Good morning everyone. My name is Eddie, I’m not only new to the site, but also new to guitars. I want to start learning, but not sure if to start with acoustic or electric. Can anyone help me explain if there’s a difference other than sound?
New to guitars
- Thread starter Ed_e_2818
- Start date
Hey eddie!
With an acoustic you dont need an amp to play and be audible, the strings are different, and the feel is different. An acoustic is a lot bigger bodied (because its hollow) and some even say its harder to learn on because it takes more finger strength. But, that can be remedied with smaller gauge strings!
With an electric, you’ll need an amp, the strings are different, and a lot of people say its easier to learn on electric. Thats how i started, and i can play either type of guitar. Honestly its up to you what you want to play! Look at the type of music you like, most of it more than likely going to be played on Electric. But if you learn on one, you can play on both. Hope this helped!
With an acoustic you dont need an amp to play and be audible, the strings are different, and the feel is different. An acoustic is a lot bigger bodied (because its hollow) and some even say its harder to learn on because it takes more finger strength. But, that can be remedied with smaller gauge strings!
With an electric, you’ll need an amp, the strings are different, and a lot of people say its easier to learn on electric. Thats how i started, and i can play either type of guitar. Honestly its up to you what you want to play! Look at the type of music you like, most of it more than likely going to be played on Electric. But if you learn on one, you can play on both. Hope this helped!
Hello Eddie, nice to have you arround!
They have a lot of difference yes, for instance they aren't played in the same way, they got a different feel (how it feels when grabbing the neck for example),
also they have a different kind of strings. The body is a lot more big for acoustics etc...
Althought, they're both great instruments for starters! My advice: think what kind of music genre you want to start learning
you want to shred? may be better to start with an electric
maybe you into chords and music arrangement?playing some chords while singing? an acoustic would be better imo
Please note that you can do lots of things with either one of them. For electric you will need things like guitar cables, an amp, maybe some guitar pedals in the future... for the acoustic you only need the guitar
I'm glad so many people are getting started on music, please feel free to ask anything arround this forum. There are lots of people who knows a lot, and we all can learn so much from them. Whichever intrument you pick, I'm sure you will enjoy learning it.
They have a lot of difference yes, for instance they aren't played in the same way, they got a different feel (how it feels when grabbing the neck for example),
also they have a different kind of strings. The body is a lot more big for acoustics etc...
Althought, they're both great instruments for starters! My advice: think what kind of music genre you want to start learning
you want to shred? may be better to start with an electric
maybe you into chords and music arrangement?playing some chords while singing? an acoustic would be better imo
Please note that you can do lots of things with either one of them. For electric you will need things like guitar cables, an amp, maybe some guitar pedals in the future... for the acoustic you only need the guitar
I'm glad so many people are getting started on music, please feel free to ask anything arround this forum. There are lots of people who knows a lot, and we all can learn so much from them. Whichever intrument you pick, I'm sure you will enjoy learning it.
Thank you so much for the reply and the info. To be honest I love all types of music, from classical, bluegrass, country, metal, pop, just alll type lol... but there’s something about rock and metal riffs that just make me get the feels. So I think that electric will be the way I’ll go to first learn the craft. I hope you don’t mind me asking a follow up question, do you have a suggestion on what is a budget friendly guitar for beginners. And will you recommend the packs they sell
I cant really tell, I dont know about american music stores. I'm from europe, here we have Thomann. I'll link you to their web.
Thomann Electric Guitar Sets
Electric Guitar Sets at Europe's largest retailer of musical instruments - fast delivery, 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee and 3-year Thomann warranty
www.thomann.de
I would advise to invest a little more money and you might avoid buying new stuff in 1-2 years. Best thing of course would be for you to go into a guitar store and try the guitars and see how they feel, how they weight, how they sound. There are lots of brands out there. So goes with amps.
For lets say... around 300-400€ you got a really beginner guitar that would last years. Just don't go to those 75-100€ budget.
For an amp, you can get something like a Roland microcube, or some line6. I played with this back in 2012 and for starting I think it's pretty good.
