The most basic decision you have when you're buying a guitar is electric or acoustic.
Myth: I'll be a better player if I start with an acoustic guitar, then move over to an electric.
The origins of this myth are as follows: In olden days, electric guitars were a rare. Popular recordings used more acoustic guitar than more modern recordings. Also, electric guitars were more expensive.
You can get a good-playing cheap guitar in 2002 for about 200 dollars.
A cheap electric guitar in 1970 also cost about 200 dollars. And it wasn't nearly as nice as what you can get today for the same money - not adjusted for inflation.
Unless you know that you are interested in acoustic music, I would recommend that you get an electric guitar. Dollar for dollar, they are probably a better value than acoustics. They are more durable, less delicate than acoustics. You can also do more of your own maintenance on an electric, since most everything is either bolted, screwed or soldered in place.
Chances are that most of the music you like is played on electric rather than acoustic. There is much more electric guitar music recorded today than acoustic music. Electric guitars outsell acoustic guitars everywhere hands-down.
What about an amp? There are many alternatives for guitar amps today that didn't exist a few years ago. You can now get a battery-powered practice amp for as little as $20. I really like the battery-powered amp by Danelectro.
Problems and solutions with battery amps The battery and the battery cover can rattle. If you hear a rattle at high volume, you should check the battery and cover first. You can mute the rattle by taping the battery down, or stuffing a small piece of paper between the battery and the amp - experiment. Since the speaker is very small, you will probably find your best sound with the tone turned down to the left (full bass).
Electric Guitar Effects Younger players get bored with acoustic guitars because they can't imitate the sounds they hear in songs on the radio. Younger players really like effects like distortion and reverb, because it makes their guitar sound like the one on the CD. This helps keep their interest during the critical early-learning period.
Electric guitars techniques like string-bending are easier on electric guitars. Electric guitars are usually sold with much lighter strings than the strings they sell with new acoustic guitars. It is possible to set up you acoustic guitar so that you can use many electric guitar techinques.
See Make Your Guitar Easier to Play. See also How To Find The Right Guitar For You.
