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Electro Acoustic Guitar Is The Best Of Both Worlds

by Daniel Wright

What is your favorite music? Rock? Folk music? Jazz? The Classics? Rap? Music is universal; loved by virtually everyone, although many are unaware of the ways in which these diverse styles are similar. Are you aware, for instance, that almost all of the musical types mentioned above can be played with an electro acoustic guitar?

The versatility of the guitar is evident in instruments such as the electro acoustic guitar. This type of guitar allows you to play many different types of songs, anything from the most quiet and soothing lullaby to a frenetic and invigorating rock anthem. While you can use this instrument as an acoustic guitar for a more low-key effect, you can also take advantage of its electric capabilities to really grab someone's attention.

Acoustic guitars and electric guitars differ primarily in that the acoustic is able to be played using no cables or amplifier. The acoustic has mellower and more soothing sound than the electric, so it has generally been used for music genres requiring a more quiet and calming sound. It can be played by strumming with fingertips or using a guitar pick.

The electric requires an amplifier and cable to connect it to the guitar. It is almost always played with a pick. The electric can arguably be used to create a greater range of sound styles than the acoustic, because it has one important advantage: it can be used with an effects pedal.

These pedals, which are connected to both the guitar and the amplifier, enable the musician to dramatically change the sounds his guitar produces. For example, he can use an echo effect to delay the emergence of sound from his instrument, or he can use a pedal to create the effect called "distortion" that is widely popular in rock music today.

This difference is significant, but there is a way of bridging the gap: the electro acoustic guitar. This guitar frequently looks like an acoustic, but it has what is called a "pick up" that allows the musician to plug his instrument into an amplifier. The musician can thus achieve the best of both worlds: he marries the soothing tones of the acoustic with the effects and volume possibilities of the electric. For any player who wants to bridge genres, the electro acoustic guitar is a must-have!

The Guitar Center showcases hundreds of electro acoustic guitars and amps! Whether you're just looking for one to learn on or you're a veteran wanting to upgrade, you'll want check out the unique & beautiful acoustic guitars and electric guitars added every day from names like Fender, Martin, Ibanez, Gretsch, Gibson, and many more!

Published January 4th, 2008

Filed in Teen