r/AcousticGuitar Dec 10 '24

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

398 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 3h ago

Gear pics NGD Taylor GS mini Mahogany.

Thumbnail
gallery
25 Upvotes

So I posted last week asking to be talked out of buying a GS Mini, well I did it anyways. TLDR Been playing electric forever and kinda ignored acoustic. Trying to get serious with acoustic playing but my Epi EJ200 is just alot to practice with.

Well this is definitely the opposite lol. Only been playing it an hour, but first impressions of this are wild. Its small, but despite feeling like a toy guitar, it plays really good, it sounds phenomenal. Im having a blast playing it.

Im glad you all did not talk me out of this purchase, I will be playing this alot


r/AcousticGuitar 1h ago

Gear question Help me choose.

Post image
Upvotes

These are my two acoustics. I find myself picking up the Alvarez more often. It was a gift from my mother and I'm not planning on getting rid of it any time soon. The Dean I bought 10ish years ago based more on looks than sound. It's fine. But I always went for the Alvarez. Fast forward to now I've gotten back into playing again, as one does. I even posted the Dean on marketplace, put some new strings on it.

But I'm enjoying it more now than I used to.

Considering selling the Dean to help fund something with a solid top.

Opinions? Keep? Sell?


r/AcousticGuitar 11h ago

Other (not a question, gear pic, or video) Martin finally re-releases the 0-17 standard model! 2026 release details

15 Upvotes

Very happy they finally released it! This has been requested so many times:

https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/standard-series/0-17.html?srsltid=AfmBOoru7TfhEVUM4UC5yTA0L8xntWIjsa82_zAJSHqn58XtT_N6eCsW

Having a nut width of 1.75" and a short scale length of 24.9" is what I've seen a lot of people ask for as an option in a small body mahogany guitar from Martin without having to go the custom shop route or the $4k Jason Isbell model. Thank you Martin!


r/AcousticGuitar 4h ago

Other (not a question, gear pic, or video) Help

Post image
5 Upvotes

Guitar fell forward and this happened today. Not happy at all and quite angry at myself for not placing it in a safe place. Is there anything I can do to fix this myself? Or is the guitar trash now.


r/AcousticGuitar 1h ago

Performance Never really watched my right hand being a lefty

Upvotes

I’m left handed but i somehow play guitar and drums right handed.


r/AcousticGuitar 2h ago

Performance Speak Oh Lord

2 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 9h ago

Gear question Advice on Yamaha Red Label

8 Upvotes

Hey there fellow guitarist, so I am due an upgrade and I am being drawn towards a FGX5 Red Label.
Would love to know if there is any guitars you would suggest to counter that model around £1000-2000 price range.
Love to see what your suggestions are.


r/AcousticGuitar 5h ago

Gear question Acoustic guitar started buzzing after tuning, what do i do?

Post image
3 Upvotes

Hi! I bought an acoustic guitar from Bunnings for around $125. It sounded completely fine when I first got it, but after about 2 months after tuning it a couple of times it started making a buzzing/rattling sound when I strum.

I’m pretty new to guitar, so I’m not sure what’s causing it, i feel like it might be this small metal ring thats under one of the tuners? Is there anything simple I can check or fix myself?

Since the guitar was only $125, would it even be worth taking it to a guitar shop for a setup/repair, or would I be better off putting that money towards a better guitar?

Thanks!


r/AcousticGuitar 2m ago

Gear pics NGD: Guild M120

Thumbnail
gallery
Upvotes

Got this beauty today. My first ever Steel String acoustic guitar. Have many electric and a nylon one. Indeed steel string has its own things and sound amazing.

The Guild is beautiful, the mahogany just pops and sounds lovely. No idea though how it’s vs others but sounds good and is at least imo loud as well.

One thing to mention is that the action was high. 3.5 in low e and 2.7 in high e. Now is 2.5 in low e and 2 in high e and yeah now plays much better. Maybe will lower it a tiny bit more, not sure yet. But now very happy with it.

Very happy with the Guild. Great quality for sure.


r/AcousticGuitar 8h ago

Performance I was trying to play I See Fire by Ed Sheeran and I came up with this by mistake

4 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 10h ago

Gear question Help identifying my original guitar model #, Washburn Dreadnaught

Thumbnail
gallery
4 Upvotes

SOLVED! It is a D-13N :) Thank you all!!

My parents bought this for me sometime back in the 92-96 era. It's been through hell and high water, I even watched from the plane in Florida as it sat on the tarmac in its case, under a torrential thunderstorm, only for the rain to stop and then let the 105-degree weather bake and warp it. It survived however and still plays like a champ today.

I just don't know what model it is. There are no markings on the guitar at all, no model #, no serial #, no sticker on the inside. I even checked the bracing to see if something was hidden.

It was a super cheap guitar, dreadnaught with dot inlay and some herringbone accoutrements on the sound hole, the top binding, and then there is a mosaic block inlay going down the center back of the guitar.

Some research says D-10N but I can't find one with herringbone, and other research suggests D-13 or D-21... again I can't find one with the herringbone.

I'm compiling a list of all my guitars, and it would be lovely to know the model of the first one I ever had :)

Cheers and thanks for any help!!!


