Acoustic or electric?

[courteous]

In neighbor thread 'Useful guitar tips for beginners', they are all talking about amplifiers. You mean that one can start with either an acoustic () or a electric () guitar?

If so, should I get a hollow electric guitar? How loud are regular electric guitars sound without an amp, that is, can you treat it (at least almost) as an "acoustic" when without amp? How do you play those songs that were "meant for the acoustic"? And so on.

[Real_Hip_Hop]

are you serious?

[ToothDecay]

Either a troll or ****tarded

[courteous]

Originally Posted by ToothDecay

Either a troll or ****tarded

ToothDecay, thanks... ****tarded.

I'm seriously questoning (stupid, it seems) whether the electric guitar itself (no props attached) is audible to its player? Which would be fine: 1) I don't need others hear my acoustic and 2) can still play classic songs.

[Guido]

You can hear your electric guitar unplugged...but not enough to play or anything. The hollowbody guitars have more volume unplugged, but their big bodies are meant for a fatter/warmer sound. You aren't a ****tarded...stupid is the one that doesn't ask and keeps the doubt.

[arcanis494]

Originally Posted by courteous

How do you play those songs that were "meant for the acoustic"? And so on.

Physically, you play electric and acoustic guitar the same way. Acoustic guitars generally have a higher action (height of the strings) and come stock with heavier gauge strings (but that can be changed if desired). To answer your question, you would just set the amplifier to a clean setting (as apposed to a dirty sound, over drive, gain, or whatever you want to call it).

[courteous]

Guido and arcanis thank you both!

So, as I prefer rock songs is it reasonable (or, at least, not unreasonable) to buy my first guitar electric. And then also train fingers on some borrowed acoustic, as I read than any acoustic player can handle electric, but that doesn't hold reverse (because acoustic is tougher on fingers?).

Thank you again.

[jomo]

Originally Posted by ToothDecay

Either a troll or ****tarded

That is not nice, I don't care who ya are.

[PapaSquash]

Sooner or later you probabbly want both an acoustic and an electric, but there's no reason you can't start out with just an electric, and play it unplugged. It doesn't sound "right", but face it. nothing you play is going to sound very good for a few months anyway. You might as well play badly at low volume. You can save up for a cheap practice amp in the meanwhile. ultra-cheap solid state amps turn up on Craigslist or ebay all the time.

While you are still in the newbie tenderfingers stage, an electric is easier on the hands. If you want to rock out, you are more likely to stick with it if you have a guitar that lends itself to the type of music you want to play.

If you buy an acoustic, shop smart. Cheap beginner acoustics can be brutal pieces

[arcanis494]

Originally Posted by courteous

Guido and arcanis thank you both!

So, as I prefer rock songs is it reasonable (or, at least, not unreasonable) to buy my first guitar electric. And then also train fingers on some borrowed acoustic, as I read than any acoustic player can handle electric, but that doesn't hold reverse (because acoustic is tougher on fingers?).

Thank you again.

That is a good idea. You will develop tough callouses and finger strength much faster from an acoustic guitar. Just remember when playing (especially if you are going to be doing finger exercises on an acoustic) stop and take a break if you experience any pain other than soreness of the fingertips.

[Sin Nombre]

It sounds like you are probably going to be exploring electric guitar more than acoustic for now so getting an electric with a simple amp as recommended by PapaSquash is probably a good way to go. I don't think you need to practice on an acoustic to build up your fingers, playing an electric will do that, you'll just be able to play longer which is a good thing. When starting you can put lighter strings on your guitar that are easier on your fingers. Another advantage of an electric is a longer neck for playing higher notes and chords which is important for rock.

One of the guitars I own now is an Epiphone Dot, a Gibson 335 style semi-hollowbody, sometimes called semi-acoustic guitar. As Guido said, it is not made that way to be played as an acoustic guitar, it is made that way for its sound. However, when played without an amp it sounds way better than a solid body guitar, good for practice or even showing a friend your progress when you don't want mistakes amplified too much. But semi-hollowbodies cost more, at least $200 and up used while used basic solid bodies start at about $100. I don't know your economic situation but I don't think it makes a lot of sense to put too much money into gear when you're not sure where you're going with you're playing.

Try going to a music store and just play around a little bit on some electrics plugged in low volume and unplugged to just get a feeling for them. Ask questions there or here if you have them.

[ToothDecay]

Originally Posted by jomo

That is not nice, I don't care who ya are.

