Fender Three String Guitars - These Are New Kids Guitars

 

Fender X
Children's
Guitar

A few weeks ago I ran across a news article stating that Fender is offering a 3 string electric guitar. My first thought was,  Say what!? 

Fender X 
Children's
Guitar

I investigated this and realized this is a tiny guitar marketed for children as their first guitar. 

Harmony Patrician

I recall those long-ago years when I got my first guitar at age 12. It was an old Harmony Patrician archtop model from the late 1940’s strung with heavy gauge Black Diamond strings that were almost an inch off the neck at the 12th fret. But it did have six strings. At the time I wasn’t aware there were any chords above the third fret. 

Guitar Class

I took a class at the local YMCA with a neighbor girl. We actually started learning chords on the first 4 strings. The book we purchased had some little stick-on colored dots that we put on the fret board to remind us what string to put our fingers on to make C – G – D  and A chords. 

We strummed guitar and sang along with some well-known folksongs. Within a year I had acquired a much better guitar and learned how to use the fourth and fifth string. Heck, I even learned how to play a barre chord. 

Mystery Girl???

But you know, I sometimes wonder what became of that neighborhood girl?  She was so very cute.

Fender
Mini Strat

It is just my opinion but I believe that a child of that age would be better served leaning on a ¾ or ½ size guitar, such as a mini-strat.  The Fender Mini Strat and Mini Jazzmaster are even $10 cheaper than their 3-string model.  

FenderX Mini Loog Guitar Kit

But after taking a deeper look into these FenderX Loog guitars, it become evident these guitars are more in the line of toys. I recall those tiny Suzuki violins that some of my friends kids started out playing.

FenderX/Loog Mini Strat

The bodies of these guitars are quite tiny and made for smaller hands, kids perhaps 6 to 9 years of age. They come with the Fender Learning app, chord flash cards, picks, stickers, and a Leo Fender book for kids. Tuning is GBE as the first three guitar strings.

A very flattering image of
Leo Fender on the book

When I started playing there was no Leo Fender Story Book for kids. We had to settle for Mel Bay's Big Book O' Chords.

Loog Children's Guitars

Fender has partnered with a company called Loog that specializes in building and selling 3 string guitars for children.  This company also offers a six string model. These instruments are aimed at the pre-school market.

Martin
Backpacker

Martin Guitars have done a pretty admirable job of marketing and selling their small  Backpacker travel guitars. 

Strumstick

This Backpacker was developed through a relationship to a luthier/guitar teacher, Bob McNally, who invented a 3-string instrument that he called The Strumstick. Chris Martin saw McNally's booth at a NAMM show and became interested. The six string Backpacker shape is similar to The Strumstick, 

Rock On  Young'un! 

At risk of being unfair to a new generation of players, I may be wrong, and I hope the little guys and girls have a great time playing their Fender 3 string guitars playing Guitar Hero. After all, it is essentially a toy.  Mom and Dad can add a tiny 3 watt amp for an additional $45.

But if their kiddoes show interest in developing their skill as guitar player, it won’t be long before Mom and Dad will need to purchase a more practical instrument 

I suggest starting out with a full sized guitar.

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This little girl is only six years old!

One Man Band - OMB Guitars

 

Deke Moffittt Band

My parents loved Big Band Music from the 1940's and '50's. I grew up listening to The Great American Songbook. There were still some big bands around when I was growing into my teen years. And because of the popularity in the 40's and 50's a guy could make a living playing horns or percussion in a 25 piece band. 

Bill Haley and The Comets

But by the 1950's  live music started to favor the Combo consisting of 3 to 6 players, due because the cost of paying four players outweighed the cost of maintaining twenty-five full time musicians.  

For the past few years, due to technology a solo act or a duo can sound like a full orchestra by using relatively inexpensive technology. 

Godwin GuitarOrgan

In the late 1970's I used to see a guy playing a GuitarOrgan at a club. His was made by a company called Godwin. They created this in 1967 by taking a Japanese made hollow body electric guitar and fitting the body with a complex series of oscillators, transistors, and organ circuitry. Wires were connected to each fret in six places. 

