<p>One is also perfectly capable of playing an electric without an amp, or with an amp and headphones, and it is much quieter than an acoustic. We have at least 20 guitars between three musicians in my house, and the electric+headphones formula is what we find to be the least intrusive. Acoustics are a lot louder than people give them credit for.</p>
<p>My son and his roomate both brought their guitars. My son insists on taking his back and forth to school during breaks as well. He has always managed to bring it on his flights as a carry on, but I always worry that there will come a time when he will have to check it in and he wo’t be able to because he doesn’t have a hard case</p>
<p>My daughter took a full size piano keyboard AND guitar to college from day one. </p>
<p>She has since graduated, but lives in an apartment where they have 3 piano keyboards, at least four guitars, a bass, amps, and I’m not sure what else.</p>
<p>He has his acoustic and plays every day. He has a single. Noise is not the problem. He says that kids blast their IPODS through speakers that are much louder than his guitar playing. It is a nice outlet for him.</p>
<p>2 S’s took their guitars and DD took her keyboard. S2 roomed with other musicians, too and there were several guitars there. Noise did not seem to be an issue.</p>
<p>Yes - guys bring their guitars to college. They all take them out on the lawn when the spring weather arrives.</p>
<p>S took an electric guitar w/amp. He uses it like the OP’s son, and I am glad he has it–playing guitar is a much healthier way to deal with the stresses of freshman life than a lot of other things I can think of. Agree with Emaheevul07 that an unplugged or headphoned electric is much quieter than an acoustic and more appropriate for playing in a dorm.</p>
<p>"Agree with Emaheevul07 that an unplugged or headphoned electric is much quieter than an acoustic and more appropriate for playing in a dorm. "</p>
<p>College classmates in my dorm brought both acoustic and electric guitars with amps. Main issue is not the type of guitar, but whether the individual students are considerate enough of their dormmates and compliant with dorm rules about instruments. </p>
<p>Wasn’t much of an issue in my dorm as students were considerate for the most part. However, I would strongly recommend you don’t take an expensive acoustic/electric guitar/amp and you take appropriate security precautions with it. Not all college kids are careful and considerate about proper handling of musical instruments as several classmates found to their sorrow. </p>
<p>Also, too many college classmates…especially at a seemingly safe campus like Oberlin had their stereos and other valuables stolen because they left their doors unlocked or even open for as little as a few minutes. </p>
<p>And my roommates and dormmates wondered why I was so adamant about locking the dormroom whenever my roommate and I left our room. There’s one benefit of growing up in NYC before gentrification.</p>
<p>My son took an acoustic guitar, electric guitar and cello. He keeps the cello in the music building where he practices. He did not take his amps or pedals and runs the electric guitar through his computer and the medium-size speakers in the dorm room. I dont think its any louder than roomie’s computer games. He has friends who tried to get a piano into a 3rd floor walk-up dorm room, but not sure that worked out too well.</p>
<p>Oh, and we did add a rider to our insurance for all of the instruments.</p>
<p>BT - That’s great that your son is learning the piano! (If he can sing too, someday he may be able to do piano bar gigs). </p>
<p>I’ve read about many students taking instruments to school. Our son knew that the keyboard would be too cumbersome with his college 2000 miles away. Luckikly he found piano practice rooms. It was a little tricky getting his tenor sax to school, but I emailed JetBlue and got special permission for carry-on (he would have had to check it with the baby carriages if the flight wre more full). He uses the sax for 3 bands, so I’m glad he has it.</p>
<p>S1 took his acoustic guitar, bass, and amp his first year, and added his electronic drum kit (which he only plays through headphones) second year. There’s not enough room in a double for his keyboard, so he uses the ones around campus. He may take that if he gets a single next year.</p>
<p>For acoustic guitars, I suggest a really sturdy case. Most cases arent’ very protective, but there are some monster cases available that will keep a guitar safe from a lot of accidents.</p>
<p>My S took his, and the amp & headphones. </p>
<p>He was so enamored of this guitar, he took it on vacation the first summer he had it. Sort of a pain to get through the airports & airplanes, but I think he thought it was cool to walk around with a guitar in a case on his back. :)</p>
<p>LOL, S took 3 guitars, a sax, a mandolin, numerous harmonicas, guitar stands. (2)
Music is a big part of his life.</p>
<p>Thanks to all of you for posting so many things that I had not thought about. Sorry to hear that some of you have lost instruments. I am going to insist that he take the cheapest guitar as I think roomates’ visitors might be a problem and I know for a fact that he is too lazy to carry it to a practice room. My husband believes in high deduct insurance to keep down policy prices so I know there will not be insurance in my case. </p>
<p>Also, just remembered that when older daughter made a college visit 3 years ago, she was told to “sleep in that girl’s bed; she’s out of town” as they ate cookies from the girl’s care package from home. My D said she slept on top of the covers because she wasn’t about to wash the sheets but I think she did help eat the cookies. It was quite the eye-opener for her as she realized that all of her stuff would be out for the inspection of others. </p>
<p>S is youngest in family and no one has ever been interested in his stuff and he doesn’t have or require much so the guitar is going…thank again</p>
<p>Think about insurance. When our son went on a European tour with high school musicians, I was concerned about sending the “good sax” (he also has a “beater sax” for marching band). But I knew these were serious musicians and he had to sound good. So I called Allstate and had them add a rider. </p>
<p>The coverage costs about $40/year, and I think it covers up to $15,000 (ha, the good sax is not that good). We kept it in place. When he went to college, I verified the coverage was still good. </p>
<p>It is possible that dorm insurance would cover instruments too. But the only things of value my son has are sax, laptop and cellphone (both covered with their own insurance).</p>
<p>Hey, don’t forget the amp! My youngest son took a small amp and has gotten a number of paying gigs around campus because he has his own amp. But in the dorm he uses the headphones.</p>
<p>I think the question of whether to take the good instrument or the cheap one also turns on what use the student intends to make of it…if he’s just going to strum it on the quad, it’s one thing, but if he hopes to perform, join a band, etc., then it might make sense to take the expensive instrument. After all, he’ll be in college for four years–what’s he saving it for?</p>
<p>Our dorms had basement rooms that were perfect for electric guitar and jam sessions. Some student brought her drum set, and a lot of the other students had guitars, basses, amps, etc, so we all played together when we had the time. Also, there were student talent shows and open mic nights, so there were lots of opportunities for people to play.</p>
<p>Before my son left for his oos college, we had the same discussion about both a guitar and a set of golf clubs. He ended up taking both. With his busy schedule and a roomate who needs a quiet place to study, he hasn’t got to use either too much. But… he has got to use both a little, and he’s happy he took them. I think they offer comfort of home and who he is, and they are his pleasures. Taking them has been worth the hassle and risk. We opted to get the CSI dorm insurance mentioned frequently on CC and it covers both. His guitar isn’t worth much, but his golf clubs are worth a few thousand; CSI covered them without an additional fee.</p>