Best Acoustic Guitar In 2024 – Complete Buyer’s Guide And Reviews

If you’ve ever found yourself lost in the sea of options, unsure of where to begin when searching for that perfect acoustic companion, rest assured that you’re not alone. The world of acoustic guitars can be both enchanting and overwhelming, with an array of brands, styles, and features vying for your attention.

But fear not – in this guide, we’ll walk you through every step of the journey, demystifying the process and making it accessible to both seasoned musicians and newcomers alike.

Best Acoustic Guitar Reviews In 2024 – The Complete Buyer’s Guide

Looking for the best acoustic guitar may seem like an impossible task. With all the brands in the market today competing to provide you with a guitar that will suit your needs and skills, you will need to prepare yourself with the proper knowledge to choose the perfect guitar.

Whether you’re a beginner, an intermediate, or an expert when it comes to guitars, there’s an essential buying guide that you should follow for you to pick the best one out there. I will discuss later in this article the ultimate buying guide you need to follow so that you can be fully prepped if you visit your local shop for guitars.

I understand feeling nervous when you first come to a store to check guitars that you like, but it’s important to remember to be bold and try out the ones you think you will like the most. When it comes to guitars, you shouldn’t buy them based on impulse. You should know how the guitar feels and its comfort; check the size to see if it fits you and its sound quality.

In this article, I will show you the top 5 acoustic guitars on the market today that are right within your budget, analysis, and award winners based on their construction, sound quality, and pros/cons. I’ve also chosen what the guitars are best for (sound quality, build quality, value, etc.), and the article also includes a quick guide on choosing the best guitar and the factors you should consider.

There’s still no brand that perfected a guitar, but there’s undoubtedly a guitar that is best for you in the market today.

Ok! Let me help you. Choosing the best acoustic guitar is even more straightforward than you think.

Best Acoustic Guitar: Reviews, Analysis, And Award Winners

First, I will show you which guitars are best for overall rating, the budget, sound and build quality, backpacking, or travel… based on my testing lab and criteria for evaluation. After that, I will have an in-depth analysis of each guitar. So keep reading to see which guitar is best for you.

#1: Taylor GS Mini – The Best Overall Acoustic Guitar

I’ve chosen the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany GS Mini for the best overall acoustic guitar because its sound and build quality exceeds most expectations of the people in the guitar world. Even with its small size, this guitar produces volume comparable to full-sized guitars.

Furthermore, the Taylor GS Mini is made with the same construction as the expensive guitars of Taylor, which is why you can be sure that it can withstand years of playing. It’s also affordable and within the range of many beginners to intermediate guitar players. Plus, it can do both fingerstyle and strumming playing.

#2: Yamaha FG700S Acoustic Guitar – Best Acoustic Guitar For Money

How amazing is getting the Yamaha logo on your guitar with your budget under $400? Yes, that’s right, with your budget of $400, you get a high build and sound guitar. Not only that, but you also get the limited warranty that this well-known brand offers. It is Yamaha FG700S Acoustic Guitar

Made with solid tonewoods and build quality by Yamaha, you can be sure that you get the best value for your money. Plus, you can play almost every genre you can think of with this guitar. With this guitar, you won’t need to get an upgraded guitar when you become an intermediate player because the sound becomes more transparent and better the more skilled you become.

Summary

This guitar is known as a perfect one for beginners. Among the guitars with the same price, the Yamaha FG700s Acoustic Guitar is one of the cheapest and best options in the market.

#3 – Fender CD-60 Dreadnought – Best Build Quality Acoustic Guitar

I’ve chosen the Fender CD-60 Dreadnought for the acoustic guitar that’s best in build quality. For one thing, Fender is known for their attention to detail in constructing their guitars, and they have their shop if you’re looking to customize your guitar.

The CD-60, in particular, is considered one of their best guitars because of the quality of sound it produces and is built. Its gloss polyurethane finish makes the guitar more durable and cannot be easily dented or scratched. Even if it uses laminated tonewoods, you can instantly feel the durability and strength of the guitar.

#4 – Best Travel Guitar: LX1E Little Martin Travel Guitar

For the acoustic guitar with the best review, I’ve chosen the LX1E Little Martin Travel Guitar w/ Fishman Pickup because it has many advantages that can outweigh any disadvantages.

The LX1E Little Martin is made with simple yet durable and quality tonewoods. Not only that but it’s equipped with quality materials that all add up to how the guitar feels and sounds overall. It’s the perfect guitar for people who love to travel because it’s light in weight and produces a great sound, which is why it can be easily considered the best acoustic guitar.

#5: Seagull S6 – Best Sound Quality

I’ve awarded the Seagull S6 for the acoustic guitar that’s best in sound quality because of the outstanding sound it produces and its ability to match the player’s skill and effort in playing. The tonewoods used for the S6 are the same materials used with the other guitars of Seagull, which is why you can be confident with its built quality.

