Acoustic guitars are incredible, versatile instruments that can be played in a range of musical styles and fit into almost any genre.

If you're looking to get an acoustic guitar, you might want to opt for an electro-acoustic guitar instead of a fully acoustic one. There are some great reasons for this, so let's get into it.

Fully Acoustic vs. Electro-Acoustic Guitars: What's the Difference?

A musician playing an electro-acoustic guitar live with some black tape on the front body.

Electro-acoustic guitars are exactly like acoustic guitars with a key difference: they are fitted with an in-built pickup, preamp, and jack output. This allows them to be plugged directly into devices such as amps, PAs, audio interfaces, effects pedals, etc.

Appearance-wise, electro-acoustic guitars look just like their fully acoustic counterparts, except with a visible preamp and 1/4-inch jack output. The preamp is usually found on the sides of the guitar's body or just inside the sound hole. The jack output is usually found towards the end of the guitar's side, usually where you'd attach a strap.

Due to their onboard electronics, electro-acoustic guitars do cost a bit more than fully-acoustic guitars. However, as you're about to see, there are several reasons why they are well worth the investment.

1. You Can Play Electro-Acoustic Guitars Both Unplugged and Amplified

An electro-acoustic guitar near a white wall.

Electro-acoustic guitars are designed to be played both unplugged and amplified, giving you the flexibility to switch between both as conveniently as possible.

Unplugged, there isn't much difference between acoustic guitars and electro-acoustic guitars. An electro-acoustic guitar still maintains its acoustic integrity, sounding exactly like a fully acoustic guitar when played unplugged.

However, a key benefit to an electro-acoustic guitar is that it can be amplified via its jack output. Where you'd once have to get a microphone, wire, stand, audio interface, cables, etc., to amplify your acoustic guitar, you can simply use a jack to jack guitar cable to plug your electro-acoustic guitar into a direct input (DI or amplifier).

This adds a level of versatility to electro-acoustic guitars that you won't find with fully acoustic guitars.

2. Electro-Acoustic Guitars Are Perfect for Touring

A musician playing guitar and singing at a live concert.

Because of how easy it is to amplify electro-acoustic guitars, they make perfect touring instruments.

Setting up microphones for an acoustic guitar in a live setting is a pain. There's often feedback as you try to find the perfect position. Plus, balancing the sound is difficult, and once you've found the right settings and position, you can barely move as you play— otherwise, you risk starting back at square one.

As they can be amplified directly, electro-acoustic guitars sidestep all of these issues. Setup is incredibly easy: you just plug one end of your guitar cable into the jack output on your guitar and plug the other end into the correct jack input.

As there's a direct channel picking up your guitar, finding an EQ is easier. And, as you don't have to position your guitar in front of a microphone, you can move freely! Not too bad, eh?

The ease of playing live using an electro-acoustic guitar means that you can focus more on the music and your performance, and worry less about any sound issues.

Related: The Best Websites to Find Guitar Chords for Songs

3. You Can Record Using Different Methods With an Electro-Acoustic Guitar

A musician playing a black electro-acoustic guitar.

Electro-acoustic guitars can be recorded in a number of different ways: unplugged, amplified, and recorded directly into your digital audio workstation (DAW).

When unplugged, electro-acoustic guitars can be recorded exactly like fully acoustic guitars. In addition to this, electro-acoustic guitars can also be amplified. You can take advantage of this in many ways, such as recording your guitar through an amp as you use an effects pedal.

You can also utilize your electro-acoustic guitar's line output to record directly into your DAW via an audio interface, giving you a much more accurate and focused sound. This can sound quite unnatural, and won't sound as good as recording your guitar through microphones. However, recording your electro-acoustic guitar using both a microphone and a line output can create a unique sound.

You can use a wide range of microphones when recording your electro-acoustic guitar—namely, condenser microphones to pick up its unplugged sound, and dynamic microphones to pick up its amplified sound. However, this varies from person to person, so choosing between a dynamic or condenser microphone is up to you.

Related: How to Use GarageBand on Mac to Record Multiple Live Tracks at Once

4. An Electro-Acoustic Guitar's Preamp Often Comes With Useful Features

A brown electro-acoustic guitar on a black guitar stand.

Electro-acoustic guitars come with a built-in preamp that's often useful for tweaking your sound when playing live through an amp or PA.

Preamps vary from guitar to guitar, but you'll often find some useful features. These can range from adjustable volume, low/mid/high EQ options, reverb, and some preamps even come with built-in tuners.

Though not a substitute for professional equalization, an electro-acoustic guitar's preamp provides a subtle effect that can give a big impact.

5. Electro-Acoustic Guitars Are Still Acoustic Guitars

A musician playing an electro-acoustic guitar with a tortoise shell pickguard.

Usually, when choosing between one type of guitar or another, there's typically some type of compromise. When it comes to choosing between electro-acoustic guitars and acoustic guitars, there really isn't one. Arguably, an electro-acoustic guitar is an acoustic guitar—but better.

Electro-acoustic guitars are made from the same materials, with the same techniques, and are played the exact same way as acoustic guitars. You're not compromising on sound quality for convenience either.

Yes, there's a slightly increased upfront cost. However, this works out very well in the long run, both in terms of cost and convenience.

Maybe you're not thinking of playing live now, but if you ever choose to play shows or try out busking, you won't have to spend the extra dollars to amplify your electro-acoustic guitar or worry about your movement being restricted.

Even if you're only looking to play at home, you've got different recording options, with the option to combine effects pedals with your guitar, providing an experimental layer that can develop your sound.

Electro-acoustic guitars are still acoustic guitars—they're just a lot more practical, convenient, and versatile.

Get Your Electro-Acoustic Guitar and Start Playing

If you're on the fence between buying a fully acoustic guitar and an electro-acoustic guitar, we'd strongly suggest going for an electro-acoustic guitar. You'll be surprised at how great they are!

There are plenty of choices when buying a guitar, so make sure you get one that regularly inspires you to pick it up and play. Thankfully, whether acoustic or electro-acoustic, learning guitar is an excellent, productive, and rewarding skill.