Newby Yamaha A600

[NickNSD1978]

I’ve been learning to play for about 6 weeks now on a hired electric Stratocaster. My aim has always been to transition to acoustic at some point but I wasn’t sure where this journey would take me. Six weeks in and I love it. I know I still have a long way to go. I visited GuitarGuitar yesterday and tried a Yamaha APX600. Feels very different to electric. Am I best sticking with electric for the moment or move over to something like this sooner rather than later. Didn’t know if it would step me back in my learning.

[Dad3353]

19 minutes ago, NickNSD1978 said:

I’ve been learning to play for about 6 weeks now ...

 

Good evening, @NickNSD1978, and...

 

 

... Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. 

 

There is no 'downside' to learning on different guitars, quite the opposite. A Good Acoustic (this would include the one you mentioned...) will stand you in good stead for a lifetime, and will complement your prowess, not hinder it. If you have space at home and the budget for it, I highly recommend having both 'on hand'; play and learn on whichever one takes your fancy that day. It's All Good. 

[NickNSD1978]

Tbf, I just want to keep things as simple as possible. That’s why I like the idea of acoustic for its simplicity.

[NickNSD1978]

And thank you for the welcome

[ezbass]

There’s nothing wrong with learning on electric. However, it is generally easier to play than an acoustic and learning on an acoustic will help with your fingering strength and technique more, which can be very easily transferred to electric, not so much the other way around.

 

And… 

[NickNSD1978]

So really then you are better learning on acoustic? Having tried it (just for a matter of minutes) it felt totally different. Whereas I’m always looking at where I am placing my fingers on the frets with an electric, I found i couldn’t see my fingers on the APX600 without either tilting the guitar or leaning really forward. I only tried it for a few minutes and it’s the first time I’ve ever held an acoustic. 

[Dad3353]

14 minutes ago, NickNSD1978 said:

So really then you are better learning on acoustic? Having tried it (just for a matter of minutes) it felt totally different. Whereas I’m always looking at where I am placing my fingers on the frets with an electric, I found i couldn’t see my fingers on the APX600 without either tilting the guitar or leaning really forward. I only tried it for a few minutes and it’s the first time I’ve ever held an acoustic. 

 

If you learn nothing else from your musical endeavours, learn Patience. It's a long-haul exercise; we are all learning still, decades later. That is why it's so worthwhile.

Allow me, if you will, advance my often-quoted words of encouragement when learning guitar (they apply to many other domains, too...)...

'It's the first forty years that are the hardest, after which things may, sometimes, tend to get very slightly easier'. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Dad3353