why do you play an acoustic

[84thDream]

..because they're made of... wood?

ahhh... but does one not also build electrics out of wood?

 

[paulskirocks]

I play acoustic when I feel like it because I love playing the guitar...

 

[jamesp]

Electric mandolins aren't really happening. Eight-strings are too many for bends and/or f/x. And a four-string electric mando just made me want my Tele. What intrigues me now is a five-string electric mandola. That might be interesting! But yeah, acoustic guitars are great. They're comfortable to play and with the good ones you can feel the sound coming thru the back. They bring the jingle-jangle.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Because all of today's music, and most of yesterday's music, is impossible w/o an acoustic guitar being involved...

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Because it feels good. Like when you finish that song on that G chord and feel the rosewood back vibrating against you.

 

[BoomBoomBigelow]

It is an instrument in its essential form.
With some minimal preparation, apply fingers, make music.

 

[Peeker]

it's just another tool for recording.

 

[sleewell]

i play an acoustic because its fun. a lot of my song ideas start on acoustic. they are portable and add a different vibe than just playing electric all the time.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Because all of today's music, and most of yesterday's music, is impossible w/o an acoustic guitar being involved...

LOL WHUT?

All of today's music requires an acoustic?

I hate to break it to you pops, but there's a considerable amount of "today's music" that features no guitar whatsoever! NO SHIT!

At any rate, the answer to the OP, is because some music is written for acoustic and even a clean electric is not going to sound like an acoustic. Same ol' "right tool for the job" answer that works for a lot of other questions.

In my particular case, there's also the fact that the only acoustic-electric I own was bought in a couple-hour window before a church gig audition when I was broke-ass broke and thus has the WORLD'S MOST HILARIOUS pic on the back, of everyone's favorite TV salesman/charlatan, ESTEBAN himself! Again, I SHIT YOU NOT!

Front:

Way much mo' better hilarious back:

So, there's that.

 

[BoomBoomBigelow]

Way much mo' better hilarious back:

So, there's that.

WOW! Built-in Etch-A-Sketch!

 

[reverend1]

I don't own or play an acoustic.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

WOW! Built-in Etch-A-Sketch!

Haha, isn't it deliciously terrible?

There is no way I could NOT buy it, haha!

Funny thing is, it's actually playable and usable in a live sitch, with a little care. I use it at church semi-regularly. I also played it a couple times with a hippie band I used to be in (yes, I was the "odd man out," haha).

 

[Peeker]

was just gonna ask how it played.
I imagine, for the price, it's alright.

 

[Chad]

I don't own or play an acoustic.

I own 1, but rarely ever play it. I also rarely plug in my electrics.

 

[reverend1]

I own 1, but rarely ever play it. I also rarely plug in my electrics.

If I want an acoustic, I just dont plug in my Gretsch.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

was just gonna ask how it played.
I imagine, for the price, it's alright.

Yeah, I picked it up in a pawn like new for a Benjamin even. Has a 3-band onboard EQ, everything works, intonation is fine. It actually has better acoustic tone than the no-name '70's MIJ acoustic I learned on (and still have), though that's not saying much. The only semi-decent acoustic I have is my beater '70's Yamaha 12-string. That thing actually has really solid tone and the harder you hit it, the louder it gets:

 

[sunvalleylaw]

If I want an acoustic, I just dont plug in my Gretsch.

I sometimes do the same with my Hagstrom. My dreadnought is a cannon, and I can drive people out of the room if i don't really dial it back.

 

[jamesp]

It's not like it's gonna play itself.

Initially, I think it was because it was less expensive. Then there was the everybody plays electric and I want to be different factor. Once I grew into some income I geared up for playing out but for me, playing out took the fun out of playing. So I sold everything but my Martin and for maybe 25 years got it out of the case maybe once a month. Then, about seven years ago I met some really bad "jam" players and started playing again. Only now everybody played acoustic, so I took up the mandolin.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

LOL WHUT?

All of today's music requires an acoustic?

I hate to break it to you pops, but there's a considerable amount of "today's music" that features no guitar whatsoever! NO SHIT!

At any rate, the answer to the OP, is because some music is written for acoustic and even a clean electric is not going to sound like an acoustic. Same ol' "right tool for the job" answer that works for a lot of other questions.

In my particular case, there's also the fact that the only acoustic-electric I own was bought in a couple-hour window before a church gig audition when I was broke-ass broke and thus has the WORLD'S MOST HILARIOUS pic on the back, of everyone's favorite TV salesman/charlatan, ESTEBAN himself! Again, I SHIT YOU NOT!

Front:

Way much mo' better hilarious back:

So, there's that.

Guess we'll have to agree to disagree, then.

Nice guitar...some of the Estebans are actually not half bad...interestingly, the best sounding/playing ones I've run across are every bit as "tastefully decorated" as that one.

(kinda like this one's looks! )

 

[baimun]

An electric has a particular frequency that works really well within a band situation without infringing too much on the bass player frequencies, and weaves in and out of the vocal range.

An acoustic guitar actually has a broader spectrum of frequency with deeper bass and subtle highs that actually provides a better "scoop" in tone that nestles the vocal range right in between... making it the much more suitable instrument for the solo performer who plays and sings.