What makes this guitar different from other guitars is the signature top wood of Seagull, which is the pressure-tested solid cedar that (what the company says) is experimented with, tested, and proven to enhance the sound quality of the guitar.

Top 5 Best Acoustic Guitars – Depth Analysis And Reviews

#1: Yamaha FG700S

Only a few guitars under the $400 price range can compete with guitars at a much higher price, and the Yamaha FG700S are one of them. You should check out this guitar if you’re looking for an entry-level or travel guitar.

When you look at the FG700S, you may think that you already know what this guitar may sound and feel like. Because of its old-school look, many people mistake it as one of those guitars with high action and low-quality sound, but that is where they are wrong.

The FG700S is made by the famous Yamaha brand, which means you can trust its build quality. For one thing, it uses simple yet robust materials to be durable and have excellent sound. It has a solid Sitka spruce for the top wood, rosewood for the fingerboard and bridge, Nato for the back and side, and high-gloss for the finish.

Like any other traditional-looking acoustic guitar, it has a black and white body binding, a tortoise pickguard, and a dreadnought body shape to complete the look. Because of these simple and conventional materials, the guitar produces sound quality that you’ll hear from most acoustic guitars but comfortably and efficiently playing.

What I like about the Yamaha FG700S is its ability to be sold at an affordable price but still give you a higher quality material that you won’t often find in guitars at this price range. Because of its acoustic sound, you can play almost any genre. Plus, with its high-quality performance, you won’t need to upgrade to a better and more expensive guitar unless you’ve reached an intermediate player skill.

I also love the chrome die-cast tuners because the guitar is easy to tune and stays that way for a period. I can’t find any fault with this guitar, so its only disadvantage is its traditional look.

#2: Seagull S6

One of the most popular companies to produce handmade guitars in the U.S. is Seagull guitars. Known for their durable guitars and outstanding sound quality, Seagull has won the hearts of many guitar players worldwide.

Seagull is known to manufacture high-end guitars, but in recent years, they have started to create guitars in the affordable price range. The S6 is very popular with beginner to intermediate players. Even expert guitarists recommend this guitar because of its ability to produce great sounds.

The S6 is also made with materials exclusive to the Seagull Guitars. The top wood is made with pressure-tested solid cedar, which (the company explains) has a different tonal quality than any other acoustic guitar.

The fingerboard and bridge are made of rosewood, and the back and side use Canadian wild cherry, which is typical with Seagull guitars. With a price of $429, the guitar is equipped with Tusq nut, compensated saddle, and a semi-gloss lacquer finish.

Although the company manufactured this as an entry-level guitar, it has earned the spot to be considered an intermediate-level guitar because of its sound quality. The S6 delivers a bright tone, making the notes ring longer and more transparent. The notes are also more discernible and audible, making any mistake noticeable. This will allow you to push yourself further because you need to play cleaner.

Because of its bright tones, this guitar is not for everyone. You will notice that it doesn’t have a bluesy sound and has a lesser base than other acoustic guitars (because of the cedar top). Another thing I noticed about this guitar is its thick neck, which can make other players uncomfortable, especially regarding reaching barre chords.

#3: Fender CD-60 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

The Fender guitars are well-known in the rock ‘n’ roll community. Famous for its handmade guitars and one-of-a-kind custom shop, Fender is pushing itself to improve their guitars with what its customers want.

The Fender CD-60 is one of the most popular models of Fender. For $230, you get a high-quality guitar. I’ve awarded this particular guitar with the best build quality because of the materials used and the outstanding craftsmanship of the company.

The CD-60 uses laminated spruce for its top wood, snorkeling for the fingerboard and bridge, nato for its neck wood, and laminated mahogany for the back and sides. Even if it uses laminate instead of natural wood, Fender has done a great job making the guitar durable.

It has a gloss polyurethane finish enables the guitar to have high durability that cannot be easily scratched or get dented when bumped into any surface like wood or even concrete. It’s not just the construction I like about this guitar; it’s also Fender’s ability to equip it with excellent materials, even with its affordable price range.

The CD-60 is equipped with Urea compensated saddle and nut, die-cast chrome for the tuners, and Fender 60L Phosphor Bronze for the strings. Not only that, but it also has Fender’s Scalloped X Bracing, which helps the guitar feel comfortable and enhances quality.

The action is comfortable with this guitar, which is impressive in this price range. Plus, it has a relatively rich and deep tone when strummed, which you often find in dreadnought acoustic guitars. It has excellent volume, which can match your effort; however, light or hard you strum.

The only thing I don’t like about the CD-60 is that it falls short on sound whenever fingerpicked because it lacks a definition of notes and clarity. That is why I only recommend this guitar for people who prefer strumming to fingerstyle.

