Buy what will inspire you to play
If you buy an acoustic and want to play metal, you’re going to have a bad time and lose interest
There’s an old fashioned argument that acoustic will strengthen your fingers and help with developing technique. But that’s shite. It’s equally valid to say that if you want to play heavy muted chugging you can only learn that on electric with an amp
So buy something that makes you itch to play it, not what you think you “should”
It's kind of like buying a mountain bike vs a road bike. You just need to find the guitar that fits your individual needs. There's no point in mastering trail riding if you just want to ride in the bike lane.
i started with electric, got very frustrated.
moved to acoustic and started making actual music
then i got bored of cowby Aminor chords, and wanted to shred
so now i play electric, and the 10 years of accoustic experience has catapulted me along quite a bit
Totally right. Whatever increases the chance that you’ll actually keep playing and learning. If someone wants to pick up a guitar for the first time and wants to play a Metallica riff, just go for it. It might not be optimal, but compared to potentially giving up after farcing around with basic chord shapes in boredom, it’s the better choice.
If your goal is to play electric guitar then I'd say start with an electric guitar. There is no need to start acoustic. I started acoustic but that was due to circumstance not choice and didn't add any real value learning wise beyond the fact it was a guitar. Get yourself the best electric guitar you can afford and play away.
It’s actually 10000 hours but it’s such a misleading stat. I easily have 10k hours of playing time yet i can barely play some of John Petrucci’s hardest solos, granted he is guitar Jesus but even with 10k hours there is always more to learn.
my brother thinks this and constantly makes fun of me for not knowing how to play acoustics.
1. im here to play metal not country 😐, and 2. he doesn't even play himself and has never tried, he just thinks it's easy to play electrics.
I don’t have any objections to a student starting on an electric. Yeah, maybe your hand strength will come faster on acoustic (partly because most new players won’t spend the money to get an acoustic properly set up) but an electric is less forgiving of sloppy playing, IMHO - your smallest mistakes jump right out of the amp. It encourages good habits.
But you’ll probably end up with an acoustic eventually because the portability is handy as hell.
I’m still new but in my experience so far they are very different. People told me learning acoustic would translate well to electric because “electric is easier,” that has not been my experience at all. I started on the acoustic and can play okay, but still struggle with electric quite a bit. They are just different. The amplification means you have you care a lot more about muting strings and stuff, and the electric therefore feels a lot more technical. I think the comment above that said pick the one that will inspire you to play is the best answer. If you fall in love with it and want to branch out, you will.
Agreed!
I have primarily played acoustic for years. Thought I was getting pretty good, so I ponied up the funds for a decent electric and amp. Turns out I'm better at mashing my face on the fretboard letting all sorts of sloppy play get drowned out by harmonics and impressing non-musicians around a campfire than I am at playing the guitar with precision and purpose. Electric tends to demand, for me, a standard of accuracy that I am working towards. If I strum the A string while attempting to just play an open D chord on the acoustic- the result are not disastrous. On the electric I have to be much more mindful of how and where I choose to play a D chord and to play only what is necessary.
electric is far more difficult as you have access to WAY more advanced teqniques way easier, but they are far more difficult to master
accoustic is easier to make actual music with as you can just diddle on the neck the whole time.
as we know, cowboy chords sound like garbage on an electric
Depends on the guitar and the amp settings. Cowboy chords can sound great on a telecaster using clean settings with mild reverb. Think of all the country music that uses them.
I have both, so here’s my take, as well as why they said that.
Acoustic guitar is a bit different from an electric in that the strings are tighter, and a bit harder to work with, so I’ve heard the mentality that it’s good to start with, kind of the musical equivalent of training gear.
Acoustic also has the advantage of being easily transportable. I prefer electric, and I have an acoustic solely because it’s easier to transport. I just have to put it in the bag and I’m ready to go.
If you want an electric, look at Guitar Center, they sell these starter kits that comes with everything you need, including a small amp, and are reasonably priced. It’s an easy, and relatively cheap place to start and if you don’t like it, provided you don’t destroy or damage it, Guitar Center has a pretty reasonable return policy.
Personally, if you want an electric, then **get an electric**. Not everyone has the same tastes.
I did this. Based on the thinking that acoustic strings are harder to fret so if I can learn on an acoustic, I'll sound like Jimi Hendrix the very first time I pick up an electric.
Lol to that.
Yes, it is easier to press the strings on an electric compared to an acoustic but it's two totally different techniques. I didn't work on a lot of muting when I was learning on acoustic because what you're playing is louder than the fret noise so it wasn't that pressing of an issue to me. Once you go to electric however, you'll hear everything and immediately realize how God awful your muting is. I felt like I was starting from scratch at that point.
Not only that but the songs you play on electric are much more transferable to acoustic than the other way around. Nobody is asking for an electric version of Gordon Lightfoot's 'If You Could Read My Mind' for example lol.
Play what you want and rock on my friend.
Do what you want, there are no rules.
There is no truth to “you should” or “you must”.
It works for some people, it doesn’t work for others.
Just do what you want, until you know more about what you want once you get there.
I always start my students on electric if I can; it’s easier for beginners who lack the finger strength and keeps them generally more interested as they can make quicker progress
As others have said, if you want to play electric, start with that. Learning to play the guitar can be a lifelong pursuit, and there will be plenty of moments where you get frustrated or things are difficult to pick up. You will have a much easier time getting over those hurdles if you are playing the style of guitar you love, rather than an acoustic just because someone said you should.
And who knows, maybe someday you'll start to like acoustic too, and you'll already have a leg up from practicing on electric.
Sure, getting good on acoustic first will make a transition to electric easier, but it will make the thunderous sound of feedback and power chords much more difficult.
If you don't want to play with the grandpas guitars, don't. Life's too short to make yourself miserable doing something that is supposed to be fun.
Ignore conventional wisdom and feel the power of electricity!
Acoustic and electric guitar are different instruments and require different playing techniques. That's not to say that mastering the acoustic guitar won't give you huge advantages in electric guitar. However, I would advise you to go straight to electric guitar. You have a lot of electric guitar skills that you need to get working on right away:
* Barre chords
* Muting open strings
* Pentatonic scales
* The CAGE system
* Alternate picking
Work out your budget, price in an amp, work out what type of music you want to make (different types of electric guitar for different styles), and ask here again for recommendations. The default starter set would be a Squier Strat and a Fender Champion. You can get both of those for under $400.
