Do you have baby hands or fat fingers? Don’t worry, that does not mean you can’t play the guitar well!
If you ever tried picking up a guitar and find it hard to reach that barre chord, it does not necessarily mean that your technique is flawed, and certainly doesn’t mean you can’t play! It most probably means that guitar is not the best for you.
Top Guitar for Small Hands and Short Fingers
Finding a guitar that is comfortable and easy to play is as important as learning the chords themselves. Playing should not be more painful than necessary, and learning the chords should not be physically straining. If you find playing the chords so painful it becomes frustrating, it’s a sign that you should look for a smaller guitar, or a guitar with a thinner neck.
How to choose the right guitar for short fingers
Playing a smaller guitar is beneficial for people with small hands or fat fingers, as smaller guitars usually have smaller frets. This makes it easier for your fingers to reach a certain notes and play a complete chord. Smaller frets also mean shorter scale length, which makes sure you don’t have to go miles to transition from one note to another.
On the other hand, some people prefer playing full-size guitars but with thinner necks, as this makes it more comfortable to grip the neck and barre the frets. The size of the neck is extremely important in making sure that your fingers do not have to exert too much strength to play barre chords, and that they do not have to be too far apart to play any chord.
As electric guitars tend to have slimmer necks compared to acoustic guitars, you may find it easier to look for electric guitars that can accommodate your small hands or stubby fingers. In general, standard Stratocasters or Jaguars are a great start, and larger guitars like Les Pauls or Casinos will probably be tough to play, but hey, it never hurts to give it a try.
Action, or the distance from the guitar strings to the fretboard, is also another factor to consider besides the size of the neck and fretboard. Some guitars may have slimmer necks but relatively high action. This makes it more difficult to press on the strings and play complex chords, especially for players with smaller hands or shorter fingers. If you suspect that the action on a guitar is too high, choose a different guitar, or if you really want to purchase that guitar, get it fixed at the local store after making the purchase.
Above all, make sure you are comfortable when playing the guitar. Below are some suggestions on the best guitars for small hands that will minimize the amount of work you have to do to get them all set up and ready.
Guitar for Short and Fat Fingers Comparison
| Model | Our Rating | |
|---|---|---|
 | Fender CP-100 Our top choice for guitarists with small hands. It has a small neck design but still has strong sound projection but a beautiful tone in the mid range. Prices are also affordable. Click here to see prices on Amazon | 5 stars |
| 4.5 star | ||
 | Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar A smaller neck guitar that is affordable but produces great quality sound | 4 stars |
 | Fender Standard Stratocaster Electric guitar that has medium frets for players with smaller hands | 4 stars |
 | Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster 50 review One of the smallest neck electric guitar | 4 stars |
Best Acoustic Guitar for Small Hands – Fender CP-100 Review
The Fender CP-100 is a small body acoustic guitar that is perfect for those with small hands or short fingers.It has a narrower neck design that makes the handling much easier for those without big hands.
Click here to see prices on Amazon
Even you have regular hands, this guitar is still a good choice if you are a traveling guitarist who needs a portable guitar.
The thing that surprises me most is the quality of sound projection, given the guitar’s small body. If you are performing in a small to med size room, it should have enough projection for the sound to be clearly heard.
In terms of the sound quality, the Fender CP-100 excels in the mid range area. However, for the bass, it gives just enough but nothing compared to the fretless bass guitars. In addition, the sound quality is not as natural as guitars made from pure wood but it is to be expected given the affordable price range. This is not to say it sounds bad but just have the right expectations. Most folks will not be able to tell the more synthetic vibe of this guitar’s sound quality.
For play-ability, the Fender CP-100 is very accessible so it is a great choice for beginners to play different varieties of music. However, if you are into intrinsic finger work, this might not be the best choice.
One of the things to note is that most guitar cases are too short for the Fender CP-100’s longer neck. The one case that is suitable is the World Tour CG20D.
Most Affordable Acoustic Guitar For Short Fingers
The Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar is the ultimate combination of small, good-sounding and truly affordable, acoustic guitars. It is no wonder that this guitar is still the favourite among beginner and professional players alike when it comes to value for money guitars.
Features of the Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar
– Spruce top with laminated nato back and sides for a great tone for the incredibly low price
– Smaller neck for comfortable and easy playing experience
– Smooth and sweet tone, amazing for the price tag!
One word of caution, though: if you are new to guitar playing and you think that the action is too high (one visible sign is when you struggle to press the strings hard enough to make a note), bring this guitar to a local shop to get the action fixed. Once set up right, this guitar will be a real killer!
Best Electric Guitars For Small Hands Under $1000
Designed for playability and comfort, the Fender Standard Stratocaster is one of the most beginner-friendly electric guitars you will expect to find in the market.
Features of the Fender Standard Stratocaster:
– Three single-coil pickups to offer a range of great sounding tones from clean to crunchy and modern bright
– Medium jumbo frets to provide comfort for players with smaller hands or shorter and fatter fingers
– Low action for greater playability and comfort
Being in the lower cost range, you would not expect to finishing that is on the same level as those electric guitars costing a few thousand dollars. However, that is not really that important as the most important thing affecting the sound (besides the player) is still the main guitar body, the pick up and the accessories you add to it.
The last thing point is also where the strength of Strats. Due to its long history and wide popularity, the after market accessories for this guitar is large. You can easily different kinds of amps, pedals, strings etc that suit what you need. This is something other lessor brands cannot match at all.
Best Thin Neck Electric Guitars for Small Hands
The Squier by Fender Classic Vibe Stratocaster 50s series is the ideal choice for beginner and advanced players looking for a model that is finger-friendly and stature-friendly. The slim neck and shorter fretboard provides comfort for players who struggle to find guitars for their smaller stature or shorter fingers.
Features of the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster 50s:
– Three custom vintage style single coil pickups for great Fender tone and versatility, ranging from clean to crunch and sparkling bright sounds
– Medium jumbo frets for playability and comfort
– Tremolo bar for great tone experimentation options
– Beautifully sweet, warm and smooth tone
– Relatively low action for easy and comfortable playing
Fender Classic Player Jaguar
Another great choice for guitar players with shorter or fatter fingers, the Fender Classic Player Jaguar combines versatility, playability and great tone into an attractive package that won’t break either your pocket or your fingers.
Features of the Fender Classic Player Jaguar:
– Special Design Jaguar single coil pickups for a variety of tones from clean to modern heavy, and great versatility for genres ranging from rock to blues and punk
– Shorter fret scale for easier playing, shredding and bending, especially for guitarists with smaller hands or shorter fingers
– Great sustain to give your playing amazing power
Conclusion
The best practice of looking for the most comfortable guitars for your smaller hands or shorter fingers is still picking up the guitars and trying to play them yourself. If it feels right, most likely it is the right choice for you.
While having small hands, shorter or fatter fingers definitely affects your guitar playing experience, it does not by any means stop you from becoming a great player. You do need to spend some time and effort to find the most comfortable guitars to play, but the rewards of being able to play your music definitely outweighs the trouble.
Yeah, this article talks nothing of scale length. Fender guitars use a long scale, Gibson and Epiphone use a shorter scale. The shorter scale length puts the frets closer together, and this by far is the single most useful thing for a small-handed guitarist to know.