Many beginning guitar students struggle with the choice between starting their guitar journey on an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar. Honestly, it can be a tough choice.
Ideally it would be great if we could all afford to run out and buy one of each. But that option is not always practical – nor is it recommended in the beginning.
There are some things a new guitar player should consider when faced with the choice between an acoustic or electric guitar.
Acoustic Guitars
The vast majority of beginning guitar players start out on an acoustic guitar. This is a highly versatile instrument suitable for a number of music styles and genres.
They are easy to transport and store, and don’t require any amplification to be heard. Acoustic guitars are so popular because they are “self-contained” units, and easy to care for.
Electric Guitars
A new guitarist that chooses an electric guitar should already have their sights set on playing rock, heavy rock, modern blues, metal, modern country or playing lead guitar.
Amplification is required to hear the electric so it is not as conducive to someone that wants to just sit around the house and strum their favorite folk song.
There is also the added expense of having to purchase an amp to hear the guitar, making the whole affair a little less convenient.
The up side of an electric for the newbie, is that the guitar necks are usually thinner, as is the gauge of strings they use. This makes playing an electric guitar much easier on the hands and finger tips – a blessing in the early days.
The Winner
Although the choice of a guitar to start on is largely a personal one, my 30 years in the business lead me to the conclusion that a new guitar player should probably lean toward the acoustic guitar to begin with.
There are so many new techniques and concepts to be learned in the early days on guitar that keeping up with an amps, plugs and cables can be an unnecessary distraction.
Also, electric guitar amps nowadays come with all manner of effects processors that make a multitude of different sounds. These are cool to play with, but have a tendency to get in the way of really learning how to play the guitar.
The ease of use, transportation and care of an acoustic guitar – plus the versatility of musical styles that the guitar can be applied to – make it the clear winner for the beginner.
