My goal today is to show you the best acoustic guitars and help you pick the best one for your needs.
No matter what your budget is, your next guitar is probably on this list!
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Best Acoustic Guitars 2019
You will find a review for each model below, as well as the general buying guide. It includes things to look for when shopping for a new guitar.
Best Overall
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This electro-acoustic guitar is placed on top of our list for a reason. Coming from the Tekamine's TT series (Thermal Top), it offers the sonic benefits of well-aged woods.
Its warm sound is replicated to an amplifier in a natural way, thanks to the TLD-2 line driver pre-amp.
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No list would be perfect without a great Taylor guitar. Made in America, this model feels, looks and sounds premium.
Its Grand Auditorium shape and the Venetian cutaway help increase playability and allow easy access to some of the highest 20 frets.
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Players that want a vintage guitar should check out the Blueridge BR-160 guitar. It is very unique, design-wise, and packs a great sound.
The traditional tone with a robust projection is bound to impress you and it's that kind of sound you want from a premium guitar.
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There aren't many guitars in this price range that can play as well as the Seagull S6. Because of its comfort and sound, this guitar is good for both levels of players - beginners and experienced guitarists.
The Seagull S6 has a bright and vibrant sound that even beats some higher priced guitars. Read the full review of Seagull S6.
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This is one of the best selling guitars and a lot of it has to do with the price. The Yamaha FG800 is the go-to guitar for beginners, even in 2019!
It sounds decent and has a good amount of bass depth and resonance. Does it beat the 4 guitars mentioned above? Of course not. It is, however, a great choice for new players on a tight budget.
This model comes in many colors, so you're bound to find one variation that suits you.
The Yamaha FG800 mentioned above is the best choice for beginners on a tight budget. If you want to spend a little bit more, check out the guitars below.
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Learning on a Taylor guitar is a real joy, everybody knows that.
This model comes with an ergonomic arm rest for extra comfort, perfect for beginners that spend a lot of time practicing.
Taylor A12e (A stands for Academy) features simple electronics and comes with a cool gig bag.
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If you want to keep things simple and not cross the $100 price tag, this could be the one. The RA-090 is a perfect choice for beginners that aren't that committed to learning.
If you just want to play around and experiment with music, definitely check this one out.
Best Under $2000
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Made in America, this high-end guitar features interesting design and an impressive sound.
Many people have never heard of Breedlove, but once they hear the sound, they don't forget.
This guitar doesn't have a lot of onboard controls, but you get an excellent sound reproduction nevertheless.
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With its eye-catching design, the Taylor 224ce-K will impress your friends and make you stand out from the crowd.
Reaching all 20 frets on this guitar is easy, thanks to the Auditorium shape and Venetian cutaway.
Its bright tone but will warm up with age so the more you play it, the better it gets.
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It features a 14-fret dreadnought body and comes with a solid Sitka spruce top. It is proven to help the guitar get more balanced and sophisticated sound.
The Drs2 is one of the most affordable Martin guitars out there and sure won't disappoint you, no matter how good of a guitarist you are. More About Martin Drs2
Best Under $1500
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Takamine does have models that are more high-end than this one, so why feature this one? Because Bruce Springsteen uses it, duh!
The glossy black color looks elegant and packs a solid dose of rock attitude.
Its cutaway dreadnought body makes accessing the upper frets a piece of cake and makes it sound warm and balanced.
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This all-mahogany acoustic guitar is there to be your friend in every situation. It's great in studio, on stage and perfect for jam sessions.
The Martin D-15M features a non-cutaway dreadnought body and has a great playability.
Its warm and rich tone is well worth the price, even though you don't get any electronics on this guitar.
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This is an upgraded version of the popular Taylor 214ce guitar.
It packs the Taylor’s Expression System 2 electronics and a well-balanced tone, plugged or unplugged.
The 214ce DLX offers great playability and works good with many playing styles.
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It looks great, plays great, sounds great and it even won the Guitarist gold award.
This is the finest and best-built guitar bodies the market has to offer at the moment. It is made of mahogany, in case you wondered why on Earth does it look so gorgeous!
The Martin 000-15m is a good choice for people who aren't tied down to a specific genre.
Best Under $1000
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Another Breedlove guitar, under $1000 this time. It sounds rich and warm, even when played through pre-amp.
Onboard controls give you 3-band EQ and a tuner.
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I'm surprised I kept you waiting so long for the 114ce. Even though this isn't the most premium guitar on the list, it is a great performer for all styles.
The Taylor 114ce features Grand Auditorium shape and has a good playability thanks to its soft cutaway.
You get warm and clear sound when you push through an open chord. When you play a single note, you will be astonished just how round it sounds!
Strings feel very gentle, which makes this guitar perfect for beginners too – It's very easy and comfortable to play it with your fingers.
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It comes with a solid Sitka spruce top, layered rosewood back and sides. The 214ce is made of the perfect material, that made this guitar lightweight and strengthened its acoustic features.
The neck is not glossed, which is a feature very useful for both beginners and professionals. Your hand won't stick to it while playing and will make the playing itself very enjoyable.
While it might be too expensive for beginners, this guitar will most certainly pay off in the end.
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It seems only fair that we talk about this model too. The Martin Drs1 is very durable and good for people that plan on moving it around. It features the solid sapele top, back and sides, and comes with a 20-fret fingerboard.
This guitar can sound very loud and has a full and rich tone. It is still very dynamic, however, and allows you to express every single detail of your favorite song.
