Have you had your mind fixed on learning the guitar for quite some time now? Why not start with one of the best types of guitars you can get your hands on – the acoustic. It’s among the most popular guitars and can be a good pick for all kinds of players.
Read on to discover everything you’ll need to know before buying your new musical companion.
Comparison Chart for 10+ Best Acoustic Guitars
We’ve listed 12 of the best acoustic guitars we have discovered. Check out a comparison chart for a quick study of the weight, wood type, and string type of each.
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Choosing the Best Acoustic
There are hundreds of different acoustic types out there. Where do you start? Well, we will present a few important things to know before buying an acoustic guitar – and it’ll all be clear.
What’s Your Skill Level?
This is an easy one: Are you looking to buy a beginner’s instrument, or do you already have enough practice, and want to advance your skills further? Whatever you choose will influence the type of guitar you need.
Beginner acoustic guitars are different than professional ones with respect to size, quality, comfortability, etc.
Either way, you will still want to know the different types of acoustics and the purpose of each. So, let’s take a look!
Acoustic Guitar Shapes
The shape of a guitar dramatically affects its sounds. That’s why it’s crucial that you know what type of sound you want in an acoustic.
Although styles and shapes vary depending on the guitar’s brand, you can find some general types. Here’s all you’ll need to know about them:
Another style you might come across is the cutaway. You can find a cutaway in the upper bout of any guitar shape; it lets players reach higher frets more easily. You might want to opt for a cutaway if you’re switching from electric to acoustic. This feature is also great for playing leads.
Wood Types
You know about different guitar shapes now, but what about the material? Acoustic guitars are found in various wood types. Here are the details of each:
What’s Your Budget?
What price range are you going to be searching in? It’s necessary you have a budget in mind so you can choose the best acoustic for you.
We’re here to help you choose the best acoustic guitars under $1000, under $500, and even $300. There is the perfect instrument out there for you, no matter what the price is.
Let’s get started:
Under $1000
Blueridge BR-160 – Best for Travelers
This striking instrument goes for just under $1000. It features some of the best vintage styles we’ve seen yet. Its distinctive dreadnought offers immaculate detailing and stunning tone variety.
If you’re into vintage acoustic style, you might not need to look any further than this. It’s tinted vintage finish and open-back tuners bring about a sweet retro vibe.
There’s a tortoiseshell pickguard in dalmatian-style and Mahogany neck with 20 frets. This acoustic guitar also has herringbone binding and an elaborate headstock.
It’s a beautiful all-solid wood constructed item with a Sitka spruce top and back and sides made of rosewood.
Blueridge BR-160 doesn’t only look amazing, it sounds great, too. The solid construction and intricate detailing give this acoustic guitar warm, inviting vibes.
The guitar is perfect for country or folk players. Overall, we’d say the Blueridge BR-160 guitar is a complete stunner.
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Sigma SDM-15 – Best for Versatile Players
Sigma SDM-15 is an all-rounder dreadnought style acoustic guitar. With its solid mahogany construction, ebony fingerboard, and chrome-plated Grover with sealed tuners, this beauty shines out for sure.
With a stunning matt finish and rich dark design that exhibits an earthy feel, the Sigma SDM-15 guitar is quite a good pick.
It has a 25.4-inch scale that makes it perfect for either picking or strumming. You can easily play all barres and licks on the comfortable, smooth strings.
Whether you’re a newbie or pro, you’ll really enjoy playing wholesome chords on this instrument. Fingerpicking and solos are also not a big deal for this beauty. Whatever you prefer, this acoustic will make it sound great.
Its full voice and amazing intonation contribute to this Sigma as being one of the best for playing blues, bluegrass, or folk music.
The Sigma SDM-15 is a superb instrument for professional acoustic players and it’ll do wonders for new players as well. Not only does it have an extremely appealing design and construction, but its sound quality is also off the charts.
To round it all up, this acoustic packs just about everything you need in a high-quality guitar.
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Martin Dreadnought Junior – Best for Upbeat Music
This mini dreadnought consists of a Sitka spruce top, sapele back and sides, and a 24-inch scale on a select hardwood neck. It’s one of the best mini acoustics you’ll find. Some of its great features include chrome enclosed gear tuners, hand-rubbed finish, and a design that stands out from all others.
This all-solid wood Martin also features tenon neck joint and a bound top edge. It has simple sound-hole rings and gives off a rather classic, old-school vibe.
The Martin Dreadnought Junior is an outstanding choice for fingerpicking and younger players just starting their musical journey.
However, this doesn’t mean that the guitar is only for beginners. Professionals are just as likely to enjoy playing this wonderful acoustic. The striking mid-range tones and signature Martin sound is sure to brighten up any type of playing style.
Overall, the Martin Dreadnought Junior exhibits some impressive mid-range tones and a high-end, unique dreadnought design. It’s one of the best mini style acoustic guitar we have come across, and once you get your hands on it, you’ll surely feel the same.
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We’ve seen some of the most high-class acoustic guitar models under $1000. They feature excellent craftsmanship and extremely high-quality sound.
