Review: Paper Jamz electric guitar is ideal instrument tester for fickle kids

When your youngster reaches the age when they become inspired to pick up a guitar and form a band, the Paper Jamz guitar is the way to go.

Don’t fall into the trap of trudging to the shops and purchasing the pricey electric guitar and amp. This is likely to be a novelty for three months before moving to the attic to collect dust alongside the Karate kit and ballet shoes. Instead, test out how long their interest will last by getting the Paper Jamz. It’s a fun, reasonably priced wafer thin electric guitar which will serve as both a toy and free style musical instrument.
 
There are six differently designed Paper Jamz, all of which work through a process called Active Graphics Technology. This is a touch technology which is contained inside the printed surface of the guitar and less than a millimeter thin.

When a player strums across the surface of the guitar, the technology responds.

It’s a dream toy, being addictive fun, perfect for a family Christmas and easy to store. The body is just 3mm wide and the battery compartment less than 2cm.

Aimed at anyone over the age of eight, the guitar works in three modes:

Firstly, Perfect Play, an easy setting for youngsters wanting to strum along to pre-set music and vocals.

Secondly, Rhythm Mode, where players take more control  having to strum chords at the correct time.

Thirdly, Freestyle, as a musical instrument in its own right with more than thirty chords including major, minor and sharps and flats.

For such a lightweight, thin toy, it is surprisingly strong. But, being too heavy handed with it is not a good idea, neither is allowing the cat to use it as a clawing post. Allocating a dedicated storage space to begin with will stop any accidental damage potentially caused by leaving it on the settee under a mountain of cushions.

The sound quality is reasonably good and the controls easy to use. Playing freestyle does take a bit of getting used to but this quality of play learning will far exceed that of any computer game.

Being lightweight and easy to hold, children from the age of four upwards will enjoy having a strum. They will take pleasure from being able to confidently create a tuneful sound, even if they are musically untalented.

This is the perfect toy for children whose parents missed the early opportunity of getting them to take up a musical instrument at an early age. The Paper Jamz sits nicely in the category of children aged eight to ten years who will end up playing a guitar for fun.
£24.99
www.paperjamz.com/uk