Are you a budding guitar player struggling to find the right electric guitar for your small hands?
Do you feel like most guitars are built for people with larger hands, leaving you with a limited selection to choose from?
As a guitarist, finding an electric guitar with a thin neck can be a game-changer, making it easier to play and reach those tricky chords.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best electric guitars with thin necks for small hands. We’ll take a look at the top brands, models, and features that make these guitars perfect for guitar players with smaller hands.
So, grab your pick, and let’s get started!
If you are in a hurry, here are the best thin neck guitars for small hands:
- Squier Classic Vibe 50’s Stratocaster (Editor’s Pick)
- Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar NOS (Best Value)
- Ibanez GRGM21BKN ¾ Size Mikro (Best Budget)
Best Electric Guitars With Thin Necks for Small Hands Reviewed
Squier Classic Vibe 50’s Stratocaster
Features
- Neck: C shape Maple
- Fingerboard: 9’5 radius, Maple
- Neck finish: tinted gloss
- Number of frets: 21
- Frets size: narrow-tall
- Body: pine
- Scale length: 25.5-inch
Let’s kick off this list with an absolute Fender classic, the Squier Classic Vibe 50’s Stratocaster, which boasts several features ideal for individuals with small hands, including the smooth, slim C-shaped neck with a 9.5 radius and 21 medium and jumbo-sized frets. However, keep in mind that this guitar has a relatively long scale length, so you will need to slightly stretch your fingers.
This guitar was designed to match Fender Stratocaster’s traditional 50’s design with a highly durable, lightweight maple body. It is described as a perfect blend of contemporary features and vintage style with a prominent retro style to make it elegant and sleek.
The Squier classic comes in a two-toned color choice with a maple fingerboard, maple neck, and vintage-tinted gloss. The lightweight designs allow users to distribute their weight evenly while producing enhanced vibration and sound.
It has humbucking pickups and offers excellent tones, making it ideal for metal, blues, and rock sounds. Besides its appearance and performance, the Squier Classic is quite affordable, and that is attractive to many, considering you may also need to buy other equipment like an amplifier.
Pros
- Slim C-shaped neck for easy handling.
- Lightweight, comfortable design.
- Great sound and tone.
Cons
- It comes with minor imperfections on the fretwork and the finish.
Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar NOS
Features
- Body: Alder Jaguar
- Scale length: 24-inch
- Fret size: Medium jumbo
- Number of frets: 22
- Fingerboard: 9.5-inch Rosewood
- Neck: C-shape Maple
If you are a guitarist with small hands and enjoy playing on a Jazzmaster or a typical Jaguar, consider Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar, which was designed to resemble Kurt Cobain’s renowned guitar. The idea behind this guitar’s look is to compare and feel broken-in and, at the same time, polished and clean.
Its body is crafted to look like Jaguar’s alder body with a “Relic” sunburst finish. The Kurt Cobain Jaguar has a maple neck with a C-shaped bound rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets and a 24-inch scale, so it is easy to play even by people with small hands.
Although Strat players may feel slightly off with the short scale, it helps bring together the guitar’s edgy sound. The tremolo tailpiece is a copy of the Fender Jazzmaster and the original Jaguar Electric Guitar.
It is available in the left-handed version. Hardcore Kurt Cobain or Nirvana fans would enjoy playing the Fender Kurt Cobain Jaguar.
Pros
- Stable tuning.
- Great vibrato system.
- Variety of warm tones.
- Comes with a high-quality hardshell case.
Cons
- Short scale.
- People with larger hands may feel a bit cramped when playing it.
Ibanez GRGM21BKN ¾ Size Mikro
Features
- Number of frets: 24
- Scale length: 22.2-inch
- Body type: solid
- Neck: Maple
Since it is a ¾ sized guitar, it is ideal for players with small hands and kids. Therefore, if you have a little aspiring rock n’ roll star at home, consider the Ibanez GRGM21BKN Mikro. It is a tinnier version of Ibanez’s most loved product line, RG.
Considering that this guitar is affordable and comes with superior craftsmanship, high-quality sound, and good electronics, it is a good option for beginners. Its body’s design gravitates towards metal and hard rock with a heavier sound, so before you buy it a guitar gift for your child, make sure you find out the kid’s preferred music type.
The body is made of Mahogany wood, which is durable and generates warm, deep mid-tones and great sustain. The 22.2 inches long guitar has a Maple, bolt-on neck, 24 frets rosewood fretboard, and Ibanez inlays.