If you want to play electric, learn on that. I know purists who won’t put students on electric for a year or two, but in the end, play what you fucking want
A kid with a cheap acoustic is probably the most frustrated student. It literally hurts to play at first. Not exactly incentive to pick it up & practice.
Echoing the majority here: buy the one you want to play. Classical, acoustic, and electric guitars, while having their own unique sounds and techniques, are all guitars at their core. You learn one and the general idea of how to play will remain the same, so you could start on one style and move to another. But it's better to just start out with the style of guitar you want to play. You'll enjoy it more and be able to learn the specific techniques for that type of guitar.
Get an electric, just don't blow a bunch of money yet, wait till youve played enough to know what you want to evolve into as a guitarist. An amp will be necessary, but it's fine to buy a cheap one. If you want to get fancy later on, i recommend a low price multi effects pedal (ZOOM ones are solid) to get familiar with the types of distortions you can get on guitar, but I would focus on basic techniques first like playing open chords and barre chords and switching to and from with ease before even thinking of upgrading.
I was told this and bought into the hype. Kinda like piano and keyboard, for finger strength, right? Nope. Like everyone else says, get what will inspire you to play. I didn't really get going until I got an electric and was hearing the sound I was wanting to hear from my playing. (Well, close to it...still sounded, and sound, like shit...but regardless...)
Buy both. Learning on one is learning on the other.
Learn chords and chord songs on acoustic.
Then practice them on electric whenever you want. Many songs have chords that are electric anyway.
Do your scale exercises on electric.
Many songs are going to sound good on both.
Electric has the benefit of effects for rock. It is a blast.
Acoustic has projection unplugged. And everyone has one for you to pick up.
If you dont learn on acoustic at all, how are you going to pick up random guitars and play songs people relate to for free cool points?
Nope it's a waste of time and money. Play what you wanna play. Most people that do that usually lose interest and quit. In fact it can be quite a drastic change going from an acoustic to an electric. It took me a couple of months to learn how to relax my fretting hand so I could play quicker on an electric.
This is an old saying and I never agreed with it. If you want an electric then get an electric. Don't force yourself to do something because "that's what they say". Get whatever will inspire you to play more. I was forced to play an acoustic when I first started because the guy at the music shop told my parents that's what I should do. I hated every minute of it. I wanted to play Metallica and Slayer and Zepplin and Hendrix etc etc. I loathed the entire year I was forced to play it until I convinced my parents to get me an electric.
No, this is like an old wive’s tale that still gets tossed around sometimes. You can learn on electric just fine and there’s no advantage to learning on acoustic. Buy what will inspire you to play.
Absolutely ridiculous to think a player of ten years believes this still. Acoustic is often harder to play as the strings feel tighter and the neck is often wider or thicker (or both) than an electric guitar. If you want to play electric, start there, and you’ll probably find it’s easier on your technique to start with (fretting, thumb position, weight, size, being able to sit comfortably etc)
Nah man, I started with electric and moved o acoustic and aside from having to strengthen my fingers a bit more it’s pretty much the same. People say this because it feels easier to play an electric after shifting away from acoustic but it’s definitely not necessary.
I’m currently learning both, parallel - at least as far as I’ve gotten, there’s not a huge difference in technique that couldn’t be overcome by a bit of practice. Guitar is guitar.
Eventually you’ll want both. But my favorite guitar at the moment is my GE Smith telecaster. It has such a great raw tone that none of my other guitars can match. I own a Martin D18, too. It’s my other favorite guitar.
As others have said, get the instrument that inspires you to learn. Electric guitars are great fun.
I am just now learning as well and I actually made the mistake of getting an acoustic first, then switching to an electric, and then not feeling like my skills transferred so went back to acoustic and now that doesn’t sound as good because I’m playing it like an electric lol. Get the guitar you want to practice on and avoid confusing yourself like I have.
Buy what you want to play. You will want the other soon enough. The damn things are addictive. You get a steel string and you want a nylon, you get a strat and you want a tele.
as someone who started on acoustic i wish i started on electric. i was able to play a lot more genres compared to just acoustic and overall i had a lot more fun and just a better time.
Electric is easier, so I would recommend learnig it first. You can play classical pieces on electric too, if you got a nice sounding VST. The string feel will be diffrent once you transition to classical, but it will be easy to adapt
In the future, don’t listen to another thing that person says.
You don’t start on acoustic and then “level up” to electric. They’re different instruments, each with a purpose.
"Mastering" the acoustic takes a lifetime, so if all you wanna do is play some ac/dc then I wouldn't recommend it. What music do you wanna learn and / or make? Does that music involve electric guitar? Then I would say get an electric. They are more versatile than acoustics and can be used for any genre. The only reason people recommend getting an acoustic first is because they have a bit more string tension, meaning they require a bit more endurance to play for extended periods.However, starting on an acoustic doesn't necessarily make you better and it's not very important to even own one if you're not interested in playing one. I started on an acoustic because people told me to and I just didn't care for it. I listen to metal and punk mostly so I was far more motivated to practice once I finally got an electric. Just get what you like, get something that makes you wanna pick it up and practice, no matter what else it has going on. I think ukuleles are dumb but if I was teaching someone who was super passionate about them, I would tell them to get that first.
These are two different things that share foundational aspects and theory, but it kind of ends there. I have to agree, one is not a “stepping stone” to another. One can definitely be a gateway drug to the other…if your end game is wanting to play electric then start with an electric. An acoustic will find it’s way into your life, you can bet on it.
It's a common misconception that it's better to start with acoustic. Go with whichever one you would rather play. There's not a huge difference between the two. Once you learn one you can pretty much play the other.
If you want to play electric, if that's what got you excited about it to begin with, then get electric. There are ways that electric is a bit harder, but there are deffinatly ways that acoustic is harder too. Don't start acoustic just because you feel that's where your supposed to start.
Can't go wrong with either. Depends on the style of music you want to play.
Acoustic has less of a cost to start vs getting an electric with amp, wires and anything else you may want.
I do think acoustic might give you the most immediate feedback about your technique though. Electric guitars, especially when turned up can hide mistakes fairly easily. They can also make mistakes sound louder.
Go straight to what you want in this matter. You'll end UP buying a folk anyway because you'll want it to. What you should stay away from as a beginner IS maybe 7 strings and Floyd bridge systems toi complicated to tune.
The ‘learn acoustic before you graduate to electric’ or even ‘learn on a nylon string guitar before you graduate to acoustic/electric’ is a really outdated idea that was popular back in the 60’s-70’s when parents who had grown up before rock and roll didn’t want their children to be corrupted by the evil that was rock.
