My journey with music began at ten years old when my dad placed a bass guitar in my hands. A musician himself, with years of band experience, he was eager to play with accompaniment again. He had acquired and restored a Fender Musicmaster bass years prior. I remember it vividly – neck separated from body during repair, sanded, and repainted black. Its shorter scale was ideal for small hands. In our basement, plugged into a PA amp through a massive Peavey 18″ Black Window cabinet, the first string I plucked resonated deeply, a sound felt as much as heard.
This moment profoundly impacted my life. It shaped my identity. Through my teens and beyond, I was a bass player. I expanded to guitar, drums, vocals, harmonies, and recording, using these skills to create my own music. I played in bands and even achieved some commercial success recently. But it all traces back to that bass guitar my dad gave me, teaching me the joy of music. When I had children, I knew I wanted to offer them the same musical opportunity. And now, a guitar manufacturer is enabling me to do just that.
The Loog Guitar is designed with simplicity in mind, especially for young learners. Its most striking feature is its inviting aesthetic. With a small body featuring clean lines and a natural finish, the Loog feels perfectly sized for a child’s hands, yet it’s clearly a real instrument, not a toy. The fretboard, marked with colorful dots indicating string positions, highlights another key aspect: the Loog has only three strings.
Learning guitar can be a daunting task. When I eventually borrowed my dad’s acoustic guitar, I already had a foundation from playing bass for years. I understood note placement and had a practical grasp of music theory, developed from what simply “felt right.” Guitar, however, was different. Lacking a chord book, I used an Eagles Greatest Hits book with chord diagrams above each song. Fingering those chords was challenging and uncomfortable initially. It took time, but eventually, I learned what I needed.
The Loog is designed to provide the opposite experience – one that encourages early success. While a standard guitar is tuned E-A-D-G-B-E, the three-string Loog can be tuned to Open A (A-E-A) or standard tuning (A-D-G). In Open A tuning, children can quickly play simple songs using major chords by just barring a finger across all three strings and strumming. Progressing to standard tuning introduces them to parts of chords on a regular guitar. The Loog also includes a user-friendly chord book covering both Open A and standard tunings, a valuable and welcome addition.
Teaching my son about guitar has been both challenging and rewarding. At five years old, he’s younger than the recommended 6-9 age range. However, when we learned the guitar was on its way, I built anticipation for his first real guitar. He has toy instruments, including a cheap ukulele, but I emphasized the importance of this guitar – that he would help build it and it would be truly his.
Upon arrival, we unpacked the box and laid out all the components on our kitchen table. Inspired by cigar box guitars, the Loog is smaller than a standard guitar. It’s available with a 21” or 24” neck to suit different hand sizes. Body styles vary; I chose the classic rectangular cigar-box shape for its simple elegance.
The manufacturing quality was impressive. Constructed from sustainable woods, all parts fit together precisely, showing attention to detail. The headstock featured the Loog logo and a metal plate for the bolt-on neck. The tailpiece added a stylish touch, and the pickguard set offered customization options. The overall aesthetic is well-defined, making it appealing to kids; it genuinely looks cool.
My son and I followed the clear instructions, guided by pictures showing us how to assemble the Loog. Assembly took only about fifteen to twenty minutes. My son took turns with the screwdriver and pushed in tuning pegs, as we identified and named each part of his new guitar. His enjoyment of the process was clear.
However, as we began stringing the instrument, I noticed something missing. Conspicuously absent was the nut, the small piece at the top of the guitar neck that elevates and spaces the strings leading to the tuning pegs. The manufacturer promptly identified the issue and sent a replacement part, requiring only glue for installation. This minor delay didn’t diminish our enthusiasm, and within days, I finally heard the Loog guitar’s sound. It was a rewarding experience, introducing my son to the world of music through a well-designed, accessible instrument. The Loog guitar offers a fantastic entry point for young musicians, making the initial steps of learning guitar less daunting and more enjoyable.