I'm not nice. I'm naughty

And Sorry about my comment, I was just a tad pissed at the time. But electrics aren't very audible unless you're in a very quiet room, and the closest thing you can get to acoustic with an electric is get an acoustic pedal to make your guitar sound like an acoustic. But a good one, like a Boss pedal, is well over $100, so you probably won't get that if you're a beginner. You could get an electric and then perhaps a cheap acoustic (Epiphone has one for $100, I played it and it's not that bad for the price). But acoustics feel different (bigger body, higher action [in case you don't know what that is, action is how hard you have to press on the fretboard], and different sound) So an acoustic seems ideal for building finger strength, even though I started out on an electric.

[Dannyelectro]

Complete noob here, won't pretend to advise.. but I'm with you 100% on starting off w/ a hollow or semi-hollow electric. I started off many years ago on acoustics, and still have difficulty sounding competent on an electric.

Fingerstyle picking & the firmer "touch" an acoustic requires sound fantastic, but those skills do NOT translate to electric play.

One of the major online instrument dealers "MF" is selling an Epiphone Dot in worn walnut for under $200 delivered. Tough to imagine a finer starter, and once you develope adequate skills to want to hear yourself amplified there are scads of excellent affordable practice amps.. Vox AC-4 or 15W Valvetronix come to mind easily.

Bottom line, my smooth flowing acoustic style doesn't translate at all to the cool rock leads or the driving gutsy rythm foundation I want to lay down.

At 50 I'm starting lessons to learn elec techniques for my LP and SG.

Wish I'd started off at 13 with the Strat my dad suggested, rather than the nylon classical my mom insisted on!

[ToothDecay]

Hey, think about it. If you can play acoustic well, you're better than guys like me that play solely on electric (even though I'm trying to learn acoustic). Hopefully that raises your self esteem level

[geochem1st]

Originally Posted by ToothDecay

I'm not nice. I'm naughty

And Sorry about my comment, I was just a tad pissed at the time. But electrics aren't very audible unless you're in a very quiet room, and the closest thing you can get to acoustic with an electric is get an acoustic pedal to make your guitar sound like an acoustic. But a good one, like a Boss pedal, is well over $100, so you probably won't get that if you're a beginner. You could get an electric and then perhaps a cheap acoustic (Epiphone has one for $100, I played it and it's not that bad for the price). But acoustics feel different (bigger body, higher action [in case you don't know what that is, action is how hard you have to press on the fretboard], and different sound) So an acoustic seems ideal for building finger strength, even though I started out on an electric.

A really good electric is quite loud acoustically. My LP or SG I can play unplugged with a room full of people watching TV and still hear quite well. Having said that, for a beginner I would go with the hollowbody electric.

[Calum]

I'd prob suggest starting with the electric. I started with an acoustic, but after I bought the electric I found that I progressed alot quicker.

[GuitarCrazzzy]

I would suggest going to a guitar centre and trying a Acoustic/electric guitar and find out which feels most best to start with. After all its your own view on what guitar to use not anyone elses.

[Real_Hip_Hop]

Originally Posted by Calum

I'd prob suggest starting with the electric. I started with an acoustic, but after I bought the electric I found that I progressed alot quicker.

Exactly the same with me. I started playing Acoustic 2 years ago. For a year I barely touched it. The 2nd year I took a couple lessons and began learning a little. But, it wasn't until the beginning of this summer, when I started playing electric, that I really got going. I have more fun playing electric. It's easier on the fingers and it's better for soloing or playing licks on (obviously) which is what I like to do. Acoustic is great for learning chords though and building finger dexterity, but until I started playing electric, and practicing a couple hours every day, I didn't have enough ability to enjoy playing the acoustic. If you're anything like me, stick with an electric to start, and have fun playing. Then, when you've got some decent chops get yourself an acoustic.

[toka_ares]

stop pussy-footing around and play a damn guitar!

[lowe]

you're not ****tarded, ass hole for saying that. everyones got to start somehow. seems like you've gotten answers but i'd say start with electric and get an amp, and get an acoustic later. electric is more fun

[lp_junkie]

I started on acoustic when I was 4 or 5, it built finger strength up quickly and made the transition to electric that much easier, I had a very formal instructor that started with the extreme basics and insisted on each thing being done correctly before moving on to a new lesson.

I just play on the clean channel for the things that are acoustic based now.......

Courteous- There are no stupid questions, but there are stupid people just don't let them discourage you or frustrate you.