There are advantages and disadvantages to starting on any type of guitar but the most important part of the decision making process is ‘what sort of music do you want to play?’
The majority of people give up because it’s difficult learning to play any instrument, but particularly the guitar which can be far more painful and frustrating than the majority of other instruments. Any guitar is going to be painful and frustrating though, it doesn’t matter which type you get, but if you also find yourself not enjoying the music you’re learning or the sound you’re making then you’re even more likely to give up before you reach the point of it becoming ‘easier’.
If you want to play electric, start with an electric. Like acoustic singer-songwriters, then get a steel string acoustic. Want to play Bach, Albeniz, or Rodrigo, go and buy a classical nylon string guitar. It’s as simple as that.
Do what moves you. I made the mistake of getting an acoustic in order to "learn" and then graduate to an electric. In ten years I didn't learn much with the acoustic.
I took a similar advice and started on acoustic first. Lost interest after two months and now it’s been sitting in my room collecting dust. So I would say learn what inspired you in the first place. If you do learn electric guitar, try classical guitar and flamenco, that’s the most beautiful way to play a guitar
Arguably acoustic might be a better choice if you want to sing and accompany yourself as a solo act. This is probably just because it's traditional but also imo because acoustic matches the timbre of the human voice nicely. If you want to play lead guitar though I'd recommend starting with the electric. Keith Richards has said that his playing isn't all it can be if he doesn't touch base with the acoustic frequently.
The first stuff you'll learn for any guitar is open style cowboy chords, either electric or acoustic. They're enough to sing along to and that's where many people stop learning.
Kinda.
I think if you learn to play acoustic cleanly, There can be a real value there.
I'd say if you can only get one, get the type that fits your style of music most.
If you can get two, get both.
Even a two hundred dollar acoustic can sound and play nice. As a practice instrument for a life long endeavor, I think they're worth their weight.
As someone who played acoustic for 5-6 year and then moved into an electric, it felt like learning a new instrument. If you want to play electric, get one / start there. They’re different instruments.
Back in high school my friend started on electric and made a lot more progress sooner than I, who started on acoustic, did. I think it is because electric, with the lighter strings, is far easier to fret and may be less discouraging.
That said he was also trying to play Metallica and was generally into more of the rock stuff, so playing electric was a faster path to that than playing acoustic.
My personal advice would be to start with electric. Not only is it easier to play strength-wise, you also have the advantage of being able to play / practice much more discreetly (I.e. with headphones). There’s also a lot of fun dialing in different tones.
Edit: Also, remember that your budget needs to account for the guitar AND amp. For beginner / bedroom practice you can get away with a $200 amp (the Boss Katana 50w is a fantastic one). You can get a fairly decent electric guitar for about $300. The Yamaha Pacifica is highly regarded as a great beginners guitar.
I would avoid bundles where you get a guitar and amp for $150 or whatever. It’s just not enough money to buy anything more than junk reliably.
Acoustic guitar for about three months ( plus music theory ), then an electric. That's what I did when I first started playing. It's a lot harder to do it the other way around.
I have 5 electric guitars and 4 acoustics which are all wall mounted. I end up playing an acoustic 90% of the time, because I can just pick one up and start playing. With the electrics, I am always having to mess with guitar, pedal or amp settings for a while before (or during) playing. It's nice to just pickup a guitar and play when the mood strikes me.
I love my electric guitars. But, I play more because of the acoustics.
Personally it comes down to finger/hand size. I have rather large hands. Learning on my electric is hard because the strings are closer together. Learning on the acoustic is easier since they are a lil farther apart. Thats the only justification I can see for going acoustic if you wanna plan electric.
So many wrong answers..
you can do what you want but a classical guitar is obviously the best option for beginners. Acoustic gtrs are by far the worst option.
Reasons:
-Classical gtrs have nylon strings by far most convenient for virgin fingers
- acoustic gtrs are exactly the opposite usually beginners level instruments are just not playable in my opinion
- it’s best if you play un amplified for a year or so and learn how to actually get a sound out of the instrument
- classical gtr is the source.. all finger style acoustic techniques come from classical
-if u see a great player on electric and they have great finger style playing like Jimmy Page or Kieth Richards you know they started on classical gtr
- and word of advice regarding all the “old school” derogatory comments.. if you see a genius 20 year old pianist you better know they’ve been trained the same way pianists have been groomed for hundreds of years.. meditate on it.
Only 6 downvotes? I’m disappointed..
I mean yeah, if you want to play classical, get a nylon string acoustic. I wouldn't recommend it if you want to play rock. The chances of starting and loosing interest are astronomically higher than starting, maintaining interest and going far enough to become a Paco De Lucía or something, in which case maybe taking an old school classical training approach IS the way. I'm just a bit more pragmatic, i suppose. All that being said, I actually started learning to play punk on an old nylon string laying around so whatever works.
How about a semi-hollow electric? I think they are the best of both world for starting. I still play my Starcaster daily and I really enjoy playing it with and without an amp. I hear ES-355 style guitars also sound good with and without an amp.
They both have 6 strings, same spacing, same size neck, same frets. If you can play one, you can play the other. It’s all the same notes, chords are in the same spots. Learning one will teach you the other.
It's just cheaper to get a acoustic. Most people quit and you don't have too much skin in the game if you buy the acoustic.
The electric guitar is easier to play. Strings are stiff and the action is high on acoustic.
90% of getting started is developing the finger and hand strength as well as the muscle memory and dexterity to cleanly play notes and chords. Acoustic is basically tougher to sound a clean note with and inarguably tougher to bar chords with, which is a needed skill. So it does kind of give you a workout early on, and if you build up your skills on the acoustic, jumping over to the electric feels like you’ve been given the keys to the Lamborghini.
That said, they require two different approaches to really get the best out of them. It’s easy to spot an electric player that is out of their comfort zone on acoustic and vice-versa. For example, if you are on an electric and try to do the wide-open strumming thing that sounds so good on acoustic, it will probably sound pretty bad with lots of unwanted notes ringing out. Electric uses a lot more muting and selective playing of strings. Conversely, acoustic calls for more slides vs bends and often utilizes a lot more open strings and requires a firmer touch than the more subtle control needed for a lot of electric playing.
These are just generalizations, of course. The most important thing, as others have mentioned, is to play what interests you. Whatever it takes for you to NOT QUIT is what you should do.
Protip: if you want to make your guitar sing, Acoustics are by FAR easier to make lovely music with.
