If you have already decided that you want to play guitar but you are hovering at the classic acoustic or electric debate, then you are not alone! Committing to an instrument is a big decision and people rarely consider how much of a big decision your instrument is, until you are approaching a store and conversing with a sales person.  Today we are going to go through the essential considerations to make when deciding if you are going to choose acoustic or electric guitar.

1.)   The type of music you want to play

If you like to warble along to some soft music, or fancy a Spanish salsa sound, or if classical takes your fancy: then you are definitely on the acoustic side of the fence.  A quick look through your music collection will show you the type of music that you most like to enjoy, so if your CD collection has pictures of people playing acoustic guitars on it: go acoustic. If they are holding electric guitars, then go electric – learning to play the music that you love will enhance your experience and speed up your learning.

2.)   Your budget

It’s not just about buying an instrument, but also taking care of it that matters when budget considerations come into play. If you are a beginner and you are taking on an electric guitar you are taking on a quality piece of machinery that will incur further costs every time it breaks, gets damaged or has to be stored or transported to a different location. An acoustic guitar on the other hand, is significantly less expensive to take care of and is much cheaper to buy in the first place: so if you are on a tight budget, then go acoustic and upgrade later if you still have those electric urges running through your veins.

3.)   Your level and learning ability

If you are a complete newbie to guitars then you may want to start off with something relatively easy to master like an acoustic guitar. Although electric guitars are easier to play (as they require less effort from the player to make a sound), achieving the level of sophistication necessary so that your listeners don’t run away screaming will take a bit more skill and dedication than with an acoustic guitar. If you are a fast learner, then of course, an electric guitar should be no problem for you: however if you get frustrated quickly when there is no progress, go acoustic as it will reward you quicker, sooner and with less effort.

4.)   Your dedication levels

The most significant factor in choosing a guitar that is right for you is in your level of dedication to it. If you are taking up guitar as a general hobby, then the lower the cost and difficulty level the better in which case you should opt for acoustic. If, on the other hand, you are totally committed and know it’s what you want: go electric.

Ben writes about music and currently works for a guitar shop. He plays both the acoustic guitar and ukulele and loves to share hints and tips online.

image credit – chrisdearnley