The answer to the title question is going to be yes, and no! As always, with music and instrument topics, you are going to run into a lot of subjective ideas and tips. But there are pros and cons to learning beginner guitar on an acoustic vs. an electric guitar, and we will take a closer look at what matters and what doesn't!
Learn on Both an Acoustic and Electric Guitar
If possible, it is best to have both kinds, an electric and acoustic guitar, and even with tight budgets, it is possible. The used marketplace for instruments is flooded, and you can always find decent intermediate guitars. Be careful with new and used guitars that are too cheap, though, as they may be unplayable! Here are specific pointers to look for when getting a guitar.
- Action
This is the height of the strings from the fretboard, and because guitars have a slight bow, they will always get higher as we approach the pickups and bridge. It needs to rise some, but not too much; too low will buzz the frets, and too high will be a pain to play. On an acoustic, the bridge is glued, but an electric has more ability to adjust this feature. Make sure your guitar is just right!
- Intonation
When you play a fret, it should sound exactly like the note played. If it is slightly sharp or flat, the intonation will be bad, and chords will sound terrible. Again, an electric has more ability to adjust this aspect, while an acoustic will require a luthier. Take a tuner if you must, and check the intonation. Check your guitar now… it may need an adjustment!
- Solid Top
For acoustic guitars, the solid wood top is what makes it great; whether you buy new or used, always aim for solid. The wood resonates more and gets even better with age, laminate does not do that.
- Pickups
If you need an electric, you must pay more attention to your single or double coil pickups, the body has been shown to have little effect. And when electric parts are involved, be sure the parts are built well and clean.
- Strings
Unless you are a noise musician, you should care about using nice, clean, and even higher-budget strings. Your sound comes from these vibrations; experiment with different kinds for any guitars you own. And make sure the tuners and nut hold them correctly with no friction or detuning problems.
