Acoustic or electric

Hi all, Whats the best guitar to learn on, Acoustic or Electric. I have been at this for 2-3 months now and are getting into my chords nicely and I am really enjoying it. Mostly I have been learning on an Ibanez Acoustic, whic is a fantastic guitar, sounds great and has wonderful tones. I recently got hold of a nearly new Squire Fender Bullet Strat Electric guitar, and love how it feels and sounds too. Let me know what the best style of guitar is to learn on. I would love to hear what you all think.

Thanks

Julian.

Hi Julian. My personal opinion is that the two types of guitars, acoustic & electric, are far enough a part in sound and feel that they are really to different instruments. There are really no rules, but in general for rock type playing, such as using an amp and overdrive sound to play power chords, solos, etc, people tend to use electric guitars. For folk music, ballads, fingerpicking style or just really nice sounding rhythm people tend to use acoustic guitars. But again, this is just a generalization, as there are plenty of people who go against "the norm". I'd just suggest that you develop both, and switch instruments at your own preference. If you like the way something sounds on one type of guitar, go with. If you find it infinitely easier to play something on another, then that's fine. This way you'll develop your own style. Lisa McCormicks acoustic lessons on this site are awesome.

As Slipin Lizard says, I wouldn't look into what is the best guitar to learn on. Just look for yourself which kind of music you want to play. Do you want to play acoustic songs, or more rock type of things. Dedice what's important for you and then decide what kind of guitar you want to use. In general electric is a bit les demanding in terms of required finger strength, but if you want to play acoustic songs for example, then choosing an electric guitar would be the total wrong choice.

JJ

Hi guys. Thanks for the advise. I like the styles you can play on both guitars. I think you could probably do more in the long run with the electric though, so that may be the way to go. On the other hand I could keep both and have the best of both worlds.

Cheers Julian

Years ago I taught in a private neighbourhood music school and they recommended electric guitars. I thought it was so they could sell an amp and a cord as well as a guitar, but in fact, an electric with light guage strings was easiest on untrained fingers. Also, the young kids could get their picking arm around an electric a lot easier than a dreadnaught. Easier on the fingers meant less pain and more practice. Chording came quicker because of this.

I quit guitar about 25 years ago, but now I'm "Backatter". My (new) acoustic hurt my fingers, so I went and bought an electric as well, in order to get my fingers back in shape (without tremendous pain). In the old days I had quite a collection of electric and acoustic guitars and there was a (musical) reason for each one. Don't decide between acoustic and electric. Start on an electric (even without an amp) and add an acoustic when you can. Your fingers will thank you. You're musical tastes and talents will direct you as you're playing improves, and I think you're playing will improve quickest on an electric.

I totally disagree with Backatter. It's more a matter of which music you wanna play and for you to decide what's important in an instrument. You may also like the sound of an acoustic guitar even more perhaps. And talking about the most painless way of learning guitar would be to choose an classical guitar with nylon strings.

But that's not important. A bit of pain isn't bad, and once the flesh of your fingers is used and hardened a bit it won't hurt anymore ( this may take up some time ). My advice, when it starts to really hurt: Don't play, the guitar isn't some kind of torture device. When you get back to it after a day your skin may already be hardened a bit. I even use my steel acoustic guitar to build up finger strength... but again it's all a matter of which music you want to play, not the pain or the ease of playing that comes with it.

JJ

I would never suggest that one abandon the music they want to play. My comments were geared to learning and practicing.

As far as nylon stringed guitars go, I always found the transition to the wide flat fretboard awkward. In the beginning, my fingertips would roll off the (low tension) wound strings adding yet another challenge. Eventually I switched to high tension strings. I’m probably not alone with this issue as Godin has come out with a slim neck nylon string guitar.

Keep practicing Julian. I wish they had Internet (sites like this) when I was a beginner in the sixties.

Backatter

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the advise. I am practicing on both at the moment. Being new it is hard getting some of those Chords, especially the C major, F major and G major. Its not the finger pain, its just I am finding it very hard to get my fingers to do what I want and Stretch to the correct positions, and thats with both guitars. Oh well, I guess I will keep at it , and it will eventually come.

Cheers

Julian.

Keep at it Julian! I had problems with those chords when I first started and now they come without effort. It will eventually be easy for you also!

Dan's right. the more you play the easier it'll get. I remember in the beginning wondering if chording would ever get easier. They do. Often, when I'm just watching TV, I'll grab my electric (unplugged) and just run scales or chord progressions.