Searching for the Best Classical Guitars Under $1000

Last Updated: May-04-2018 Our newest revisit to this page was to expand our chart to include even more of the best sub-$1,000 classical guitars. We did just that! In came the beautiful Kremona Verea Cutaway and the intriguing Taylor 114ce-N, as well as the Yamaha CG-TA and the Godin Multiac.

Welcome to the world of premium! When it comes to a classical guitar, $1,000 can get you one of the best guitars on the market – something that’ll happily accompany you on stage, through recitals or just a home model you’ll treasure for a long time. Some electric guitars and steel-string acoustics would only be deemed true premium if you spent $5,000 plus, but a classical guitar around $1,000 is considered pretty high-end. Therefore, your grand is able to buy you a lot of guitar! We’ve put together a chart highlighting five of the best classical guitars on the market in this price range, which you can check out below. Of course, it’s not a comprehensive list, rather a snapshot of some of the best looking, sounding and more interesting classical guitars you can find.

Top 9 Classical Guitars Under $1000

What to Look for in a Classical Guitar Under $1,000?

If you’re spending around a thousand bucks on a classical guitar, chances are you’re no beginner, and you know what to look out for. So there’s no point in us telling you to look for a spruce-topped electro-acoustic, when you really want a traditional cedar-topped guitar with no electronics! But there are still a few general considerations. Such as the fact that guitars in this category have less room to make mistakes. Sure, we can forgive shaky tuning stability or a few blemishes if you’re paying up to $500, but as soon as you start spending close to a grand, the manufacturer should be producing a near-perfect guitar. And while you do get a few duds, the general quality in this range is great. Manufacturers such as Cordoba, Yamaha, Kremona, Godin, Takamine and Taylor all shine, producing a range of traditional models, as well as some with a little more flair – just check out the ESP LTD TL-6N on our chart! Cedar, spruce, rosewood and mahogany are still very much the primary woods used in body construction and the combination you go for will be down to the tone you prefer. Most notably, you will start to see more all-solid-wood guitars in this price range, especially when electronics are not involved. On that note, electronics are more common in this market as players tend to want to use such a playable, great-sounding guitar to perform on stage/record with. Plugging into an amp, then, becomes much more important. You’ll find the electronics are more advanced and versatile in this sub-$1000 range, with systems like Fishman and B-Band performing well, allowing you to shape your sound to match your style. A final word on craftsmanship and playability – these two things should be near perfect at this price point. Asian-made models are still pretty common, but they feel much less mass-produced than the factory line models you see in lower price ranges. Regardless of where and how it’s made, the guitar should show no flaws and it should feel smooth and slick to play straight from the box.

Should You Buy a Used Guitar?

As we’ve recommended many times on this site, buying a used guitar can be an excellent route to explore – especially when you have a grand in your pocket. Chances are you can get a great bargain, without spending your entire budget. However, be aware of the risks. Are the electronics fully-functional? Has the guitar been dropped or damaged? Has it been stored correctly? Can you examine and test it properly before buying? If you’re buying from a reputable online or physical guitar store you shouldn’t have any trouble – especially with a warranty and returns policy.

The Final Word

Unless you’re rich, spending up to $1000 on a guitar is not usually done on a whim. So spend some proper time making your decision. Even if you’ve fallen in love with a particular guitar, read reviews, watch videos, and – if you can – try it out. Ultimately, be picky – you can afford to. Good luck with your hunt for the perfect guitar!