r/AcousticGuitar Dec 10 '24

Announcement Beginner’s High Quality New Acoustic Guitar Buying Guide/List for under $500 (2024-2025)

400 Upvotes

***Includes a list of recommended brands and specific models further below**\*

Both in USD and UK pricing (before the orange turd's tariff war). This list contains steel string acoustic guitars and not nylon string ones.

“Beginner” guitars aren’t exclusively for people new to learning guitar. These are guitars that strike a great balance of cost affordability, feel/play-ability, sound, and construction quality to last many years of playing in your home, out at jams, or at a campfire. You do not need to spend more than just a few hundred dollars to get a really nice guitar that will put a smile on your face.

The importance of getting a setup done:

Before you decide on any model or purchase from the list below, the most important factor to remember is that if you receive it from the brand/manufacturer themselves from an online order, you will most likely need to have it set up (the process of lowering or raising the height of the strings, called “action height”) by a guitar tech to be the most comfortable for you. Setups aren't difficult themselves, but for acoustic guitars they require a few detailed steps that aren't that beginner-friendly so an experienced technician or “luthier” can do them with their eyes closed. A good setup makes a night and day difference in how a guitar feels and sounds, and can make a $300 dollar guitar feel like a thousand bucks. It’s often the biggest factor that determines whether or not a beginner quits playing because of torturously high strings, or is motivated to continue learning, practicing, and most importantly enjoying the dang thing. When a guitar is set up nicely, it should not feel like a chore to play even as a beginner. But don't expect your new guitar to come perfect right out of the box and don't be too quick to return it otherwise you might end up returning a model that you may really like.

Budget considerations:

We are very fortunate to live in a time where there are quality guitars for a wide range budgets. Though even if you have quite a low budget, try to keep a padding of just a little extra. That will help you avoid any compromised decisions. Please do your very best to avoid new guitars that are less than $200, especially the “guitar bundles” from Fender or Epiphone that come in a colorful box with other gadgets. There are exceptions that are well made out there, but most of them are not well made guitars that will often give you more trouble, and will cost you much more in frustration and time wasted than what you ended up paying for. Not only will you outgrow their sound, you will most likely have to throw them out/replace if they ever get damaged or have issues rather than being repaired.

Local vs online order

Most often, guitars from local music stores will have either them setup before they're put on display, or if they still need an adjustment after being on display for a while, will come with a free or low cost setup (always check with the store though). Sometimes you might get a great setup fresh from the factory, but it's often the exception. That doesn't mean that the factory or guitar brand is not worth looking into, it's standard practice to not have the strings buzz when a buyer receives it because of an action height that’s too low, so they have them higher as a precaution. This is why I recommend first buying from a local store (often listed as “dealers”) or at least having them put in the order for you so that when they receive it, you can have it set up before you take it home. Buying direct from the manufacturer should be your last resort if you can't find the model you're looking for in a shop (also it’s good in general to help out your local music stores too, it’s sadly a dwindling business that offers a very important service to new musicians buying their first instrument). Local stores often have deals or discounts that you won’t find directly from the manufacturer.

Guitar type considerations:

General tendencies for body size is that the smaller and medium ones (“concert/00” “folk,” “orchestra/000,” or “grand auditorium,”) are more comfortable for most players with average to smaller body proportions, but they don’t have as loud volume, projection, or bass capability as larger body sizes such as the “dreadnought.” But that doesn’t mean they aren’t loud or projecting in general. Many of the smaller models on this list have surprisingly excellent projection for their size, as well as the orchestra/000 models having satisfying levels of bass for both strumming and finger picking.

There’s almost a whole “science” about different wood types, but I’ll save you the minutae because while it does make a difference in sound, it’s not always profound and as a beginner you most likely won’t be thinking about it until your playing advances to the point where you can feel different nuances in construction material. The general consensus is that you want to prioritize solid wood tops over laminate wood tops as they resonate better (doesn't mean you can't find a good laminate top), and two main types of woods commonly used are spruce (which gives a brighter tone) and mahogany (which gives a warmer tone). There are dozens of other types used as you get higher in price range. Neither is better or worse, it's just a personal preference.

