If you play, do you prefer acoustic or electric guitar?

Question

Just as the question says...

Personally I prefer acoustic, I like the sound better and feel that it makes you a better guitarist. If you can make it sound good on acoustic then you can make it sound wicked on electric! ~ Just my opinion.

musicman671 · Accepted Answer

I've been playing for 8 years and have noticed something that really irritates the crap out me. That something is how people think that "acoustic" is now a genre of music. I blame the YouTube craze of making acoustic covers and the whole "acoustic movement". A song played acoustically does not make it an "acoustic song" it is just a song played acoustically.

Knowing that, I feel the same way that I've always felt on the subject: There are different tools for different needs/situations. I'm not going to go on stage at Woodstock with my death-metal band completely rigged for an acoustic set. In the same way that I'm not bringing my Dean Razorback and Marshall stack for a little coffee shop gig. I play my acoustic guitar 1) for songs that just require that open/ambient sound 2) when I'm too lazy to set up my rig and 3) when I'm playing small venues that I'd get kicked out of for playing with a "full band" set-up.

Which do I prefer more? That's tough. I love the "pickup-and-play" ease of my Taylor, plus it's damn near impossible to play flamenco on an electric; however, with the right effects, I can make my Razorback sound like my Taylor, while I play with the feel of an electric guitar and it doesn't stop there. With the right amount of money and a good ear, my Razorback can create ANY sound imaginable. So which one do I prefer? Throw me a situation and I'll give you a more straight forward answer.

byronbuckles · Accepted Answer

I have been playing for about 20 years, and I enjoy playing acoustic guitar much more. I have owned a lot of guitars, both electric and acoustic, but I always spent more time playing acoustics.

You really have to practice on both if you want to be good at both, however. A lot of electrics are set up to make them extremely easy to play, especially for playing rock songs and fast solos. I ran into problems when I got electrics that were set up so low that I had a hard time getting used to using so much less pressure that I needed to back off, slow down and practice just getting the right tone in my fingers.

After playing in bands and having loud jam sessions with friends, I got to the point where I no longer wanted that -- it was fine, but I didn't have the time for a band, and I seldom got together with friends to rip away on electrics. Instead I liked playing and singing songs on my own and it seemed stupid to set up amps, effects and mics to do that when I could pull out my acoustic and go to town. So that became much of my guitar playing, and I did jam on acoustics with friends at times. The drawback is that my chops for playing things you usually hear on electrics got rusty. Oh, well.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

I love certain aspects of both.

I like how people can make electric guitars whine, it sounds like the guitar is crying to me. Example: Joe Bonamassa's Royal Albert Hall performance of The Great Flood, that solo is so emotional to me. Gibson Les Paul is the best, in my opinion.

With acoustic guitars, they sound full and woody, and personal, more intimate somehow. Monte Montgomery and Travis Meeks are proof that an acoustic can sound all kinds of different ways. I personally adore California Guitar Trio's version of Classical Gas. My dad plays an old Martin D-28, gorgeous full-bodied sound!

I'll have to put my vote on acoustic, although like I said, if it's a guitar, you can't go wrong :-)

kdizzleforizzle91 · Accepted Answer

When I still played, I loved playing acoustic more than electric. I know you can do more with electric, but the technical stuff and setting it all up was too complicated for me. I just wanted to get right to the music. Acoustic seems more personal and intimate to me, while electric is more in your face and seems like the person wants more attention (not saying it's totally a bad thing). I'm a very private and quiet person generally, so acoustic is just better suited to my personality. But I also agree that if you can play a lick well on an acoustic, it can only get better and more unique sounding on electric with all the effects that are out there.

musicbrain5 · Accepted Answer

I play way more bass guitar now, so I voted other. Otherwise I actually don't have a preference. I play acoustic and electric guitars, but more electric since I play mostly jazz and blues now (acoustic just doesn't cut it if it is not amplified, but electric just has a better jazz tone overall).

As for steel string acoustics vs. classical nylon string - classical guitar always wins for me. I learned classical guitar first and to me the nylon strings will ALWAYS sound better, more soothing, smoother, etc. than steel strings. They are also easier on the fingers when playing fast passages (classical ones of course).

CeepSmiling · Accepted Answer

Acoustic. First, I like two in one. And I also thing the sound is better. Not so piercing, more soft and conforming. I don't know if that makes sense, but I've got both kinds and acoustic is my first choice for everything. Couldn't tell you much about classical guitars though.

nonyabiz2002 · Answer

After 16 years of playing, it really just depends on the type of music I'm playing.

