Are you looking for the perfect gift for your little one to start their musical journey?
You may have recently stumbled upon Loog guitars. Loog guitars are how to use a teach your children to play guitar, without having to invest in a 3/4 size instrument. However, is a Loog guitar any good, and is it worth the investment?
Loog guitars are three-string instruments that are marketed towards
The Loog guitar Comes with speakers, built-in amplifiers, apps, and flashcards to teach children how to play songs and form chords on their instrument.
As new Loog guitar models are hitting the market, more and more parents wonder if the Loog guitars are really the right choice to make to introduce their children to play an instrument. The Loog Mini, Loog Pro, and Loog Pro VI teach children from the age of three up to the age of 12.
But, are Loog guitars really worth the investment?
This ultimate Loog guitar review and guide will break down all about Loog guitar and show you if it’s really worth the investment. Keep reading to learn more!
What’s the Build of the Loog Guitar Look Like?
When you first take a glance at the Loog guitar, the first thing that you may notice is the physical difference in this guitar. Let’s take a closer look at the building of the Loog Guitar:
Loog Guitar Neck and Body
The Loog Guitar body and neck don’t have the same structure that a ukulele does, despite having a similar appearance.
The body of the Loog Guitar has a similar size body as a concert ukulele. however, you’ll find that the first of three strings for both the strength and tuning is that a similar appearance to a 6-string guitar buried
The idea behind the three-string Loog Guitar is that once the beginning a musician has enough experience in confidence in the three strings on their mini guitar, they’ll know to implement into playing a full-sized six-string guitar.
Loog Guitar Construction
A guitar’s construction is good quality, but it isn’t anything spectacular that you should expect out of a high-end guitar. However, it does have enough robustness to stand up some minor abuse from an enthusiastic beginning musician.
The guitar’s appearance is similar to the Retro 1950s Style body that many musicians think of when they imagined a good heart. You can choose between white, red, green, or pink finishes.
If you have experience playing the guitar, you’ll find that that there is a low action on the guitar. This is due to the reduced size of the instrument, and the instrument only has three strings. However, due to the low action on the instrument and this guitar’s size, it makes a great Insurance to play for people who have small hands.
This will allow your child to have an easier time wrapping their small fingers and hands around the entirety of the fretboard. Plus, your child will easily be able to form chords without putting any strain on the wrist or hands.
With the 3-string Loog Mini guitar and its accompanying app, a child can jump into playing songs -not just scales or exercises- on day one. This gives little rockers a sense of accomplishment that stimulates them to keep going. With Loog, kids are playing, learning and having fun from the very beginning, acquiring skills that stay with them forever.
Award-winning electric guitar for children and beginners. Designed to make it fun and easy to play music, the Loog Pro Electric comes with an app that gets kids playing songs on day one.
The Loog Pro VI Acoustic is a compact, short-scale acoustic guitar, bundled with flashcards and an app that teaches you music through games, AR, and free video lessons!
Loog Guitar Hardware
There is a lot of basic hardware in the Loog guitar. However, this basic hardware doesn’t mean that the instrument is any less functional.
You will find three open-gear tuners at the top of the guitar that has white and buttons. This will be complemented by a smallish wooden bridge that will make the tuning for this guitar stabilized.
Plus, you will find classic guitar strings, which are nylon base, on the Loog guitar. These nylon bass strings make it a lot easier for beginning musicians to start playing guitar because these nylon strings are less softer on the hands.
One of the nicest finishing touches to the Loog guitar is that the purchase comes with flashcards that show chord diagrams. These chord diagrams make it easy for small guitarists to learn a few quick to play chords that will make their entire burning experience encouraging.
Loog Guitar Sound
Another nice touch that comes with the Loog guitar is that it has a decent sound to it. Keep in mind that this is a guitar meant for children, so there aren’t any complex overtones that this guitar is able to produce.
Also, you shouldn’t expect there to be a large sound like one for this instrument, especially because of this instrument’s size. Surprisingly though, it does develop a sound that very similar to that of a classical guitar.
There is a decent amount of clarity and volume from a Loog guitar, with a much more balanced tone than many experience guitarists may be anticipating.
Keep in mind that the Loog guitar isn’t going to sound as full as a regular concert guitar. This is because of the instrument’s size, so it shouldn’t be a cause of any concern.
Loog Guitar Playability
This is a very easy instrument to learn guitar on. As mentioned above, the neck is very thin, which makes it easy for children of all sizes to wrap up their fingers around the entirety of the fretboard. Plus, the instrument’s body is small and lightweight, perfect for the smaller stature of a child.
