First guitar - acoustic or electric?

[Skinnyman]

As Kiwi has gone to all the trouble of setting up this section, it seems churlish not to use it so I’ll ask the first question - and although I’m no longer an absolute beginner, it’s one that I’m not sure of the answer as I can see pros and cons of each.

Anyway, my question to the panel is;

What’s the best choice for a complete beginner - electric or acoustic or classical?

Obviously, with an electric you have the added complication of an amp but I wonder which is the easiest for a beginner to get to grips with in the very early days when it’s all about learning some chords and getting your fingers toughened up?

[Dad3353]

I'd take the view that there are multiple answers to this question. One important (maybe the most important..?) factor in learning stuff, any stuff, at any age, is motivation, that's to say: wanting to. How many children were sat at a piano, or handed a recorder or violin, even having expensive lessons thrust upon them, but didn't take it on board, or even rejected the whole thing..? If the itch that needs scratching is for an electric guitar, then start off on an electric guitar. If the motivation is more towards classical music, a classical guitar  would be the way to go. To get one's hand in by the (relatively..) easier route, an acoustic guitar can bring more rapid satisfaction (as long as the effort is put in, naturally...).
For starting out, a decent acoustic guitar gives very rapid, almost instant, gratification, and will be held onto, even if other guitars are acquired over time. To get the best out of a classical guitar, there is, in my view, no substitute for a good classical guitar teacher, and will certainly involves reading music from the outset. The road is harder, but the rewards are commensurate. If it's a question of idolatry, and wanting to join in with the modern rock idiom, then an electric has its appeal, and can be enjoyed, at least for starting out, with only a practise amp, or even a jack-plug amp and headset.
Complete beginner..? Find out why and what their interest is in the instrument, and get 'em started on that. Whatever the choice, a good tutor is a great asset, with the proviso that the pupil is willing to cooperate. If not, 'laisser faire' has produced legions of virtuoso players over the years, although the path is longer and more strewn with rocks. Better that, though, than being forced to learn in a way that doesn't fit the motivation.
Have I answered the question..? Probably not; sorry. 

[Kiwi]

Acoustic is a cheap and convenient way into the learning process but unless they're set up properly and well made, they can be cumbersome to get around on.  But I agree with Dad3353 in that passion is the motivation and if the aspiration is electric then it's better to get an electric in the first place.  When many of us were in the 12-14 year age range, good quality was hard to find (if not impossible) but these days there are extremely servicable instruments and amps available to all but the most miserly budgets.   My Ibanez TSA5 amps were less than a hundred quid and are superb, a nice Harley Benton guitar would be a few hundred quid and be great for a few years.

[EdwardMarlowe]

Like a lot of kids I did the classic 'start on a cheap and crappy second hand acoustic' to convince my parents I'd stick at it long enough to be worth investing in a guitar and an amp (and the subsequent noise...). My first acoustic was a £30 used Kay; my first electric a second-hand Marlin Loner (I think - looked like a Jackson, HSS, it was right handed so I Hendrixed it, only right handed guitar I ever owned thus far). I thik I paid £70, from memory, for the Marlin and a 10watt solid state Sound City branded amp. After a year or two I replaced the amp with a 'Park Son of Marshall', which I'm sure cost sometging approaching £100 from memory, and wasn't bad at imitating the Marshall sound.

Starting on an acoustic does build up your finger muscles and it's also nice to appreciate both forms, but I think things have changed these days. That said, the quality of what you can buy for sub £200 these days (my starter £100 in 1991 is worth £216 and change in today's money) is ridiculous compared to back in the early 90s (which in turn was light years from the early 70s). Nowadays, I'd suggest that if Little Johnny really wants to play electric, start him on one. Something like a Squier Affinity or a Harley Benton Strat or Tele new is a great starting place; if the beginnier is more Gibson oriented, the Vintage brand SGs aree pretty bloody stunning for relative buttons new (I'd buy one of those over the Epiphone every time). Better bargains to be had used if there's someone in the household who knows guitars or has a friend/relative who can help out, though if the budget can stretch to new for the guitar, it'd be nice to start with something new, especially if it's a big Christmas or birthday present. Amps-wise, things are so, so much better than the days when I was a beginning in 90/91. Back then, it was a cheap (and often nasty) solid state every one started on. now there are soem fantastic sub £100 modelling options, and if you're going to go tube, there's the like of the Harley Benton Tube 5 for someting around £120. Pedals-wise, no need to jump for boutqiue stuff, or even pricier items like back when. I've bought a clutch of pretty imrpessive little mini-pedals at twenty quid a pop on average over the last couple of years. Sound just as good as (if sometimes *different* than) much more expensive pedals.

I realise I'm working here on the assumption of a kid starter. I'd say the same for an adult, boradly, except if you're surer you'll stick to it it might sometimes be worth spending a touch more. These days, though, many absolute beginner instruments are as good or better than a lot of what I used to see being played out professionally by bands who had  yet to hit the big time back in the 80s.

[Si600]

It's pretty much all been said, my 2p is don't go for one with the three plastic strings. Get a proper one with metal strings. The plastic ones are a nightmare to keep in tune.