The guitar’s maple neck has low tension, making it easy for small kids to press down the strings effortlessly. The thin neck promotes easy playability, lightweight, but sturdy.
Pros
- Available in multiple colors.
- Ideal for adults with small hands and kids.
- Affordable.
- ¾ size.
Cons
- It does not stay in tune.
Epiphone SG Special VE
Features
- Number of frets: 22
- Fret size: Medium jumbo
- Scale length: 24.75-inch
- Neck shape: slim taper D
- Fretboard: 14-inch radius
The slim taper D profile neck, 24.75-inch scale length, and 22 frets near seated together allow users to play scales and stretch the chords easily without feeling discomfort. The Epiphone SG Special VE generates the classic rock sound that comes from ceramic magnets and open-coil humbuckers.
The double-cutaway allows you to access the upper frets and necks easily, and the scale length lets you run up and down the fretboard swiftly. Besides the neck profile, the worn finish enhances the fretboard’s nice feel.
Although its finish is less glossy compared to other guitars, the quality makes the finish smoother, allowing you to play effortlessly faster and renders the guitar more playable. It is a versatile guitar that offers a balanced output for hard rock, but it does not accommodate the extremely high gain that most metal players prefer. However, it is ideal for jamming and practice sessions.
Pros
- Quality material.
- It performs like the expensive Gibson and Les Paul.
- Lightweight but strong body.
- It stays in tune even after long hours of heavy jamming.
Cons
- It requires a professional setup.
- The finish is susceptible to scratches, dents, and scrapes.
Epiphone G-400 Pro Electric Guitar
Features
- Number of frets: 22
- Scale length: 24.75-inch
- Neck: Mahogany Slim taper D
- Fingerboard radius: 12-inch
This guitar is not only excellent for a player with small hands, but it is also quite affordable. Although Gibsons are known to be expensive, Epiphone G-400 is cheap, and a good pick if you are on a budget.
This guitar is a tribute to the iconic SG model, one of rock music’s original and most popular designs. Many guitarists who are passionate about metal, rock, and hard rock genres appreciate the SG series. With this guitar, you get SG’s superior sound and different tonal variety at a pocket-friendly price.
The Epiphone G-400 boasts a mahogany neck and body, delivering warm, darker sound in a sturdy instrument. It has Alnico Classic Pro pickups that generate a punchy rock sound.
The D-profile glued-in neck is slim, tapper, and quite comfortable, so you can jam for hours freely without getting exhausted. The natural oily surface is preferred by the majority of guitarists and produces a rich sound.
It is also equipped with the Tune-o-Matic Bridge, 3-way pickup selected made of metal, and full-size 500K Omega potentiometers tone and volume control.
You can find this guitar in cherry and Ebony Black finishes.
Pros
- Solid hardware.
- Stylish appearance.
- Well-rounded pickups.
Cons
- It has limited tonal variation.
Jackson JS32 Dinky DKA-M Electric Guitar
Features
- Frets: 24, Jumbo
- Scale length: 25.5-inch
- Fingerboard: Maple, 12-16-inch compound radius
- Neck: Maple
- Neck Profile: speed neck
Dinky is Jackson’s line of guitars for people with small hands, and the Jackson JS32 has a lot of exciting features making it an excellent choice for individuals who struggles with other guitars. It has a nice double cutaway, which allows players with small hands to reach the higher frets.
Jackson is famous for developing slender, elegant guitars, and the JS32 Dinky lives up to the expectation. The bolt-on maple neck has a graphite reinforcement that makes it easier to play.
It has a solid basswood body and an exquisite archtop with a rosewood fretboard that has sharkfin inlays. Although the body is substantially solid, the lightweight features of the basswood make the guitar light.
The JS32 Dinky rocks the Jackson-made hardware and features 24 jumbo frets, three-way blade switching, high-output humbucking pickups, die-cast tuners, and double-locking Floyd Rose Tremolo Bridge.
With this guitar, you will generate the classic Jackson tone because every aspect of the JS32 Dinky is designed to achieve Jackson’s signature sound.
This guitar is a good pick if you are looking for a guitar to rock metal jams
Pros
- Solid black hardware.
- Beautiful design.
- Solid electronics.
- Good tone.
- Good pick up.
Cons
- Tremolo may be challenging to tune.
- Fret buzz.
