I’d say go for an electric. It’s easier to learn. Also, as a beginner, it’s fun to learn your favorite rock riffs and play them over and over and over and over… etc. As you become more advanced and confident in your playing you should definitely get an acoustic, however. Like Barton said, your personal sound won’t be hidden behind distortion and vacuum tubes (or transistors).
I will say this, make sure that you start with something that’s in a moderate price range. You don’t want to start out too cheap like I did, or you basically get a piece of pressboard with some cheap Melmacian alloy strung across it that sounds like cats humping.
On the other hand, don’t look for a vintage 52 Telecaster when you’ve barely learned “Smoke on the Water”
ATTGuy, I don’t know how old you are, but if you’re a young guy with limited funds, acoustic is the way to go. Why? Buy one guitar and a pick. Now you can play anywhere. As you get better, it will seem increasingly worth the cash to buy an electric guitar, and amplifier, patch cords, pedals, headphones, etc.
I agree with the folks who say that pressing the strings on an acoustic is harder and will make playing electric feel like nothing, but this is still somewhat misleading. Learning on one is always going to fuck you up for the other. I started on acoustic, and though playing the electric is easy as far as my fingers are concerned, I am totally lost as to how to get the sounds I want. I may as well be playing a really loud acoustic guitar.
So I say go for low cost and simplicity: a mid-priced acoustic…a used one is even better. Don’t be one of these jokers who spends all the cash on the perfect system but can barely play.
And the only guitar that makes you a pussy is one of those stupid outdoor electric acoustics with the round back. Fuck Lisa Loeb. But in the most respectful possible way.
