Electro-Acoustic Guitar

If you want more volume out of your acoustic guitar so you can take it on stage, or if you want to plug it directly into your audio interface, an electro-acoustic model is the answer. Whether it's a steel-string model or a nylon-stringed classical model, you'll be able to find it here at Bax Music.

Electro-Acoustic Guitars

Electro-acoustic guitars have exactly the same base as the normal acoustic guitar. Technically, any acoustic guitar can be converted into an electro-acoustic guitar, either by installing or clipping on a pickup or microphone. The beauty of an electro-acoustic guitar is that it can be plugged into an acoustic amplifier, a PA system, or an audio interface, so it can be a really nice upgrade. Of course, modifying an acoustic guitar isn't for everyone, so you could just pick up a ready-made electro-acoustic model instead. These guitars are more versatile since you can play them unplugged and entirely acoustic, or you can plug them into an amp for bigger sound. Sometimes, electro-acoustics come with other added extras, like an integrated preamp system for adjusting the amplified sound or an endlessly useful built-in tuner. At Bax Music, you can browse through a full array of electro-acoustic guitars and electro-acoustic classical guitars .

Amplifying an Electro-Acoustic Guitar

So you've found the electro-acoustic guitar of your dreams, now you might want to pick out a good amplifier to complete your setup. Of course, you could plug your electro-acoustic into an electric guitar amplifier, but you'll immediately notice that these amps have been designed to coat the sound in their own specific colour, so that might not be what you want. As such, it's often better to look for a dedicated acoustic guitar amplifier , which has been specifically designed to get the best amplified sound out of an electro-acoustic guitar. You can get acoustic amps that offer full control over the shape of your on-stage sound as well as amps with built-in effects and other perks.

Why Get an Electro-Acoustic Guitar?

Besides the ease of being able to plug into an amplifier, electro-acoustic guitars can offer a few other nice benefits. Some models come with a built-in tuner, and since you can also plug straight into recording equipment like an audio interface, recording with your guitar is also a lot easier. There are also some extra-special electro-acoustic guitars that have built-in effects that even work when you're not plugged into an amplifier. An electro-acoustic guitar is also a good choice for any beginner guitarist as well, since it already sets you up with a gig-ready instrument.

Semi-Acoustic or Electro-Acoustic Guitar?

Occasionally electro-acoustic and semi-acoustic guitars get mixed up, but while they're both guitars, they sound completely different. An electro-acoustic guitar is essentially an acoustic guitar with an additional pickup or microphone (or both) that can be amplified. A semi-acoustic guitar is actually an electric guitar with a hollow or partly hollow body, giving it a uniquely warm amplified sound. Besides the look, the main difference is that you can't get much, if any, volume out of a semi-acoustic guitar when you play it unplugged, while an unplugged electro-acoustic guitar sounds just as big and lush as a normal acoustic guitar.

Frequently Asked Questions About Electro-Acoustic Guitars

How does an electro-acoustic guitar work?

Unplugged, an electro-acoustic guitar works in the same way as a regular acoustic guitar. The vibration of the strings bounces around inside the hollow body then the sound is projected out via the soundhole. With an electro-acoustic guitar, this sound is captured by a built-in pickup and sent as a signal to an amplifier or sound system.

What's the best beginner's electro-acoustic guitar?

As a beginner guitarist, the first thing you need to think about is the sound. Do you want the lush, sparkling sound of a steel-string electro-acoustic guitar , or do you want the warm and round sound of a nylon-string electro-acoustic classical guitar ? Also, nylon strings are more flexible than steel strings, so have a lighter feel beneath the fingers. Then there's the size. The dreadnought acoustic is the most common and familiar acoustic guitar shape, while the full-sized 4/4 classical guitar is the most standard. If you need a little more advice, see our Electro-Acoustic Guitar Buyer's Guide .