#4: LX1E Little Martin Travel Guitar

Martin guitars are famous for their ability to produce both great sound and build quality. You rarely find a guitar that’s poorly made or has a lot of disadvantages. One of their most loved travel guitars is the LX1E Little Martin, which also has another version of Ed Sheeran.

This LX1E guitar has a smaller size compared to full-sized guitars. It has a nut width of 1-11/16” and a scale length of 23”. But even with this compact size, Ed Sheeran has proved that even with a small guitar, you can produce loud and incredible sound quality.

This guitar uses traditional tonewoods that you’ll find on the market today. It has a solid Sitka spruce for the top wood, Morado for the fingerboard and bridge, and mahogany for the back and side. What makes this guitar unique is the materials they equipped it with.

It had a white Corian for the nut and compensated white Tusq Bridge for the saddle. It also uses Gotoh nickel for the tuners and a Modified 1 Style Bracing pattern to enhance the guitar. Plus, with its price of $439, you also get the Fishman Isys T electronics which work great.

When looking for a travel buddy, you should check out the LX1E. Because of its size, it’s the perfect guitar for traveling, which you can easily carry around anywhere and anytime. It is light in weight, and the finish is lighter than another guitar, but it feels durable enough to protect your guitar from scratches and dents.

One thing I noticed about the LX1E is that it produces a bright sound and has lesser bass. Plus, the sound lacks volume because of its small size, even if you strum it hard. This means it’s more suitable for fingerstyle kind of players.

#5: Taylor GS Mini Mahogany GS Mini Acoustic Guitar, Sapele, Mahogany Top

You’ll find Taylor Guitars at the top of the list regarding acoustic guitars. Whether you’re looking for an affordable or a high-end guitar, Taylor guitars ensure that you’ll find one of their products on the list of the best acoustic guitar.

The Taylor GS Mini is one of the most famous and loved guitars today because it’s affordable and has an excellent build quality you don’t often find in most guitars. Plus, I’ve awarded this guitar the best quality because its capabilities exceed everyone’s expectations.

The GS Mini is more minor than full-sized guitars but packs a punch. The nut width is 1-11/16”, and its scale length is 23-1/2”. It also has the great Taylor Grand Symphony Mini body shape, which is famous for its loud sound.

What makes this guitar sing loud are the different tonewoods that were used. It has solid mahogany for the top wood, genuine African ebony for the fingerboard and bridge (typical wood used by Taylor), and layered Sapele for the neck, back, and side of the guitar.

The guitar is also equipped with excellent materials, which you can often expect in Taylor guitars. It used Micarte “Wave” saddle and Tusq nut, chrome GS Mini with Chrome Buttons for the tuners, GS Mini with Relief Rout for the bracing, and finished off with Matte 2.0.

I love the GS Mini’s consistency in everything it does. The intonation stays the same whatever you do, stays in tune for a long time, and the build quality is flawless even if Taylor used simple tonewoods. The size brings total comfort; the volume can match your effort in playing, and this guitar’s reaching open chords is straightforward.

How To Choose The Best Acoustic Guitar

When choosing the best acoustic guitar, it’s essential to consider several factors to ensure you pick the perfect one. Here’s a quick list of the factors that you should think about before buying your guitar:

Budget

Setting a budget you’re willing to spend on your guitar is essential. This price range will tell whether your guitar will be essential at most or will have quality materials to enhance its sound quality.

Brand

Even if you’re buying your first-ever guitar, choosing one with a famous logo is essential to ensure that you get quality construction and the company’s warranty.

Tonal quality and wood

Guitars have tonal qualities. You should know whether you’re more interested in playing deep or bright sounds. This preference will also determine what wood you should look for because it will define the guitar’s sound quality.

When choosing the guitars on my list, I used my criteria for judging. Although you may have read other reviews and the buying guide with the same products, I chose these guitars for specific reasons.

Sound Quality

I ensure that the guitars I’ve decided on are tested and proven to have excellent sounds. They differ in tonal qualities because some are rich in bass and others have bright tones. That is why you should first understand your preference in music and genre to choose a guitar suitable for your kind of music.

Build quality

Of course, when we spend our money, we want the products to last for years. The guitars on my list have their warranties, and they are made by well-known brands that handmade their guitars with extreme attention to detail.

Budget

If you’ve noticed, the guitars on this list are under $500. I’ve specifically chosen this price range because entry-level to intermediate guitars are usually within this price range. They already have excellent materials to ensure you get the best quality for your guitar.

Best Acoustic Guitar In 2024 – My conclusion

If you choose between these five guitars on my list, I recommend that you choose the Taylor GS Mini because its overall quality is outstanding. Not only does it have excellent construction, but its sound quality will exceed your expectation because of its size. This is the best acoustic guitar in this price range compared to other guitars.

Also, when you check guitars at your local shop, you should ensure that you carry your criteria for judging guitars and not forget the factors you need to consider. This will cut your list of guitars by half, making it easier for you to choose the best one.