Best Acoustic Guitars - Great Sounding Instruments In Every Price Range

Last Updated: November 19, 2019 All our charts regularly receive a good refresh, and this mega collection of the best acoustic guitars is no exception! While the core content remained the same, we chopped and changed several acoustics to reflect recent changes in the market, as well as the appearance of some newer models. While we removed a few popular old favorites, these were replaced with the likes of the sensational solid-wood Martin 16 Series D-16GT in our top-ten chart, as well as the higher-end Taylor 214ce DLX in the sub-$1,500 category. We also saw the addition of the distinctive midrange Fender Newporter Classic and Washburn WCG55CE Comfort, before three affordable models in the Ibanez AW54OPN, the Oscar Schmidt OG1FYS, and Yamaha APXT2. Other additions included the The Loar LH-204 Brownstone, as well as the cool AG-105EQ from Traveler Guitar.

First, you have so many different types music – flamenco, jazz, country, blues, classical, rock and pop, to name just a few. Then you have musicians performing at different levels – there are the beginners who’ve never held a guitar before, there are experienced guitarists playing in bands, then there are professional guitarists, who make a career out of playing the guitar. You then have different budgets – one shopper may only have $100 in their back pocket while his friend can drop $2,000 on his new axe (lucky guy!). There are also shoppers who know nothing about guitar at all – the caring girlfriend looking for a budget acoustic for the man of her life; the father who doesn’t really care what he spends, as long as his son gets the best acoustic guitar for kids. Of course there are more examples, but this brief introduction highlights how buying a guitar differs from person to person, and what is ‘best’ for one, may not be the ‘best’ for another. How Do I Find My Dream Acoustic Guitar? A good question! As we’ve just explained, for every individual ‘the best acoustic guitar’ will be different. This is why we’ve split some of the top guitars on the market into relevant categories. You’ll find it easier to navigate to the category that interests you the most, bypassing those guitars out of your budget or too basic. Before we get started, if you are in the market for an electric guitar instead of an acoustic, don’t worry – we have them covered in our extensive electric guitars page elsewhere on Guitar Fella. The same goes for nylon-stringed acoustics – you will no longer find them on this page because we have a new chart dedicated solely to classical guitars.

Top 10 Best Acoustic Guitars:

Guitars For Beginners:

Under $2000:

Under $1500:

Under $1000:

Under $500:

Under $300:

Cheap Acoustic Guitars:

Travel Guitars:

Electro-Acoustic Guitars:

For Small Hands:

12-String Guitars:

Acoustic or Electro-Acoustic – What’s Better?

While reading through our guitar reviews you will have seen both acoustic guitars as well as acoustics with a pickup/pre-amp system, and – especially if you’re starting out – you may have asked ‘which is better for me?’ However, like everything else in the world of guitar, the answer is completely down to you, your tastes and ambitions. An electro-acoustic guitar is one that works just like a regular acoustic would, although has the added benefit of having a pickup, allowing you to plug the guitar into an amplifier and cranking up the volume, playing with a band, or – by using a good guitar pedal – adding an array of tones and effects to your sound. Due to the extra components and work involved in making it, an electro-acoustic version of a guitar will usually be more expensive than it’s acoustic brother, although you can find very affordable electro-acoustic models these days. Just keep in mind that you will need to buy an amplifier to benefit from the perks of your new electro-acoustic. Make sure to check out our detailed page that covers more than 60 of the top guitar amplifiers on the market for a little inspiration. Whether or not you go for an electro-acoustic model may depend on where you plan to play it. If you are playing a concert or on stage with a band you will need something that is capable of being plugged into an amp, or risk not being heard!

Should You Go Nylon or Steel?