But you might be looking for something a little less heavy on the pocket. Following are some of the best acoustic guitars for less than $500.
Under $500
Taylor GS Mini – Best for Those with Smaller Arms
Don’t be fooled by the small size of the Taylor GS Mini acoustic. It gives massive output with a wide range in tone and intense volume. This is unusual for small guitars but this beauty will leave you surprised.
This acoustic is often used for beginners and is one of the easiest to play due to its ebony fingerboard. It also looks nice and sleek with its full mahogany construction.
We’d say the Taylor GS Mini gives you everything you need in a small-sized guitar.This is why it is among the best acoustic guitars. It has a solid mahogany build and some amazing rich tones. This guitar is a good option for beginners and those on the move.
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Seagull S6 – Best for the Looks
The Seagull S6 is definitely one of the most unique acoustics you will find. With its solid wood construction and impeccable North American craftsmanship, this classic dreadnought is quite pleasing to the eye.
This steel-string beauty exhibits a very simple design with 21 frets and a 24.84-inch scale. Even with its standout shape and design, it retains the traditional dreadnought look.
The Seagull S6 is made up of wild cherry back and sides and a pressure-tested solid cedar top. The strong, high-quality wood is what makes this instrument durable. This acoustic features an attractive high-quality semi-gloss lacquer finish that gives it an extremely refined look.
One of the most unique features is the silver leaf maple neck that is joined at the 14th fret on a sleek rosewood fretboard.
The guitar can produce rich and warm tones. It demonstrates great sustain and an extremely clear and loud voice.
Overall, we’d say this is one of the best acoustic guitars.
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Art & Lutherie Roadhouse Tennessee Red – Best for Advanced Players
This Parlour style acoustic guitar has some neat features. The back and sides are laminated wild cherry with a solid spruce top while the neck is silver leaf maple with a rosewood fretboard.
This stunning piece has 20 frets, a 24.84-inch scale, and open-gear antique brass tuners.
What makes the Art & Lutherie Roadhouse Tennessee Red even more appealing is its vibrant red color and semi-gloss Patina finish.
The guitar exhibits fresh and clean earthy tones with quite strong middle and upper ranges. This gives the acoustic sound a sense of warmth that really stands out. The guitar is perfect for playing country and sweet blues music.
Moreover, this guitar is very compact and lightweight, making it the best acoustic guitar for the traveling musician. All in all, this acoustic guitar has stunning craftsmanship and a clear, warm sound.
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Yamaha FS850 – Best for The Kit
Yamaha FS850 is made completely from sturdy mahogany wood. It’s a small guitar that offers great tone and volume. The mahogany construction contributes to its amazing sound because of its resonating properties.
This Yamaha model has a smaller body than usual guitars from the brand which makes it great for training. Hence, it is said to be a good option for beginners.
Switching between chords is a breeze because of the change in fret space from previous models. Due to less space, handling is easier.
Moreover, this guitar comes with an entire kit that you won’t be able to find anywhere else in this price range. The kit includes picks, cleaning cloth, some extra strings, tuners, a gig bag, and a DVD that teaches you the basics playing an acoustic guitar. That’s pretty neat.
It’s easy to say that the Yamaha FS850 is quite the deal for such a low price. In fact, for us, it is among the best acoustic guitars. Even though it has a small body, this acoustic offers great tone and volume and impressive craftsmanship.
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Under $300
Takamine GD20-NS Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Best for Beginners
Takamine GD20-NS dreadnought acoustic is an affordable guitar that provides a whole lot.
It has a solid cedar top, mahogany back and satin finish. It’s not often that you see a cedar top instead of spruce on a price tag this low. But, Takamine has done it.
There’s a standout two-part saddle on the bridge and the slim neck makes the guitar very easy to play. Hence, it’s perfect for beginners.
The Takamine GD20-NS has quite a warm tone as compared to other acoustics which makes up the guitar’s distinct profile. This acoustic has some wonderful intonation qualities.
This acoustic guitar is great if you’re looking for warm tones and a durable build within an affordable price range. Its features make it one of the best acoustic guitars.
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Breedlove Discovery Concerto – Best for Variety
The Breedlove Discovery Concerto, also termed as the DSCO01SSMA, is one of Breedlove’s greatest acoustics yet. It is an extremely easy-to-play instrument which makes it ideal for beginners.
Breedlove has really gone far to provide musicians with a highly affordable guitar that packs all the important aspects you need whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player.
This concert style guitar has a bigger body than other acoustic of the type and you could say it’s a nice combination of a dreadnought and a jumbo. However, you’ll see that it still retains the elegant appearance of a classic concert guitar.
It has a 16-inch lower bout yet it doesn’t feel bulky. It’s highly comfortable to play and displays a certain sophistication.
The slim, C-shaped neck is made from classic Mahogany wood and the scale is 25.5 inches long divided into 20 frets. The neck is also nicely finished with satin and the fingerboard is made of rosewood, with chrome tuning machines at the end.
