Guitars are super cool musical instruments. Who doesn’t love guitar! So, if you wish to play the guitar, you must be wondering whether you should opt for an acoustic or an electric guitar. At the first impression, acoustic and electric guitars may appear to be similar since they have the same basic features.
But in reality, acoustic and electric guitars are very much different. The most significant difference between an acoustic and an electric guitar is the sound and design. Electric guitars use electricity to produce sound, whereas acoustic guitars use vibrations to create sound by strumming the strings.
In its most basic form, this is the main difference, although there are many more when comparing electric and acoustic guitars. So, let’s find out more differences in details throughout this article.
Acoustic vs. Electric Guitar
Visual Differences
When it comes to choosing your instrument, you’ll notice an acoustic one is significantly larger and heavier than an electric guitar. Despite its relatively small size, an electric one is surprisingly heavy. On the other hand, the acoustic guitar is pretty light due to its hollow body which is usually made of wood.
Acoustic guitars have a stout neck and strings than electric guitars, as well as a soundbox that does the job of amplifying sound. But electric guitar doesn’t have any sound hole. Electric guitars have larger frets than acoustic guitars, and the guitar strings are a bit cramped together.
Different Kinds of Strings
The way an electric and acoustic guitar makes sound is the fundamental distinction. The sound of plucking an acoustic guitar string is amplified throughout the instrument’s body.
The pickups on an electric guitar, on the other side, convert string vibrations into an electrical signal, which is then converted into sound by an amplifier. That’s why electric guitar strings are thinner than acoustic guitar strings.
As you can expect, their gauges vary as well. Electric guitar strings are available in gauges ranging from 0.009 to 0.11. The gauge of acoustic guitar strings is usually between 0.11 and 0.14.
When you play these two instruments, you’ll notice a difference in how your fingers feel. Because acoustic guitar strings are denser and more difficult to play, many novices choose an electric guitar. They are a less painful option from a physical perspective.
Different Sound Range
Simply explained, when it comes to making sound in an acoustic one, all you need is to pick up an acoustic guitar and pluck the strings. But before playing an electric guitar, you must first connect it to an amplifier.
When playing an unplugged electric guitar, you’ll almost not be able to hear it because the tone is distorted and low in volume. As a result, the acoustic guitar is more portable since it can be played literally anywhere.
However, an electric guitar has a wider range of sounds. A clean and a distortion channel are standard on most amplifiers. You can also add more effects pedals to your music to make it even better. But keep in mind that acoustic guitars have only one sound, and you can’t add effects to them.
Even though an electric guitar does not resonate like an acoustic guitar, with the proper equipment, it can sound like an acoustic, piano, or even a saxophone! But changing the tone of your acoustic guitar is primarily based on your ability.
Volume Control
An electric guitar is much louder than an acoustic guitar, whose volume is influenced by your playing style, the type of wood used, and the strings used.
However, you can practice on an electric guitar at your suitable volume, with headphones or even unplugged! But there is no way to suppress the sound of an acoustic guitar. (Don’t know why you’d want to in the first place)
Learning Difficulty
It is quite impossible to provide a straight answer regarding which type of guitar is easier to learn. Acoustic guitar strings are heavier and significantly thinner than electric guitar strings. So, it’s natural to get callosities during the first few months of practice.
Some people tend to learn how to play the electric guitar instead of the acoustic guitar. It is more comfortable to play initially since the strings are thinner and the string tension is lesser than on an acoustic guitar.
Aside from that, the acoustic guitar is heavy, large, and relatively less comfortable. A slender electric guitar can be played for longer in a standing position than a heavy acoustic guitar, yet both guitars are comfortable in the lap position.
You also need to know some perfect techniques to learn to play electric guitar. But these techniques are not needed when playing acoustic one. So, which one is more difficult is totally up to you.
Make Your Choice Based on Your Music Preference
The music you want to make will also influence whether you choose an acoustic or electric guitar. Although most tunes can be played on both instruments, the sound will never be the same.
For country, bluegrass, and folk music, guitarists typically use an acoustic guitar. On the other hand, rock, blues, heavy metal, and punk necessitate a high level of electric guitar intensity. So, choose your guitar type according to your music taste.
Final Words
Both electric and acoustic guitars have some unique features that the other instrument does not. If you intend to purchase an acoustic guitar, you must select the appropriate model with suitable size and stuff. If you want to learn an electric guitar, then go for the one that meets your expectations. The guitar that you enjoy playing the most is the one for you. You also have to consider your budget when choosing because an electric one is much expensive than an acoustic one. An electric guitar appears to be more versatile, whereas an acoustic guitar appears to be more mobile. The majority of people believe that an electric guitar is easier to learn, but the final decision is based on your preferences, goals, and musical tastes.
So, hope that you got all the idea you needed about the differences between an acoustic and an electric guitar. Let us know which one you do pick!