Acoustic And Electric Guitars Compared
There are so many choices when it comes to picking out a guitar, and that is after you have decided which category your guitar is going to belong to. You decide that you definitely want to learn guitar, but you are torn between acoustic or electric. On one hand it was so cool to see Kurt Cobain jamming out in a special acoustic performance on MTV, but it was also fun to see KISS back in the day. What are you supposed to do? The best thing to do is to learn the difference between the two before deciding where to go from there.
The difference between an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar is simply amplification. An electric guitar needs an amplifier, but they are much easier to play. The electric guitar will cost more because you will have to purchase a good amp, and they both cost quite a bit of money. The acoustic guitar is more limited in shape and size because both shape and size make a difference on the sound that comes from the guitar. Therefore, you do get more of a selection when you choose an electric guitar. Although the electric guitar is easier to learn on, there are obviously limited types of music that you can play with it. So, if you learn with an acoustic guitar, you might find yourself a better musician in the long run.
An acoustic guitar does have choices as well. You can get a steel string or a nylon string guitar. A nylon string guitar is good for playing music styles such as classical, flamenco, and folk. The reason for the particular styles is that the nylon string produces a more tranquil sound. The steel string guitars are louder and you find that they gravitate more towards rock, country, and any other style that requires a louder, more crisp sound. The steel string is played with a pick while the nylon is almost always played with fingers.
For the indecisive guitar buyer, there is the option of buying a guitar that combines both acoustic and electric qualities. These guitars have attributes associated with either style. The bodies of these guitars are thinner than the normal acoustic guitar but wider than the electric. Similarly, the necks are longer than they are on acoustic guitars. Unfortunately, the sound produced by these blended guitars is not as rich without being connected to an amplifier. On the other hand, it is less difficult to learn to play the blended style of guitar because of its similarities to electric guitars.
The most important thing when trying to decide between electric and acoustic is to find out what you are most comfortable with. Your personal preferences when it comes to the sound and how it feels when you play it factor into your decision about which style to choose. If you want to be a dynamic attention-getter, the acoustic guitar is not going to be the best fit for your needs. However, if you just want to play your new guitar around the campfire on church outings, the electric guitar is certainly not going to be suitable for you.
By Music Editor
Acoustic Guitar Magazine – For the Acoustic Guitar player, maker, and collector.