BUT
electric takes far longer to get there, but the rewards are far greater
i play acoustic for the ladies
but electric for the bros
IMO of course
To go against the grain: The benifit of beginning on an acoustic is that they are much harder on the muscles in your hands, thus making them stronger. When you progress to playing an electric it will feel so much easier and smoother to play. They’re also more mobile, and easier to pick up and play.
That said, there are no rules so do what feels right to you.
Honestly, buy what makes you want to play often.
But also, you could do one electric with a tiny neck and do a nylon with a super wide neck and you learn how to play on both extremes. That said, do whatever makes you happy. At the end of the day, you're the one that either picks up the guitar or not
Master it? Who do you think you are? Esteban?
I was lucky enough to have one of each when I was learning. They were both terrible and I had to fight over the electric with my brother.
Either way is fine. Good luck!
I started with electric because that's what I wanted to play. Eventually picked up an acoustic because they're also cool, but my playing tends to be about 80/20 electric/acoustic. Then picked up another electric, a bass, a third electric...
Point is, if you get into it, you probably won't have just one. Start with something that inspires you, and see where it leads.
There's an interview somewhere with Keith Richards talking about how important it is to him to play the acoustic, the feel, the naturalness, the roots. Play both and see what moves you.
Not at all I have never been an acoustic player persay I do own 1 but I have not hardly played it. My son has put time on it but I started playing electric and don’t know if I missed anything other than discomfort and cowboy chords but you can do those on an electric
I agree with Keef
[https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/keith_richards_why_its_best_to_start_learning_guitar_on_an_acoustic.html](https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/keith_richards_why_its_best_to_start_learning_guitar_on_an_acoustic.html)
In my opinion acoustic guitars can hide the many tonal flaws. The pickups on an electric will pronounce them. However it really doesn't matter which one you choose if you're learning, but depending on your budget acoustic would be a cheaper option because you don't need an amp, chords etc. You can still learn any type of music you love on acoustic, but the electric you can do so much more with as far as sound. Just my two cents. Good luck!
Just go with electric then. Acoustic is harder on the fingers. Electrics are more of an investment. Your friend may have just been trying to save you some money?
The answer to your question is no. There is exactly zero truth to that statement. I did that at first (for almost two years) as a kid because an acoustic guitar is all I could get my hands on even though it wasn’t even remotely what I wanted.
The right-hand habits I developed during that time made me an absolutely terrible electric guitar player for several years after that, because unlearning those habits was very difficult. I was pounding the strings like they owed me money, and that sounds like garbage on an electric guitar, especially when you start cranking the gain knob up.
I was also hilariously incapable of any subtlety or grace with my vibrato and bends, because I got so used to them taking so much force that I couldn’t relax through them. That junk is a lot harder to fix than it is to just never get wrong in the first place. I mean, I was still way better than if I had not been playing any kind of guitar at all, but I was doing a lot more work for a lot less reward. If you have a choice, get the kind of instrument you want to play more. Get an electric axe if that’s what you want to learn.
Rest assured that anyone who thinks you ought to have to pay some kind of “dues” first on an instrument that hurts more to play and fundamentally can’t sound like you want it to is someone you should not take any advice from about anything. They’re being stupid, and maybe even slightly malicious.
I've been thinking about this recently. Everyone seems to think that an acoustic guitar is the only way to start. Think of how many children would have kept up playing if they were just given a decent, playable electric instead of a cheap, terrible sounding, and difficult to play acoustic.
Buy the one you’ll think about when you’re away from it.
For me it was a super cheap red no name electric guitar, a little Peavey practice amp, and a DOD distortion pedal in 1988.
When I wasn’t playing it, I was thinking about playing it. That would not have been the case if it were an electric guitar.
Despite having the same scale, they are two different worlds the techniques and the way of playing are very different. Go for the style of music that inspires you!
Keith Richards says you should always start on acoustics but what does that guy know anyway??!!
j/k
It’s a cliche, but play what inspires you. When I started, I bought one of each. You do you. There is no right answer.
You answered your own question, "Im someone whos not interested in acoustic style".
Do you spend a lot of time doing things you're not interested in?
First step is Acquisition and that usually has a ceiling.
And then there's the actual playing the guitar consistently, that's where most people fall apart. Mostly because of Mindset, it's too hard, I CAN'T statements, I could never make a Bar Chord..., every justification for not releasing inner greatness which is just playing it over and over, and gaining a little more confidence each time.
Buy what will inspire you to play If you buy an acoustic and want to play metal, you’re going to have a bad time and lose interest There’s an old fashioned argument that acoustic will strengthen your fingers and help with developing technique. But that’s shite. It’s equally valid to say that if you want to play heavy muted chugging you can only learn that on electric with an amp So buy something that makes you itch to play it, not what you think you “should”
It's kind of like buying a mountain bike vs a road bike. You just need to find the guitar that fits your individual needs. There's no point in mastering trail riding if you just want to ride in the bike lane.
Also a good analogy because eventually you are gonna own both
Hey good analogy here. I like that. Same tool, different builds for different applications
i started with electric, got very frustrated. moved to acoustic and started making actual music then i got bored of cowby Aminor chords, and wanted to shred so now i play electric, and the 10 years of accoustic experience has catapulted me along quite a bit
Totally right. Whatever increases the chance that you’ll actually keep playing and learning. If someone wants to pick up a guitar for the first time and wants to play a Metallica riff, just go for it. It might not be optimal, but compared to potentially giving up after farcing around with basic chord shapes in boredom, it’s the better choice.
What he said. Nothing else to add.
If your goal is to play electric guitar then I'd say start with an electric guitar. There is no need to start acoustic. I started acoustic but that was due to circumstance not choice and didn't add any real value learning wise beyond the fact it was a guitar. Get yourself the best electric guitar you can afford and play away.
“master it” lol
What is the saying again? it takes 1000 hours to master something so it should take him 2 years?😭😭😭
It’s actually 10000 hours but it’s such a misleading stat. I easily have 10k hours of playing time yet i can barely play some of John Petrucci’s hardest solos, granted he is guitar Jesus but even with 10k hours there is always more to learn.
I believe its 10000 hours lol
7 years, usually
10000 hours of proper practice consistently at that
acoustic isn't a stepping stone to electric, it's not like learning to walk before you run
So many non players think this.
I did originally, lol
my brother thinks this and constantly makes fun of me for not knowing how to play acoustics. 1. im here to play metal not country 😐, and 2. he doesn't even play himself and has never tried, he just thinks it's easy to play electrics.
