If you have 1000$ to spend then this article will help you find a guitar that suits your budget and needs.
My name is Fredrick and I am the owner and writer of this Blog. I have been in the music industry for a few years now both as an artist, but as an employee at a music store as well. Through this time and experience, I have tested a variety of acoustic guitar at different price ranges, styles, and brands.
In this article, I will write about my top picks both under the 1000$ mark and offers a lot of quality for the dollar.
In the first section, you will a table of the top picks, below that table you will find a summary for each guitar and lastly an informational section that will show you a few things you should look out for and much more. Enjoy!
Epiphone DR-500MCE – Best overall (A++)
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If I had 1000$ there would be no questions what guitar I would buy, the Epiphone DR-500MCE has been my favorite for a long time and that for a good reason. The Epiphone DR-500MCE is a beautiful guitar crafted in solid and durable mahogany wood.
Customers on amazon state that it is a beautiful build that produces a harmonized sound. I couldn’t agree more, the mahogany wood rubs of a beautiful warmth to the sound creating a perfect spectrum of dynamics.
I have owned this guitar for 3 years now and I still love it, during its use I have gotten a lot of compliments on the guitar on both its sound and design. It’s a guitar that attracts a lot of attention for sure, and when I state the price they are surprised that it didnt cost more.
In terms of the sound, you can expect a bright and warm sound that produces loud tones similar to what you could expect from a more expensive Taylor. Some guitars in the same price range can tend to be a bit jangly, but this is far from what you can expect from this one.
To top it all of the pre-installed in even perfect, it projects the sound perfectly, keeps the acoustics and charm you get from having it unplugged.
Overall it’s an excellent guitar that will give you twice what you pay. I was very happy I purchased it, so were the 50 positive reviews on amazon and I hope you will be too.
Seagull Artist Mosaic
- A shimmery natural finish, a full bodied dreadnought...
- An ample cutaway for easy upper fret access, a highly...
- New Seagull Artist inlays, discretely placed LR Baggs Anthem...
I have seen a lot of other blogs on this topic writing positively about the Artist Mosaic, I have actually never tried it, so to include it in this list I decided to go to the guitar store and test it out, and all I can say is WOW.
The guitar sounds remarkably good, possibly a bit better than the Epiphone, if not then at least very close. It’s a solid wood guitar with a cedar top and mahogany sides and back.
The neck is comfortable and easy to play on, it’s built with mahogany as well and is equipped with a rosewood fingerboard. The body is a customized version of the dreadnought body providing good punch and volume to the sound, and the bass is surprisingly present.
The guitar has a beautiful voice and features a great design crafted of high-quality materials making it a great instrument for those of you who are looking for a top-shelf guitar within the 1000$ range.
Breedlove Solo Concert
- Solid western Red Cedar top, ovangkol back & sides, Mahogany...
- African ebony Fretboard, 25.5" Scale Length, 1.687" nut...
- African ebony Bridge, offset Dot Inlays, Abalone ring...
The Breedlove Solo Concert is possibly one of the most popular guitars in the 1000$ range. Breedlove is a company based in Canada that is known for its strict quality checks and quality products.
Crafted with myrtle wood on both back, sides, and top. It features a classical style pin without pins, its a unique touch Breedlove has implemented in their latest productions which I have to really enjoy.
I mentioned briefly their strict quality check so let me explain. When Breedlove produces this specific guitar they make use of hand-selected wood part they have proven and know works well for a certain body type or sound. Before shipment, they run each guitar through a high-tech analyzer which shows the thickness of the body, its specific hertz and other cool details that you as a owner have the pleasure of getting included in your shipping order.
It’s rare to find a company such as Breedlove who takes such good care of its products and takes such quality checks at this level of seriousness to ensure that each and every customer of their brand will be pleased. If you are a guitarist who truly cares about craftsmanship and guitars then the Solo Concert is a guitar to take a closer look at.
Yamaha A Series A3M
- Solid Sitka Spruce top with scalloped bracing for a louder,...
- Yamaha's new SRT2 system allows you to blend between...
- High comfort satin mahogany neck with a slim taper profile
The Yamaha A3M is a funky looking guitar with a crazy rosette around the soundhole and a retro-looking style feel to it. Yamaha has really put together an affordable guitar here that and made it into an absolute workhorse. You can bring this anywhere you go and make it sound great, it’s even built with electronics making it possible for you to take it with you to the studio or concert to amp up the volume.
In terms of feel, an important thing is to have a guitar is comfortable to play if you have to high action you can end up with an injury. This is why I love that Yamaha has used a very solid neck that allows the action to be fairly low without buzzing taking place.
