Individuals interested in learning to play the guitar can choose from a wide range of models and styles. The differences among guitars are sometimes aesthetic, but some types have distinct advantages and disadvantages.
One of the first choices a beginning guitar player needs to make is between an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar. Generally, acoustic guitars are less expensive, though both can range from around $100 to thousands of dollars. The average acoustic guitar can be played as is, while an electric guitar requires an amplifier and cables to get a proper sound.
These pieces of equipment represent additional expenses, but they also embody one of the chief advantages of an electric guitar: versatility. Amplifiers allow musicians to adjust audio settings, such as bass and reverb, while an assortment of pedals can further modify a guitar’s sound with delays, loops, and a myriad of other effects. However, players also can use amplifiers on some acoustic guitars and hybrid acoustic guitars.
Mobility is another consideration. Acoustic guitars are usually bigger, but they are lighter and more fragile. Overall, acoustic guitars are easier to carry around and play at a moment’s notice, but they require greater care to avoid damage.
When it comes to learning to play, the acoustic guitar’s difficulty is both a pro and con. While guitarists can opt for softer nylon strings on an acoustic guitar, the standard steel strings are tougher on the fingers than electric guitar strings. Further, the “action,” or the space between the strings and fret board, is much higher on an acoustic guitar, which means that players must press harder on the strings to play notes and chords. While this makes the acoustic guitar more challenging to learn and play, it helps musicians develop calluses on their fingers, which ultimately helps them play. Similarly, once musicians have learned the basics on an acoustic guitar, they find it much easier to play an electric guitar.
While the acoustic and electric represent the two broadest categories of guitars, further distinctions can be made. Some players may not be interested in learning popular songs and may prefer classical music. In this case, they would choose a classical guitar. The classical guitar is similar to a modern acoustic guitar, but it has nylon or gut strings. These strings give classical guitars a warmer, mellower tone.
Another option is the 12-string guitar, which comes in both acoustic and electric models. In either case, these guitars feature two of each of the instrument’s six strings on one neck. These instruments have a fuller sound than their six-string counterparts but are more difficult to learn and play.
A double-neck guitar also has 12 strings but on two distinct necks off of the body. This gives musicians the ability to wield two different guitars that they can alternate instantly, even in the middle of a song. The two necks can be tuned differently, use different types of strings, or even combine two different instruments, such as guitar and bass or guitar and mandolin.
