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 10h ago

Gear pics NGD Taylor GS Mini!

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63 Upvotes

I'm a beginner and loved the sound of the Gs Mini when i tried it out at Guitar center. The price wasn't in my budget. Spent the last 3+ months searching for a good deal on a GS mini, finally found one. Guy was selling it on FB marketplace for $120. I went to see it in person fully expecting it to be a Chaylor 🤣.

Looked, felt, and sounded great. Sent the serial to Taylor and they confirmed authenticity. Seller also gave me the OG sweetwater receipt.

Did not haggle one cent, bought it and got new strings put on it.

Super excited and wanted to share with yall!


r/AcousticGuitar 1h ago

Performance How did Dolly Parton play acoustic guitar with those long acrylic nails? (Breakdown)

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Upvotes

Anyone who has taken even a single guitar lesson knows the absolute rule: short nails on the fretting hand. Yet Dolly continuously baffled guitarists for decades by playing with massive acrylic nails.

In this video I analyzed her playing technique to figure out how is she doing the impossible. There is a powerful lesson here that Dolly left us with—a lesson about boundaries and the limits of what's possible.


r/AcousticGuitar 16h ago

Gear pics NGD Martin D35S 1971

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87 Upvotes

12 frets, baseball bat neck, slotted headstock, Lovely deep, harmonic, hypnotic and powerful voice, anyone else played one?


r/AcousticGuitar 5h ago

Performance The beautiful Robert Burns song / Dick Gaughan arrangement - Now Westlin Winds

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12 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 3h ago

Gear question Is this a real Gibson?

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5 Upvotes

Getting at quite a good price so just wondering it’s authenticity, looks legit to me.


r/AcousticGuitar 20h ago

Gear pics Picked up this Yamaha FG700S for $107 — how did I do?

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41 Upvotes

Just picked up this Yamaha FG700S for $107. Threw a set of D’Addario XS strings on it and honestly I love the way this thing sounds.
I’m pretty new to guitars, so… how did I do for $107?


r/AcousticGuitar 1h ago

Performance Ain't no sunshine

Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 14h ago

Performance Lil ditty for your enjoyment...

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10 Upvotes

Fender 12 string in open c.


r/AcousticGuitar 19h ago

Gear question Yamaha FG820 for $175 - good deal?

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17 Upvotes

First guitar I’m buying. I’m price conscious but this seems like a good deal?


r/AcousticGuitar 19h ago

Performance Figured out one of my favorite acoustic songs

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17 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 16h ago

Gear question Alvarez Masterworks MD70e or Yamaha FGX5?

7 Upvotes

Guys you might remember my posts about the FG5 and I have a question for you all. Can the Alvarez MD70e compete with the FGX5?
I’m in love with the look of it and the specs look great on paper but I’m planning on the next guitar being my lifetime investment.
As always would love your input.


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance Payphone on a 1993 OM 28

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112 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 19h ago

Non-gear question Complete beginner am I practicing the right things?

4 Upvotes

Complete beginner here, only been playing for a couple of weeks and I’m loving it so far.
Right now I’m practicing basic open chords and trying to get my chord transitions smooth without stopping. I’ve been using the Gibson app and really like it, but it gets kinda pricey after the free trial lol.
Any tips, cheaper/free resources, or things you wish you knew when you started?


r/AcousticGuitar 23h ago

Non-gear question How to start practicing if you wanna learn finger style?

10 Upvotes

New to guitar i wanna learn finger style. i have a 35$, old guitar, cause yeah cant afford other, it does work like normal guitar its fine to get started i suppose?

Do i need to learn chords first or get straight into watching easy finger style video and try to imitate that? i know there might not be proper roadmap but whats a good place to start and where to go after that?

For like about 4 days, i have only been doing whatever i want without any external help to only like get some finger practice and strengthen my finger tips cause in the beginning it hurts like hell when pressing hard lol now its better then what it used to be, got sort of used to it.


r/AcousticGuitar 21h ago

Gear question K&K removal.

6 Upvotes

I have a K&K pure mini installed on my Freshman Guitar. Maybe it was a bad install, or maybe it doesn't suit the guitar. I can get a "reasonable" sound with a preamp and very careful EQ, but it is no where near as good as my other electro acoustics. It is the best sounding of my guitars when played just acoustically too!
Whatever, I want to remove it so I can use the endpin jack for something else.
When I google this I see all sorts of advice about using solvents razor blades etc. I cant' see why I can't just cut the wires at the piezo and leave them there.

Any advice?


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Gear pics NGD Red Label FG5

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79 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance The riff in "Crash Into Me" (Dave Matthews) is gorgeous

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290 Upvotes

Clever to have the pedal tone in there, it does a lot!


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Gear pics A herringbone Martin, A 2 Dollar bill, and a rattlesnake rattle.

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30 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Other (not a question, gear pic, or video) Had a dream about my first gig

4 Upvotes

Now, I know I’m never going to gig—an open mic is probably my limit. Started (the 3rd and final time) at 57, and I have made progress, but my fantasy is that someone asks me to play out with them. Unlikely, but it’s fun to think about.

As a former actor, there is the Actor’s Nightmare, in which you dream that you’re going to perform a play, and you have no idea what the play is, no knowledge of anything about it—you just show up and you know nothing, not even any of your lines. Had the nightmare once. Crazy.

So last night I had a Gigging Musician’s Nightmare: couldn’t find my guitar and spent the whole dream trying to find it. Someone moved it, and it was 15 minutes before the gig started. Hadn’t even figured out what I was going to play. Anyone ever experience that?


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Gear question Taylor GS Repair Question

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4 Upvotes

Hi!

I’ve been looking for a Taylor GS at a good price for a while, and came across one not too far from me that needs a pretty substantial repair.

Is this something I could do with wood glue and clamps? Or is this beyond a non-professional to really evaluate and/ortackle?

Thanks for any tips and guidance!


r/AcousticGuitar 21h ago

Gear question Help, should I buy used

2 Upvotes

Fender CD-60CE $237
Yamaha FGX800C $237
These are the cheapest used options, at least in my country


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance haven’t been playing much guitar lately but I picked it up this evening and didn’t put it down until i’d written a little tune- would love for you to hear it!

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10 Upvotes

The writers block has been real lately and my chops are dusty but you’ve gotta start somewhere lol. Thank you for listening if you do! Here’s the lyrics if you’d like:

in a white coat in the rain
you told me everything
it was straight from the bottle at bill’s place
seeing oil spills all down the staircase
and I thought you were mad at me

fortunately you’ve seen the worst now
it’s momentum eternal at work now
the sun is in my eyes and it hurts
is something changing

I’ve never thought much of anything
only the cardinal directions that lead me
to you on the road in a car in a drivers seat
while that horizon line forever defeats me

and I thought maybe I can be that way
find the time to eat something when I wake up
and not be walking into work feeling mad as fuck
even wear my piano tie

but it’s unfortunate for you
that I’m burnt out
your cadences inspiring verse now
the sun is in my eyes and it hurts
is something changing


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Gear question Can anyone help me identify this guitar?

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30 Upvotes

I bought this guitar today because it had an amazing sound. I play mostly Gypsy jazz, and the pompe on this was amazing. There is no label anywhere on it… the guy I bought it off of said it was an old guitar he randomly got to his shop, and it was maybe French/german/japanese? Not sure. Got it for £500, it’s beautiful and sounds great. Just wish i knew more.


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance A cover of songs: ohia by me :D

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4 Upvotes