With hundreds of brands and thousands of choices to make, picking the ultimate guitar that matches your requirements could be stressful. Our ultimate guide to Best Acoustic Guitars of 2021 along with updated reviews and player recommendations is going to make that decision easier, effective, and smarter.
You could get extremely confused finding some great acoustics at different price ranges, in different sizes, and different shapes. Gone are the days when the best acoustic guitars were the most expensive ones. Either you are at entry-level or pro, and your budget is tight or flexible, we have found you the best acoustic guitars that suit your style, tone, and perfect match for your wallet. From home practice to studio or band to orchestra, as a musician, you won’t ever have to compromise the quality of your music.
Here’s our best pick;
Editor Choice
Martin HD-28
Why is it better?
- Modern flawless design
- High-quality tonewood
- High-performance neck
Editor Choice
Martin HD-28
Why is it better?
- Modern flawless design
- High-quality tonewood
- High-performance neck
- On a budget? These are the Best Acoustic Guitar Under $300
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- Loud and clear: explore the best jazz guitar amplifier
- The best electric guitars for all budgets
The line up at a glance
After a series of in-depth research on several products, we’ve selected these 7 best acoustic guitars. Read through each product with its pros and cons to find your guitar.
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Summary
Our Rating
Flawless, modern, and natural with aging toner. High-performing acoustic is available in all types and sizes.
Travel size classic acoustic-electric with perfect fit & finish.
Sounds delicate and thin, yet lusher. Iconic Gibson songbird
best for folk, rock, and country players.
Excellent quality and great value for the money. This dreadnought is loud and sounds unique.
One of the best acoustics of the 100 series. Great hardware and available in different sizes (series)
A jumbo-sized gentle giant. Great sound, playability, and looks. Handsome, durable and comes with a handy-dandy quality case.
Open-pore finish, the sound is amazing and lovely built. “Ibanez”, the quality screams the brand name.
Our Picks For Top 7 Best acoustic guitar in 2021
1
Martin HD-28
Flawless, modern, and natural with aging toner.
+ Superb craftsmanship & tonewood
+ Herringbone binding
+ Hard case made out of Kryptonite.
+ Forward scalloped X bracing
+ High-Performance neck
– Price tag
Verdict
Martin HD28 6 strings acoustic is the modern version of D28 which was loved by legends such as Elvis Presley, Michael Hedges, and many more. When that along is a triumph, C.F. Martin & Co. produces guitars of fashion and high-quality without a doubt. Pricey yes, but that price is for the Quality!
Detail Reviews
Spruce as top material, Rosewood for body and back, Ebony fretboard and Mahogany neck material, perfectly built with high-quality tonewood. The workmanship is absolutely flawless. Upon unboxing, the spruce top appears to be a bit too light, but it’s a well known fact that as the years pass by the spruce top will age and darken to perfection.
Martin HD28 has 20 frets with a 25.4” scale length, fingerboard width of 13/4” at the nut and 21.8” at the 12th fret. Low profile neck which feels slimmer and very close to an electric guitar, and has herringbone binding with a modern tortoiseshell pickguard.
This gentle beast delivers all that we need; masses of bass, volume, and projection. It actually has a great bass response, while highs are every bit clear and crisp and the mids sound complex, warm, and well balanced as well.
2
Taylor GS Mini Acoustic
Travel size classic acoustic-electric with perfect fit & finish.
+ Loud
+ Travel size
+ Acoustic-electric hybrid
+ Classic design
+ Durability & Portability
– No cutaway causing a bit lower action
– Price tag
Verdict
Full crunch on a serious electric and gentle & warm acoustic tones both in one travel size handy dandy acoustic-electric guitar. Brand Taylor needs no further introduction, the word ”famous” is still an underestimation for Taylor. This mini perfect ¾ size Taylor guitar is every traveler’s dream. Don’t let the size trick you, close your eyes you will never guess this isn’t a full-size guitar except for that comfort, lightweight, and all other good reasons you could name. And this is not a toy! A professional guitar for anyone who loves a classic touch with a modern twist.
Detail Reviews
Size doesn’t literally define its sound, because Taylor GS Mini sounds really loud, clear, warm, and gentle at the same time. The five-way switch makes it easier to get that infamous “Quack” tone.
Mahogany top and back materials with a body of laminated and solid wood, with an Ebony fretboard, and a neck made of Sapele Wood. 23.5 Inches scale length, 20 frets, and set with Matte 2.0 Electronics.