This Breedlove’s back and sides are made of mahogany and the top is a solid Sitka spruce. The pinless ebony bridge makes changing the strings fairly easy. The entire body has a nice glossy finish to it. The black binding and attractive rosette also make this acoustic guitar give out a unique look.
Breedlove guitars are made to exhibit great balance, sustain, and clarity of sound and this Discovery Concerto is no exception. The big size of the guitar really allows bass notes to be projected more. Overall, this acoustic has a very robust, crisp, and deep voice that’s great for any playing style.
Whether you’re planning on jamming out with aggressive strumming, or you’re into flat-picking and finger-styling, you can definitely opt for this Breedlove. It’s made to sustain hard and soft playing.
Did we mention, it also comes with a gig bag? This is why, for us, it is one of the best acoustic guitars.
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Fender CD-60S All-Mahogany – Best for Low Budget
The Fender CD-60S is a full mahogany dreadnought guitar with a low price tag.
The solid mahogany top and laminated mahogany back and sides feature a nice glossy finish. The 25.3-inch scale lies on a rosewood fretboard consisting of 20 frets. This Fender has chrome die-cast tuners and a rolled fretboard edge that’s quite pleasing to the eye.
The Fender CD-60S isn’t only attractive, it offers some really bright tones and wonderful intonation as well. As soon as you start playing this acoustic, you’re sure to be inspired by the sound. The guitar exhibits great chord sounds and is very comfortable to play.
The Fender CD-60S is a decent addition to the Fender collection with its solid mahogany construction and inviting design is among the best acoustic guitars. It’s also priced very reasonably for the number of features you are getting, especially the high-quality sound.
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Fender FA-115 – Best for Learners
Fender has done it again with the Fender FA-115 that’s highly affordable and consists of a whole bunch of neat features. This dreadnought has a spruce top, basswood back and sides. Its nato neck also stands out. The natural gloss finish really adds to its clean and robust design.
It’s worthy to note that lamination isn’t commonly found within this price range.
This Fender exhibits a nice hardwood bridge with a compensated saddle and a Laurel fingerboard with 20 frets. Its X-bracing makes the design stand out from the rest.
Fender also offers a great deal for beginners by including a pack for starting your acoustic journey. The pack consists of picks, spare strings, and a strap. Hence, it can be a good pick if you’re starting to learn the art of playing guitars.
Not only is the Fender FA-115 very nicely built, but it also exhibits great variety in playing styles. The bright and dynamic tone set really contributes to this Fender’s unique sound.
Overall, the FA-115 is one of the best beginner acoustic guitars. It offers a nice learning package, unique and dynamic sound range, playing variety, and a solid and sturdy build.
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Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar – Best for Portability
If you’re on a very low budget but still need to start learning acoustic guitar, then the Jasmine S35 can be just right for you. This is among the best acoustic guitars.
This portable and compact acoustic guitar is great for beginners and traveling musicians.
This acoustic features a solid spruce top and laminated nato sides and neck. Nato isn’t much different from mahogany, but it is on the less expensive side.
This is one of the reasons for the very affordable price of this Jasmine acoustic.
There’s a rosewood fretboard with spacing between the strings that’s wider than average. That’s why the guitar is so easy to play right from the beginning.
What else makes this guitar perfect for beginners? Well, it’s extremely well-built and is highly comfortable for new players.
So, we’d say the Jasmine S35 is a wonderful option for aspiring musicians. It’s super easy to learn all your notes and chords on due to its generously spaced strings. Its construction doesn’t disappoint either, with its solid build and compact size, it’s sure to be the perfect new companion.
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The Best Acoustic Guitars 2019: The Top Contenders
We’ve seen acoustic guitars from nearly every price range, but now it’s time to choose the winners from each category. From under $1000, we’d have to go with Martin Dreadnought Junior
It's suitable for beginners because of its nice compact size, but it is just as suitable for professional players because of its high-quality sound and excellent craftsmanship. Although the guitar is slightly heavier than average, it doesn’t compromise on looks or quality anywhere.
It offers a great variety in playing styles and exhibits nice tone variety, too. The guitar is easy to play, and although on the high-end of the price range, it’s definitely worth each buck.
The best contender from the under $500 category would be the Yamaha FS850. You can never go wrong with a Yamaha acoustic and this one pack a whole lot at a reasonable price. This acoustic, however, is not suitable for both advanced and beginner players like the Martin Dreadnought Junior.
The Yamaha FS850 is more focused on providing beginner players with the best learning experience. That’s why it includes an entire starter’s kit that helps new players start on the right track. The guitar is small and easy to handle, but don’t be fooled by its size because it has an amazing, impactful sound.
Our pick in the $300 category is the Breedlove Discovery Concerto. It offers great value for money and some variety in a tone that gives your playing a unique edge. Plus, due to its lightweight, you will have no trouble in carrying it.
All in all, make sure to pick the best acoustic guitar according to your requirements. What works for one person may not work for you, hence, find your style and pick a suitable option.
