Acoustic vs. Electric Guitars: Which Guitar to Consider Buying?

The most common question asked by people who want to learn to play guitar is, what type of guitar should I buy? Should I buy an electric or an acoustic guitar. The acoustic vs. electric debate has been around since electric guitars were invented.

Unfortunately there is no easy answer. There is also no right or wrong. It all depends on a number of factors. For example, the type of music that you want to play, the technique you would would like to master, (fingerstyle vs pick), whether you want to amplify your guitar, and perhaps also the look of the instrument.

The main criteria to consider is what kind of music do you want to play. Are you a Steve Vai or Metallica fan or would you rather play James Taylor songs? Do you like the classical sounds of Andres Segovia or the flamenco fire of Paco de Lucia? Do you aspire to play old delta blues like Son House or Robert Johnson or blistering blues licks like Stevie Ray Vaughan?

If you aspire to play all these styles then be prepared to buy a big house. You will need it in order to store all your guitars and related gear. Each of the styles above require a different guitar to truly do justice to the music. That's why there are more guitars sold than any other instrument. Most of us guitar players need at least three or four to meet our needs.

Having said all that, it still begs the question what should my first guitar be? Answer this question: are you into traditional blues and/or folk? Do you want to accompany yourself while you sing? Will you primarily be playing on your own?

If this is the case, then an acoustic guitar will probably suit you fine. If on the other hand, you want to play in a band, play lots of fast licks at a loud volume, want to own a black guitar shaped like a warlock and love distortion, then you are a prime candidate for an electric guitar.

It's important to trust your intuition a bit here. If all your friends are telling you to get an acoustic guitar but you secretly lust after a flaming red, Fender Stratocaster. Then go for it. At least you will be spending time with your guitar and you will feel more inspired to pick it up and practice.

In the end, you can play the same chords and notes on any type of guitar. It's all the same. The only significant difference between guitars is the type of strings that they use. This is important if the type of music you wish to play incorporates a lot of string-bending such as blues and rock. A nylon-string classical guitar is pretty much useless when it comes to bending notes. The strings are just too thick.

Most acoustic guitars are also strung with strings heavier (thicker) than an electric guitar. Although, you certainly can put thinner strings on an acoustic guitar, you will end up sacrificing the tone of the guitar if you do.

However, other than that, most guitars (not all) have six strings and are played exactly the same way. A B minor chord is the same on an electric guitar or on an acoustic.