Why Should You Choose An Acoustic Or Electro Acoustic Guitar?
I’m a self taught guitarist (as are a great deal of guitarists). The guitar is wonderful in that people can pick it up and learn from books or the internet, as opposed to instruments such as the violin or piano, where it’s not nearly as easy to do that. However, if I could learn the instrument again, knowing as much as I now know, I’d progress much faster.
A friend of mine recently took up the guitar for the first time and asked for my advice on what instrument he should buy. The following is the advice I gave him, and I think it applies to a great many beginning guitarists.
There are a huge range of guitars of on the market, all of different types. The right type for you really depends on what kind of music you’re going to play, where you’re going to play (are you a bedroom-only guitarist or a regular performer?), the sound you need, etc. It can be tough for even an experienced guitarist to choose his (or her!) next instrument.
A lot of beginning guitarists are learning because they want to perform like their favourite bands, which are invariably some form of rock bank. There’s no problem with that; it’s clearly a great thing to emulate your favourite music and it means more people decide to learn the instrument.
But there is a problem: When they’re trying to copy their favourite band, the beginning guitarist often goes straight out and buys a new amp and electric guitar. I have another suggestion:
When you first start to learn, don’t rush out and buy an electric guitar. Instead, choose an acoustic or (if you want) a semi-acoustic instrument. If you try to learn (as a complete beginner) on an electric guitar, it can be especially frustrating when you can’t produce a good “clean” tone. And, if you’re unable to do this, it can be harder to learn solid technique.
In addition, electric guitars, due to their low action and easy-to-play necks, are usually slightly easier to play than their acoustic equivalents. When you’ve learnt a little about the instrument, this can be a good thing.
However, the issue with this is that, by learning on an easier instrument, it will be harder to then play on a more difficult instrument. If you’re going to learn the guitar and really want to master it, you should be prepared to play a range of different music and learning on a slightly more difficult instrument will help you do that in the long run.
If you must buy some form of guitar that can be amped, try an electro acoustic guitar. They’re very similar to acoustic guitars, with the small difference of having a pickup built in. This allows them to be connected directly to an amplifier.
Semi-acoustic instruments are a little different – they’re more like electric guitars, but with hollow bodies so they can be played even when there’s no amp.
When you do go out to buy the guitar, if at all possible, take a guitar-playing friend with you. There is no such thing as a best acoustic or best electro acoustic guitar, so the best way to choose is to try them out. If you don’t play yet (or play a lot yet), it’s best to take somebody who does play so they can demo the guitars for you.
If you don’t already know anyone who plays the instrument, try to choose a smaller music shop rather than a chain. In my experience, most small music shops are run by music enthusiasts who are often more than happy to give a beginner a live demonstration of the guitars they sell. It’s usually a lot harder to find this personal touch in a large store or chain of stores.
