best guitar for kids (9 year old)

kdowling

I brought this guitar from my 9 year old yesterday

https://promusica.ie/valencia-vc103-3-4-classical-guitar-outfit.html

She had been playing her Mom's full size acoustic guitar but found it difficult to stretch to chords like Bm

This 3/4 guitar is a great size for her but the sound is nothing like as good as the full size guitar which is a bog standard acoustic guitar, not an expensive one.

The 3/4 length guitar has 3 nylon strings and 3 steel guitar which we were told would be better for her to get used to the strings.

Speaking to my daughter she says she would perfer a guitar that was hard on her fingers or a bit too big if the sound was better.

Do 3/4 size guitars just not have as good a sound as a full size?

Would having all 6 strings with steel strings give a better sound?

Can someone recommend a better guitar? (preferably from same website, so we could exchange) that would give a better sound?

Thanks

seamus

That's a classical guitar, built to give a different sound from the steel string acoustic. It's a slightly softer, more "blurred" sound, you'd be most familiar with from the stereotypical Spanish/Mexican music you hear on TV, but it is used for a lot more than that.

They're typically recommended for beginners and children because of the softer strings.

You can get 3/4 length steel string guitars. It's not a "better" sound, it's just different. Different guitars for different sounds.

Steel strings give a crisper, twangier sound, but are less forgiving and requiring more pressure and pain.

https://promusica.ie/fender-fa-15-3-4-size-steel-string-acoustic-guitar.html

Flinty997

Valencia is bottom of the range quitar, we've had a good one and one that was unplayable.

A basic Ortega or Yamaha is big step up. We got an Ortega and it sounds really nice. Solid top will be better than laminated. But a good brand laminated will be fine.

Nylon strings vs steel Strings are different instruments.