Are you looking to learn the guitar and need a guitar? If so, then you have arrived at the right place. This article will help you to find a guitar that suits your needs and budget.
A few years back, I worked at a guitar shop that allowed me to test a variety of different guitars at different price ranges. Through this time I found a few favorites, and those are the once I will include in this list.
The chart below will show you a summary of all my favorite guitars and the guitars I will mention throughout this article.
Now lets started!
13 Best Beginner Acoustic Guitar Reviewed And Rated
Fender FA-115
Fender FA-115
Premium Option
Seagull S6
Premium Option
Seagull S6
Most For The Money
Yamaha Fg830
Most For The Money
Yamaha Fg830
Best For Small Hands
Taylor GS Mini
Best For Small Hands
Taylor GS Mini
Cheapest Option
Rogue RA-090
Cheapest Option
Rogue RA-090
1. Fender FA-115 – The Perfect First Guitar (Kit)
- Everything you need to start playing straight out of the box
- Full-size dreadnought body for full and vibrant tone, suited...
- 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays
When trying to find a guitar, there are a lot of confusing parts, equipment, and functions, which is why Fender put together a kit of everything you would need when starting.
The kit has everything you would need; a guitar, picks, straps, a book, and an electronic tuner, making it easy for you to keep your guitar tuned at all times.
The guitar is durable and fits comfortably in the lap. In terms of sound, the guitar works well, it’s not built of top-shelf parts, but for this price, you can’t really ask for much more than what’s provided in this kit. Overall it’s a good guitar that suits perfectly for those of you who are looking to purchase your first guitar.
2. Fender CD-60S – Runner Up Kit – Most Popular
- Dreadnought body style
- Solid mahogany top with scalloped "X"-bracing
- Mahogany back and sides
The Fender CD-60S is a great option that provides you with everything you would need to start your guitar carrier. The Fender is built of mahogany wood, which helps to produce a warm sound with great dynamics and an excellent mid-range suited for beginners.
I have tried a lot of Fender previous guitars, and I wasn’t 100% satisfied, but with the CD-60s they really did some great improvements in terms of both engineering and materials which gave great results in both sound, comfort, and durability.
If you are looking to buy your first or second guitar you can’t go wrong with this guitar, it’s an excellent guitar to start out with and it comes at a low price as well which is a bonus.
3. Seagull S6 Original – Premium Option
- Made in North America
- Select Pressure Tested Top
- Double Action Truss Rod
Seagull S6 is one of the most popular steel-string acoustic guitars for beginners. The price on this guitar is a bit steeper than its competitors, but the Seagull S6 provides more durability and better sound quality as well.
The Seagull S6 was the best seller in the guitar shop I worked in, not just for beginners, but for experienced to advanced guitar players as well, I didnt know exactly why back then, but throughout the years I have learned to appreciate the craftsmanship and quality that this guitar brings to the table.
The Seagull S6 is built with wood from the top shelf. It has a cedar top and wild cherry back that contributes to the warm dynamic and solid mid-range that sounds astonishing. The neck is very comfortable to hold. It is a tad thicker than other guitars which makes it an excellent choice for fingerstyle players.
If you are confident that you will be playing guitar for some time, then this guitar is a great choice. With the extra durability built within this guitar, you will have an instrument that will last you for years to come.
4. Yamaha Fg830 – Best Quality For The Price
- Solid sitka spruce top
- Nato back & sides
- Rosewood fingerboard
The Yamaha FG series was first released 50 years back and has since that first year been one of the best selling guitar series of all time. Yamaha is known for its superior quality checks and systems that make it possible for them to produce high-quality guitars for a low price.
With over 50 years of happy customers, I am confident that you will be pleased as well. The guitar features a solid spruce top with rosewood back and sides. The FG830 is surprisingly good with excellent dynamics and sound quality in comparison to what you pay for the guitar.
I genuinely like guitar, it’s comfortable to hold, has a beautiful design, and the sound quality is remarkable. There isn’t much else you could ask for, especially when it costs as little as it does.