One of the most mind parts of learning guitar that greatly impacts whether a child becomes interested or disinterested in playing guitar is the instrument’s size. If the instrument is too large for the child, it’ll make the instrument uncomfortable to hold.
Thankfully, the Loog guitar is small and lightweight, so even children with a smaller stature shouldn’t have difficulty holding the instrument.
If you’re still unsure if the size of the Loog guitar would be too large for a child, see if your child feels comfortable holding on to the ukulele.
Both a ukulele and Loog guitar are similar in size, so this will help you to get a better understanding of if your child will feel comfortable or not before you make your investment.
Playing the Loog guitar isn’t very different from playing the traditional guitar that you can pick up at your closest guitar store. Instead, it makes the three-string guitar concept a lot more straightforward because it doesn’t have the extra strings that come with a traditional guitar.
Once your child understands and a mastery of the three guitars that come on the Loog guitar, it’ll be easier for your child to move on to the concept of larger-size instruments.
With the 3-string Loog Mini guitar and its accompanying app, a child can jump into playing songs -not just scales or exercises- on day one. This gives little rockers a sense of accomplishment that stimulates them to keep going. With Loog, kids are playing, learning and having fun from the very beginning, acquiring skills that stay with them forever.
Is a Loog Guitar Worth the Purchase?
For those parents looking to invest in an instrument that will introduce their young children to the world of guitar and music, the Loog guitar is a great investment to make.
Even though that is true and only has three strings, you’ll get a basic yet fun instrument that your child will benefit from using. Plus, it won’t put a massive dent in your wallet.
Over time, your child will outgrow that instrument, so it’s important that you don’t, and that’s a lot of money into a guitar that they’re just going to start out on.
The instrument’s buildup is pretty adorable, so you won’t have to worry about the instrument breaking if it gets a few dents and bangs in it.
Purchasing a Loog Guitar in Canada
Loog does ship directly to Canada here, but prices can be considerably more expensive than domestically within the United States.
If you are seeing super high prices to ship to Canada, consider purchasing from Amazon.ca here instead. Amazon oftentimes has a better logistics network for local deliveries to Canada.
Purchasing a Loog Guitar in the UK and Europe
Unlike for Canada, Loog actually does have local regional distribution for UK and Europe. HOWEVER, due to supply chain issues in 2022-2023, it looks like they are sold out of their entire local inventory. Because of this, your only option is to order directly from the United States here (and eat the shipping charges – for now…).
Loog Alternatives & Substitutes to Consider
Do you feel like there may be a better option for an instrument for your child? We’re here to show you a few other Alternatives you may want to consider if you feel like Loog guitar isn’t the best option.
Let’s take a closer look at the best alternatives:
Orangewood Oliver Jr. Guitar
We LOVE the expert crafted Oliver Jr from Orangewood. A boutique guitar maker, known for high quality guitars, the Oliver Jr is their offering for the junior / young adult category. That said, it's really a great guitar for anyone in need of something smaller. Not another cheapo guitar!
The Orangewood Oliver Jr. is a kid-friendly smaller guitar (or just great as a smaller option for adults).
It’s small enough to be easy to pickup and play, without being so small as to fall into the ukulele category.
The bright and clean sounds make the Oliver Jr a joy to play. PLUS, the expert craftsmanship exudes! This is no cheapo beater guitar. So often I find the “small” or “kids” guitars are just poorly made minis. Not the case with the Oliver Jr.
Side note: I also love that my purchase supports a US-based (Los Angeles) company, including the craftsman and artisans growing the Orangewood brand.
Continue reading our complete Orangewood Oliver Jr Guitar review or check out this guide to learn more about how to find the best Beater Guitars.
Makala MK-S Entry Level Soprano Ukulele
This Makala MK-S Ukulele doesn’t have the same fun color schemes that many toy shop level ukuleles come with.
However, this is because Makala has focused on dedicating time and effort into developing this ukulele to develop a high-quality sound.
You can play a 4-string Accord on this instrument with no problem.
Since this has the same shaping necessary for a child to learn how to play guitar, you may want to consider giving it to a small child or a toddler that’s interested in learning how to play.
Yamaha Acoustic Guitalele
The Yamaha GL1 Mini 6-String Nylon Guitalele is half guitar, half ukulele, and 100% fun. A unique mini 6-string nylon guitar that is sized like a baritone ukulele (17" scale) and plays like a standard tuned guitar.