Unlike most manufacturers prefer Spruce as the top achieving a very clear and sharp tone, but this mini guitar produces a much warmer tone with Mahogani on top. The neck has a smooth and comfortable action but slightly lower as no cutaway. sounds big and great, warm and resonant with a nice bottom-end. Available for left-handers too!
3
Gibson Montana Hummingbird
Sounds delicate and thin, yet lusher. Iconic Gibson songbird best for folk, rock, and country players.
+ Fantastic structure
+ Practically sonically faultless
+ Quality sound
+ Great vintage finish
+ Durable
– The color may not be everyone’s favorite
– Price tag
– Can be heavy for beginners
Verdict
It produces one of the best sounds you may have heard from an acoustic-electric no matter you play blues or rock or anything else. Your thick and full chords will sound very lively.
The craftsmanship of Gibson Montana Hummingbird is exceptional. Beautiful design and impressive appearance.
Quite expensive for some, but in terms of the durability, the investment is worth it.
Detail Reviews
Mahogany wood back material with a Mahogany body and neck, Sitka Spruce top, and most popular Rosewood fretboard. This 6 string bird comes with 20 frets, 12” radius, 24.75” scale length, and a slim-taper profile neck.
Hummingbird original is a buzz top to bottom and offers a discrete LR Baggs Element VTC system for plug-in power. This Legendary guitar is loaded with an L.R. Baggs Element pickup and Nickel Grover Rotomatic tuning machines. Buyers claim that this guitar sounds wonderful even without any amp and sounds very rich.
However, this top-notched guitar costs as much too. But, you also could find the cheaper version of Gibson’s Hummingbird, Epiphone Hummingbird Pro Acoustic-Electric Guitar but definitely, the quality can tell the difference.
4
Yamaha FG830
Excellent quality and great value for the money. This dreadnought is loud and sounds unique
+ Unique sound
+ Durability
+ Beautiful design
+ Price
+ Comfortable body shape
– The bridge lacks quality
– May need some start-up repair
Verdict
Very affordable price and buyers claim that the value for money is definitely there. Sounds amazing with a great bottom end. Durable and comfortable to handle and play. However, according to the Amazon reviews, it may need some initial repairs to start with, yet quite easy and quick ones.
Detail Reviews
Dreadnought body with no cutaways. Back, body, fingerboard, bridge all are made of Rosewood, solid Spruce top and Nato sides. Comes with an adjustable truss rod and diecast tuners. It has 20 frets, 15.7” neck radius, and 25.6” scale length.
Playing bass chords this guitar produces a unique tone and the guitar sound overall is loud. The scalloped bracing is controlling the vibrations of the body and that results in an uncommon and special sound unique to FG830.
No cutaways and no electronics such as pickups, preamps, equalizers, and tuners are attached, pure classic acoustic it is!
5
Taylor 110e acoustic-electric guitar
One of the best acoustics of the 100 series. Great hardware and available in different sizes (series)
+ Value for money
+ Bright sound and sustain
+ Narrow nut
+ Unique pickup
– As the top is solid but the back & sides are laminated
– The tone isn’t as rich and complex as high-end usual Taylors
Verdict
It may not be the cheapest compared to so many other acoustics, but this is proudly Tylor and one of the least expensive guitars that Tylor offers. Best for strumming and flat-picking yet if you are a finger-picker you would equally love this guitar. However, guitar 114 in the 100 series is a better choice for finger-picking.
Best for beginners/students or pros and this is an ideal choice as a second guitar.
Detail Reviews
The 110e comes with an inbuilt pick-up as the “e” represents it being an acoustic-electric guitar, so you can play it plugged or unplugged.
The neck is slightly smaller than standard neck-width at 1 and 11/16 inches, and usually comes with NANOWEB Coated Elixir Light Gauge or Medium Gauge Strings, so you don’t need to worry about changing the strings any sooner unless you have favorites.
The complete 100 series is a combination of different acoustics; 110e, 110ce – with cutaway, 114e – Grand Auditorium, 114ce – GA with cutaway, and 150e – 12 string version.
The Taylor 110e is not exactly the same high-end finish and quality as what usual Taylors are, but looking at the price, it indeed is a good deal.
6
Epiphone J-15EC Deluxe
Jumbo-sized gentle giant. Great sound, playability, and looks. Handsome, durable and comes with a handy-dandy quality case.
