So you’ve chosen to take up the guitar. Good for you! Now comes the hard part: which guitar is the best to start playing on? Well, the answer to that question depends on many things. It depends on what kind of music you enjoy listening to, what kind of music you are looking to play, and what kind of level you wish to reach–amateur or professional.

Before we go over each topic, let us first discuss the differences between Electric and Acoustic guitars.

The main difference between an Electric and Acoustic guitar is the fact that the Electric must be plugged into an amplifier in order to be heard loudly, while the Acoustic can be played and heard without the use of an amp. This is because Acoustic guitars have sound holes, which produce the sound. Electric guitars, on the other hand, don’t have a sound hole and are thus known as Hollow-body’s. Electric hollow-body?s can be heard by the people playing them, but are inaudible to others without the use of an amp. Additionally, there are Electric guitars with the ability to be played both acoustically and electrically because they have little sound holes. These are known as semi-hollow bodies and are very versatile because they can sound one way unplugged and another way on an amp. Finally, there are some Acoustic guitars, known as Acoustic-Electric’s, that can be played acoustically or on an amp. However, these are very different from semi-hollow bodies, because they sound pretty much the same unplugged or plugged–the only difference being that the Acoustic-Electric when plugged into the amp.

OK, now that we’ve briefly gone over the different types of Acoustic and Electric guitars, we can now move on to the criteria for choosing a guitar.

The Music You Enjoy Helps You Decide What Guitar to Buy: Let’s start off with the first topic. Obviously, those who enjoy listening to a certain kind of music are most likely going to want to play it on guitar. That is why you must take this into consideration when looking for a guitar. Choosing the wrong type of guitar could lead to frustration and giving up the instrument all together. Do you enjoy rock music–metal, modern, alternative and otherwise? Then chances are a hollow-body electric guitar is a wise choice. If that is the case, you will also want to purchase an amp. But what if you like rock music that makes use of both acoustic and electric guitar? Then perhaps a semi-hollow body guitar is the best choice. Or maybe you don’t like rock and instead enjoy country or mellow music. Acoustic or Acoustic-Electric guitar is then your best bet.

What Kind of Music Do You Want to Play?: Maybe you’re a big rock fan, but would rather learn to play mellow, acoustic-based songs. That’s perfectly fine, and if that’s the genre you wish to play, you definitely want to pick up an Acoustic or Acoustic-Electric guitar. It’s also possible that you’re a big fan of acoustic-pop but want to start playing rock & roll. Do yourself a favor and pick up a semi-hollow or hollow body guitar.

What Level Do You Wish to Achieve?: Are you just taking up the guitar for recreational purposes and not looking to form a band or master the instrument? The Electric guitar is probably a good choice. This is because Electric guitars are much easier to start playing on than Acoustics are. Electrics have thinner strings (which are easier to start playing on) and, when plugged into an amp, allow room for error. Beginner mistakes can be easily covered up with Electric guitars. However, you cannot expect to make mistakes and be a pro. Acoustic guitars do not cover up your mistakes at all–if anything, they highlight them. You are forced to play songs correctly and master techniques the right way. The learning curve of an Acoustic is steeper, but you will reap the rewards if you master it. A transition from Acoustic to Electric guitar will be incredibly easy, whereas a transition from Electric to Acoustic guitar will be a bit harder. Thinking about what you want to accomplish on the guitar is a big factor in your decision.

Well, there you have it. After you think deeply about the above topics, you should be able to decide what type of guitar to get. Once you?ve made that decision, you?ll probably want to check out our articles on “Choosing the right Acoustic guitar” and “Choosing the right Electric guitar”.

6-string or 12-string Acoustic guitar, which should you get? Both have pros and cons, and both are excellent instruments, depending on what you?re looking to accomplish on guitar and how much you are willing to spend. In this article, we?ll go over both guitars, which will hopefully help you make an educated decision on which to purchase.

The Main Difference Between Both Guitars:

The major difference, of course, is the number of strings. On a 6-string Acoustic guitar in standard tuning, there is one low e, one a, one d, one g, one b and one high e string, in that order. A 12-string acoustic has two low e, two a, two d, two g, two b, and two high e strings, all in that order. 12-string guitars have the ability to be tuned in two different tunings, while 6-string guitars don?t. On the other hand, 12-string guitars also have a lot more tension on their necks, and as a result, their necks tend to warp after only a few years of playing.

Which should I pick?

That?s a good question, and it depends on a few different things, all of which are discussed here:

The Advantages of a 6-String

To start with, 6-string guitars are much easier to learn than 12-strings are. This is because of the number of strings and how close together they are on the 12-string. It is nearly impossible to perform certain guitar techniques (like bends) on the 12-string guitar, and significantly harder to tune the guitar and change strings. Also, string picking is complicated by the number of strings. Thus, 6-string guitars are really ideal for those looking to play lead Acoustic guitar, that is, those who want to play a lot of individual notes (not just chords) and use guitar techniques like bends/slides/hammer-ons/pull-offs etc. Beginners will also have an easier time learning to play guitar on a 6-string than on a 12-string, for the reasons mentioned above.

The Advantages of a 12-string

Despite what was said in the last paragraph, there are quite a few advantages to 12-string guitars. 12-string guitars produce a very rich, bright sound. This is because they have twice the number of strings as a 6-string does. Chords strummed on a 12-string guitar will sound a lot richer (better) than those strummed on a 12-string. Additionally, the 12-string guitar gives you the option of using two different tunings. You can?t do that on the 6-string. Beginners can learn to play 12-string guitars, but it will take a bit more practice to master than the 6-string. However, if you can master a 12-string, a 6-string guitar will be very easy to play.

What to keep in mind

Most musicians who use 12-string guitars use the 6-string guitar as their primary instrument. They usually pull out the 12-string when a song calls for a big, bright rhythm sound. So, if the songs you want to play feature mainly chords (and the songs call for a very rich sound) then a 12-string would be a good purchase, even if you are a beginner. The learning curve on a 12-string would obviously be steeper, but it would still be doable and worth it. If, however, you are looking to play songs with chords and individual notes, or simply want an instrument that isn?t as complex and difficult to learn, a 6-string guitar is your best bet. You might also want to consider cost. Good 12-string guitars are usually $100-$200 more than good 6-string guitars. If you?re on a budget, you?ll probably want to pick the 6-string guitar.

About the Author:

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for GuitarsLand.com. To learn more about 6 string and 12 string guitars and to learn how to buy an acoustic guitar, visit us.