This Yamaha Acoustic Guitalele is a combination of a guitar and a ukulele.
This is a quarter-sized instrument, which basically just means that the neck of the stringed instrument is shorter than what you would find on the average guitar.
This stringed instrument still has six strings on it. However, the tuning is similar to that of a ukulele.
If you are looking to start your child off with the skills they need to translate into a full-sized instrument, this Yamaha Acoustic Guitalele is the perfect size for a small child.
If these options still don’t fit best with what you’re looking for for your child, you may want to consider looking into three-quarter or half-sized guitars.
The sizing of these instruments will depend on the size of your child.
Where to Buy Loog Replacement Guitar Strings
There are two options to purchase replacement (or just extra) guitar strings for the Loog Mini and Pro series:
- Check Amazon Here: Sometimes featuring seasonal deals, often the fastest shipping option if you need them quickly.
- Order via Loog Directly Here: They actually tend to retail directly at a cheaper price with seasonal discounts (e.g. as of Q4 2022 they are $15 instead of the $19 on Amazon).
Loog Guitar Review FAQs
Question: Can you play any song on a Loog guitar?
Answer: Yes, you can play any song on a three-string guitar. This is because a regular cord on a standard six-string instrument doesn’t usually contain any more than three notes. By playing on three-string guitar, you can play real chords and real songs. While the sound on a three-string guitar won’t have as full and round of a sound as a six-string guitar, this is because the three-string guitar is smaller than a six-string guitar.
Question: Can only children play the Loog guitar?
Answer: No, anybody of any size or age can play a Loog guitar. Playing three-string guitar is great for children to start off on because of the size of the instrument in the hands of children. However, anybody who wants to learn to play the guitar can start off with a Loog guitar.
Question: Can a child learn on Loog guitar and still learn how to play a six-string guitar later on?
Answer: Yes, this is because playing on a Loog guitar differs from playing on a regular six-string traditional guitar. The only difference is that playing on this three-string instrument is a lot simpler than playing on a traditional guitar.
The basic concepts of tuning, proper hand support for holding a guitar, and other Concepts that you learned playing the guitar can start off on the three-string instrument and translate high-tech string guitar later on. The transition between going from a three-string instrument to a six-string instrument is completely natural and seamless.
Once you have the core concept of where to hold your guitar and the finger placement on a three-string instrument, you can translate the same concept of applying a 6-string traditional guitar.
Question: How do you tune a Loog guitar?
Answer: It would help if you tuned a Loog guitar from low to high. If you have musical experience, you should tune a Loog guitar G, B, E.
The Loog guitar uses the same first three strings and tuning as a traditional six-string guitar. This is why you can take everything that your child learns playing on Loog guitar to a standard six-string instrument. Of course, you can experiment with other tuning options, such as Open G or Open A later on down the road.
Question: Are there left-handed Loog guitar options available?
Answer: At this moment, Loog guitar doesn’t offer left handed options. However, if you’re interested in teaching your child how to play a left-handed guitar, you can flip the strings order to make it work.
Question: Is the Loog guitar only available in acoustic?
Answer: No, you can also look into the Loog Pro electric guitar.
Understanding the bottom line for investing in a Loog Guitar
The guitars that Loog Guitars makes are some of the highest quality children’s guitars on the market. There are so many cheap children’s guitars on the market that were only made to be toys.
However, the Loog guitar is a playable guitar that’ll truly help teach your child how to play the guitar.
Whether you’re looking to teach your child how to play the guitar or you’re looking to accelerate their learning, the guitars from Loog Guitar are truly promising!
Have you purchased a Loog Guitar for your child to learn how to play guitar on? We’d love to hear your thoughts or opinions in the comments below!
With the 3-string Loog Mini guitar and its accompanying app, a child can jump into playing songs -not just scales or exercises- on day one. This gives little rockers a sense of accomplishment that stimulates them to keep going. With Loog, kids are playing, learning and having fun from the very beginning, acquiring skills that stay with them forever.
Further Reading:
- Best Guitars for Kids Guide
- Best 1/2 Size Guitars Guide
- Orangewood Guitars Review & Guide
- Best Electric Ukuleles Guide
- Best Concert Ukuleles Guide
- Best Baritone Ukuleles Guide
- Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top Review – Features, Pros and Cons - August 23, 2023
- Loog Guitar Review: Is It Worth the Buy? - August 22, 2023
- Precision Bass vs Jazz Bass Compared: Which Guitar is Better? - August 22, 2023