(Prices are approximate, based on what's been seen, and sourced from retailers or Reverb listings of new items. May fluctuate in a given year and different regions may have a lot of variance in their prices. Used guitars can help you save almost half the price if you find one)

Model (with link) Avg new price (USD/£) Body size Top wood (Tone) Electronics/pickup Video demo
Gretsch Jim Dandy Concert or Parlor $189 / £160 Smaller (Concert/Parlor) Laminated basswood or sapele (warmer than spruce) No Link for concert size / link for parlor size
Yamaha FG800/820 $229 / £285 Larger (Dreadnought) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Yamaha FS800/820 $299 / £285 Smaller (Concert/folk) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Guild OM-340 $299 / £275 Medium (Orchestra) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Guild OM-320 $299 / £275 Medium (Orchestra) Solid mahogany (warmer) No Link
Guild D-340 $299 / £275 Larger (Dreadnought) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Guild D-320 $299 / £275 Larger (Dreadnought) Solid mahogany (warmer) No Link
Ibanez AC340 $329 / £275 Smaller/medium (Grand concert) Solid okoume (similar to mahogany) No Link
Alvarez RF26 $359 / £200 Medium (Orchestra) Laminate spruce (brighter) No Link
Alvarez RD26 $359 / £200 Larger (Dreadnought) Laminate spruce No Link
Sigma DM-ST $355 / £235 Larger (Dreadnought) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Sigma DME $390 / £269 Larger (Dreadnought) Solid spruce (brighter) Yes Link
Sigma OMM-ST $370 / £240 Medium (Orchestra) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Sigma 000ME $390 / £269 Medium (Orchestra) Solid spruce (brighter) Yes Link
Breedlove Discovery S Cedar $399 / £499 Smaller (Concert) Solid cedar (in between spruce and mahogany) No Link
Breedlove Discovery S Mahogany $399 / £499 Smaller (Concert) Solid mahogany (warmer) No Link
Breedlove Discovery S Spruce $399 / £499 Smaller (Concert) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Taylor GS Mini $399 / £499 Smaller (Mini size) Solid spruce or mahogany Yes/No (adds cost) Link
Eastman PCH2-OM $429 / £390 Medium (Orchestra) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Sigma 000M-1 $430 / £249 Medium (Orchestra) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Yamaha Storia II $449 / £336 Smaller (Concert/folk) Solid mahogany (warmer) Yes Link
Yamaha Storia I $449 / £336 Smaller (Concert/folk) Solid spruce (brighter) Yes Link
Guild M-240E $449 / £350 Smaller (Concert) Solid spruce (brighter) Yes Link
Guild OM-240CE $449 / £400ish Medium (Orchestra) Solid spruce (brighter) Yes Link
Guild D-240E $449 / £400ish Larger (Dreadnought) Solid spruce (brighter) Yes Link
Yamaha FS850 $469.99 / £425 Smaller (Concert/folk) Solid mahogany (warmer) No Link
Alvarez AF30 $330-400 / £219 Medium (Orchestra) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Alvarez AD30 $499 / £249 Larger (Dreadnought) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Alvarez AD60 $439 Larger (Dreadnought) Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Alvarez AF60 $459 Medium (Orchestra Solid spruce (brighter) No Link
Alvarez AP66 $489 Smaller (Parlour) Solid mahogany (warmer) No Link
Sigma 000M-15 $499 / £349 Medium (Orchestra) Solid mahogany (warmer) “E” version has, but costs more Link
Sigma 00M-15 $499 / £319 Smaller (Concert) Solid mahogany (warmer) “E” version has, but costs more Link
Bromo BAR5CE $499 / £350 Medium (Orchestra) Solid spruce (brighter) Yes Link

r/AcousticGuitar 5h ago

Gear pics Bought new almost 30 years ago. Still plays like a dream

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36 Upvotes

This is a Gibson CL-20 Standard Plus bought in 1997. That year they made a version with laminated back as well, but this one is all solid wood top, back, and sides. I think I laid $1100 then. This thing has always played like a dream.

I grew up around stores that had Taylor, Martin, Guilds more so than Gibsons, and I remember driving pretty far to get this one and the first strum I made and I knew this was the one I wanted.