5. Fender Tim Armstrong – A Unique Beginner Guitar
- Solid Mahogany Top, Laminated Mahogany Back and Sides
- Scalloped X Bracing
- Fishman Isys III System
If you are looking for a guitar with some uniqueness and personality, then this guitar could be an excellent choice for you. The guitar is crafted with a mahogany top, back and sides. Neck made of maple with a satin-finished rosewood fretboard with unique designs inspired by Tim Armstrong’s original guitar.
In short, the guitar is awesome. It looks incredible and it even sounds good as well. The guitar is even equipped with a great pick up with an active onboard preamp and tuner, that allows you to adjust the volume and sound to your liking.
6. Yamaha APX600 – Best Electro-Acoustic Beginner Guitar
- Thin-line cutaway Body design for exceptional playability
- 25" Scale Length and narrower string spacing for Enhanced...
- New scalloped bracing pattern for increased bass response
The Yamaha APX600 is great for those of you who are looking for an easy to play electro-acoustic guitar. It has a thin body shape which means it will be very comfortable to hold and use.
Yamaha has integrated a new bracing pattern internally that gives you a better base response which goes hand in hand with the solid spruce top, nato back, sides and neck.
It has been provided som aesthetic improvements including ivory and black body binding. In addition to this, they have included a tuner and a 3 band EQ that allows you to shape the sound use different frequencies. The preamp is powered by two AAA batteries which is much more practical and suitable for gigs than other standard beginner guitars.
7. Yamaha FS800 – Solid Top Small Body Acoustic Guitar
- Small body style
- Nato/Okume Back and Sides
- Traditional looks and outstanding quality
If you are a smaller framed acoustic guitar play such as me then the Yamaha FS800 is an excellent option. It’s a smaller-sized guitar that allows you and potentially a partner with smaller fingers and body to learn along your side.
Still, if most guitar players prefer the larger dreadnought style there are still plenty of us who find them uncomfortable. If you are looking for a gift for a child or maybe you want to learn to play alongside your child then this is the perfect guitar for you.
What’s nice about this guitar is that it comes complete as a bundle which removes all the guesswork from the process allowing you to be sure that the equipment you purchase fits perfectly with your new guitar.
Conclusion: Overall it’s an excellent guitar produced by Yamaha so you can be sure that its quality checked and of the highest possible quality. There is really nothing negative to say about either the price or equipment of this set, simply put, its great.
8. Epiphone Hummingbird PRO – A Stunning Electro-Acoustic Guitar
- Solid spruce top
- Mahogany neck and body
- Grover Rotomatic tuners
I love the design of the Epiphone, its simply remarkable. None other than rolling stones used this guitar on their tours, with its astonishing design and carefully crafted details.
Besides the design Epiphone nailed it in terms of sound quality as well, it sounds even better than it looks with balanced dynamics that suit a variety of playing styles.
The original Hummingbird Pro would set you back close to 3000$, so this guitar is a bargain. The only thing that I would adjust on this guitar is the action, straight from the box it can be a bit too much for a beginner, but I am sure you will adjust to this quickly.
9. Bristol BD-16
- Spruce top with scalloped braces provides a bright, full...
- Beautiful mahogany back and sides for robust volume and...
- Slim mahogany neck offers fast, easy action and inherently...
The Bristol BD-16 is a great sounding guitar that is perfect for those who are looking for their first or second guitar to kick off their guitar carrier. It’s all made of laminated spruce and mahogany so it’s built to last for a long time. Still, if it’s built to be durable it still feels light and is comfortable in use.
With the Bristol BD-16, you get a guitar that is filled with high-quality sound for a very low price. The mahogany neck with the rosewood fretboard allows you to move your chors quickly and comfortably.
It’s remarkable how Bristol has managed to manufacture a guitar of such a high quality, but still remaining the price which is exactly what makes this such a great choice for beginners.
10. Rogue RA-090 – Cheapest Guitar
- The 6-string Dreadnought design White wood body25-3/8" scale...
The Rogue RA-090 is literally the best guitar I have found under 100$, I found this beast when I was scrolling through amazon the other day and I was shocked when I a guitar with that many good reviews at such a low price… So I bought it and I was impressed.