The frets became switches to create the sound. 

Vox Guitar Organ

Jennings Music created the first guitar organ in 1965. Either of these guitars could sound like an organ or guitar, or both. So this guy had a virtual one man band, minus the drums and bass. 

Roland G-700 Midi Guitar

Later on Midi technology came into being, and Roland and Arp created the first Midi guitars.  This instrument, and those that followed used a hexaphonic pickup that was placed near the guitar bridge. This device translated sounds into electronic waves that could be sent to a synthesizer.

Yamaha QY-10

Years ago I used a Yamaha QY-10 sequencer to add a bass and drum part when I played casuals.  Though it sounded like a great idea on paper, But I would have to program that little unit to the desired key, tempo, and amount of measure repeats since it did not have a lot or RAM.  I could fit about 10 songs on it. I purchased two of these units second hand on eBay.

Ray Cummins

One friend sells his CD's at his concerts and he has a CD that he recorded of his backing tracks that did in a studio to play along with on his guitar.

Lately some of my friends play guitar and sing use backing tracks on their PC or tablet. I know that some of these tracks can be found at the Karaoke Versions web site for around $2.99 a download. They can be customized with desired instrumentation and key preference. 

Band In A Box

Then some players record their own tracks to their computer or tablet for backing tracks by using Band in a Box. They play along to these tracks to create their own faux combo. 

Any of these systems allows a solo artist to sound like they have an entire band behind them. I have been to some concerts that have professional players using backing tracks on a computer to enhance their performance. 

Lip Syncing Mic Tosser

And there was a recent concert with Cardi B, a rapper I know virtually nothing about, recently became angry when an audience member lobbed a bottle of water at her. In retaliation Ms. B threw her wireless microphone into the crowd, hitting an innocent audience member.  

During the altercation it was revealed to the audience that Cardi was not rapping or singing when the backing track went on, because her lips were not moving. She was lip-synching! But I digress.  

 

OMB Guitars (electric)

Recently an Israeli company, OMB, has manufactured a built in device that turns you acoustic or electric device into a One Man Band.  The device can be purchased stand alone with all the attachments preinstalled in the guitar, or with add-on units.

OMB Acoustic
Note the MIDI unit
and copper strip on neck

The company claims that the OMB acoustic/electric guitar or attachment will take your playing experience to a whole new level and help develop your creativity as a musician. 

With its MIDI system, warm mid-frequency and crisp high frequency make it set up and playing easy.  You will need an iPhone or iPad. The software turns your guitar into a real time MIDI controller.  

aMure Software screens

To use the OMB, you will need an iPad or iPhone to download the music arranger program aMure.

Using the built in styles, you can easily play along with a backing band in various musical styles.  The company's acoustic guitar features a full sized body with a laminated Spruce top, and Mahogany back, and sides. The built in electronics include volume, and EQ and a piezo pickup.

  

OMB PRS

With the OMB technology you can enjoy the accompaniment of a full-size virtual band, following your chord progression in real-time without changing the way you play and your original guitar for beginners sound. 

 

OMB Adapter Kit

The secret is the OMB device that is below the instrument's bridge / tailpiece and a metal strips that are on both sides of the fretboard that come in contact the the edges of the frets. converts your guitar playing to MIDI signals without any perceived latency.  

OMB Instructions

This doesn't disturb or change the original sound of your guitar, it adds another rich dimension to your playing, 

OMB could also accompany you with a full size virtual band that tracks your playing in real-time. OMB's technology converts your guitar playing to MIDI signals with no perceived latency. 

OMB Pedal

The software and add on unit can change your guitar into any MIDI instrument from their vast library. By adding the OMB effects pedal or the OMB Ketron unit you will have a much larger library of sounds.  

Ketron SD40 & SD90

The effects pedal sell for $359 USD, while the Ketron units are rather expensive, priced from $1869 to $3169.  

This all sounds amazing, but please check out the reviews first.

© 2023 UniqueGuitar Publications (text only)

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If you are really interested in installing the OMB device

please watch this video. It is long.