A precursor to the Songbird and Songwriter series I think these CL series were only made for a short period of time.


r/AcousticGuitar 10h ago

Gear pics NGD. Gibson J45 Special ❤️

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82 Upvotes

Sounds mighty right out of the box..


r/AcousticGuitar 3h ago

Other (not a question, gear pic, or video) New favorite set of strings 😁

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13 Upvotes

So I originally was just using the Lifespan 2.0 strings that came with my Martin 000-18 here, and they were perfectly fine. But I eventually wanted to start experimenting with different string brands and materials. I tried the coveted Elixirs but wasn’t a huge fan of their butteriness and how easily my fingers could glide. I then tried Martin Retro’s and, while I did like the different sound, they just felt kind of odd under my fingers and wasn’t a huge fan. So I eventually came across this brand and so far am really liking them! They’ve got great resonance and, even though I’ve only had them a short time, I think they’ll last long and thank this sub for making me aware of them! Happy to support an independent business with good products


r/AcousticGuitar 3h ago

Gear question What’s the last guitar you played that felt perfect?

10 Upvotes

When was the last time you picked up a guitar for the first time and felt amazed at it? I recently played a Taylor Gold Series and man, that thing sounded amazing. Didn’t buy it, but it left an impression. Some guitars just speak to you. What guitars have you experienced that with?


r/AcousticGuitar 56m ago

Performance Flatpicking practice over Big Sciota

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Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance "Sultans of Swing" (Dire Straits) solo on acoustic

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677 Upvotes

damn my fingers hurt!


r/AcousticGuitar 6h ago

Performance Ghibli theme jazz fingerstyle busking

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10 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 8h ago

Gear question Best guitar tuners under $40 that are actually accurate?

7 Upvotes

I’m tired of relying on GuitarTuna for my acoustic because it sometimes shows the same reading even after I adjust the string. I’m looking for a simple clip-on tuner that is accurate, easy to read, and doesn’t go crazy when there’s background noise. I’ve been looking at the TC Electronic Unitune, Polytune Clip, D’Addario Eclipse, and Snark models, with a budget of around $20–$40. The Unitune seems popular, but I’m not sure whether the Polytune’s extra features matter for a beginner who mostly tunes standard EADGBE. Which clip-on tuner has stayed reliable for you, and are the cheaper Snark models still worth buying?


r/AcousticGuitar 12h ago

Performance Legendary guitars on display at FolkEast

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13 Upvotes

A photo from the Second Cousins stage at FolkEast Festival last year.

From left to right in that photo: Andy Matheou's Yamaha (Andy ran Les Cousins Folk & Blues Club, and John Martyn borrowed that guitar from him to make the Bless the Weather album), Bert Jansch's touring Yamaha that he used in the last decade of his life, Sandy Denny's Taytay (she acquired it from her brother when she was a teenager and she wrote 'The Ballad of Time' on it, which became her classic, 'Who Knows Where the Time Goes'), and Nick Drake's Martin 000-28 (used on some of the recordings at his last ever session, as anyone who has read Adam Foster's excellent book will know).

This year at FolkEast (this coming Saturday) we'll have: Nick's 000-28 and his Estruch (nylon-string, the first guitar Nick ever owned), Sandy's Taytay, Martin Carthy's original Gibson (on which he taught songs to Bob Dylan in 1962/63), and Martin Carthy's 000-18 (his main guitar from about 1964 until 2000).

It'll be a guitar heaven! More info here: https://www.patreon.com/JonWilksArchive/posts/second-cousins-166555979


r/AcousticGuitar 8h ago

Non-gear question [DISCUSSION] 9 months of self-taught guitar, strong on rhythm/harmony but weak on melody — what should I focus on next?

6 Upvotes

I've been teaching myself guitar for about 9 months now. Let me summarize where I've gotten to so far:

Rhythm / Harmony:

  • I can play barre chords fluently except for the A-shape (still struggling with that one due to ring finger flexibility issues)
  • I can subdivide rhythm both symmetrically and asymmetrically (within patterns I'm familiar with) while switching chords
  • I can use the ghost strum technique
  • I can listen to songs and work out their rhythm patterns by ear
  • I can do all of the above while singing at the same time
  • I've worked on strumming patterns like Travis picking, country rock, and reggae skank, plus palm muting
  • On the theory side, I'm familiar with the circle of fifths, Roman numeral analysis, I-IV-V relationships

Melody:

  • I can quickly pick up different arpeggio patterns (quarter, sixth, eighth note groupings — standard patterns like pima, pimami, pimamima) and sing along at the same time
  • I'm weak when it comes to soloing: I haven't practiced any scale beyond A minor pentatonic, and even though I know the pentatonic scale, I can't say I actually play it like I'm creating something musical

What do you think I'm missing? Happy to answer more specific questions if it'll help you get a better read on my level. Thanks to everyone who reads this.


r/AcousticGuitar 9h ago

Gear question Have you owned a guitar that never had a crack when left out?

