How much harder is learning guitar on a 1/2 classical?
I'm an absolute beginner starting to learn guitar and all sources I have seen/asked so far heavily recommend to get a regular-size steel-stringed guitar. I do however have access to 1/2 size classical guitar for free.
For an adult with about average size hands and fingers how much harder would it be to learn to play the guitar on this instrument? In terms of time and effort would it require just a little bit more, or very significantly more?
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There are some adults who prefer the smaller sized guitars. My wife is tall and has normal size hands but has rejected the normal size guitars at our house, preferring to play her baby Taylor. A friend of mine plays a small Washburn. If I were the one having to decide, I think I would try each guitar to determine the feel, the playability, and the sound of the instrument, and then decide which way to go. You may fall in love with the little one or you may decide there is just not enough guitar there to suit you. Either way you decide, I advise getting the action set-up before you start the learning process. It will make the learning and playing experience much more pleasant for you
Given that an average standard scale length is around 25", and a half-size is around 21", there's about a 20% reduction in everything - hardly 1/2, but there you go!
An average size adult (what's that?!) might manage, although fatter fingers may be a disadvantage, especially up at the dusty end of the fingerboard. There will also be a reduction in the width of the neck/fingerboard, whch won't help either, bringing the strings slightly closer to each other.
Personally, I'd go for a standard one, after all, that's a good reason they exist - for grown-up sized people! You may manage, but I think it would most likely be a struggle, and even put you off guitar. And if you did manage, you'd have to get some muscle memory re-learned when you did finally obtain a full-sized guitar.
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