Canadian Bacon
Yes, the neck will be smaller. And the sound is the same. You just need to tune it properly.

evil777live
yes by 4 scales......maybe less...

responder
Here's what I think: 1. You need correct finger-stretch exercises and training in technic in order to improve your finger dexterity. Try Hanon exercises or scale playing. Also, play about 10 minutes of fret drills before you start chording or playing songs. 2. A child-size guitar will sound different, and that is not a good thing. Stay with a guitar which is correct for your own body size. 3. The neck is quite a bit shorter and narrower as well, making it even harder to chord if your fingers are mature in size.

Geo C
As an experienced guitar teacher, I can help you with information and advice. Yes, "children's" guitars are smaller. Typically they are called "three-quarter" size and are about 75 % the size of standard guitars. Yes, there is a tonal difference. In the same way that a ten-foot grand piano sounds richer and fuller than a six-foot piano, guitars with longer scale-length have more overtones. That is not necessarily good or bad, however. If you are referring to an electric guitar, most of the tone comes from the electric pickups, so you might find the sound more pleasing. Shorter scale length changes the relationship of fundamental frequencies to overtones. This is a highly subjective matter of taste. Therefore, there is no ‘right” answer. You might love the sound of a ¾. You might hate it. About using a smaller guitar because of stiff hands due to injuries... This may seem counter-intuitive, but that is a bad idea. Think about it. If you are trying to improve your flexibility, you do not want to limit movement. You want to increase it. There are a number of common misconceptions about learning the guitar. That small guitars are easier-to-play is one of them. The best type of guitar to learn on is a classical, nylon-string guitar. This is especially true if you have stiff fingers due to injuries. Classical guitars have nylon strings that are much larger in diameter than electric or acoustic steel-string guitars. However, because the strings are of a softer material, they are much easier on your hands. Nylon strings will not hurt your fingertips as steel strings can. They require less force to hold and place less potentially injurious stress on your tendons and joints. There are other advantages to using a classical… The strings are farther apart. Strings on classical guitars are spaced so that there is more room between the strings. That gives you a larger margin-of-error. This is a boon to all beginners. It also means you will spread your fingers farther apart, thereby encouraging greater flexibility. Think about what physical therapists do when they treat an injured person. They always help that person INCREASE his range of motion. They DO NOT decrease the range of motion. They slowly and gently encourage smooth repetitions that gradually grow to maximum safe range. That is exactly what a classical guitar will help you do! The large but pliable strings place less stress on your fingers. The wider spacing requires more stretching with all its healing benefits. The wide-spaced strings give you a larger margin-of-error. Therefore, you get satisfying musical results without extreme precision. I have suffered several hand injuries during my forty years of guitar playing. Some were terrible. During the worst part of the healing process, the classical guitar was my musical friend. It was soothing and healing to my hands and my soul. I recommend nylon stringed classical style guitars to all beginners. If you have suffered injuries or have particularly stiff hands for any reason, the full-sized classic is your best choice. Best Wishes!