View Full Version : Mandolin for a child
Bigd18
Dec-08-2009, 11:18am
I started to label this as mandolin for a 2 year old, but really his birthday is in Feburary. I was hoping to get some advice or past experience about buying a mandolin for a child for X-mas. I've always played around my son since he was born. He will dance a little and would somewhat strum the mandolin, guitar, or banjo while I play for him. Thanksgiving week, I jokingly sat him on my lap a laid the mandolin in front of him. I gave him the pick and he proceeded to strum, all upstrokes (although I told him once he turned 2 he would have to learn down strokes). So all weekend and so far this week he will say "pocket" and "pick" then once he has the pick he will walk over to my instruments a say "mando". So we've been "practicing" I guess you could say. The guitar is of course too big, although he tries it too, and I know they have small guitars, but I can't say I've ever seen a toy or child-size mandolin. Do they exist or do I need to think about a cheap beater (still just a little big for him)? Thanks for you help.
Donald & my son Nicholas
mandroid
Dec-08-2009, 12:03pm
... 2 ... Consider a Uke, soprano, steel strings would be harder to make a note than nylon ones , with soft wee fingers
and tuning in guitar like intervals is their common arraingement , the 4th string is an octave higher , that is called reentrant tuning..
Board has gone over GDAE string sets of nylon for Ukes. before so there is that option too..
Mid Mo /big muddy made a version of flattop , as Kid Mo short [13"] scale, 4 strings steel.
( shorter than that is picolo mandolins , at 12" scales , tunes an octave up from Mandolas as CGDA pitch set.
cheap mandolins are harder for adults to play , because the QC is the first thing to go when price-point
is the primary criteria. :(
get the child swimming lessons ,soon, they will need it. :crying:
:popcorn:
250sc
Dec-08-2009, 12:37pm
"mandolin for a child" I thought you were looking for a trade. I have a teenager I'd be willing to trade for a decent mando.
Bigd18
Dec-08-2009, 1:28pm
"mandolin for a child" I thought you were looking for a trade. I have a teenager I'd be willing to trade for a decent mando.
I'm pretty sure the wife would rather trade me. Plus, I'm hard to keep in tune.;)
The uke is an option that I should have thought about. I just thought if he's interested then I can't think of a better "toy" than an instrument.
The swimming lessons are coming soon. I know I swim like a rock so I need someone to save me.
Thanks,
Donald
Greg H.
Dec-09-2009, 11:46am
"mandolin for a child" I thought you were looking for a trade. I have a teenager I'd be willing to trade for a decent mando.
Hey, I've got two teenagers. . . .and I'll throw in a beater mandolin if you take both!:grin:
Ok, no, but there are times. . . . ..
morgan
Dec-09-2009, 3:57pm
I bought a "kid mo" for my kids when they were little, but older than 2! Four strings, small and light, very lightly strung and much more playable for little kids than an "adult"mandolin. One of them liked to strum, one of them liked to pick, and then they got old enough to figure out that no kid should be doing what their dad does, so now they play other instruments. So I sold it on the cafe, got a reasonable chunk of the purchase price back, and figured it was worth it for the fun they (and I) got out of it. It's a nice memory to think of them trying "monkey and the engineer" on it.
It had a cool plinky sound and made a great travel mando, but you really had to lighten your touch to avoid stretching the notes.
That was long ago and I think I paid $185 then, so if cost is a factor a uke would be much cheaper. I don't know if Big Muddy sells them anymore but they'd probably make one if asked.
Darren Bailey
Dec-09-2009, 4:02pm
What about an electric? Still enables learning everything but with an easy pain-free action - and might keep the child interested as it has the "gadget" quality that seems to appeal to kids.
instrumentality
Dec-09-2009, 4:31pm
Weber makes a "Sweat Pea" mandolin that I've heard of some people getting for their young children. Also doubles as a travel mando...
Though if you're looking for a short scale instrument, I don't think that'll do it.
Brian Krashpad
Dec-09-2009, 4:46pm
Wait.
They actually make mandolins smaller than they already usually are?
Aren't they hard enough to play as it is?
(runs)
Jim MacDaniel
Dec-09-2009, 5:02pm
My little rocker is getting one of these Flying V uke's from Santa this year (at Elderly (http://elderly.com/new_instruments/items/MU40-BLACK.htm)):
Tim2723
Dec-09-2009, 5:06pm
The uke is a great idea for a child so young. Steel strings and teeny fingers can lead to an unhappy experience that might come back to him. Music shouldn't be painful, at least not at that tender age.
I'm being reminded of the Arthur Godfrey uke I got for Christmas back in 1953, when I was 6. It was plastic and had pictures of hula girls in grass skirts on the top. My Dad tuned it up by singing "My dog has fleas." It had a gadget up by the nut, that when you pressed a button, you could strum a chord. It came with a little songbook, just words and the chords you would push one of the buttons to get. I remember playing and singing "Birmingham Jail."
A Martin Backpacker is pretty small.. I strated my son with a A at 4yrs and now he plays a BRW F at 6yrs. A good thing that has worked for us, is I tune it down four notes and put a capo on at the fourth frett so he is still playing in 440 but the fretts are alot closer for him to reach. He can play full scale but find it a big stretch to reach chop cords. and your going to have a RIOT! everytime they learn something new it is like watching them walk for the first time again :mandosmiley:
Mike Black
Dec-09-2009, 5:24pm
This is the Piccolo Mandolin that I'm making for my son James. He's on 7 weeks old, so it will probably be a while before he appreciates it... Maybe 30 years or more :)
:mandosmiley:
Brian Krashpad
Dec-09-2009, 5:28pm
I'm being reminded of the Arthur Godfrey uke I got for Christmas back in 1953, when I was 6. It was plastic and had pictures of hula girls in grass skirts on the top. My Dad tuned it up by singing "My dog has fleas." It had a gadget up by the nut, that when you pressed a button, you could strum a chord. It came with a little songbook, just words and the chords you would push one of the buttons to get. I remember playing and singing "Birmingham Jail."
The perfect song for a child!
This is the Piccolo Mandolin that I'm making for my son James. He's on 7 weeks old, so it will probably be a while before he appreciates it... Maybe 30 years or more :)
:mandosmiley:
That is Very cool !!!! :mandosmiley:
Bigd18
Dec-11-2009, 9:41pm
That is very, very cool Mike. I was talking with Ward Elliott back this summer and he was talking about someone building a 3/4 mando. I thought about taking a set of plans and scaling them down at work just to see. I'm afraid Nicholas will be driving before I could get it done!! I guess there is a pretty good chance he may never really play with it but I just want him to have the opportunity. I know the little Harmony I got when I was 6 quickly went away (my mom may have hid it???). The Uke is probably what I am leaning towards but please keep the ideas churning. I have small builders within 5 miles of me so I may go see what kind of "scrap" is laying around.
Bigd18
Dec-11-2009, 9:55pm
This was last year at X-mas.