Buying your First Acoustic Electric Guitar
You already have an acoustic guitar and are capable of playing decent tunes with it. However, at this point, you notice that it has limitations especially when you want to try out your skills in front of a large crowd. The natural progression might urge you to try an electric guitar instead, but its sound quality is drastically different from your acoustic guitar. If you would like to preserve the sound quality of traditional guitars but be able to access the sound that only electronic guitars can have, then your only choice would be buying your first acoustic electric guitar.
An acoustic electric guitar combines the convenience of an electric guitar and the distinct sound that acoustic guitars make.
The problem with traditional acoustic guitars is that only a small crowd, in well-designed halls (or, plainly, a small room), can hear the sound with no aid of amplification. The usual solution was to point microphones directly at the sound holes, but this would limit the movement of the guitarist, especially if one is a vocalist or is playing an upbeat song. Chances are the mic stand would get toppled over, or the guitar would move farther away from the mic, reducing the volume.
A better solution came with the introduction of piezo and magnetic pickups. These pickups were basically transducers that convert the vibrations coming from the guitar into electronic signals that were then fed into an amplifier. These two methods are still in use today, though, it basically led to the idea of permanently fitting pickups inside acoustic guitars.
Acoustic electric guitars are basically acoustic guitars with built-in electronics. Hence, the sensibilities when picking an acoustic guitar apply to acoustic electric models as well. First, you have to decide if you would stick to the classic body of the guitar or try other styles such as New Yorker, FXC, or the popular dreadnought. Note that the styles will affect the sound coming from the guitar since their volumes will vary greatly. Certain styles will also be favored on the music genres that you want to play.
You can also select the make of the materials particularly the soundbar. One can have the plain laminated top or the solid top. Plain laminated tops are made from plywood while solid tops are made from a specific kind of tree. Most favored would be the spruce.
Generally, the solid tops are the best choice since the sound generated is better than the laminated kind. The sound quality is even said to improve on solid tops over time. The shape of your soundbar can also be flat-top or archtop. Flat-top is the design commonly seen, with a flat soundbar and a round hole in the middle of the body just below the neck. Archtops have a bulging soundbar and two f-shaped holes on the side similar to a violin. Jazz and country music would benefit from an archtop while rock and blues will be appropriate for playing a flat-top guitar.
The main consideration when buying acoustic electric guitars are the internal electronics built inside the guitar. Options include piezo saddle transducers, active electronics, and dual mode. Piezo saddle transducers are fitted in the saddle and are very similar to the piezo pickup accessories. Active transducers are also made from piezo material but are usually placed inside the body and directly under the bridge, where the strongest vibration of the soundbar is located. Dual-mode systems, on the other hand, have an additional microphone close to the sound hole in order to provide more amplification especially for guitarists who specialize in plucking than strumming.
Another thing to consider is the built-in preamps on the guitar. The problem with pickups alone is that the signals produced tend to be low level. Hence, a preamplifier is installed in order to magnify the signal's quality before being plugged into a guitar amplifier. Preamps today even give guitarists more control over the output of their guitars. Acoustic electric guitars have at least one knob for volume and a three-band equalizer for bass, middle, and treble frequencies. Advanced preamps offer better control, and some guitar makers give you the option to upgrade preamps if you see fit.
As to whether ordering online or heading over to the music store, both has advantages. The Internet should give a wide range of choices from several big brands and small companies. There is also a chance of getting a better deal coupled with accessories. However, there is no better way of testing an acoustic electric guitar than by personally playing it. You can easily assess its sound and amplification features and avoid ordering and shipping disasters. Best of all, you'll get a stronger connection over something that you have already tested and listened to.
