actually clap differently. In a group of violin players in an orchestra, one bow going in the opposite direction would really stand out, which is why of course lefty playing in classical music is frowned upon, it would upset the rhythm of the group, and probably distract the conductor.

I had both my 8 year old twins take the test..both clapped horizontally..dohhhh. Told them they had to clap up and down, they confirmed with their dominant hand on top, interesting test. I have given my boy guitars and had him hold them both ways he wants to play lefty so he will.

 

Just ordered a new black Squire (the standard, not the bullit or affinity) Lefty Strat and a red Roland micro cube. I tricked him into telling me what his favorite looking guitar was.. a black Strat. No head phones but with the battery option I can send him to the yard to serenade the neighbors.

 

He performed in his elementary school talent show last night, him and two friends doing one of the current pop tunes, dancing and singing to a full high school auditorium. They killed, tears of pride welling up as I type this.

 

Wanted to thank everyone for the good advise. This is a communion gift and we are in the midst of a silly (could have been easily resolved) but serious extended family feud that has all the potential of affecting the kids. Kind of trying to compensate with bigger gifts etc. Many family members may not be attending the party.

 

Sad how some people get judgemental and angry and resistant to solving things. In my current mode of career change study I am learning nothing but "theraputic communication skills" but I have reached the conclusion you can't get water from a rock, though I will leave all doors open and burn no bridges. Thanks again for the advise and listening to my problem.

[schundog]

Sorry to hear about the family squabble at a time that should be about celebration, and about your son. It's a trite saying, but sometimes we hurt the ones we love the most. I hope the air clears before the big day. Take care, Pete.

[bobmeyrick]

This whole "handedness" thing is interesting. I'm predominantly left-handed, but I play guitar right-handed and write with my right hand. However, I discovered that if I wrote backwards with my left hand (mirror writing) I found that it was a proper mirror-image of my normal handwriting. Weird...

[DetroitBlues]

Sorry to hear about the family squabble at a time that should be about celebration, and about your son. It's a trite saying, but sometimes we hurt the ones we love the most. I hope the air clears before the big day. Take care, Pete.

 

Nothing like a family fued pissing contest. We had those for a few years too. It sort of went away when everyone got mad at each other to the point no one talks to each other any more. Very sad, even worse for the kids that were not involved.

[Hodbad]

I have a cube 30x for over a year now with no probs, tons of features to keep a beginner happy and the neighbors will love the power squeezer button

[Hfan]

1st lesson today with the Squire strat and micro cube. Started with some finger exercises 1,2,3,4,3,2,1 and the 1st 2 strings of the blues pentatonic scale so he is having a little fun with it. Cool little amp although the ac cord looks like one used on a cell phone. Nice tones, enjoy the Marshall stack position. The Squire is nice, surprisingly good quality.

[Hfan]

More lessons last night after cub scouts. The kid is taking to it. I was doubting myself buying new gear for him. Was afraid he would not keep an interest but he seems hooked.

 

He actually "made up" his first riff: Think low E string the classic blues pattern: open E, A, G, back to E EEE repeat. He says "this song sounds familiar" I'm like "well yeah you've been hearing that stuff since you where still in your Mom's belly.

 

Very happy with the Squire and the Roland thanks for the good advise. Pics or it never happened:

 

[schundog]

That is awesome, Pete! Love the smile on the little guy.

[DetroitBlues]

that kid is so stoked to be playing. Good for him! Now I bet he is asking, "How do I do a killer dive bomb on this?"