Should a Beginner have an Acoustic and an Electric guitar?

[Rickytuk]

Electric guitar will help you improve your Theory very quickly. First learn the Pentatonic scale positions, Major scale & Minor scale & you'll be making up great lead solo's in no time. You'll also find it very easy to figure stuff out by ear if you know the solo is based around a particular scale which you recognise & have practised.

Learning these things really helped me to understand the instrument, I would recommend you get an electric & the 2013 Gibson Les Paul studios might be a good place to start the search if £700 - £1000 is within the budget.

Good luck

[MissouriPicker]

Why not have both, assuming one can afford it. If I'd had an electric when I was first trying to learn all those tough barre chords, I'd have realized that "Hey, I can get my fingers in those shapes and hold down the strings at the same time." Go for it.

[jeepnstein]

Making music is supposed to be fun. And musicians aren't really all that much for rules other than theory. So I say get one if you want it. The 114 is a pretty nice acoustic and will serve you well for quite a while. Use the same approach on the electric.

Think about it for a while and decide where you want to go musically before starting to shop. I've seen some pretty crappy electric guitars under $500, much more so than acoustics. Pick what suits you and don't worry about the whole "image" thing.

Get a low-powered practice amp. If you find one with a line out then you can also use it through a PA should you need to play a gig. I generally use a Digitech multi-effect pedal instead of an amp but that really bugs some people.

Don't put down the acoustic guitar, though. That's where you'll really develop some chops. They're also MUCH easier to haul around as opposed to a ton of amps, cables, pedals, guitars, and groupies.

[Neal Pert]

There are things that are easier and things that are harder about each. There's definitely something intoxicating about how easy some things are on the electric.

So, you're young. Don't get intoxicated! Enjoy both but keep playing acoustic. For me, practicing acoustic helps my electric playing more than vice versa.

[BluesBelly]

I've played both for my entire playing career. An electric is easier to play because there is less string tension so learning barre chords, lead passages, string bending (double and tripple string bends), playing up the neck, muting, etc. comes easier. Once these things are learned on electric (especially lead picking) they are easily transfered to acoustic where the initiation of these techniques might be more difficult. Plus electrics are a ton of fun and can be readily played with many styles of music.

Another point for the upside of owning both is: when stagnation or a playing plateau is reached one can switch it up to keep the interest rampant.

So I say....go for it. If you think it would be fun, then go for it. Do it your way.

Have fun shopping for that new electric.

Blues

[Diamond Dave]

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Originally Posted by Bern

Why ask the question ? Do whatever you feel like...the choice is up to you.

If you want to play electric guitar, you're going to need one...

[williejohnson]

I think every guitar player should have both an acoustic and an electric guitar. If you start out playing both and you stick with it, you will become a more rounded player.

[Silly Moustache]

Do what your head, heart and pocketbook say.
however don't think for a minute that because they are tuned the same that they are both similar instruments. You will be giving yourself two completely different styles of playing to learn at once.

Try a piano and a saxophone !

[Athana]

Depends on the music he likes.
If he's into Metallica or Eric Johnson,won't do much for him if you get him an acoustic..
He ain't never gonna get those sounds out a that thing.

[DanPanther]

That would be like a farmer, asking if he needs a pickup, or a tractor ?
Dan

[muscmp]

two completely different but wonderful animals!

do remember that the electric also needs an amp as that is at least 40% of your sound.

play music!

[Bluepoet]

Sure, why not?

Interesting that you say you're a beginner, but then say you're not...

5 months is still beginner--trust me--and, nothing wrong with that, anyway!

Just keep in mind that there will be times when you will buy some instrument, and then go, "Why did I do that?" I have an autoharp that will attest to not being played, for years, as a result of my 5-minute infatuation with autoharps...but, one never knows, right?

[acou57]

An electric does have its benefits besides having a different sound. When it's unplugged, it is a lot quieter than acoustic. That's beneficial if you can only practice late at night or if you have thin walls with your neighbors.

I've noticed it's also easier to play the chords and solos, which means less frustration for beginners especially if their acoustic has medium or thicker strings. It also gives you more creativity to work with since an electric has a completely different sound. One downside to electrics is that you need some kind of amp to make it sound its best.

I generally prefer playing an acoustic, but it's nice to mix things up and play with an electric every once in a while.

[BluesBelly]

Originally Posted by acou57

An electric does have its benefits besides having a different sound. When it's unplugged, it is a lot quieter than acoustic. That's beneficial if you can only practice late at night or if you have thin walls with your neighbors.

I've noticed it's also easier to play the chords and solos, which means less frustration for beginners especially if their acoustic has medium or thicker strings. It also gives you more creativity to work with since an electric has a completely different sound. One downside to electrics is that you need some kind of amp to make it sound its best.

I play my electric alot around the house. For $50 I bought a "Pocket Rocket".
Battery opperated amp the size of a deck of cards that plugs into the electric. The sound is transmitted to the operator by headphones. Has volume, clean, and various overdrive controls. I can rock the house down and nobody hears but me. Very good for practising those phrases that one must do over, and over to get right.

Blues