Last Updated on August 12, 2022 by Play Guitar Notes
Unlike its electric counterpart, where generally speaking you would play it through an amplifier. The acoustic guitar offers its own benefits by not requiring additional equipment to produce its unique sound. It can be taken to a party, thrown in the back of the car for a road trip, or pulled out around a campfire for a quick sing-along.
There are many different applications that people may want to use their acoustic guitar for, and there are products out there ideally suited to cater to every need you could want.
So please join us today as we take a look at the 10 best acoustic guitars for a wide variety of applications.
 | Editors Choice | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
 | Yamaha FD01S | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
 | Kadence Acoustica Series | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
 | Jasmine S34C NEX | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
 | Fender Malibu Player | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
 | Ibanez AEG70 | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
 | Yamaha FG840 | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
 | Taylor GS Mini-e | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
 | Ibanez Performance | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
 | Takamine 6 | Number of Frets: | Check Price |
Fender Squier Dreadnought
For many beginners, after purchasing their first guitar they may quickly find there are a plethora of accessories that they will want to purchase that provide some much needed quality of life improvements when it comes to using and maintaining their instrument.
This guitar from Squire, the more affordable version of parent company Fender, provides a wonderful entry point for any new player taking their first steps into the instrument. Squire are well known for providing amazing value for money, and this guitar with its beautiful sunburst finish and Dreadnought body provides everything a new player could need.
The package also contains all the accessories you could want to get started. Including a strap, tuner, picks, a string winder which will make changing strings a breeze, a gig bag for easy transport, and even an instructional DVD to help you on your first steps.
Yamaha FD01S Solid Top Acoustic Guitar
Yamaha has a great track record of producing affordable guitars that won’t let you down. The FD01S is a guitar that’s appropriate for the intermediate and professional musician, but because of its cheap price is definitely something a beginner might consider as it will serve them well for a long time.
Wasting no effort with overcomplicating things, this is about as simple and reliable as an acoustic guitar can come. It has a solid Spruce top with Mahogany back and sides along with a rosewood fingerboard. This is a tried and true wood combination that will produce a rounded and even tone without leaning particularly hard in any specific direction.
The guitar doesn’t come with any accessories or a gig bag, and the manufacturer recommends setting the guitar up upon receipt. So the best way to consider this guitar is as a great blank slate that you can take and use to serve whatever your needs may be, whether for practice or performance.
Kadence Acoustica Series
If I could sum up this guitar it would be ‘punching above its weight’. One look at the instrument with its figured ash wood top and you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking this was a much more expensive instrument than it is.
While definitely geared more towards the beginner, if you want something that makes you stand out right from the get-go, this is definitely one to consider.
In addition to the beautiful top, it also has a rosewood back and sides with a rosewood fingerboard which complements the lighter and more porous ash top. It has an inbuilt electronics system allowing for further tonal shaping which even has an inbuilt tuner. So if you wish to travel with the guitar and forget your tuner, you’ll never be left struggling to tune.
Unlike some classical guitars, this also has a cutaway on the bottom side allowing for easier access to all of the frets.
Jasmine S34C NEX
Finding a full-sized, dreadnought body guitar that will give you that loud, rich, and unapologetic tone people seek can be challenging.
Jasmine has been able to provide a guitar that can meet those needs. Giving anyone on a budget an entry point into the full-scale, orchestra-style guitar with minimal compromise to the sound.
Featuring a laminated Spruce top with Sapele back and sides, along with a rosewood fingerboard. This is definitely a guitar produced on a budget, but is also one that critics agree is a winning tonal combination. The guitar has a smooth satin finish giving it a premium look.
Not only that, but it’s also available with an additional accessory bundle giving you picks, a new set of strings, a tuner (as there is no in-built tuner in this guitar, this is something you will definitely need) and even a soft gig bag should you need to travel with your guitar.
Fender Malibu Player
One of the more unique looking guitars on this list. With a headstock reminiscent of a Stratocaster and forgoing the natural finish present on most acoustic guitars, instead opting for a painted finish much like an electric guitar.
Fenders ‘player’ series is essentially an electric guitar inspired acoustic, offering the visual aesthetic of an electric guitar but in an acoustic package.
Featuring a spruce top with a mahogany neck, back, and sides. But most importantly an incredible looking walnut fingerboard, which is a unique wood choice for a fingerboard. Where the caramel colors compliment the paint scheme exquisitely. The neck has also been contoured to feel similar to an electric guitar, making it perfect for anyone coming from an electronic guitar background and transitioning over to acoustic.
Not only that it also has an in-built pre-amp and tuner system from the prestigious Fishman electronics. This will allow you to amplify the guitar should you need to, as well as have the safety of never being left without a tuner.
This is a perfect choice for someone who wants something a little different, taking the visual cues of an electric and all the functionality of a modern, acoustic guitar.
Ibanez AEG70
While not usually known for their acoustic guitars, Ibanez does actually have a very good selection of acoustics which are manufactured with all the high precision and meticulous QA that we know them for.
Because this is such a modern guitar and comes from a company that strives to stay at the forefront of contemporary design, it has a sapelle body in a beautiful orange burst finish, flamed maple top which is something surprising to see on a guitar in this price range.