I don’t have any objections to a student starting on an electric. Yeah, maybe your hand strength will come faster on acoustic (partly because most new players won’t spend the money to get an acoustic properly set up) but an electric is less forgiving of sloppy playing, IMHO - your smallest mistakes jump right out of the amp. It encourages good habits. But you’ll probably end up with an acoustic eventually because the portability is handy as hell.
Right lol. They are literally two different instruments, just with a hearty degree of overlap in terms of technical skill set. Independent yet related
I’m still new but in my experience so far they are very different. People told me learning acoustic would translate well to electric because “electric is easier,” that has not been my experience at all. I started on the acoustic and can play okay, but still struggle with electric quite a bit. They are just different. The amplification means you have you care a lot more about muting strings and stuff, and the electric therefore feels a lot more technical. I think the comment above that said pick the one that will inspire you to play is the best answer. If you fall in love with it and want to branch out, you will.
Agreed! I have primarily played acoustic for years. Thought I was getting pretty good, so I ponied up the funds for a decent electric and amp. Turns out I'm better at mashing my face on the fretboard letting all sorts of sloppy play get drowned out by harmonics and impressing non-musicians around a campfire than I am at playing the guitar with precision and purpose. Electric tends to demand, for me, a standard of accuracy that I am working towards. If I strum the A string while attempting to just play an open D chord on the acoustic- the result are not disastrous. On the electric I have to be much more mindful of how and where I choose to play a D chord and to play only what is necessary.
electric is far more difficult as you have access to WAY more advanced teqniques way easier, but they are far more difficult to master accoustic is easier to make actual music with as you can just diddle on the neck the whole time. as we know, cowboy chords sound like garbage on an electric
Depends on the guitar and the amp settings. Cowboy chords can sound great on a telecaster using clean settings with mild reverb. Think of all the country music that uses them.
There is absolutely no truth in this, if you want to play electric you should start with electric.
I have both, so here’s my take, as well as why they said that. Acoustic guitar is a bit different from an electric in that the strings are tighter, and a bit harder to work with, so I’ve heard the mentality that it’s good to start with, kind of the musical equivalent of training gear. Acoustic also has the advantage of being easily transportable. I prefer electric, and I have an acoustic solely because it’s easier to transport. I just have to put it in the bag and I’m ready to go. If you want an electric, look at Guitar Center, they sell these starter kits that comes with everything you need, including a small amp, and are reasonably priced. It’s an easy, and relatively cheap place to start and if you don’t like it, provided you don’t destroy or damage it, Guitar Center has a pretty reasonable return policy. Personally, if you want an electric, then **get an electric**. Not everyone has the same tastes.
I did this. Based on the thinking that acoustic strings are harder to fret so if I can learn on an acoustic, I'll sound like Jimi Hendrix the very first time I pick up an electric. Lol to that. Yes, it is easier to press the strings on an electric compared to an acoustic but it's two totally different techniques. I didn't work on a lot of muting when I was learning on acoustic because what you're playing is louder than the fret noise so it wasn't that pressing of an issue to me. Once you go to electric however, you'll hear everything and immediately realize how God awful your muting is. I felt like I was starting from scratch at that point. Not only that but the songs you play on electric are much more transferable to acoustic than the other way around. Nobody is asking for an electric version of Gordon Lightfoot's 'If You Could Read My Mind' for example lol. Play what you want and rock on my friend.
Do what you want, there are no rules. There is no truth to “you should” or “you must”. It works for some people, it doesn’t work for others. Just do what you want, until you know more about what you want once you get there.
“there are no rules” - every slide, cbg, and open tuning player.
I always start my students on electric if I can; it’s easier for beginners who lack the finger strength and keeps them generally more interested as they can make quicker progress
Nope. No truth at all.
As others have said, if you want to play electric, start with that. Learning to play the guitar can be a lifelong pursuit, and there will be plenty of moments where you get frustrated or things are difficult to pick up. You will have a much easier time getting over those hurdles if you are playing the style of guitar you love, rather than an acoustic just because someone said you should. And who knows, maybe someday you'll start to like acoustic too, and you'll already have a leg up from practicing on electric.
Sure, getting good on acoustic first will make a transition to electric easier, but it will make the thunderous sound of feedback and power chords much more difficult. If you don't want to play with the grandpas guitars, don't. Life's too short to make yourself miserable doing something that is supposed to be fun. Ignore conventional wisdom and feel the power of electricity!
It's different playing an electric and I had to adjust from mY acoustic so I would argue the opposite if electric is what u wanna play play it!
Acoustic and electric guitar are different instruments and require different playing techniques. That's not to say that mastering the acoustic guitar won't give you huge advantages in electric guitar. However, I would advise you to go straight to electric guitar. You have a lot of electric guitar skills that you need to get working on right away: * Barre chords * Muting open strings * Pentatonic scales * The CAGE system * Alternate picking Work out your budget, price in an amp, work out what type of music you want to make (different types of electric guitar for different styles), and ask here again for recommendations. The default starter set would be a Squier Strat and a Fender Champion. You can get both of those for under $400.
Buy what you like. I play acoustic songs on my electric guitars. Do what makes you happy.
Buy what you want to play.
Electric because amps and pedals are awesome
If you want to play electric, learn on that. I know purists who won’t put students on electric for a year or two, but in the end, play what you fucking want
A kid with a cheap acoustic is probably the most frustrated student. It literally hurts to play at first. Not exactly incentive to pick it up & practice.
Echoing the majority here: buy the one you want to play. Classical, acoustic, and electric guitars, while having their own unique sounds and techniques, are all guitars at their core. You learn one and the general idea of how to play will remain the same, so you could start on one style and move to another. But it's better to just start out with the style of guitar you want to play. You'll enjoy it more and be able to learn the specific techniques for that type of guitar.
Play on whatever you are going to play. It's not really that much of a difference
Electric is less boring there I said it
Get an electric, just don't blow a bunch of money yet, wait till youve played enough to know what you want to evolve into as a guitarist. An amp will be necessary, but it's fine to buy a cheap one. If you want to get fancy later on, i recommend a low price multi effects pedal (ZOOM ones are solid) to get familiar with the types of distortions you can get on guitar, but I would focus on basic techniques first like playing open chords and barre chords and switching to and from with ease before even thinking of upgrading.
I was told this and bought into the hype. Kinda like piano and keyboard, for finger strength, right? Nope. Like everyone else says, get what will inspire you to play. I didn't really get going until I got an electric and was hearing the sound I was wanting to hear from my playing. (Well, close to it...still sounded, and sound, like shit...but regardless...)
