Advice On Picking An Acoustic Or Electric Guitar

by Raymo

posted on 04/04/2009

Acoustic Guitars
Acoustic Guitars have a number of benefits that boil down to convenience. For one, you don't need an amplifier with them. This means that you can just carry it around with you and play where and whenever you'd like.

There is the trade off however. Acoustic Guitars are generally harder to learn how to play on because the strings are harder to press down. That makes it harder to make barre chords (where you hold all the strings down) and other types of chords.

In my opinion, they also require a bit more maintenance than your average electric guitar. Because they're made out of wood, they can be adversely affected quite a bit by the kind of environment that you keep them in. Keeping them in damp environments, or in your car where the temperature changes overnight, etc. etc. can cause the instrument to go out of tune quickly.

Electric Guitars
Electric Guitars, in counter to acoustic guitars, are easier to learn on because of the above mentioned reasons. There is however the added cost of needing to buy an amplifier. So now you have to buy a decent guitar and amp which will run you some more, when you could have just put all that money into one better acoustic guitar.

It's also more confusing generally for a new guitar player to be looking into an electric guitar. There's more components to be worried about. Not just your amplifier, but getting cables and possibly effects pedals depending on how much you want to spend. Generally speaking, it's easier to just get that acoustic.

Sounds
Of course, there's also the sound difference between the two. A lot of this choice just depends on what you want to play. I prefer acoustic because it is possible to play a lot of rock acoustic parts, but its just as possible to play your electric softer and more "acoustically" with an electric sound. Many people prefer the flexibility of sounds that you can get out of an electric, but then again you don't have that convenience of an acoustic you can bring and play anywhere.

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