The neck is made from nyatoh at a slightly shorter scale length of 24.96″ perhaps making it a little more accessible for those with smaller hands. With the fingerboard being a beautiful dark walnut which compliments the burst finish perfectly.
The guitar does have an in-built electronics system. However, it’s just a single volume knob and a ‘shape’ button designed to accent a particular frequency which you can adjust to taste as needed. No in-built tuner this time, unfortunately.
Yamaha FG840
At first glance, this guitar may appear quite inconspicuous. With its natural finish, plain fingerboard and pickguard all appearing fairly understated.
However, upon further inspection, you will notice some aspects of the guitar that leave it a rung or two above others in this price range. The Yamaha FG series is a re-issue of the popular guitar of the 1960s where the primary focus was put on functionality over aesthetics. Combined with their great reputation for providing value for money this guitar is certainly one that won’t let you down.
The guitar features a Sitka spruce top, with striking flamed maple back and sides along with a rosewood fingerboard. Yamaha describes this as having a louder and stronger sound in the low to mid range. They put a lot of research into finding the best construction methods in order to achieve this ‘louder than life’ sound.
Taylor GS Mini-e Solid Koa Top ESB
This is a no-compromises guitar featuring a beautiful Koa top and bracing, an ebony fingerboard, and a mahogany neck that not only provides a dark and richer sound than something like maple, it also is sturdy and will hold up to the rigors or travel or flights.
The guitar also features an inbuilt electronics system and piezo pickup allowing for use of an amplifier at extremely high levels of fidelity. This is because piezo pickups have a broader frequency response than that of a traditional magnetic pickup.
Please note that with any figured, flamed or quilted top, the pattern you get varies greatly based on the particular piece of wood that’s picked during construction. So keep in mind that your grain pattern will be completely unique to your instrument, for better or worse.
Ibanez Performance Series PC12MHCEOPN
Somewhat similar in design mentality to the Fender players series. The Ibanez Performance series is intended to put all of the focus on absolute functionality to allow anyone to have access to a great sounding workhorse guitar, without needing to pay any premium for additional bells and whistles.
With that being said, the guitar is still a sight to behold with its all-mahogany construction, even for the top which gives it a mature and seasoned aesthetic. Combined with the rosewood fingerboard and mahogany neck you can expect this guitar to sound quite dark, but also lush and rich in both sustain and harmonics.
Ibanez always produce their guitars to a high standard and this will be no exception, also including Ibanez’s own piezo pickup system which has an inbuilt tuner, battery compartment, 3 band EQ for additional tonal options. Plus an overall gain control.
Takamine 6 String Acoustic-Electric Guitar
Takamine are a premium brand trusted by many professional musicians the world over and can be heard on many a successful studio recording.
This is a dreadnought style ‘jumbo’ guitar meaning it will produce a solid, confident and robust sound that is both loud while also remaining pleasant to the ear. This is largely thanks to its wood configuration, with a solid spruce top and flamed maple back and sides. The thick mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard adds great stability to the tuning and richness to the sound.
Like many other guitars in this price range, it also features a Takamines proprietary electronics system called the TK-40D, which includes an inbuilt guitar tuner for convenience, as well as a 3 band EQ and gain controls to allow you to further shape your sound for whatever the current music demands.
What should I consider when choosing an acoustic guitar?
Each player will have their own habits and applications when it comes to what they use their guitar for, so it’s important to remember that not every guitar will be ideally suited for every player, even if it’s a more expensive one.
Many people want a small performance guitar that is easy to travel with, in which case you want to opt for a smaller body size, which comes at the compromise of loudness. So you may also want to consider one that has an electronics system in so you can plug into an amplifier and gain additional volume through that.
On the other hand, some people might need an acoustic for a studio application where it will be recorded with a microphone, in which case perhaps the bigger Dreadnought style body would be more apt due to its louder volume, richer bass and overall and ‘fuller’ sound.
What type of acoustic guitar should I get?
The three primary types of acoustic, not taking into account smaller specification differences such as body size or wood combination, are the classical nylon string guitar, the acoustic steel string, and the electro-acoustic.
For the majority of players, the acoustic steel string guitar is going to be ideal. The classical guitar is, as the name might suggest, made for a more traditional classical fingerpicking style, so if playing some Bach is your goal you may want to consider one of them.
Lastly is the electro-acoustic which is a broad term for any acoustic guitar with a pickup or preamp system in it. The benefit of this is you will be able to run the guitar into an amplifier which gives you a new set of controls and equalization that will allow you to hone in your sound, often circumventing any shortcomings caused by things such as a smaller body which may be lacking in bass.
Do acoustic guitars need maintenance?
Acoustic guitars definitely need a certain degree of maintenance. However, don’t despair as these processes are relatively simple and quite a bit easier than that of the electric guitar due to it not having individual bridge saddles.
Firstly, you should keep the guitar clean. Leaving finger grease on the strings after playing can dull their tone, and likewise on the back of the neck dirt and grime can build up to where it becomes sticky and reduce playability. After you finish playing just wipe the neck and strings down with a clean, lint-free cloth to keep everything sounding and feeling great for as long as possible. No need for any cleaning products.
There are many other processes involved in maintenance such as setting the action and neck relief. However, unless this is something you want to take the time to educate yourself on this is best left to a trained guitar technician. I recommend taking your guitar to a store at least once a year to have them set your instrument up to ensure it’s always playing its best.
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