+ Durability
+ Stays in tune
+ Loud and great sounds
+ Price
+ Quality case
– Upper mids can be brashly bright
– Soft strings
Verdict
Jumbo-sized body and absolutely a gentle giant beast. The sound is great and loud, advanced tuners, and the price is just sweet.
Detail Reviews
Featuring NanoFlex Pickup System and premium tuners.
25.5” scale length, 12” fingerboard radius, 20 frets, with a slim-taper D shape neck. This advanced Jumbo acoustic is made of Spruce and Rosewood body, Rosewood back material, with an Ebony fretboard, and a Mahogany neck.
Great for both beginners and professionals and great value for money,
The strings are light and may be too thin, but then again you could change them to your favorite strings without hassle.
7
Ibanez AW54OPN Dreadnought acoustic guitar
Open-pore finish, the sound is amazing and lovely built. “Ibanez”, the quality screams the brand name.
+ Great Sound
+ Ovangkol or Rosewood fretboard
+ Open-Pore Finish
– No case or Gig Bag
Verdict
Traditional Dreadnought in modern attire. The Open Pore Natural finish shows off the guitar’s naturally rich wood grain which cannot be found elsewhere easily. This acoustic-electric guitar weighs only 4.5 pounds. Great for professionals and everyone else too, as long as the high price is not a problem.
Detail Reviews
Mahogani hardtail bridge, Mahogany wood back and top material, and most popular Rosewood fretboard with 25.5” scale. Almost all reviews were extremely positive, a brand like Gibanez cannot go wrong over a dreadnought. This machine is a killer and you will love it!
Yet sadly, no gig bag provided.
Criteria used for evaluation
Playability
The size of a guitar is important. We recommend ¾ guitars with C, D, or U necks specifically for small hands and beginners/students as the shrunk size of the guitar and neck shape can make it comfortable for you to reach higher codes. Not necessarily that the tone quality and features decrease along with the size, some great full-featured ¾ size guitars are available as long as you know what to look for.
Weight: How many hours of play would you do at a stretch, choose your guitar weight accordingly.
Neck widths: 1.72 inches standard acoustic. Smaller necks are easier to play for smaller hands but larger necks are better for fingerpicking. Neck radius: The amount of curvature or roundness in a guitar neck. Common acoustic guitar fretboard radiuses: 10″, 12″, 16″, and 20″. This varies according to the requirement. Example: A round neck will be better for a rhythm guitarist but a flat neck is preferable for lead guitarists.
Material & Durability
Main two material types:
- Laminate: 4 to 5 thin wood pressed together (commonly plywood). Lower volume and tone in comparison to solid wood, but a lot cheaper too.
- Solid: Two matching solid wood pieces kept together. Clearer and richer sounds than laminated but of-cause, the price is higher.
Common tonewood/fretboard effect on the sound;
Rosewood: Common for fretboards. Strong and clear at the low end, rich and sparkly at the top end, with a reverberant quality.
Sitka Spruce: Sturdy, lightweight, clear, and powerful tone.
Ebony: Clear, crisp, and brighter.
Mahogany: Solid, punchy tone with low overtone content and good high-end response
Maple: Heavier and flat-sounding
Sound
- Resonation- how does the wood vibrate against your body when you strum
- Projection- step a few feet back and let someone else play the guitar for you. Play: high, play low, & high vs low.
Playing it yourself and hear someone else play are two different factors that you can evaluate the tone and sound on.
Action & Intonation
Direct effect on quality and sound. Few ways to check;
Action- Observe how far the strings are from the fretboard and you shouldn’t be able to see a noticeable increase in distance between the 5th and 12th fret with the naked eye. If you could find a ruler, makes it more accurate.
Intonation- First play a chord such as D and then play that same chord starting on the 14th fret (without a barre), they should sound exactly the same. Another way is the Harmonic method where you play an open string and compare it against the 12th-fret harmonic, and they should be the same.
Bodystyle
Travel: Portable compact body, great for travelers, beginners & young players
Parlor: Smaller body for low key players.
Dreadnoughts: Most popular. Balanced volume, average size providing ease of play.
Auditorium: Size between dreadnoughts and parlor(Grand Auditorium is the bigger version)
Jumbo: Plus size body and LOUD.
Frequently Asked Question
Ibanez, Fender, Taylor, Gibson, and Martine are a few of the high-end acoustic guitar brands in the market. Whereas Yamaha, Epiphone, Seagull are some of the budget-friendly yet well-reputed great guitar brands we could easily find.