Roland Cube-10GX
Guitar Amp Amp modelling: COSM technology, Power rating: 10 Watt, Equipped with 8" loudspeaker, 3 Channels, 3 Amp presets: clean, crunch, lead, 3-Band EQ, Effects: chorus, delay and reverb (plate/ spring), Headphones/ record output: mini jack, Aux...
www.thomann.de
Last edited:
Hey Eddie! Welcome!
Here are my two cents on the topic. Take the instrument to play the music you want to play. Rock and Metal is where your heart belongs? Then don't go for acoustic. Learning guitar is not easy and it takes dedication and practice. If you just go with an acoustic guitar because someone said that's what you should start on but you want to play Rock you may lose interest before you started. I personally believe you can learn perfectly on both although there are quite some things easier on an electric.
So, if you're into getting one you might check out Harley Benton, the House Brand of the Music Store Thomann, they are said to have insane quality for the price. You can't go wrong with Ibanez either. I have no experience with bundles though. Beginner amp? This one:
www.thomann.de
worth every cent.
Here are my two cents on the topic. Take the instrument to play the music you want to play. Rock and Metal is where your heart belongs? Then don't go for acoustic. Learning guitar is not easy and it takes dedication and practice. If you just go with an acoustic guitar because someone said that's what you should start on but you want to play Rock you may lose interest before you started. I personally believe you can learn perfectly on both although there are quite some things easier on an electric.
So, if you're into getting one you might check out Harley Benton, the House Brand of the Music Store Thomann, they are said to have insane quality for the price. You can't go wrong with Ibanez either. I have no experience with bundles though. Beginner amp? This one:
Boss Katana Mini
Boss Katana Mini, Modeling Combo Verstärker für E-Gitarre, 3 Basis Verstärkertypen wählbar (BROWN / CRUNCH / CLEAN), Analog multi-stage Gain-Schaltung mit 3-Band analog EQ, Kanäle: 1, Leistung: 7 Watt, Bestückung: 1 x 4" Lautsprecher, Gehäuse...
www.thomann.de
i would start with electric, its easier and u can do so many different sounds. What i did I bought a cheap second hand set for 75,- (ibanez gio with a little amp) to see if i liked it, in beginning you dont really know difference in sounds etc, atleast i didnt. After a year i sold the set for same price and bought better guitar and amp. I would avice to buy second handed to see if you really like it (oh and youre fingers will hurt, but that becomes much better after a while 
J
Jak Angelescu
Guest
hi Jak!! So I just saw this video ... thank you so much for the warm welcome. I wanted to start sooner but I got super sick, I thought I had Covid 19... fortunately I didn’t just a really bad cold... anyway I went and bought the Ltd ESP M10 and I’m also looking to buy an acoustic (after watching your vid), I do have one question ... I started the beginning videos and I finished the first 6 but it doesn’t show my progress, is there something else I should be clicking on?
Hey man! Good to hear you are back on track. There should be a green button that says something like "complete lesson" it probably only shows when you clicked "enroll" on a course before. Hope that helps
Welcome! From my playing experience, and learning on both acoustic and electric, I'd whole heartedly recommend starting on electric. It's way easier to play and learn on and causes much less grief and frustration. Most acoustics have really heavy string gauges, especially steel-string acoustics. Nylon acoustics have a really wide neck and fingerboard and are easier to play, but can be a bear as well if you have tiny hands. I started on an acoustic and it was so difficult to get going as a beginner for me and for so many other guitarists I know.
Electric guitars and amps of really high quality are so much better priced and accessible than they once were. I do see you went with an electric and I say good on ya! Sorry this is late to the party, but cheers! Enjoy your journey on the guitar
Electric guitars and amps of really high quality are so much better priced and accessible than they once were. I do see you went with an electric and I say good on ya! Sorry this is late to the party, but cheers! Enjoy your journey on the guitar
There definitely are pros and cons. I also learned electric first. Altho I also owned the acoustic i never played it. This is still the case honestly including the 12 string. But i have a song idea for it that eventually I'll get to.
You're right on the confidence side electric is easier. But i also never noticed my sloppiness as much too.. so it hides your flaws at the same time. Altho the grind is harder i wish I did axoustic first. And not just the guitar.. finger picking.