The neck is one of my favorites parts about the guitar, it has a very wooden feel to it that makes it feel like you are working with the wood. On top of it, you have a satin finish that makes it look great as well.
Lastly, the sound. For a guitar to get qualified for this list it has to sound good after all its the most important aspect of the guitar. I feel that Yamaha has really nailed their bracing, with their custom bracing you can a nice balanced sound that performs well at all ranges.
The pickup is topping on the cake, it’s just perfect and adds a lot of value to the guitar. Because the pickup gives the option to customize your sound far more then you would with other guitars in the same price range. The customization you get with the SRT system is something you rarely get from a pickup and usually only comes in a modeling box that usually costs a couple of hundred bucks.
Just a great guitar, that is far worth more than what you have to pay for it. Everything from the pickup to the sound is adjusted to perfection making it a great another great option that you can choose from with your 1000$.
Taylor 114ce
- 6-string Acoustic-electric Guitar with Spruce Top
- Ebony Fretboard - Natural
- Walnut Back Sides
The Taylor 114ce is within the budget range 1000$ and sounds great making it another great choice for those of you who are looking for a new guitar.
As we all know the wood affects both the durability and the sound of the guitar. Taylor knows this as well and has therefore used a har Sitka spruce and walnut sides and back that you can clearly hear in the sound. It has a warm, comfortable and clear voice that reflects every string and chord you play.
With smart engineering in terms of the body, neck, and fretboard you have a guitar that makes it very and comfortable to reach any string or do any chord. If you have small hands and are looking for a full-sized guitar under 1000$ this is a great guitar checkout.
You get a lot of guitar for your dollar by purchasing the Taylor 114ce. The sound is as close to professional as you get within this price range and the overall quality of the guitar is far more worth the price that you pay for it.
Seagull S6
- Gear Hero HQ Exclusive Limited Edition Tennessee Red
- Made in Canada
- Select Pressure Tested Top
The Seagull S6 is very popular amongst guitarists these days. The guitar offers a lot of quality and great sound for a very low price.
The Seagull S6 has a tapered headstock, this helps to keep the Seagull in tune for a longer period and it helps to protect the strings from breaking or making distorting sounds. The biggest problem on most budget guitars is actually the headstock if this part is installed wrong you will have a complete buzz box that is not good for much.
Seagull has a variety of products manufactured year in and out, but the Seagull S6 is their top-selling product and has been for a while now and there is a very good reason for this and that is quality.
Crafted with a cedar top and wild cherries sides and back. This is an unusual combo you will rarely see in a guitar, the reason they use this wood is because of Seagull’s location. All seagull S6 guitars are produced in California where cedar and wild cherries are in plentiful resulting cheap materials that can be used to produce quality guitars at a low cost.
Overall it’s a superior guitar that gives you a lot for your money. In terms of sound its on point and for this price its an absolute steal.
Baby Taylor BT2 – Best For Smaller Guitarists
- 6-string Acoustic Guitar with Mahogany Top
- Layered Sapele Back
- Sides - Natural
If you are a smaller sized guitarist and is looking to purchase a smaller guitar that will suit your body shape and hand size then this would be my one and only recommendation.
I have been working at a guitar store for several years and I have tried a range of different guitar in both high and low price ranges. I can assure you that you will have a hard time to find a guitar that beats the Baby Taylor BT2 in terms of sound and quality the BT2 provides for the price.
If you dont trust me then just take a close look at the reviews on amazon and I am sure you will be convinced quite quickly. Just overall an excellent choice if you want a smaller guitar or a travel guitar to take with you on your adventures.
Blueridge BR-160
- Solid Sitka spruce top with scalloped braces gives you clean...
- Solid Indian rosewood back and sides guarantees deep bass...
- Slim mahogany neck offers fast, easy action and inherently...
I often get the a questions what guitar should I get, what is the perfect mid-range guitar? These are very vague questions that are hard to answer for any guitarist out there, which is why on this list I have provided a lot of different excellent guitars to choose from and now I will show you another guitar that I hold close to my heart and that is the Blueridge BR-160.
If you take a look at the Blueridge website it says that it’s remodeled after ionic guitars. But let’s be honest here, They have clearly remodeled the Martin guitars, but they have done a great job doing so and I am not disappointed by their efforts.
The Blueridge Solid Top and Rosewood back and sides guitar is a guitar that won’t disappoint. In the guitar store, the Blueridge series were the once we solid a lot of and there was a good reason behind it. The Blueridge BR-160 sounds great, comes at a great price and the craftsmanship is fantastic.