Acoustic is a simple rich sound. My Washburn Dreadnaught's action is set really high and requires a very strong grip, but the intonation and warmth cannot be beat- even with extra light gauge strings.

Electric takes a lot of understanding of sound waves, effects, and the order the signal goes through them to get the exact sound you are looking for. I have a cheapy Epi SG Special II with a Digitech RP-350 multi-effect pedal, which is super versatile- so long as you know how much distortion, overdrive, reverb, echo, tremolo, amp selection, etc you want for the desired sound. About the only thing that I have found it would be nice to have is a talkbox- but if it was that important I would have bought a separate pedal anyways.

True, electric overall can be a lot more forgiving with errors than an acoustic, but sometimes errors are amplified on an electric if you have echo or something like that on.

LexiNinja · Answer

I actually like acoustic. There's more of a variety of songs you can play that sounds amazing on a accoustic guitar where as on an electric guitar you can't really get the same effect.

goldgunsgirls · Answer

I really like acoustic. I've never given electric a try, and I'm sure it's great, but I have a feeling I'd still prefer acoustic since you'd be able to do more with it (imo) and it'd sound more natural.

kennyk · Answer

I say acoustic with hesitation. I love me some mellow jazzy electric, but acoustic is dang nice. It really depends on my mood which I play but if I could own only one guitar it'd be acoustic.

I'm kind of in love with the 12 string acoustic sound myself. Man I want one of those.

RedSmartie · Answer

Acoustic.  There's just something more real about it, you know?

sa230e · Answer

Acoustic is fine but there's nothing like plugging into a 100 watt tube amp and wailing away. There are some sounds and things you just can't do with an acoustic guitar. It's like painting with only a few colors.

ShadowFan12 · Answer

I own both an electric and and electric acoustic, and I'll admit, I play the acoustic more than I play the electric. Just sounds more...genuine, ya know? Of course when it comes to electrics, I'm hoping to get a vintage Rickenbacker or Gretsch.

iNeedYourAdvice · Answer

It really depends on the guitars in question. For me electric or acoustic isn't narrow enough. Acoustics are pretty general and I love to play them, but I would prefer a Les Paul or an RG Series over an acoustic.

TheGodEmperorLeto · Answer

God that's tough to really say. I love acoustic, but I love electric too. It really depends on the style I feel like playing at the time. Bossa Nova? Acoustic is key. Rock/Metal? Electric (but acoustic can still sound good). It really depends.

Hidden_P · Answer

Acoustic, it feels better under my fingers. It's more soothing to me as well.

Anonymous · Answer

acoustic

Moloch · Answer

Electric. I like fooling around with effect pedals, and my sound is more bluesy than an acoustic can replicate.

aMuse · Answer

I don't play but if I were to I would play acoustic. Stuff like this:     =P

Nikki1989 · Answer

I have electric and acoustic guitars, but I prefer electric. I am a sucker for volume.

upsyndrome · Answer

ELECTRIC WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WAO WAO WAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

thedudejones47 · Answer

I like to play both equally. I find myself playing acoustic more often though.

Bbwalldude · Answer

I don't play, but acoustic is more classical and... sexy to me :P Plus you don't have to set up and stuff, just get straight to the music

Anonymous · Answer

I play electric. I have absolutely no interest in the sound an acoustic guitar makes. If it's not heavily distorted, I don't want to hear it.

Anonymous · Answer

I like both nylon and electric, but electric gets a slight edge because it will make you more popular.

lovergal29 · Answer

acoustic electric. The best of both worlds because you can always plug it into an amp if you want a more metallic sound.

Yeahhbro · Answer

electric guitar is much more versatille

MakeLoveNotWar · Answer

Acoustic makes the ladies wet. Srs.

vishna · Answer

The sad option :(  the untalented poll choice

artfullyliving · Answer

yes acoustic

sweet_18 · Answer

Depends on the song. Type of music

Tripz · Answer

I like the Electric

Anonymous · Answer

acoustic

If you play, do you prefer acoustic or electric guitar?

Most Helpful Opinions

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

Do you prefer electric or acoustic guitar?

If you play, do you prefer acoustic or electric guitar?

Most Helpful Opinions

Most Helpful Opinions

What Girls & Guys Said

Do you prefer electric or acoustic guitar?

We're glad to see you liked this post.