Shorter scale for a new player: Jaguar, Mustang?

Matt_McG

My soon to be 11 year old is keen to learn guitar, and while he can just about hold/play my 25.5 Fender scale guitars, I’m curious about maybe replacing one of my two electrics with something with a shorter scale.

24” not 3/4 scale as he’s not that small, and I’d play it, too.

I don’t want to get junk, but looking for recommendations in the Squier pricing ballpark, not USA prices. Trem not hardtail preferred.

cheers,

Matt

BillDL

I would probably include the following guitar in your short list for consideration and deck or block the trem bridge:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/262017/sx-sst62-3-4-car-short-scale-strat-shaped-guitar

This was mentioned in another thread that includes a lot of other suggestions and recommendations:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/261609/recommendation-good-3-4-electric-guitars/p1

Matt_McG

Both the linked thread and the guitar are useful recommendations, thanks, @BillDL ;

Funkfingers

Jaguar and Mustang should be physically manageable for your eleven year old but both designs are hamstrung by archaic pickup switching systems and pernickety vibrato bridges.

Life would be far simpler with either a Mustang 90 or a modern Duo-Sonic. Pre-owned prices should prove more acceptable than MSRP.

alalalkasar

Surely for a first guitar a Squier bullet Mustang is the answer.

Matt_McG

Ideally something that can do dual duty as I’d be getting rid of one of my own guitars to make space. The modern duo-sonics are nice.

Creed_Clicks

Bullet Mustang

Funkfingers

The MIM Duo-Sonic bodies are all routed HS. Changing between pickup configurations is a simple matter of swapping pickguard assemblies.

Matt_McG

That’s a good tip re: the routing. 

Grampa

My grandson is a small 11yr old and I was recommended and bought him a used MIM Fender Mustang with P90's for his first guitar (£300 from ebay). TBH it was so good and so easy to play that I nearly kept it for myself. He absolutely loves it and is making tremendous progress for a young beginner. Also with it being hardtail as opposed to trem it's one less thing for a new player to worry about.

Sesh

Any mustang or duo sonic I'd say. The trem can be dealt with.
Jaguars have comparatively big heavy bodies so I would avoid them for someone young. 

ICBM

MusicMan Sterling Cutlass Short Scale - almost as cool as a Mustang but with better pickup selection and a usable vibrato.

alalalkasar

Sesh said:

Any mustang or duo sonic I'd say. The trem can be dealt with.
Jaguars have comparatively big heavy bodies so I would avoid them for someone young. 

Yep, Jaguars are big little guitars.

Matt_McG

The short scale Cutlass is nice.

Agreed on the Jaguar body size, too

UnclePsychosis

Try it out to see if it works first.

Detune one of your guitars by one or two semitones and then put a capo on first or second fret accordingly. This will be so close to short scale as makes no difference. 

UnclePsychosis

ICBM said:

MusicMan Sterling Cutlass Short Scale - almost as cool as a Mustang but with better pickup selection and a usable vibrato.

Never seen that before. Those are NICE. 

BahHumbug

Jags are nice, but heavy, so I wouldn’t recommend one of those.  If you want go Fender, then something Mustang-ish would be a good choice

Matt_McG

UnclePsychosis said:

Try it out to see if it works first.

Detune one of your guitars by one or two semitones and then put a capo on first or second fret accordingly. This will be so close to short scale as makes no difference. 

Yeah, I tried that for me when I was having a flare up of some left hand issues. I still do it sometimes. It’s good advice.

I think for the sprog, having the right fret-markings will be important but I can try him with it.

darthed1981

Well if you are anyway near Northants and want a Squier Bullet Mustang - I'm selling a barely used one...

Decorativeed

I've owned jags and mustangs, and as others have said, despite it being short scale, a Jaguar is still quite a big guitar. Unlike has been mentioned previously in the thread, the pickup switching isn't a problem, it's just different to a les paul style setup. And if you set it up properly, the trem is great. I've more tuning instability on my SG than on either my jag and JM with trems.

I've also owned a bullet Mustang, and they are smaller, lighter and thinner, but very basic. Great for modding, but I personally disliked the 12" radius and flat neck profile. 

I'd suggest trying out a Squier Classic Vibe (or the superior, but no longer in production Vintage Modified) Mustang and seeing how you feel. 

Matt_McG

I'd not be inclined towards a Bullet or the very low budget models. For reasons of space, I'd be getting rid of one of my own guitars, and I'd still want something _I_ could play, not just the 11 year old.

Classic Vibe style quality and price point (used) is fine, as it's not especially valuable if he damages it, it's a platform for future modding if he sticks with it, and if I resell I won't lose a ton.

I have played the Vintage Modified Mustang and I liked it myself. My recollection is that the neck is quite chunky (a plus for me, not a plus for Mr 11 Year Old) but that it was a solid guitar.

The short scale Cutlass, or a Duo-sonic or Squier VM or Classic Vibe mustang are quite promising. I didn't know about the Cutlass.