Q: I have always wanted to learn guitar, so my girlfriend is buying me one for Christmas. All I have to do is pick it out. Her and I are not sure which is the best to learn on, she thinks electric and I have heard acoustic. My preference in music is really rock. I love classic rock like the Stones and Aerosmith. Modern Rock I like 3 Doors Down and music like that. I have always loved acoustic tracks though. Any suggestions?
A: I would consider myself a beginner, but I have an acoustic and an electric guitar
It should be easier to learn on electric, since it’s not that hard to push down on the strings. Also, most electric guitars have slimmer necks, which also contributes to the easy-ness. However, I find that the fretboard is ever so slightly narrower than acoustic guitars, which sometimes could be ever so slightly worse for those with bigger fingers.
Acoustic guitars typically have strings that are thicker than those of an electric and a thicker neck. This would probably make it harder. But, the fretboard is wider, so finger placement should be easier.
Then, there are classical acoustic guitars, which have nylon strings, unlike the previous two I mentioned which have steel strings. This is probably the easiest to learn on, although I’ve only played it a few times. The fretboard is probably wider an acoustic guitar, and the strings are real easy to push down onto the fretboard. Plus, it won’t “hurt” as much as steel strings (though you build up callouses if you practice a lot).
If I were a pure newbie, then I would get with a more affordable classical acoustic guitar, build up enough technique, theory, repertoire and whatnot on that, then switch to an electric or steel-string acoustic that suits my taste (though I like the sound of classical guitars) and that I would get real serious on.