How does the whole electric and acoustic thing work on the guitars?

if you envision an acoustic guitar with an electronic pick up beneath the strings you will be picturing what a ‘hybrid’ guitar actually looks like.

On an acoutic guitar the small sound coming from the plucked string causes resonances of the air in the soundbos and the sound box is said to “magnify the sound”. i.s. it gets louder than it would have been without the hollow sound box.

On a solid electric guitar there is no resonant soundbox, but you have an electric pickup “transducer” that produces a small electrical signal in response to the changes of electrical “inductance” in the pickup coil, that are directly caused by the intesity frequency and harmonic content of the guitar string vibration. That small electrical signal is then amplified and either passed to a loudspeaker or headphones, and in the case of a recording studio - to a magnetic tape recording head or to an ADC (analogue to digital converter) in a digital system.

An acoustic guitar can be fitted with a pickup to do the same job as it does in a solid electric guitar to make an electro-acoustic guitar. An electro-acoustic will be easier to hear while practicing without an amplifier.

– Majikthise.

and that’s about it- Great answer…

thanks, that’s what i was asking. would you recommend the electro-acoustic guitar, plain electric, or plain acoustic if I’m just starting to learn :)

I recommend you find someone who is willing to leach you to play, or at least listen to your playing and is competent to offer helpful criticism and advice regarding technique and style. Their advice will be far more valuable to you than mine.

But for what (little) it is worth, I would recommend you go for an electric guitar with a portable 10W amplifier with its own built in speaker.

However, if you particularly want to learn a classical “Flamenco” (or similar traditional) style go for a reasonably good acoustic guitar.

Majikthise.

I got one for Christmas and it’s Soooo awesome!! It has wonderful sound too! I have the same one that Taylor swift has Exept myns blue ^_^ haha

ok thanks! I have conteacted someone to start lessons we just need to come up with a date. I already know her and I’m sooo excited haha

what’s it called? :)

Good luck with it, I am certain that you will get a lot of pleasure from playing the guitar and also from entertaining people when you are good enough.

I look forward to hearing you play when you are famous.

You can buy acoustic guitars that are the same as other acoustics, except they have a pick-up where they can be plugged into an amp. They don’t sound like an electric though when plugged in, they just sound like a louder ‘fresher’ acoustic. You can’t play it like an electric or anything either. If you are buying a guitar, I highly recommend buying one with the pick-up, even if you don’t own an amp, the plug in option is a great investment.