Daisy Rock Venus Guitar
Features
- Neck shape: slim
- Scale length: 24.75-inch
- Fingerboard radius: 12-inch
- Number of frets: 22
- Body Shape: Double cutaway
Daisy Rock makes some of the world’s best guitars specifically for individuals with small hands, mostly girls and women, but boys can also rock these guitars because they have a neutral appearance.
The idea behind Daisy Rock guitars was to cater to guitarists with small hands underrepresented in the guitar manufacturing market.
The Daisy Rock Venus has unique flower and vine inlays and a beautiful pearl finish. Besides the attractive appearance, the mahogany body and set-neck construction make this guitar durable.
The lightweight and relatively slim mahogany body combined with a narrow thin neck and a Pearloid top makes Daisy Rock Venus easy to handle and play with.
The completely adjustable tune-o-Matic bridge, string-thru-body, and Grover tuning machines facilitate superior intonation, stable tuning, and maximum sustain, translating to reliable playing. The humbucking pickups and fixed bridge generate the classic rock n’ roll sound.
It also sounds good thanks to the high-output humbuckers that add to the single-coil sounds to produce sonic versatility.
With this guitar, you get the quality of a typical Daisy Rock and excellent craftsmanship that any aspiring and established female guitarist will enjoy.
Pros
- It is designed for small hands.
- Beautiful paint.
- Great sound and tones.
- Feminine appearance.
Cons
- Hard to keep in tune.
Fender American Professional Jaguar Electric Guitar
Features
- Neck radius: 9.5-inch
- Number of frets: 22
- Neck type: Modern Deep C
- Scale length: 24-inch
The rosewood fingerboard, 9.5’ inch C-shaped neck, and 24-inch scale make this guitar ideal for people with small hands. However, superior features like humbucker pickups, Stratocaster headstock, and Tremolo Bridge make it stand out from the rest and a top choice for many people.
It produces the bright, punchy tone popularly known to Fender but with a darker, woodier quality than other Fender guitars. Every aspect of the American Pro Jaguar is crafted to appeal to long-standing Jaguar series fans. It not only offers comfort while playing, but it also sounds terrific on any amplifier.
It has a solid alder body known for generating responsive tones, commonly found in the Stratocaster and Telecaster. Simultaneously, the offset shape prevents the body from restrictive access to the fretboard while also ensuring that it sits comfortably against your waist.
The American Pro Jaguar has the new “Deep C” neck making it thinner than the typical D and C necks. Many scaled-down guitars are typically made for beginners and kids, so it is good to have a pro-quality guitar in this size.
Pros
- Simplified electronics.
- Quality sounds.
- It is American-made.
Cons
- A bit costly.
Daisy Rock Bangles Signature Model
Features
- Number of frets: 22
- Neck: Narrow Maple
- Scale length: 24.75-inch
- Body shape: Double Cutaway
As mentioned earlier, Daisy Rock makes guitars explicitly for people with small hands, and the bangles signature model is a testament to it. This sassy, slick guitar is constructed to suit females who want to rock. The line envelops the spirit of all females who slay guitar playing.
The sycamore body used to make this guitar is semi-hollow, lightweight, and extremely comfortable for users to hold, and has the Daisy Rock trademark slim, narrow neck. It embodies a vintage look due to the trapeze tailpiece tune-o-Matic bridge, Grover tuners, and vintage mini humbuckers that produce a jangly, airy tone, perfect bite, and a lot of sparkles.
Since it is semi-hollow, the Daisy Rock Bangles had a broad genre range, so if you aim to jam to country, blues, jazz, grunge, and rock music, then consider this gem. Regardless of your gender, you should be proud to own this stunning, high-quality guitar.
Players with short fingers or small hands would jam with this guitar. The lotus symbol on the headstock and 12th fret and star fret markers give it a unique and feminine personality.
Pros
- It is designed for a woman’s body.
- Great value.
- Comfortable.
- Great electronics.
Cons
- It does not generate a big sound like certain hollow guitars, but that would be expected considering its small size.
Schecter S-II Custom STCB Solid Body Electric Guitar
Features
- Scale length: 24.75-inch
- Neck shape: Thin ‘C’
- Number of frets: 22
- Fretboard radius: 12-16-inch compound radius
Schecter is known for manufacturing guitars suited for people with small hands, and Schecter S-II Custom STCB is an excellent example.
The mahogany body and flamy maple top brings out a classic look. With 22 jumbo frets, this instrument will feel comfortable and go easy on your neck, while the 3-piece mahogany adds to the neck’s stability.