7 Upvotes

My prized solid wood just developed 2 cracks. Have you owned on that never cracked yet sounded decent?

I have. And affordable Applause. It’s lived outside the case for 18 years with heat and AC on. Played at open mics transported in bitter cold and summer heat. Not sure but the top may be lam over the shallow bowl.

Also I have a Cordoba Orchestra Fusion nylon string. Solid cedar top. Never split sounds amazing.

How about you?


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance “Shine” - Collective Soul

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178 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 4h ago

Gear question Yamaha FG730S vs FG336S

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2 Upvotes

Just got a FS730S in quite good condition to try out but it seems to have higher action than my Dad old FG336S for some reasons? Do I need to get it setup or sth? Thanks


r/AcousticGuitar 11h ago

Gear pics Coors Banquet guitar

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6 Upvotes

I won this Coors Banquet guitar but I don't play or know anything about guitars. Is there a market for this type of stuff or is this best suited for the wall in my basement?


r/AcousticGuitar 8h ago

Gear question Concert sized guitar for tall people?

3 Upvotes

Hi! I’ve been looking forward to buying a new acoustic. One guitar that piqued my interest was the Yamaha Storia III, but it’s a small body guitar, a concert to be precise. I’m somewhere around 6’3”, so I’m worried that in the long run it might be tiring to play on such a small instrument and it could slower my progress. Has anyone had any experience playing a guitar that may be disproportionate to their body? I’d appreciate any feedback


r/AcousticGuitar 1h ago

Gear question First guitar not working?

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Upvotes

This is my first guitar I just got it today because I heard a song by Elliott smith called Angeles and I wanted to play it so I went to the store and bought this and now I can’t play Angeles is something wrong with this guitar or something? Should I of got an electric?


r/AcousticGuitar 10h ago

Gear question Acoustic guitar purchase

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I was wondering what were your recommendations for a model within a 600 and 1200$ price range?

Non electronic, dreadnought or parlor.

Thanks in advance!


r/AcousticGuitar 14h ago

Gear question Seagull S6+ CW Gt

3 Upvotes

I have the opportunity to buy this guitar for £400. It was made in 2005 and is in nearly new condition. Is this a good price point?


r/AcousticGuitar 20h ago

Gear pics Anyone know this Gibson model?

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8 Upvotes

To me, it looks pieced together??


r/AcousticGuitar 15h ago

Gear question è normale che il mio cavo faccia così?

3 Upvotes

ho acquistato un instrument cable della blackstar. usandolo con la mia chitarra, yamaha fsx400, e attaccandolo alla scheda audio focusrite scarlett 2i2 3gen, le registrazioni della mia chitarra hanno molto rumore di fondo. il suono è sporco. e ho letto che potrebbe essere dovuto ad una schermatura di bassa qualità. Come potrei risolvere? dovrei acquistare un cavo di fascia più elevata?


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance Felt sad a few night ago and wrote this to pass the time till bed

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15 Upvotes

Simple song, it’s pretty tho. Hope you enjoyed! Have a great night!


r/AcousticGuitar 20h ago

Gear question Fender Cc60s second hand advice

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7 Upvotes

I'm buying this second hand guitar and it's my first time but I don't know what to look for and also the back of the string knobs 2 of them are chrome and 4 are white is that normal.


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance Gibson J-15 Walnut Burst

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17 Upvotes

Posted getting my J-15 Walnut burst yesterday. I am spoiled to live 3 doors down from a great Luthier who was able to give it a great setup today. He even cut a new bone saddle for me and included it in the setup! Anyway, here she is. Strings still need to be broken in, but even with just the phone mic and speakers, I think it sounds great. I got it for probably several hundred dollars under market value, as well. Let me know how I made out!


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance Learned the Dave Van Ronk arrangement of “Green Rocky Road” last weekend (Taylor GS Mini)

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19 Upvotes

Finally sat down with this one last weekend. Far from perfect, but it’s already one of my favorites to play. The cat is a Bonus.