This is as important – if not more – than the question above, and must be answered before you buy, or even start looking for your next guitar. Generally it’s agreed that beginners may benefit more from using a nylon-string instrument as it’s less intense on the fingers, and may encourage longer playing sessions. However it’s not essential, and starting on a steel-string guitar may keep you playing longer if you prefer that style of music. But if you enjoy the smooth, mellow sound of classical guitar music or the excitement of flamenco, go for a nylon-string classical guitar. If you prefer rock, country, blues or folk, you’d be better off checking out steel-string guitars, which offer that crisp, bright sound. Whatever you go for, ensure you try out as many as you can – or at the very least watch a few review videos – to determine what sound and style you prefer. Who knows, you may decide nylonstrings are for you when you didn’t initially consider them. A final word of advice when changing your acoustic strings (and don’t forget to check out our page on the best guitar strings on the market): you cannot use steel strings on a nylon-stringed guitar, and vice versa. This experiment has no benefit, it won’t be very successful, and can cause big damage to your guitar. Besides, there’s no reason you can’t own both nylon and steel-stringed models – with guitars so affordable these days, everyone can own every style! And if you are into experimenting you can check out our article on the best resonator guitars - but this is different topic and I don't want to go into details.

What is a Good Acoustic Guitar?

As quality, styles and price differ so greatly, it is difficult to settle on one definition of a good acoustic guitar. For example, a $2,500 Martin D-18 is a much better guitar than a $200 Yamaha FG800 – yet they are both still great guitars! That’s because all guitars we tend to class as ‘good’ share some qualities. One of these is playability. The guitar should feel nice to play with a smooth neck, regardless of whether it is glossy or satin-finished. The action should be low, although not too low that the frets buzz. Whether it costs $100 or $1000, the build quality should feel worthy of the money. Naturally with budget models you will find more laminated woods compared the solid woods and exotic materials used in expensive guitars. However, a good model will have laminates that are put together securely and cleanly, with no excess glue or rough spots. Even a good budget guitar will look and feel great. A good guitar’s components will work smoothly too. For example, the tuning keys should turn freely (not too loose, not too stiff) and hold tunings well, and – if it offers electronics – these should be reliable.

How Much Does a Good Acoustic Guitar Cost?

Again, it completely depends on your definition of good – it is a very loose term! As you will have seen in the chart, we rate both budget and higher-end models very highly. For a good beginner’s guitar, you should look to pay between $150 and $250, as this will land you with a model that will deliver a clear tone with good playability, which should encourage you to pick it up and play all the time. However, most players referring to a ‘good’ guitar will be talking about one that would suit a more experienced player – something that is good enough for home use as well as being a stage-worthy instrument. This kind of acoustic may not be classed as a ‘high-end’ or ‘premium’ model, but it will usually feature a solid wood top, an attractive design, an excellent build quality (even though it will still be mass produced) and solid components. For this kind of guitar, you will be looking in the $300 to $600 price ranges.

Which Brand of Acoustic Guitar is The Best?

The two classic acoustic brands seen as ‘the best’ are undoubtedly Martin and Taylor. These two have been around since 1833 and 1974 respectively, so have good experience in producing some of the finest acoustic guitars on the planet. While not always the most elaborately decorated, these two brands always deliver the wow-factor. Tell another guitarist that you own a Martin and they will know you are serious about guitar. However, a couple of other brands also make some excellent acoustics and should not be ignored. For example, the Canadian brand Seagull make a range of some of the most popular acoustic guitars around. Then there is the Oregon-based brand Breedlove, who handcraft some superb acoustics, while the Japanese manufacturer Takamine are well-known for the high-end all-solid-wood electro-acoustics. If you aren’t in the market for a premium model, brands such as Yamaha and Fender always seem to impress in all levels of the pricing scale, especially with their entry-level and affordable acoustics.

The Final Word

While there are plenty of poor quality guitars on the market, every model and manufacturer we have featured here is worthy of your time. Although don’t forget that the guitars on this page are only a drop in the ocean of what is out there in terms of choice. Ultimately, make sure to go with what you feel is best for you, whether small budget or big spending, acoustic or electro-acoustic, steel or nylon strings. If you are passionate about what you are doing, and keep learning and practicing, every guitar will sound great in your hands. And if you are just starting out, make sure to check out some online guitar courses to help you get started. On every stage, at every concert, the audience always rates the player – not the instrument. People would always listen to B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix – even if they were performing with a $100 Yamaha! Let that be some inspiration for you. Good luck with your guitar shopping and enjoy your new purchase!