If you are not certain if you will continue playing guitar or maybe you are looking to buy a guitar to someone who likes having a guitar laying around then this is the guitar I would recommend you.
I cant this is a supreme guitar or anything like that, but if you were to blindfold me and let me play on the guitar I would never guess it cost 70$. It sounds good, pretty comfortable to play with and it comes at a price that is impossible to beat.
11. Taylor GS Mini
- "Body Body type: Taylor Grand Symphony Mini Cutaway: No Top...
- "There's something undeniably inviting about the Taylor GS...
- That mix of portability and musicality has proven to be a...
If you are looking for a smaller guitar that you can carry around with you on your travels then the Taylor GS mini is an excellent choice. If you have a kid or a smaller guitarist then this can be more comfortable to play with in comparison to other bulkier models.
Straight from the factory, the guitar has little action which is suiting for beginners. In terms of sound, the Taylor GS mini has a warm and pleasant sound that bends towards the middle range. The trebles are bright, but still, if it’s a mini guitar the bass is quite good for the size.
Taylor Mini is a great guitar that allows you to play a variety of different styles, still, if this is listed on my beginner list you can easily use this guitar for several years far beyond your beginner period.
12. Donner 36” Dreadnought Acoustic
- Most Complete Beginner Guitar Package: Donner acoustic...
- 36 inch Dreadnought Body : Perfect combination of tone and...
- Rich Warm Resonant Sound: Spruce top and laminated mahogany...
Donner 36 is another excellent option for those who are looking to buy an acoustic guitar starter kit. It has everything you would need to get started and on amazon, you have the option to choose between a variety of different packages with different colors.
The Dreadnought means the size of the guitar, it’s one of the most popular sizes to this date because of the balanced and extra punchy sound it produces.
Overall it’s a good guitar that sounds good, is comfortable and is sold at a great price point. Crafted with a hardwood spruce top and mahogany back and sides which is a rare sight to see at this price point.
I really like that they have included a capo in the kit as well, this is a piece of extra equipment that allows you to play higher octaves without maintaining the same fret on each chord.
13. Alvarez Artist Series AF30
- Solid Sitka spruce top
- Hand sanded, scalloped bracing
- Mahogany back and sides
First of all, Alvarez is known to produce high-quality guitars at a low cost, which I why I thought their AF30 would fit perfectly into this list of the best acoustic guitars for beginners.
This guitar is a folk guitar which means it goes well along with a campfire or with a vocalist because of the mellow and warm sound this guitar produces. As I mentioned Alvarez is known for its quality products and this guitar is no exception. You can notice that they put a lot of effort into the making and craftsmanship of this guitar.
It’s built on a Sitka spruce top with mahogany sides, back, and neck. I am week for mahogany guitars, the influence it has on the sound is remarkable and is just like angel noise in my ears.
Having in mind that this is sub 300$ category is remarkable, the build is solid, durable and sounds good. There is nothing bad to say about this guitar and I am sure you will be pleased if you decide to purchase the AF30.
What to Look for in a beginner acoustic guitar
Purchasing your first guitar isn’t an easy task, there is a huge variety of guitar on the market today. Luckily its easier to cherry-pick the best once by finding the top 10 lists such as this and with youtube videos.
If you are going to buy a guitar at this time and age you are very lucky because the guitars you get today even with a tight budget are superior to what you could get with 1000$ 20 years ago.
When you are about to purchase your first guitar you have to keep in mind if you are going to stick in the game for the long haul or if you are just looking to test the water in terms of a new instrument. If you are not sure that you will be playing on the guitar for the following years then there is no point in investing over 1000 bucks on one either.
As long as you have a good tuner and a decent guitar you will get, I highly recommend Fender FA (1.on this list) if you here to purchase your first guitar since this is a very cheap option, but it still provides you with a good guitar and all extra equipment you would potentially need in the near future.