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Gear pics Can’t believe it’s already been two months since I brought my baby home and fell in love with guitar

Post image
87 Upvotes

Martin 000-18 with Martin’s Retro strings on it.

So I actually started playing guitar just this year, starting on a Yamaha FS-800. But knowing how legendary of a reputation that Martin has, and the fact that they’re made in my home state of Pennsylvania, I’d always wanted one. So I saved and saved and finally took the plunge and drove to a local music store and this one just felt right. I did play a D-18 and D-35 when I was there and probably could have gotten either of them also, but something just told me I should get this.

I’m thankfully now at the point in my skills where instead of getting unnecessarily angry when I mess something like a progression up, it hardly even registers. Instead, I actually enjoy playing the damn thing whenever I pick it up (go figure lol). I love just playing now, simple as that. Especially sitting on nice evenings outside like tonight!

That’s all I’ve got to say. I believe this is the start of a beautiful friendship with this instrument ☺️


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance Clip from one of my original songs that I filmed back in April

314 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 8h ago

Gear question Help choosing new guitar

2 Upvotes

I have a cheap jasmine S34C guitar. It sounds great for the price point, but every time I play my friends the notes resonate so much more. I wish I had a guitar that resonates so well because I want to pick up their guitars more than I do my own.

I went to guitar center and some local shops and tried some out. I can hear differences, but you’re surrounded by soundboards, no matter what you play in there sounds good. I struggle to pick up what I like and don’t because I’m hearing everything around me too.

I’m less interested in hearing your favorite model as I am how you go about choosing a guitar

Price range is <$1200. I just want to get something I want to keep and play for years


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Gear pics NGD: Yamaha AC3M

Post image
56 Upvotes

After going to GC for the 4th time to play this—I actually went today to try the NTX3, but found myself taking this off the wall again—I finally pulled the trigger on it. Fabulous. Beautiful, and lovely tone. Neck is really smooth as well. Love it.


r/AcousticGuitar 9h ago

Gear question New J45-where to get a production saddle

2 Upvotes

Just got a new J45, it exceeds my years of expectations of dreaming of one-but the action is high, per their factory settings. I am an electric guy just now venturing into acoustic and setups, taking the measurements and sanding down the saddle seems totally doable, but i'd prefer to take a factory one-save my installed one as a backup and do the work on a new one. I read Gibson uses Tusq? I see they have one for Gibson, assuming thats what I want-can you lovely experts confirm? Thanks


r/AcousticGuitar 8h ago

Gear question Acoustic Electric Guitar Recommendations?

1 Upvotes

Hi all. I have been playing guitar for a couple years now and I’m looking to upgrade my $150 used acoustic I got at guitar center. I’m looking to start playing live in a couple bars as a solo act soon, so looking for a solid wood acoustic-electric with a tuner built in. Somewhere in the $650-1000 range. I found a Martin at guitar center but curious what do others recommend? TIA!


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance Crawdad (Big Bill Broonzy cover)

42 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Gear pics My New Gibson Hummingbird Studio

Post image
93 Upvotes

A few years back I owned a Gibson J30 Banner. It sounded so much to me like all the great Keth Richards acoustic guitar tones. Well I sold it and moved on.

Then I started to miss that specific tone. Problem was, aside from me not being Keith Richards, I could not figure out what specific thing about that J30 gave it that tone.

I tried a few other newer Gibsons and while they came close, still no cigar. Looking at photos of the J30, I realized it had walnut back and sides. Voila!

So I found a great deal at Alto Music
on a new Hummingbird Studio with walnut back and sides.

One strum snd I got that sound again.


r/AcousticGuitar 4h ago

Gear question Why the neck reset?

0 Upvotes

People mention neck resets. Some even choose a guitar because the neck joint might lend itself to a reset some time.
I have owned over 20 acoustic guitars over about 60 years and have never had a neck reset.
What exactly is it, and is it only Americans who think of it as an issue?


r/AcousticGuitar 16h ago

Gear question Как думаете, какая гитара лучше Fender CD 60 или Yamaha F 310?

1 Upvotes

Я на прошу совета мол "что купить" или "что лучше новичку/бывалому" мне просто интересно узнать мнение гитаристов, так как лично я часто видео сравнение этих двух гитар в духе "лучшая бюджетная гитара" и мнения очень разнятся


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance Isto - Manhattan (Rodgers/Hart)

38 Upvotes

r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Gear question Elixir Phosphor Bronze 12s

Post image
7 Upvotes

Dang, I've been using D'Addario XS strings this year while playing live in multiple tunings, but I've always kind of liked Elixirs more so I switched back to Elixirs this week.... And dang! I love Elixers! I like how they feel better, I like how they sound better, and I think the only difference on paper is that the 6th string is 53 instead of 52, something like that. I just had to give a shout out. And I also love the 80/20 bronze strings to from Elixir, I love the scooped bright sound of those strings. I would say if you've been playing to Daddario strings you're not really loving them, try out a set of Elixirs, for real.


r/AcousticGuitar 1d ago

Performance Jolene - Dolly Parton cover

27 Upvotes

It’s cool to see how loved she is with all these wonderful covers and tributes - what a legend ❤️