Best Acoustic Guitars For Beginners - Recommended Instruments To Learn On!

Last Updated: November 18, 2019 With a few changes in the market, we decided to refresh this important article on the best acoustics for beginners. We removed a couple of models, including the now out-of-production Yamaha APX500III, replacing it with its successor, the Yamaha APX600, and also adding the affordable Epiphone DR-100.

Even if you are a complete stranger when it comes to guitars, armed with dedication and the right information, you will be able to find a great instrument that will help you learn and grow into a great player. In this article we will be looking at some of the best acoustic guitars for beginners, highlighting our favorites in the chart below. After the chart you’ll find a handy buyer’s guide, offering you everything you need to know before you buy. When you have your guitar, the next step will be to learn how to play! Make sure to check out our list of recommended online acoustic guitar lessons for analysis of the best courses to get you started – many of which have free trials! Now, let’s take a look at which guitar is the best for beginners…

Top 10 Best Beginner Acoustic Guitars in 2019:

The Acoustic Guitar Buying Guide for Beginners

While it’s hard to resist jumping straight in and buying the first acoustic guitar you see, it’s crucial to think long-term when making your choice. As a beginner, you will want something that first and foremost feels comfortable and fun to play, sounds good and will hold its tuning reasonably well. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive guitar, although you will find significant differences between a guitar in the $100 region and one nearer $400. Unless you aren’t sure that playing guitar is for you, don’t make a short term investment with your first purchase – take into consideration the fact that a quality beginner guitar can grow with you as you become more experienced. The majority of guitars we’ve highlighted above would please an experienced player as much as a beginner. After all, you may not know how long it will take to learn guitar, so you want something well-built to last you a while.

Solid or Laminate Top?

There’s a difference between the two and, as you may have guessed, a solid wood option – like you’d find mentioned in our Taylor A12e review – is better at providing more resonance and greater depth in tone. However, even lesser tonewoods or laminated tops, when combined with good craftsmanship, can still provide excellent sound quality. So if you are just starting out, there’s no need to worry too much about whether a top is solid or laminated. Go with the guitar that suits your needs and fits your budget.

Steel or Nylon Strings?

There’s a common belief that certain strings are better for beginners than others. While nylon strings can be easier on beginner's fingers, the main thing that matters when it comes to guitar strings is the style of music you are planning to play, because the difference in feel and sound between the two materials is significant – even for a beginner. Nylon strings are essential for any classical instrument, and if you are planning to play classical music or Latin styles such as flamenco, a nylon string guitar is the way to go. Steel strings are more appropriate for rock, pop, blues, and pretty much everything else that doesn’t fall under the classic umbrella. You can check out our article on the best classical guitars for beginners. Remember that if you are looking towards eventually performing and recording with your new acoustic, you’ll want to get hold of either a nylon or steel string guitar with electronics to give you the ability to plug into an amp. A word of general advice – never use steel strings on a classical guitar, as the high-tension strings will damage the instrument. You have been warned!

What is The Easiest Type of Acoustic Guitar to Play?

There are several different popular acoustic guitar shapes, most of which will be pretty easy for a beginner to get to grips with. Most of the respectable acoustic guitar brands have a plethora of beginner friendly solutions. However, we suggest avoiding a Jumbo acoustic, which is a popular style with country players. This style of guitar is very big and bulky, and ultimately adds an extra consideration that beginners just don’t need. For somebody just starting out, it would be easier to learn on a dreadnought or an orchestra model, or – if you are particularly small – a parlor guitar. Whichever acoustic you end up purchasing, the setup and strings play as big a part in the overall playability of the guitar. Technically, you could spend $1,000 on a beautiful acoustic, but if the action is too high and the strings are rusty, then you will struggle to play smoothly. The solution is to get your guitar properly set up after purchasing. This is easy to do yourself if you have a spare 30 minutes and can follow simple YouTube videos such as this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00AnN5NMJZ4

How Much Should I Pay for a Beginner Acoustic Guitar?

It’s a good question, although one with no definitive answer. Ultimately, learning on a $5,000 Martin would probably be very beneficial due to the quality, tone and playability of such a premium instrument – but this is probably overkill, considering most experienced guitarists don’t even have one of these! The best advice we can give you is to look at your aspirations and enthusiasm. Do you really have your heart set on learning how to play the guitar? If so, then it would be wise to invest at least $100 to $200 on an affordable acoustic that looks, feels and sounds better than an entry-level budget model. Buying the highest quality guitar you can afford will encourage you to practice and will feel more comfortable to hold and play. With this in mind, if you are going to dedicate your life to playing the guitar (and you have the budget), then spending up to $500 on a good mid-range model – something like an entry-level Taylor – certainly won’t harm and will be an instrument that will stay with you for a long time.

What to Avoid When Buying an Acoustic Guitar?

There are a couple of important things to look out for when buying an acoustic guitar for the first time, one of which being plastic hardware – especially if it’s used on the bridge or the tuning pegs. Unless you are paying less than a hundred dollars for the instrument, there’s no reason why a good beginner guitar should have a plastic bridge or saddles, which aren’t particularly durable and do nothing for the instrument’s tone or sustain. If you are on a very strict budget and need something low cost to get started, check out the Jasmine S35 review, which proves a magnificent pick for beginners. We’ve covered just a few aspects of what to look out for when shopping around. However, there are hundreds of online videos that offer good advice on choosing and buying an electric guitar, including this one. Elsewhere, The Acoustic Letter is a very helpful YouTube channel run by professionals that enjoy what they are doing. Here’s a useful video from these guys:

Do You Need an Amplifier with an Acoustic-Electric Guitar?

If you are just starting out and have purchased an acoustic-electric (better known as an ‘electro-acoustic’) guitar, you may be wondering whether it will work without an amp. The good news is that you do not need an amplifier to hear the guitar. Without being plugged in, an electro-acoustic works just like a regular acoustic guitar. In fact, you never have to plug in an electro-acoustic if you don’t want. However, manufacturers charge extra for adding electronics (in the form of pickups and preamps) to their acoustics, so to buy one and never plug it in would be a waste of money. A small acoustic amplifier would work well if you just want to practice with others, although you would need something bigger for performances. If you are still deciding whether or not to purchase an electro-acoustic, we recommend you stick with a regular acoustic if you are a complete beginner. The reason being that, as a beginner, you don’t really need to amplify your performances, as you won’t be performing much until after a few months of solid practice.

Are You Buying an Acoustic for a Child?

Bear in mind that a full-sized acoustic will not be the best guitar for children – unless they do some quick growing! Thankfully there are different sized guitars that suit all ages. As a general rule, a ¼ size guitar will suit anything from the ages of 2 to 5, a ½ size guitar is good for 5 to 8 year-olds, while a ¾ guitar will suit those from ages 8 to around 12. However, if you can get your child to try a few, you’ll be able to see the best fit for them.

The Final Word

Buying an acoustic guitar is a great experience and one that could prove to be life changing! So when looking to purchase your first one, take your time. Watch plenty of videos, read our articles, and speak with experienced guitarists, before making your final selection. Passion is a vital factor, especially for beginners, and hating your musical instrument from day one will not get you very far in the long, occasionally frustrating journey you are about to begin. If you feel unsure about a model, just skip it and move on to the next one. You’ll soon find something that fits. When you have your guitar, the fun of learning the instrument can start. Make sure to check out our page for how to start learning guitar online for lesson reviews and tips. Good luck and happy shopping!