Is Acoustic Guitar Better For Beginners?

The question has been tread to death and comes with about a kajillion provisos that we'll get to: Should a guitar beginner go for an acoustic or electric guitar? While we could straddle the fence with the "do what's best for you, but electric is easier" opinion that many articles espouse, we're going to say that yes, acoustic is better for beginners.

There are pros and cons to learning on either an acoustic or electric. On one hand, there's wisdom behind saying that players ought to learn on the type of instrument that produces the music they like. For some music, like black metal, the common joke is that it'll sound like surf rock without electric guitar effects. On the other hand, there's equal wisdom behind saying that skills are 100% transferable. You're not playing a different instrument if you switch between the two; you're playing different music.

The deciding factor for many beginners often boils down to ease of play. The gauge (thickness) of electric guitar strings is thinner and the action (height from the fretboard) is lower, so they're easier to depress and bend. Electric guitar necks also tend to be thinner, so they're easier to grip. But this is precisely why starting with an acoustic will build finger strength, coordination, and precision more quickly than an electric. But more importantly, it'll force your ear to focus on your hands and your mind to stay in the moment, not on amps, computers, software, etc. Pared-back, stripped, and simple is the way to learn.

We can hear the objections right now: Electric guitars build precision because they make a bunch of fuzzy noise that'll force you to learn how to mute your strings and reduce excess finger movements; Some people just want to diddle on the computer or play David Gilmour's solo from "Comfortably Numb," a guitar solo that's imprinted on true classic rock fans for life; You can build finger strength on any guitar, albeit more slowly on an electric; new players need an accurate impression of the type of music they want to play, so someone who likes rock needs an electric guitar. We could go on. No matter the truth of any of these statements, there is simply no substitute for what Guitar World correctly describes as the "immediacy" of an acoustic guitar. It's just you face-to-face with the instrument. 

Think about it like this: Let's say you want to write a story. On one hand, you could research the perfect software to help you organize your notes and cobble together edits. You could stack reams of physical and digital files into neat categories to convince yourself that you're making progress. You can take courses and workshops and attend meetings on Meetup.com. Or, you can just sit down in front of a blank sheet of paper and get to work. The former method might help, but it might also get you lost in a quagmire of noodling, excessive architecting, and busy work over real work. Given tone dials, volume knobs, output jacks, cords and plugs, production software and plug-ins, physical pedals and amps, and needing to engage in careful maintenance to keep your electric guitar in good condition, an acoustic is vastly more no-fuss, no muss.

We know: It's not fun to talk about practicalities when all you want to do is pretend to be Eddie Van Halen. That's exactly it: At the beginning of learning an instrument, you've got to focus on the basics (like the open G-major chord and not two-hand tapping) and build good habits lest you arrive at worse results later and have to spend time re-learning what you incorrectly learned. This means not worrying about electric guitar settings and setups and staying present in the moment with the music. But if this doesn't convince you, we've got further practicalities. 

Firstly, there's cost. While there are certainly inexpensive, uncomplicated electric guitar options that are best for beginners, like the Fender Stratocaster Squier or the Gibson Les Paul Tribute, electric guitars require more stuff. You can play an electric unplugged, but you can barely hear it. Folks who say that it's good for households requiring low noise have apparently forgotten that headphones exist, which you'll definitely need if you use music production software, anyway. Even just an amp in your garage requires extra time, money, research, cables, an electricity supply, and so forth. 

This all connects to portability, too. Owning an acoustic guitar might not mean that poetry will spontaneously flow from your lips at campfires, but it definitely means that you can take your instrument with you anywhere and your setup is complete, no extras. All you need is your hands and mind, which are the two chief things you need to learn any instrument. It makes the most sense to consider an acoustic guitar the most accessible, time-honored version of the instrument, one that, by its very nature, helps you learn.