@adleysmith 

Welcome to the forum!

I have never played an electric violin.  Not because I have anything really against them, but I just do not have access to an electric violin.

I would imagine it is much like the difference between electric and acoustic guitar, in that the two instruments have vastly different sounds and musical styles.  The question is what kind of sound/style of music are you looking for. 

For learning, if you have never played any string instrument before, especially when taking private lessons, I would think it would just be easier to learn on acoustic.  You would not need to bring the speaker system with you to your lesson. Also, I have never met a violin teacher that teaches on electric.  So I would guess that the most common way to learn is first acoustic violin, then play electric.  However, there are always exceptions.  But as a practical consideration, I believe starting with acoustic may make more sense.

@Shane "Chicken" Wang 

I see what you mean.  Again, the two types of instruments (acoustic and electric) are quite different.

An electric violin will produce a much different sound.  It's electric.  Also, the projection is controlled very differently in each.  And the weight and feel of the instruments are quite different.  Most electric violins are not constructed with the same material or in the same way as acoustic.  All of these change the way the instrument feels, is played, and how they produce sound.

Also, there is another aspect to consider.  Sound from any electric instrument, or even one which has electronic pickups added, must go through some kind of amplifier.  So the sound the listener hears isn't coming from the pure vibration from hand to ear.  What I mean by this is the speakers deliver the sound, not the player per se.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is something to consider when deciding which type of instrument to play.

Some of my reasons for playing an acoustic violin do stem from the differences between acoustic vs electric.  I like the warm, pure sound of vibration which comes from my hand, rather than the sound which is produced through the electronics. This is just my preference, and also the type of music I ultimately want to play.  My goal is to play in an orchestra with a violin section.  Normally, only the acoustic violin is played in orchestras.

I also love to hold and play a wooden violin and hear the undertones and sub harmonics.  These sub harmonics are part of the characteristics of an acoustic instrument.  And I do rely on it for intonation when I am playing. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect that the undertones and sub harmonics produced by acoustic violins cannot be produced with electric.

These are just my own personal preference and choice.  There are definite reasons to play electric.  For example if you are playing with other electric instruments and need to control the projection to match and meld with other instruments.  Or if you want the ability to add certain electronic distortions or change the instrument's voice based on specific styles of music, such as the difference between classical and Irish or Celtic fiddle.  There are many good reasons to chose electric.  It is all about personal preference.

@Pete_Violin 

I agree completely. If we both bought the same violins, they would still be completely different instruments, with their own voices, own maturity, own reaction time, and own personalities. I don't believe you can get that with an electric. Just my opinion.

I have said before that I am nearly deaf in my right ear and headed that way with the left, I need the resonation of the acoustic to know exactly where I am in my intonation. I can feel it on my face, in my neck, in my chest. I have one of Pierres lower line violins and it is LOUD, it gets way over the ringing, but if I have a mute on, I can't feel the vibration except in my jaw, it's aggravating.

Same with the electric guitars and bass. My buddy owns my Richenbacher acoustic electric bass, I can feel it when I play but not the solid body fender unless the amp is way up. Again, my personal opinion, if the end goal is to play in a group, band, orchestra, you need to be able to feel what your playing as well as hear it. People talk of tuning your ears, You should tune your entire being, become the music. You don't have to be a spiritual person to know that at some point it becomes a spiritual happening. 

I don't really want to get into an electric violin until I go completely deaf, but if a person was wanting to learn electric, they should know acoustic also really, to have the comparison, the reflection, of one to the other. To be able to feel the raw emotion that comes from within.

In my most honest and purest love of music, the answers are simple, be true to yourself, be true to the music, and the instrument is just the medium. You don't have to have the most expensive, the biggest or the best. You have to be the best you can be. Learn the best you can with what you have, and let the music speak for you. Love yourself always, love what you do, and it will all show in the end. it won't matter how you got there, all that matters is that you are there, and you made the best of the journey. It's all about you.