Setting up the guitar
If you purchase a 1000$ acoustic guitar but don’t set it up with the proper tuning and strings the price won’t matter much, so when you purchase your guitar it’s important to take the proper steps in order to get an optimal start on your guitar carrier.
When it comes to the setup, I found a great youtube video that will take you through each step of the process ensuring that you will get the optimal start with your new guitar.
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Should you use steel or nylon strings?
As you probably noticed throughout this article there are two options when it comes to strings and that is steel and nylon.
I would recommend you to go with nylon strings if you are a fresh beginner. The reason or this is that the nylon is easier for the fingers which allows you to play longer sessions in one sitting.
Just to confirm, the nylon strings are the strings that are most popular on classical guitars. The sound of a nylon string guitar gives a softer sound in comparison to a steel-string guitar and can look like plastic.. at least that what I thought they were when I was 11 years old.
However, steel strings are great for certain people, especially for those who love music genres such as rock, jazz, and blues since you want an aggressive and pushy sound when you are playing such songs.
But one important thing to remember is that you should never use steel strings on a nylon string guitar. Since this can cause damage to your classical guitar. So if you decide to go with a classical guitar with nylon strings you cant just switch out the string you have to buy a new guitar that can handle the stress steal strings puts on a guitar.
What Type of guitar should you buy?
There are a variety of different types of guitars on the market, so let’s take a look at the once I think you should choose as a beginner.
Most of the guitars on this list have a beginner-friendly design that is both comfortable and easy to use for someone just starting out.
Actually most types of acoustic guitars are beginner-friendly, besides one and that is the umbo style guitar. These are bulky and heavy which essentially makes it harder to hold and less comfortable.
For someone purchasing their first or second guitar, I would recommend you go with a smaller body such as a dreadnought.
How much are guitars for beginners?
Beginner acoustic guitars come in a variety of price ranges, but usually, they cost between 100-500$. I would recommend you invest more if you are planning to play for a long period, but if it’s your first guitar it’s hard to say if you are going to continue with this instrument for more than a couple of months. Thus I would recommend investing a smaller amount.
As you may imagine the guitar is not the only investment you need to do when starting out, there is equipment such as a strap, learning material, and bags you need to cover for as well. My recommended way of saving money on your first guitar is to purchase one of the kits we included in the recommended list, that way you get all the equipment you would need when starting out and you usually get it for a better price when you purchase everything in a bundle.
What To Look For When Purchasing Your First Acoustic Guitar?
Finding your taste in terms of playing style, design, and features are something that takes time and experience. When I first started out I had a whole set of different preferences compared to what I value today. But finding your first guitar is still pretty easy there is just three simple questions answer you need to figure out and that is:
What size should I get? This is a question you have to find out for yourself, obviously, I dont know what size you are, but what I can recommend you dreadnought style for most beginners that come up to me and ask for such queries.
The second question is what wood are you looking for? There are a lot of different varieties of wood out there and each guitarist has their own preference. What wood and how its made has a saying in how the guitar will sound like and of course look.
Lastly is the design. Each guitar has its own look, which one you should choose is totally up to you. I tried including a variety of designs for you in this list so take a close look at each one and see if there are any of the guitars listed that you like.
What To Avoid When Purchasing An Acoustic Guitar?
If you watch youtube, read forums and websites such as this one most mistake will be avoided, but there are still a few mistakes that can be made so let’s take a look at what you should avoid.
The first thing I would say is to avoid any kind of plastic or guitars that can be found in toy stores, these are usually just really hard to use and nearly impossible to play well on. Still, if it’s for your child I would invest in a proper wood guitar if they had the capacity to play on it.
The second mistake I see a lot of students do is to install steel strings on a classical guitar. I have mentioned this briefly previously, but I figured I would say it again, so dont do this! It puts a lot of stress to your guitar and can result in your guitar getting destroyed.
Conclusion
I hope you have managed to find a guitar for your liking. If you have any questions regarding guitars feel free to leave a comment or send us an email and we will be sure to help you out. When I purchased my first guitar I found youtube videos, forums, and websites such as this one very helpful. Use the internet to your advantage and I am sure you will find a guitar suited for your need that is within your budget.