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Finding the Best Acoustic Guitars can be a difficult task, especially with how timeless this instrument is and how many gems there are in the world today. We remember the first time we picked up our father’s acoustic guitar when we could barely talk; something about the feel of that wood finish and copper strings that are pucked still has a strong emotional association in our lives to this day.
This motivated us to put together a quick and easy guide to facilitate your search in case you had a hard time searching through the rubble. As we continue our quest for the Best instruments of all time, today we meet the best acoustic guitars to help you find the perfect model for your plucking needs.
List of the best Acoustic Guitars
Epiphone DR-100
Entry-level guitars have no right to sound this good! If you’re looking for an option for beginners, look for something that will encourage you to keep picking it up. At this stage of your playing career, you don’t need to spend a lot of money. However, you should keep in mind that if the guitar you are learning on sounds terrible, or is difficult to play, you will probably give up. The market is flooded with own-brand acoustic guitars for less than $100, but go with such a guitar at your own risk.
Instead, consider a reliable acoustic guitar like the Epiphone DR-100. Built by one of the biggest brands in the guitar world, the DR-100 is an entry-level acoustic guitar with the look and feel of something much more prestigious. Here you can expect solid sounds, reliability and a guitar that will inspire you to keep playing it. Forget the low price. This is a well-made guitar that will prepare you well for the musical journey ahead. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Martin LX1E Little Martin
The Martin LX1E is a small dreadnought with great appeal. It’s marketed as an acoustic travel guitar, which you can throw in the gig bag (included) to take anywhere. But if you play it for a while, you’ll see that it has more to offer than just a travel companion. Despite its price and compact size, as a Martin, it still has enough quality to deliver exceptional tone. Built-in Fishman Sonitone electronics make it ideal for connecting to an amplifier, while the choice of sturdy High Pressure Laminate mahogany means it will last for years. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Taylor GS Mini
Next up is something approaching bona fide classic status in the acoustic guitar world. Launched in 2011, the Taylor GS Mini miraculously bridged the gap between travel guitars and full-fledged workhorse acoustics. The GS Mini is essentially a scaled-down version of the popular Taylor Grand Symphony acoustic. Its smaller size makes it ideal for leaving around the house, ready to pick up and play while you wait for the microwave to ping. But with the included ES2 pickup, it can also make the jump to the stage, making it ideal for whatever situation you find yourself in. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Yamaha FG800
You can find this guitar in most places for less than $200. This price range is flooded with acoustic guitars from all kinds of brands, but when we think of the best ones in this region, our attention is caught by the Yamaha FG800. Simply put, the sound this guitar produces alone makes it worth the money. This is largely due to features such as scalloped bracing, which enhances the low sound, and the solid spruce top, which is normally found on higher-end instruments. All this together makes the FG800 a very credible guitar. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a (relatively) cheap acoustic guitars that can match it. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Taylor 110e
So you’ve been playing for a while and you’re ready to spread your wings. Your playing skills have developed and you’ve mastered those techniques that caused you so much anxiety in the beginning. So how to proceed? We’d say you deserve a new acoustic guitar that reflects your hard-earned progress. The Taylor 110th might just be that guitar. Sitting in the middle between first guitars and professional heavyweights, the 110th is a fine example of everything just a little bit better.
The sitka wood produces a wonderfully inviting sound, and the onboard Taylor Expression System 2 electronics make it ideal for live performances. And, because it’s a Taylor, you can expect a certain amount of quality. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Art & Lutherie Roadhouse
Made by Art & Lutherie, a sub-brand of Godin Guitars (best known for its electric guitars), this living room model goes straight to the point – it’s clean, it’s earthy, it’s got attack and the design takes you back in time to the rural Deep South, where you might have only needed the clothes on your back and this instrument for company.
Playing this Roadhouse is an absolute pleasure. The middle and high ranges of the guitar are very strong. Trying some alternative tunings, dropping the bottom E to a D, opens up the bass tremendously. Blues and country come to the fore. There is also clarity, combined with a subtle warmth. A pocket-sized bag of country rock ‘n’ roll – compact and ready to go when needed. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Takamine P3NY
We’re big fans of a good parlor guitar here at Guitar World. With a slightly smaller body than a normal dreadnought size, they’re perfect for folk who loves folk. And other genres, too. But what they excel at is in the hands of someone who knows how to use their hands. Get it? The Takamine P3NY is a great example of that, and has been named the best acoustic guitar for fingerpickers by us.
By combining cedar and sapele tonewoods with pretty advanced electronics, you get a guitar that is comfortable in the hands of any player. In addition, it uses a so-called “palathetic pickup” – which articulates each string separately – making it excellent for live performances at any volume. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Martin Dreadnought Junior
Unlike Martin’s own X Series, or the minimalist cool of Taylor’s Big Baby, the Dread Junior may be smaller, but it’s built very maturely, with all-solid wood construction, a good pin and hole neck joint, a bound top, and simple soundhole rings. It may not have the enormous depth or width, harmonically speaking, of the full-size dreadnought, but there is a punchy midrange and a slightly textured edge.
It has a Martin stamp: classic, old-school and also a great choice for the picker. Simply put, it’s a great guitar, far from a guitar-shaped object. For serious younger players, it’s a great entry into Martin’s heritage, but its more compact size means that many more mature players will enjoy it as well. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Yamaha SLG200S Silent
An electro-acoustic guitar that barely has acoustic volume, but put on headphones and you’ll hear your playing with studio-quality acoustic sound and fancy effects. Oh, and you can also connect your mp3 player to it. Moreover, connect this so-called Silent Guitar to a PA or acoustic amplifier and you have a very realistic electro-acoustic sound without any feedback.
The solid mahogany center block and maple laminated frame may raise some eyebrows, but the neck is quite normal: a mainstream-feeling handful that frets typically nicely and plays really well – just like any other Yamaha acoustic guitar, actually. Live, you can expect your mouths to fall open, because your audience won’t believe what they’re hearing from such an unsightly-looking instrument. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Martin D-15M Burst
This D-15M dreadnought has a solid ‘real’ (South American) mahogany top over A-Frame X bracing; the same material is used for the back, sides and neck. The neck profile is a ‘modified low oval’, and it’s hard to imagine anyone having a problem with that. Bone nut and saddle: check. Vintage-style, open-gear tuners: check. Super-thin matte nitrocellulose finish everywhere: check.
Tonally, there’s a rich and projecting core tone complemented by the unmistakable Martin D resonance. It’s lively and exuberant, but not brash; warm and full without being thick or indistinct. He puts every penny of his construction budget into making the best sounding and playing instrument, with very few concessions to cosmetics, electronics or anything else. Overall, this is one of the best Acoustic Guitars.
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Conclusion
From rock bands to the orchestra, when it comes to creating real music, musicians will not compromise. Or it’s the perfect sound quality, great tuning, fantastic durability or nothing at all! Do not let the perfectionist down in you. The same is true if you are a guitarist. Acoustic guitars are a personal favorite of most musicians, singers, and artists.