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Acoustic or Electric?

David Rollins • 12 March 2019

Is it true you should start learning on an acoustic guitar?

guitarist's hands on an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar
As a beginner this is probably the first question you may ask. There is a widely held belief that you must begin on an acoustic guitar and only when you have mastered the basics on an acoustic might you progress onto electric guitar. In my opinion this is untrue.

Unless you are solely interested in acoustic music, there is no reason not to begin on an electric guitar should you so wish. There are some advantages. Electric guitars tend to be more comfortable to work with due to the slim body design and a low action. The "action" of a guitar is the distance between the strings and the fretboard. The better the action, the easier it is to play. This is important. Why make life harder than it need be?. Electric guitars also tend to have slimmer necks which may be an advantage to some people. That is not to say all acoustic guitars are hard work. Guitar design has improved immeasurably and there are many modestly priced acoustic instruments now available that are wonderful in sound quality and playability.

I strongly recommend you play as many different guitars as you can and compare. All guitars feel slightly different and one may feel just that little bit easier to get on with than another. This is the instrument you should buy. Playability should be the priority above sound or looks
So, acoustic or electric? Ultimately it comes down to the sound you prefer and the music you want to play. Both instruments are wonderful in their own right and both are suitable for a beginner.



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