Looking for info on a guitar for a person with small hands

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Permalink Reply by FloridaGull on June 27, 2012 at 6:05am

Is your main concern nut width, scale length, neck profile, or all 3? With few exceptions, Seagulls have 1.8" nuts, which is on the wider side...
In the Godin line, Simon & Patrick, Norman, and Art & Lutherie all have a 1.72" nut, which is closer to the somewhat-standard 1 11/16" (1.6975") nut width. Scale length will be a slightly shorter 24.84", vs. the standard 25.5". But if you're looking at new, some of the Godin line is moving to the 25.5" scale length, so if in doubt, measure...a shorter scale length will help with fretting chords if you have smaller hands.
IMHO, I'd suggest taking a look at the Taylor GS Mini and the Walden T550 - both are 7/8 sized guitars, both have a shorter scale length (Taylor 23.5", Walden 24.2"), both have a 1 11/16" nut, and both are large enough not to be toys. Interestingly, the Walden T550 was available in a cutaway body with electronics as well last year - although discontinued for 2012, there are probably a few T550CE'S out there...
I bought the Walden T550 for my very petite daughter for her 15th birthday in February - it's a nice little guitar, with what I feel is a surprising amount of bass response. At around $300 new, the T550 is dimensionally and structurally equivalent to the Taylor GS Mini, at $200 less...
Check out the Walden line at www.waldenguitars.com, visit our Walden group here (called Walden Guitars), and/or check out my friend Dave Word's online Walden dealership at www.holeinthewood.com - maybe he can find a T550CE for you... ;-)

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Permalink Reply by James Dominy on June 27, 2012 at 7:49am

thanks for the help, i'll check them out

 

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Permalink Reply by James Dominy on July 1, 2012 at 1:58pm

My concern is all three,  I want something that feels comfortable and is somewhat affordable. Don't have an arm and a leg to give up.

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Permalink Reply by FloridaGull on July 2, 2012 at 9:08am

Given the fact that you want electronics, the T550CE may be a good fit for you - solid spruce top, laminate mahogany back and sides, cutaway and Fishman electronics, TUSQ nut and saddle, 24.2" scale length, 1 11/16" nut width, and a slim profile to the neck.  Hole in the Wood has the T550CE (discontinued) right now for $339.95 - http://holeinthewood.com/discontinued-guitars/walden-guitars-t550ce... - give Dave Word a call...

 

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Permalink Reply by FloridaGull on June 27, 2012 at 8:49am

No problem :-)

Here's a pic or 2 of the Waldens:

T550:

 

T550CE:

 

Enjoy!

 

Oh, here's links to specs:

 

T550: http://www.waldenguitars.com/T550.html

T550CE: http://www.waldenguitars.com/T550CE.html

 

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Permalink Reply by AJ Ouellette on July 10, 2012 at 8:09pm

Luna guitars are sometimes made for smaller hands. They're usually pretty well-made.

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