Hi there! At the time of writing this, I am just around the 2 year mark as a guitarist. I took music all through school and played various instruments casually, but guitar was the first thing I took seriously. It’s been quite a journey, but while the memories are fresh, I wanted to share and help other beginners with this blog, so be sure to bookmark this site and check out my other articles!
While I have a tendency to write length, in-depth articles on this blog, I’ll do my best to keep this one short…for your sake haha. Assuming you haven’t picked up guitar yet, or bought one and are having second thoughts about the instrument you picked, there’s no reason to get too deep into the differences of each guitar.
The answer to this question is simple: Pick the instrument that you are most attracted to and/or the one that allows you to play what you are most interested in.
Do You Like Acoustic?
Maybe you love the simplicity of a portable wooden guitar. You love the style and finish of it. You love how it sounds. Perhaps you’re really into pop, country, classical, or folk music. Maybe you’re attracted to fingerstyle playing. The thought of playing electric guitar hasn’t even crossed your mind. You just love strumming chords and maybe singing along. If this sounds like you, then pick up an acoustic guitar!
If you’re worried about recording with an acoustic instrument, don’t worry! There’s lots of tools out there for you. Even if it feels like other rhythm players have or use an electric guitar, it really doesn’t matter.
Electric guitars and all it’s equipment is going to cost you a lot of money, and it probably won’t be worth it if you aren’t going to utilize all that an electric can do. So stick with your gut. If you like acoustic guitars, play an acoustic guitar.
Or Do You Like Electric?
On the other side, maybe you love the colours and styles of an electric guitar. All your favourite musicians play it and you just love how cool and aggressive it could sound. You’re a lover of blues, rock, metal or jazz. Acoustic seems kinda boring in comparison. You just want to shred or play in a band. You want to have lots of options for guitars, amps, and gear and figure out your style and look. If this sounds like you, then pick up an electric guitar!
Even if an acoustic guitar may help you with fretting as you’ll build more finger strength, there’s a lot you can’t really do or practice on acoustic, so you’re just wasting time. You need an amp and sometimes pedals (distortion, wah pedal) to practice things like power chords, bending, slides, tapping, etc. You would want a guitar with lower action (strings closer to the board) for things like soloing, sweep picking etc.
The benefits of getting or starting with an acoustic when all you want to play is electric is minimal, and it may even hold you back from playing what you want to play, thus it will lower your motivation. So if electric is where your heart is at, get an electric.
Conclusion
You should pick the guitar that makes you want to practice more. The guitar that lets you play the songs you like. The one that inspired you to pick up the instrument in the first place. Don’t worry about the details.
If after you learn the basics, you realize you’re more attracted to the other instrument and want to switch, that’s fine! It’s the same instrument.
It will take a few weeks of adjustment, but that’s all. You may have to get used to higher action (strings farther away from the fretboard), or work more on muting as an electric guitar with distortion will make your open strings and accidental touches ring out more, but it’s really no big deal. If you can play one, you can play the other. The notes and chords don’t change.
Also, don’t think about what others will think. Don’t think about what is more popular, what’s cooler, what will get you more gigs, what will impress more people. If anything, non-musicians will be impressed by anything, even the simplest of songs. They will admire that you can play an instrument at all.
Guitar is a long and painful (literally) path. You need to pick the instrument that keeps you motivate, that makes you excited to play, that makes you happy. If you play a guitar, genre, or style that you aren’t a fan of, you’re going to stop playing sooner or later.
So, don’t think much about it and just follow your heart, okay? <3