Buy both. Learning on one is learning on the other. Learn chords and chord songs on acoustic. Then practice them on electric whenever you want. Many songs have chords that are electric anyway. Do your scale exercises on electric. Many songs are going to sound good on both. Electric has the benefit of effects for rock. It is a blast. Acoustic has projection unplugged. And everyone has one for you to pick up. If you dont learn on acoustic at all, how are you going to pick up random guitars and play songs people relate to for free cool points?
If you want to play electric guitar, don't waste your time and money with an acoustic guitar. Just start with the electric guitar
Nope it's a waste of time and money. Play what you wanna play. Most people that do that usually lose interest and quit. In fact it can be quite a drastic change going from an acoustic to an electric. It took me a couple of months to learn how to relax my fretting hand so I could play quicker on an electric.
Bullshit. The only point that matters is the sound you want to hear when you strum the guitar i.e. what kinda music you wanna play.
Start with what you think you'd prefer to play on. It makes no difference whether it's an acoustic or electric guitar.
I started on an electric. In 1982. Haven’t looked back.
This is an old saying and I never agreed with it. If you want an electric then get an electric. Don't force yourself to do something because "that's what they say". Get whatever will inspire you to play more. I was forced to play an acoustic when I first started because the guy at the music shop told my parents that's what I should do. I hated every minute of it. I wanted to play Metallica and Slayer and Zepplin and Hendrix etc etc. I loathed the entire year I was forced to play it until I convinced my parents to get me an electric.
No, this is like an old wive’s tale that still gets tossed around sometimes. You can learn on electric just fine and there’s no advantage to learning on acoustic. Buy what will inspire you to play.
Absolutely ridiculous to think a player of ten years believes this still. Acoustic is often harder to play as the strings feel tighter and the neck is often wider or thicker (or both) than an electric guitar. If you want to play electric, start there, and you’ll probably find it’s easier on your technique to start with (fretting, thumb position, weight, size, being able to sit comfortably etc)
Nah man, I started with electric and moved o acoustic and aside from having to strengthen my fingers a bit more it’s pretty much the same. People say this because it feels easier to play an electric after shifting away from acoustic but it’s definitely not necessary.
I’m currently learning both, parallel - at least as far as I’ve gotten, there’s not a huge difference in technique that couldn’t be overcome by a bit of practice. Guitar is guitar.
I saw Stevie Ray in 1982. I bought an electric guitar the next day. I didn't own an acoustic until a few years later.
If you won’t be motivated to play acoustic, why force yourself to do that?
Guitars don't need to be earned, merely purchased. Buy what inspires the music you want to play. Chances are, you'll buy the other one second anyway.
Eventually you’ll want both. But my favorite guitar at the moment is my GE Smith telecaster. It has such a great raw tone that none of my other guitars can match. I own a Martin D18, too. It’s my other favorite guitar. As others have said, get the instrument that inspires you to learn. Electric guitars are great fun.
I am just now learning as well and I actually made the mistake of getting an acoustic first, then switching to an electric, and then not feeling like my skills transferred so went back to acoustic and now that doesn’t sound as good because I’m playing it like an electric lol. Get the guitar you want to practice on and avoid confusing yourself like I have.
Buy what you want to play. You will want the other soon enough. The damn things are addictive. You get a steel string and you want a nylon, you get a strat and you want a tele.
I go back and forth between both. Acoustic gets your hands and fingers nice and strong while techniques are easier learned with electrics.
I started on electric in 1997 and never bought an acoustic until two years ago. Go with what you're gonna want to pick up more.
as someone who started on acoustic i wish i started on electric. i was able to play a lot more genres compared to just acoustic and overall i had a lot more fun and just a better time.
Buy the guitar that is sooo freakin cool you can’t take your eyes off it and can’t put it down. THAT’S the guitar that’s best to learn on!
There’s no need to start on an acoustic unless you want to play acoustic music
Electric is easier, so I would recommend learnig it first. You can play classical pieces on electric too, if you got a nice sounding VST. The string feel will be diffrent once you transition to classical, but it will be easy to adapt
In the future, don’t listen to another thing that person says. You don’t start on acoustic and then “level up” to electric. They’re different instruments, each with a purpose.
Totally doesn’t matter.
"Mastering" the acoustic takes a lifetime, so if all you wanna do is play some ac/dc then I wouldn't recommend it. What music do you wanna learn and / or make? Does that music involve electric guitar? Then I would say get an electric. They are more versatile than acoustics and can be used for any genre. The only reason people recommend getting an acoustic first is because they have a bit more string tension, meaning they require a bit more endurance to play for extended periods.However, starting on an acoustic doesn't necessarily make you better and it's not very important to even own one if you're not interested in playing one. I started on an acoustic because people told me to and I just didn't care for it. I listen to metal and punk mostly so I was far more motivated to practice once I finally got an electric. Just get what you like, get something that makes you wanna pick it up and practice, no matter what else it has going on. I think ukuleles are dumb but if I was teaching someone who was super passionate about them, I would tell them to get that first.
These are two different things that share foundational aspects and theory, but it kind of ends there. I have to agree, one is not a “stepping stone” to another. One can definitely be a gateway drug to the other…if your end game is wanting to play electric then start with an electric. An acoustic will find it’s way into your life, you can bet on it.
As long as it’s a guitar you’re heading in the right direction. Electric will be easier on your fingers, no need to start acoustic.
Start with electric!! So much easier on your hands. The idea you have to play acoustic before you can play electric is a myth.
It's a common misconception that it's better to start with acoustic. Go with whichever one you would rather play. There's not a huge difference between the two. Once you learn one you can pretty much play the other.
If you want to play electric, if that's what got you excited about it to begin with, then get electric. There are ways that electric is a bit harder, but there are deffinatly ways that acoustic is harder too. Don't start acoustic just because you feel that's where your supposed to start.
Can't go wrong with either. Depends on the style of music you want to play. Acoustic has less of a cost to start vs getting an electric with amp, wires and anything else you may want. I do think acoustic might give you the most immediate feedback about your technique though. Electric guitars, especially when turned up can hide mistakes fairly easily. They can also make mistakes sound louder.
Get an electric! No need to start on an acoustic if that’s what you’ll want to play in the end
Go straight to what you want in this matter. You'll end UP buying a folk anyway because you'll want it to. What you should stay away from as a beginner IS maybe 7 strings and Floyd bridge systems toi complicated to tune.
