4 Steps to Choosing the Right Type of Guitar for You

When people decide to take up a musical instrument, they are often overwhelmed with all of the choices that are available to them. Even if they narrow it down to a particular instrument-such as the guitar-they inevitably have trouble figuring out what type of guitar they want. Some will go for the electric guitar, while others will go for the acoustic guitar. What should you go with? Follow the steps below to get the right guitar for you.

Step 1: Learn the Differences

What makes an acoustic guitar an acoustic guitar? Well, the biggest difference between the acoustic and the electric is the amount of sound they make unplugged-that is, without use of an amplifier. An acoustic guitar is made to be used without an amplifier, and as such, has a soundhole that produces the nice, loud sound you'll hear when you strum one. The electric guitar, on the other hand, has no soundhole and if played without an amplifier, will hardly make much of a sound. The electric guitar is thus known as a hollow body guitar. There are also some acoustic guitars with the ability to be plugged in to an amplifier, and these are known as acoustic-electric guitars. There are also some electric guitars that have the ability to be played unplugged because they have a small soundhole, and these are known as semi-hollow body guitars.

Step 2: Decide What Style of Music You Want to Play

How can you decide on an instrument if you do not know what you want to play with it? In determining what type of guitar you want, it's important to take the time to think about the style of music you'd like to play. If you'd like to play great rock riffs or amazing solos, you'll definitely want an electric guitar. If, however, you'd like to play lighter ballads, an acoustic guitar is most appropriate.

Step 3: Decide How Good You Want to Be

Believe it or not, but what guitar you choose to start out on can have a big impact on how good of a guitarist you become. That's because-and most guitarists agree on this-the electric guitar is far easier to start out on. The strings are lighter, and since it is plugged into an amplifier that can make anything sound good, the electric guitar is more forgiving to beginner mistakes. The acoustic guitar, on the other hand, is not as forgiving to beginners, as mistakes are magnified. However, this allows the guitarist to correct the mistakes and get into good habits. Plus, when you go from the acoustic to the electric, you will have a much easier transition than going from the electric to the acoustic.

Step 4: Put It All Together

Using what you've learned in the proceeding steps, you ought to be able to make a decision as to which guitar to get. If you're thinking of playing ballads or like that type of music and want to become a complete guitarist, then an acoustic guitar seems to be the best choice. However, if you want to learn killer rock riffs and plan on eventually making the transition to acoustic, then an electric guitar would be the right guitar to buy.