Electric vs Acoustic Guitar for Kids: Which Should Your Child Start On?
Updated: Oct 1
When a child asks for guitar lessons, parents quickly face a choice between electric and acoustic. Both are good starting points, and there is no single right answer for every child. The best choice depends on your child's hands, the music they love, and your household. This guide lays out the tradeoffs in plain terms.
How they feel to play
Electric guitars usually have lighter strings and lower action, which means the strings sit closer to the frets. That makes chords easier to press and can be kinder to young fingertips in the first weeks. Steel-string acoustic guitars take more finger strength, and sore fingertips are common at first. Nylon-string classical guitars are the softest of all, which is why many younger children start on them. Electric guitar bodies are often heavier, so a good strap and correct height matter.
Music style and motivation
Motivation is the biggest factor in whether a young guitarist keeps playing. A child who dreams of rock or metal may lose interest on an acoustic that cannot make those sounds. A child who loves singer-songwriters, country, or worship music may feel right at home on acoustic. Ask your child to name three songs they want to play someday. Those songs often point clearly toward one type of guitar.
Cost, gear, and noise
An acoustic guitar is ready to play right out of the case. An electric guitar needs a few extra pieces to get started. Here is what each usually involves:
Acoustic: the guitar, a tuner, picks, a strap, and a case or gig bag
Electric: the guitar, a small practice amplifier, a cable, a tuner, picks, and a strap
Electric with headphones: many small amplifiers have a headphone jack for quiet practice
Both: a guitar stand, so the instrument stays out and easy to pick up
Electric guitar can actually be the quieter option, because the volume turns down and headphones plug in. Acoustic guitars cannot be turned down, though they are rarely loud enough to bother neighbors.
What we usually recommend
For most children, the right guitar is the one that fits their body and matches the music they love. Younger children often do well on a smaller nylon-string or electric guitar. Teens can usually start on either type in full size. Your teacher can help you decide at the first lesson and check that the instrument is set up well. Our guide on how to choose a first guitar for a child covers sizes and setup in more detail.
Every Evergreen Studios teacher is EvergreenCertified, which means background-checked, abuse-prevention trained, and personally vetted before teaching in any home. Your child keeps the same guitar teacher every week, and the lesson happens on the instrument they practice on at home.
Learn more in our in-home guitar lessons guide for Wilmington. Parents still choosing between instruments can read our guide to the best first instrument for kids. For more on readiness and what lessons look like, see our guide to guitar lessons for kids in Wilmington.
How to get started
Private guitar lessons are $320 for one month. That covers four 45-minute lessons with the same teacher in your home.
Call (910) 613-0704 or email evrgreencompany@gmail.com.
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