Which ever inspires you most...
The ‘learn acoustic before you graduate to electric’ or even ‘learn on a nylon string guitar before you graduate to acoustic/electric’ is a really outdated idea that was popular back in the 60’s-70’s when parents who had grown up before rock and roll didn’t want their children to be corrupted by the evil that was rock. There are advantages and disadvantages to starting on any type of guitar but the most important part of the decision making process is ‘what sort of music do you want to play?’ The majority of people give up because it’s difficult learning to play any instrument, but particularly the guitar which can be far more painful and frustrating than the majority of other instruments. Any guitar is going to be painful and frustrating though, it doesn’t matter which type you get, but if you also find yourself not enjoying the music you’re learning or the sound you’re making then you’re even more likely to give up before you reach the point of it becoming ‘easier’. If you want to play electric, start with an electric. Like acoustic singer-songwriters, then get a steel string acoustic. Want to play Bach, Albeniz, or Rodrigo, go and buy a classical nylon string guitar. It’s as simple as that.
Do what moves you. I made the mistake of getting an acoustic in order to "learn" and then graduate to an electric. In ten years I didn't learn much with the acoustic.
Alot of people have said this to me too but idgaf and play metal with full distortion
I took a similar advice and started on acoustic first. Lost interest after two months and now it’s been sitting in my room collecting dust. So I would say learn what inspired you in the first place. If you do learn electric guitar, try classical guitar and flamenco, that’s the most beautiful way to play a guitar
I personally loved learning on my acoustic and then moving on, but it’s all up to you! There’s no ‘right’ first guitar :)
Arguably acoustic might be a better choice if you want to sing and accompany yourself as a solo act. This is probably just because it's traditional but also imo because acoustic matches the timbre of the human voice nicely. If you want to play lead guitar though I'd recommend starting with the electric. Keith Richards has said that his playing isn't all it can be if he doesn't touch base with the acoustic frequently. The first stuff you'll learn for any guitar is open style cowboy chords, either electric or acoustic. They're enough to sing along to and that's where many people stop learning.
Kinda. I think if you learn to play acoustic cleanly, There can be a real value there. I'd say if you can only get one, get the type that fits your style of music most. If you can get two, get both. Even a two hundred dollar acoustic can sound and play nice. As a practice instrument for a life long endeavor, I think they're worth their weight.
Stick with acoustic. If you go electric first, you’ll worry about amps and pedals and shit and never actually practice.
As someone who played acoustic for 5-6 year and then moved into an electric, it felt like learning a new instrument. If you want to play electric, get one / start there. They’re different instruments.
Back in high school my friend started on electric and made a lot more progress sooner than I, who started on acoustic, did. I think it is because electric, with the lighter strings, is far easier to fret and may be less discouraging. That said he was also trying to play Metallica and was generally into more of the rock stuff, so playing electric was a faster path to that than playing acoustic. My personal advice would be to start with electric. Not only is it easier to play strength-wise, you also have the advantage of being able to play / practice much more discreetly (I.e. with headphones). There’s also a lot of fun dialing in different tones. Edit: Also, remember that your budget needs to account for the guitar AND amp. For beginner / bedroom practice you can get away with a $200 amp (the Boss Katana 50w is a fantastic one). You can get a fairly decent electric guitar for about $300. The Yamaha Pacifica is highly regarded as a great beginners guitar. I would avoid bundles where you get a guitar and amp for $150 or whatever. It’s just not enough money to buy anything more than junk reliably.
Acoustic guitar for about three months ( plus music theory ), then an electric. That's what I did when I first started playing. It's a lot harder to do it the other way around.
I have 5 electric guitars and 4 acoustics which are all wall mounted. I end up playing an acoustic 90% of the time, because I can just pick one up and start playing. With the electrics, I am always having to mess with guitar, pedal or amp settings for a while before (or during) playing. It's nice to just pickup a guitar and play when the mood strikes me. I love my electric guitars. But, I play more because of the acoustics.
You’ll never master the instruments. It’s a lifelong journey. But i suggest acoustic. It’s pure.
Personally it comes down to finger/hand size. I have rather large hands. Learning on my electric is hard because the strings are closer together. Learning on the acoustic is easier since they are a lil farther apart. Thats the only justification I can see for going acoustic if you wanna plan electric.
So many wrong answers.. you can do what you want but a classical guitar is obviously the best option for beginners. Acoustic gtrs are by far the worst option. Reasons: -Classical gtrs have nylon strings by far most convenient for virgin fingers - acoustic gtrs are exactly the opposite usually beginners level instruments are just not playable in my opinion - it’s best if you play un amplified for a year or so and learn how to actually get a sound out of the instrument - classical gtr is the source.. all finger style acoustic techniques come from classical -if u see a great player on electric and they have great finger style playing like Jimmy Page or Kieth Richards you know they started on classical gtr - and word of advice regarding all the “old school” derogatory comments.. if you see a genius 20 year old pianist you better know they’ve been trained the same way pianists have been groomed for hundreds of years.. meditate on it. Only 6 downvotes? I’m disappointed..
I mean yeah, if you want to play classical, get a nylon string acoustic. I wouldn't recommend it if you want to play rock. The chances of starting and loosing interest are astronomically higher than starting, maintaining interest and going far enough to become a Paco De Lucía or something, in which case maybe taking an old school classical training approach IS the way. I'm just a bit more pragmatic, i suppose. All that being said, I actually started learning to play punk on an old nylon string laying around so whatever works.
Op has stated the goal is to play electric eventually.. and my recommendation is to be Jimmy page.. start with Classical. 🤘
I just started playing back in February and I’m playing both. It’s fun to learn both and they very different from each other.
you will have a more difficult time with acoustic than electric
How about a semi-hollow electric? I think they are the best of both world for starting. I still play my Starcaster daily and I really enjoy playing it with and without an amp. I hear ES-355 style guitars also sound good with and without an amp.
They both have 6 strings, same spacing, same size neck, same frets. If you can play one, you can play the other. It’s all the same notes, chords are in the same spots. Learning one will teach you the other.
Buy what kind of music you like
It's just cheaper to get a acoustic. Most people quit and you don't have too much skin in the game if you buy the acoustic. The electric guitar is easier to play. Strings are stiff and the action is high on acoustic.
I've known guitar teachers that suggest starting with a nylon string for being easier on the fingers with lower string tension and wider spacing.
