Why are electric guitars so much easier to play than acoustics?
A. M. asked:
I am just beginning to learn to play guitar. At home, I practice on an acoustic (Washburn), but my friends and I often play at school during lunch. Several people keep their guitars at school, and we like to get together and jam for a while. I have noticed, however, that I seem to play much better on an electric than on my acoustic. Why is this? I think I read somewhere about electric guitars having thinner strings, but is that the only reason?
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Tags: Electric Play, People
September 24th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
It’s the guitar neck. The guitar neck is thinner on a Electric guitar, that’s why its easier to play. It has nothing to do with the strings…Good luck
September 25th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
I think it’s the body style an acoustic guitar has a wider thicker body than an electric.
September 29th, 2008 at 5:52 am
Don’t forget that an electric guitar is amplified and just the fact of placing or hammering your fingers on the neck, will produce a sound without even picking it.
October 1st, 2008 at 4:07 am
Electric guitars can have thinner strings, plus the neck is thinner, and the strings are closer to the frets.
October 15th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
As other have said and you have assumed, the thinner strings and neck make electric guitars easier to play than acoustics. Couple that with the fact that the action can be set lower on electrics and the electronics/amplification require less string vibration to get a good sound.
However, I’d suggest that you start with an acoustic guitar because you will learn to play ‘more properly’ because an electric can cover your mistakes while an acoustic will give you better feedback as you learn. You also won’t need to lug an amp around with you while you learn and practice on an acoustic.