I dont think they are good, I know they are great. I have tried all of the series not once, but several times and I can assure you that the Blueridge BR-160 is a guitar that won’t let you or your pocket down.
What can you expect from a 1000$ Range Guitar?
You won’t get the absolute best guitars on the market, but you are getting close to it. With a 1000$ you get to pick from the top shelf where guitars with fantastic craftsmanship and guitars of high quality lay.
If you spend your hard-earned money on either of the guitars on this list I can assure you that you walk home with a guitar of high quality, a superior sound that a sub 500$ guitar couldn’t get you. I have tested a lot of guitars through the years and you can almost always notice the difference in terms of price compared to the quality you get.
With the higher budget, you will get hard top guitars made of higher quality materials that help to keep your guitar in optimal shape for a longer time. All bodies and necks on this list are engineered near to perfection making your sound close to perfect as well.
The difference between build quality is huge in the different price ranges, but the electronics are something to have in mind as well. When you are in the 1000$ range you have the pleasure of having Fishman and other top-shelf pickups pre-installed in your guitar.
The electronics will make a huge difference in how your plugged sound will be displayed to your audience, often the pickup is a part that is lacking in budget guitars, so luckily you won’t worry about this.
And finally, the sound. The sound of the guitar is the most important factor to keep in mind when choosing a guitar, and the voices you have available for you 1000$ is mind-numbing, there is such a vault of excellent guitars in this price range that can give you a guitar that would please even the most experienced artists and musicians out there.
What To Look For When Purchasing a Guitar in The 1000$ Range
The guitars on this list are already vetted and tested by me, but if you are going to find a guitar yourself there is a few things you should look out for, so let me explain these to you so you can find one yourself. Initially, there is 4 steps I would consider and judge the guitar by when I am testing a guitar. Those are as following:
Step 1. The wood. You need to know what wood the guitar is made of, this is a factor that heavily affects the sound your guitar will produce, the lower the quality the worse sound you will get. The wood has a huge effect on the sound, but also the design and the overall feel of the guitar.
Step 2. Choose what body you want, your comfort heavily depends on this step. If you are smaller sized guitars you shouldn’t buy a huge body guitar such as a jump guitar. If the guitar is too big it will be very uncomfortable to use and hold, you can survive a short session, but if you are going to practice or perform for an hour or two then your comfort should be a priority.
My preferred and most recommended body size is the dreadnought style guitars, these are smaller than a full-sized guitar but still offers the punchy and loud sound with good bass that you want in a guitar.
Step 3. Check the headstock, fretboard and other important parts for its quality and build. Do a buzz check, if the headstock is not tapered enough you will have a buzz box that forces you to tune your guitar regularly and do continuously adjustments to make it sound decent.
Step 4. Choose the right fretboard. If you are looking to fingerpick or strum the guitar the fretboard needs to be adjusted accordingly. A smaller fretboard will have a smaller distance between the strings thus making it easier to fingerpick, while a bigger one would be preferred if you want to mainly strum on the guitar.
Best Guitar under 1000$
Haven’t you chosen one yet or stuck in a dilemma loop? I completely understand, so hopefully, this can give you the kick in the but you need to choose one.
First of all, I want to mention my favorite on this list and that is the Epiphone if you didnt read the section on it than just scroll to the top and look at the #1 Product.
I assume most of you have read about every single guitar on this list and is still stuck. To be honest, I have included every single guitar that I think is worth purchasing for 1000$. It should be at least 1 in this list you like, if not then you should go to a store and ask them to give you a few guitars to test and see for yourself which one you prefer.
If you are stuck in a dilemma to choose between two guitars then use my numerical ranking system. All the guitars on this list are ranked from best to the worst. If the one guitar is over the other, it would probably better for you to choose that one instead of the guitar on the bottom of the list, however, if you like the style and price tag of that one better than I assume you just have to flip a coin or do more research on your own to come to a conclusion.
I wish you good luck on your choice and purchase, here are a few last words on this article.
Last Words
1000$ is a great place to start when purchasing a guitar, its enough to acquire a great guitar that both looks and sounds good. 1000$ is a big investment and therefore you want to do the proper research and testing before you choose a guitar as well. I would recommend you to check out articles such as this one, forums, and youtube videos to learn more about the guitar you are currently considering to purchase.
I remember when I purchased my first high-end guitar, I was doing research for weeks before I decided to purchase one, back then it was a lot harder to find information on each guitar tho, so with the internet it should take you far less time.
I hope you found help in this list of guitars. I spent a couple of hours in testing and looking through some notes I have previously written on each guitar to make this list come alive for you. If there was anything you think I should have included in terms of information or maybe a guitar then feel free to contact us or leave a comment below to inform me.