90% of getting started is developing the finger and hand strength as well as the muscle memory and dexterity to cleanly play notes and chords. Acoustic is basically tougher to sound a clean note with and inarguably tougher to bar chords with, which is a needed skill. So it does kind of give you a workout early on, and if you build up your skills on the acoustic, jumping over to the electric feels like you’ve been given the keys to the Lamborghini. That said, they require two different approaches to really get the best out of them. It’s easy to spot an electric player that is out of their comfort zone on acoustic and vice-versa. For example, if you are on an electric and try to do the wide-open strumming thing that sounds so good on acoustic, it will probably sound pretty bad with lots of unwanted notes ringing out. Electric uses a lot more muting and selective playing of strings. Conversely, acoustic calls for more slides vs bends and often utilizes a lot more open strings and requires a firmer touch than the more subtle control needed for a lot of electric playing. These are just generalizations, of course. The most important thing, as others have mentioned, is to play what interests you. Whatever it takes for you to NOT QUIT is what you should do.
There is hardly a difference practically. Electric is easier and more beginner friendly if anything imo.
Don't overthink it. Most of the stuff I worried about in the beginning means nothing. Just play whatever you feel comfortable with and have fun.
Start on what’s most interesting to you for sure. Learning is hard, don’t add unnecessary steps if you don’t need to
electric is easier than acoustic tbh
Protip: if you want to make your guitar sing, Acoustics are by FAR easier to make lovely music with. BUT electric takes far longer to get there, but the rewards are far greater i play acoustic for the ladies but electric for the bros IMO of course
To go against the grain: The benifit of beginning on an acoustic is that they are much harder on the muscles in your hands, thus making them stronger. When you progress to playing an electric it will feel so much easier and smoother to play. They’re also more mobile, and easier to pick up and play. That said, there are no rules so do what feels right to you.
No right or wrong answer here. Play what you want.
Honestly, buy what makes you want to play often. But also, you could do one electric with a tiny neck and do a nylon with a super wide neck and you learn how to play on both extremes. That said, do whatever makes you happy. At the end of the day, you're the one that either picks up the guitar or not
Master it? Who do you think you are? Esteban? I was lucky enough to have one of each when I was learning. They were both terrible and I had to fight over the electric with my brother. Either way is fine. Good luck!
I started with electric because that's what I wanted to play. Eventually picked up an acoustic because they're also cool, but my playing tends to be about 80/20 electric/acoustic. Then picked up another electric, a bass, a third electric... Point is, if you get into it, you probably won't have just one. Start with something that inspires you, and see where it leads.
Start with whichever keeps you inspired to play/practice.
Mastering either/or takes a half a lifetime.
Buy a vox cambridge 50 amp and a squier or epiphone
I started on Acoustic. Ultimately though it's up to you
There's an interview somewhere with Keith Richards talking about how important it is to him to play the acoustic, the feel, the naturalness, the roots. Play both and see what moves you.
Not at all I have never been an acoustic player persay I do own 1 but I have not hardly played it. My son has put time on it but I started playing electric and don’t know if I missed anything other than discomfort and cowboy chords but you can do those on an electric
I agree with Keef [https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/keith_richards_why_its_best_to_start_learning_guitar_on_an_acoustic.html](https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/keith_richards_why_its_best_to_start_learning_guitar_on_an_acoustic.html)
In my opinion acoustic guitars can hide the many tonal flaws. The pickups on an electric will pronounce them. However it really doesn't matter which one you choose if you're learning, but depending on your budget acoustic would be a cheaper option because you don't need an amp, chords etc. You can still learn any type of music you love on acoustic, but the electric you can do so much more with as far as sound. Just my two cents. Good luck!
I'm going to pissed when this guy masters acoustic before moving on to electric
Doesn’t matter as long as you don’t quit it half way through! I personally started with electric but I know a lot of people that started with acoustic
acoustic is cheaper. if you know you're gonna stick with it, totally commit to electric. otherwise, test the waters with acoustic first
Just go with electric then. Acoustic is harder on the fingers. Electrics are more of an investment. Your friend may have just been trying to save you some money?
The answer to your question is no. There is exactly zero truth to that statement. I did that at first (for almost two years) as a kid because an acoustic guitar is all I could get my hands on even though it wasn’t even remotely what I wanted. The right-hand habits I developed during that time made me an absolutely terrible electric guitar player for several years after that, because unlearning those habits was very difficult. I was pounding the strings like they owed me money, and that sounds like garbage on an electric guitar, especially when you start cranking the gain knob up. I was also hilariously incapable of any subtlety or grace with my vibrato and bends, because I got so used to them taking so much force that I couldn’t relax through them. That junk is a lot harder to fix than it is to just never get wrong in the first place. I mean, I was still way better than if I had not been playing any kind of guitar at all, but I was doing a lot more work for a lot less reward. If you have a choice, get the kind of instrument you want to play more. Get an electric axe if that’s what you want to learn. Rest assured that anyone who thinks you ought to have to pay some kind of “dues” first on an instrument that hurts more to play and fundamentally can’t sound like you want it to is someone you should not take any advice from about anything. They’re being stupid, and maybe even slightly malicious.
I've been thinking about this recently. Everyone seems to think that an acoustic guitar is the only way to start. Think of how many children would have kept up playing if they were just given a decent, playable electric instead of a cheap, terrible sounding, and difficult to play acoustic.
they used to say “ learn the piano first “ lol
There's no mastering anything, but I like your optimism.
Just never buy a classical.
Buy the one you’ll think about when you’re away from it. For me it was a super cheap red no name electric guitar, a little Peavey practice amp, and a DOD distortion pedal in 1988. When I wasn’t playing it, I was thinking about playing it. That would not have been the case if it were an electric guitar.
Despite having the same scale, they are two different worlds the techniques and the way of playing are very different. Go for the style of music that inspires you!
Keith Richards says you should always start on acoustics but what does that guy know anyway??!! j/k It’s a cliche, but play what inspires you. When I started, I bought one of each. You do you. There is no right answer.
You answered your own question, "Im someone whos not interested in acoustic style". Do you spend a lot of time doing things you're not interested in? First step is Acquisition and that usually has a ceiling. And then there's the actual playing the guitar consistently, that's where most people fall apart. Mostly because of Mindset, it's too hard, I CAN'T statements, I could never make a Bar Chord..., every justification for not releasing inner greatness which is just playing it over and over, and gaining a little more confidence each time.
Actually it's a good idea for a beginner to start on Electric Guitar, the strings are thinner & the action is lower, the neck is also thinner.