The Tune-o-Matic Bridge stabilizes the strings and tunes. The Pasadena/ Schecter USA Pasadena Plus humbucking pickups found in this guitar are based on the classic 50s humbucking, sound great, and are superior to the ordinary pickups.
These humbuckers have a thick, smooth tone; hence you can play any music style that requires humbucking. You can generate jazz, metal, and rock tones from it. The cutaway and small size make it easier for individuals with little hands to reach higher notes, while the SG style makes for a great body and comfortable playability.
The reliable instrument comes with great tuners, pickups, and nuts. The Schecter locking heads help to keep the Schecter S-II Custom STCB in tune, so you can jam your way through several gigs without going out of tune.
Pros
- Easy to play design.
- Great sound.
- Quality humbucking.
Cons
- It does not have extra volume and tone control.
Key Features to Consider When Buying an Electric Guitar for Small Hands
Finding the right guitar if you have small hands is not complicated, and it does not have to consume a lot of your time. However, there are certain things you should look for to make sure the instrument you get will serve you well. These include:
- Scale length
- Action Height
- Neck Features
- Body size
Scale Length
Multiplying by two the length from a guitar’s nut to the 12th fret center gives you a guitar’s scale length. Short-scale-length guitars are ideal for players with small hands but keep in mind that this feature interferes with the tone.
Ideally, longer scales offer more vibrant tones, while a shorter scale generates warmer tones. You can make up for the string tension difference when using a shorter scale length guitar using moderately heavier gauge strings.
Body Size
Individuals with small hands likely have shorter arm length or a small body, so it would be better to buy a guitar with a small body. You can either go for a ¾ size, the tinier version of a standard guitar but with narrower or fewer frets, and a shorter neck and scale. Furthermore, you can opt for a regular-size guitar with a small body.
Action Height
The action of a guitar is the strings’ height over the fingerboard, and it significantly impacts the guitar’s feel. If the strings are placed further, the player will need to press harder to generate the right notes, and that can be quite difficult for a person with small hands.
The fretboard and strings are located close to each other in some guitars to accommodate small hands. Lowering the action makes a guitar easy to play, and this feature is attractive to players with little hands and those with larger ones as well. Although you can lower the action in a standard-sized guitar, it is better to purchase one that already has lower action.
Neck Features
The neck significantly contributes to how easy or difficult you will play your guitar, so ensure that you pay attention to its features when choosing the best guitar for small hands. The guitar should comfortably rest in your hand and let you access the top E-string. Therefore, go for an electric guitar that has a thin neck.
If your guitar has a broad or wide neck, you will need to stretch your finger, and it may cause difficulties while sliding the hand up and down and cause cramping. Guitarists with small hands do well with an electric guitar with a tinier neck.
People with small hands often struggle to play the guitar with a longer neck because it interferes with the frets’ distance. You will have to stretch more to reach complex notes if the space is big.
FAQs
Is It Easy To Play A Small Guitar?
If you have small hands, fingers, or body and find full-size guitars uncomfortable and bulky, you will likely 3/4 sized guitars more comfortable and more manageable. Your best option is to find a guitar that fits your body well.
What Is The Ideal Electric Guitar For Guitarists With Small Hands?
Consider a guitar with thin, short necks and short scales. Additionally, an electric guitar with a small body may also be a better fit. There are many guitars designed to suit people with small hands, so you can select the one with the best features.
Which Electric Guitars Have The Narrowest Necks?
The majority of Ibanez’s electric guitars are narrow necks. Players with small hands should consider the Ibanez GRGM because it is particularly excellent for shredding. Other brands also make guitars designed to provide a better playing experience for guitarists with small hands. For instance, Daisy Rock specializes in guitars for small hands
Are ¾ Size Guitars Made For Small Hands?
No, they are ideally made for kids, but adults can also use them, especially those with small hands. If playing a standard-sized electric guitar is a challenge, consider a ¾ size one because they have a short scale length and closer frets; therefore, you can move up and down the fretboard more comfortably.
Conclusion
You have more options in the market than ever, so take time to find a guitar that feels comfortable, and with quality build and sound.
Remember that small hands do not have to limit your guitar playing. In fact, some of the world’s iconic guitarists had small hands than the average person, including Angus Young, Andy Summers, Paul Simon, Randy Rhoads, and Nancy Wilson.
