There are plenty of kids out there (and some adults too) with rockstar dreams. They see their heroes up on the stage and want to learn everything they can about playing their favorite tunes. Despite the big aspirations, sometimes it’s hard to know how committed a child is to learning to play an instrument until she actually gets her hands on one and starts to learn.

While your child might be begging for a guitar or drum set all his own, you may be reluctant to shell out a bunch of cash before gauging true interest level. Also, depending on your child’s age and size, conventional instruments may just be too large. The good news is that there are some well built starter instruments on the market that are a more reasonable size for budding young musicians and also won’t break the bank. You just have to know where to look. Here are some options to consider for your junior rockstar.  

Squier Affinity Mini Strat Electric Guitar with Rosewood Fingerboard

A scaled down version of the Bullet Strat, the Squier Affinity Mini Strat Electric Guitar has a ton of cool features at an amazing price. With a Back Friday cost of just $99.99, it’s easier than ever to get your junior rockstar on track to her Grammy award winning performance.

This guitar has a smaller overall size, thinner body, and a slimmer neck profile, making it much easier for smaller hands to play. The body material is solid wood and is finished with gloss polyurethane. The neck wood is maple and the shape is C standard. The fretboard is rosewood. This mini strat comes with three single-coil Stratocaster® pickups and five-way switching for classic Fender tones. Additional features include improved tuning machines, a hardtail bridge, smaller strap pins and a side-mounted output jack. This eye-catching mini guitar is sure to impress and comes in three attention-grabbing colors—Black, Pink, and Torino Red.

Sound Percussion Labs Lil Kicker – 3 Piece Jr Drum Set with Throne

If you want to get big impact in a smaller size drum set, then the Sound Percussion Labs Lil Kicker 3 Piece Jr Drum Set with Throne is an incredible option. This kit not only sounds great—it looks amazing too. Don’t let its smaller size fool you; this drum set rocks just as hard as its larger sized counterparts. In fact, it’s built to the same specifications as larger kits. This set is fully tunable and has real multi-ply wood shells. It also has replaceable top and bottom heads. Glistening accents and black hardware give this set the rockstar look to go along with its incredible sound. The kit comes complete with a 16″ x 12″ kick drum, 10″ x 4″ snare drum, 8″ x 5″ tom, all stands, two cymbals, throne, kick pedal, tuning key and a pair of sticks. If you’re shopping during the Black Friday sale you can get your junior rockstar started with this kit for just $149.99.

Vic Firth Kidsticks

Little hands are just as capable as bigger hands, they just sometimes need tools that are sized for them. If you have a young drummer in the family, regular drumsticks may be a bit too big and awkward. At 13” in length and 0.520” in diameter, Vic Firth Kidsticks are perfectly sized for junior rockstar drummers. They tend to be the ideal size for budding drummers in the 3 to 8 year old range. These high quality hickory sticks produce excellent sound and make the learning process much more fun. The playful pastel finish make them even more appealing to kids. During the Black Friday promotion these sticks are priced at just $6.49.  

Head to Music & Arts for Your Christmas Gifts This Year

When a child shows interest in learning to play a musical instrument it’s always a great idea to follow that enthusiasm and see where it goes. Of course, dropping a bundle of money on a passion that doesn’t pan out can be frustrating to say the least. That’s why it’s a great idea to look into some of the high quality beginner instruments on the market. Even better, these instruments are created with young musicians in mind, so they’re better suited to children’s smaller hands and stature. If you have an aspiring rockstar in the family, shopping during the Black Friday sale can save you money and get your child started on a lifelong love of music.