Best Under $500
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Considering how affordable it is, this guitar offers great value. It's part of the L series (the L stands for luxury) and does indeed have a luxurious feel to it.
The LS6's sound is great and if that's not enough, you can amplify it through the S.R.T. Zero Impact pickup.
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Inspired by Gibson's iconic design, the Hummingbird Pro offers the vintage design we all love for a low price.
This electro-acoustic model packs a dreadnought body shape with square shoulders, solid spruce top, and laminated mahogany back & sides.
Included in the price, of course, is its Shadow ePerformer pre-amp system for good stage performances.
You can read more about this model right here.
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Unless you want to spend more and get a Taylor guitar, this is a great choice if you're new to the guitar world.
The Yamaha FG830 is one of the best-selling acoustic guitars for a reason. Assuming you set it up right, it can play like butter.
It has a bright tone with bold projection and beginners are guaranteed to enjoy it.
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This is the 3rd Breedlove guitar featured on this list, and there's a reason for that.
The Discovery Concert model shines like a star in the sub-$500 market. To keep the price low, it is produced in China, but set-up in USA. Nevertheless, it's made out of high-quality materials and comes with a gig bag.
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Taylor is one of the most recognized and trusted brands, that's why you can see so many of their guitars on this list.
The Big Baby guitar is made for beginners that don't mind spending a little extra, as long as they get good value.
Cheap Guitars
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Expensive doesn't always mean better, and this Guitar is a good example of that. The overall sound is very clear and you can get a good projection out of the S35.
The Jasmine S35 is great for beginners and even advanced players can add it to their guitar collection.
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This guitar projects a clear sound and performs good with a variety of styles. That's why the FA-100 is such a great choice for beginners and players that often experiment with different playing styles.
Read the full review of Fender FA-100.
Best For Small Hands
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It's compact, strong and can handle any style of playing. While it's best suited for players with small hands, anyone can use it. The Martin LX1E is also great for people who like to travel and hate leaving their guitar behind.
Not the best sound your money can buy, but it's pretty decent considering how small it is. Besides that, it comes with electronics.
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This guitar is a small version of their very popular APX500II model. It's beautiful thanks to the black gloss finish, and easy to hold and play, thanks to its size.
Just like the LX1E, it is equipped with electronics making it easy to produce a bigger sound.
By the way, if you want to learn guitar faster, check out this review of Fender Play. If you're not a Fender play, check out this Guitar Tricks summary instead.
Buying Guide
Here you can find answers to the most frequently asked questions about buying guitar.
Acoustic Vs Electro-acoustic Guitar - What is Better?
As you can see, I didn't just featured acoustic models in our guitar reviews. When it comes to buying a new guitar, it's all about you and what your priorities are.
There are no downsides of acoustic guitar with electronics on it. Quite the opposite! Having electro-acoustic guitar comes in handy in a lot of situations, but then again, not everybody needs one.
If you plan on performing on stage, electro-acoustic guitars might be the best for you. Instead of attaching microphones to your guitar, you can just plug it in and play.
On the other hand, if you like a specific electro-acoustic guitar but don't actually need its electronics, there's no reason to worry. You can either look for the same model but without electronics, or buy the electro-acoustic version anyway.
Nylon-String vs Steel-String Guitar
Before buying your first guitar, you need to decide on the type string.
Nylon strings are usually the best choice for beginners, due to their softness. These will put less pressure on fingers when practicing and cause less pain. Besides that, Nylon strings perform best with classical music and if that's what you're interested in, go for it.
It isn't necessary, however, that every beginner starts learning on a nylon-string guitar. Steel strings are great for country, blues, rock and folk, and these styles don't really do well on nylon strings.
I suggest going to your local music shop and trying out both. Then you can decide on strings and see which ones fit your specific needs.
What Makes a Good Guitar?
There are 3 main things to consider when buying a new guitar; build quality, playability and sound.
Build quality should be good in any guitar you're buying. The last thing you want is getting cracks in the body or breaking your guitar.
Cheap guitars usually use laminated woods that help bring the cost down. Expensive guitars, on the other hand, use solid woods and exotic materials.
Guitar components should work smoothly too. The tuning keys, for example, should turn freely and hold tuning for very long. Electronics should be reliable too.
How Much Should You Spend on a Guitar?
That depends on your personal needs. Beginners are advised to spend under $1000 on their first guitar, unless they can afford more, of course. Experienced players, on the other hand, have more knowledge and know exactly what they need, so they spend more.
If you're buying your first guitar, I suggest you pick a model you can afford and see how it feels. You can later upgrade and spend more as you gain more experience.
Which Guitar Brand is the Best?
If I had to give you a straight answer, it would be Martin and Taylor. Being on the market since 1833 and 1974, these two have a lot of experience. Martin and Taylor have undoubtedly produced some of the best guitars on the planet.
On the other hand, there are quite a few other note-worthy brands that shouldn't be ignored.
Seagull, for example, made a variety of great acoustic guitars popular among players of all kinds.
Then you have Breedlove, which is mentioned in this article 4 times. They're most known for their superb acoustic guitars.
The brands mentioned above all offer premium guitars. If you're not looking for one yet, take a look at Yamaha and Fender.
These are well-known for their entry-level and mid-level guitars, acoustic and electric ones.
What's the Easiest Guitar to Play?
The lower the action on a guitar is, the easier it is to play it. You don't, however, want a guitar with action so low that makes the frets buzz.
