Best Beginner Acoustic Guitars

1950's Harmony
Patrician

I started learning to play guitar when I was 13 years old. At that time, there were not a lot of choices. My Dad took me to Will's Pawn shop and bought a $20 Harmony Patrician archtop.

Today there are folks that would be impressed that I owned that old Harmony archtop, since it is now considered a vintage instrument. However like most Harmony guitars of that era those guitars have huge necks which are generally bowed. That was the problem with my guitar. The strings were at least an inch off the neck at the 12th fret. However I was able to learn the basic position chords on it.

These days beginners have so many better options to find guitars, that are much easier to play, and have a better sound. Some of this is due to due to computerized machinery that is able to consistently produce more exacting intonation, and turn out guitars that do not differ too much, one from another. Also guitar manufacturers face a lot of competition to turn out a quality product.

Because most musical instruments are now made outside of the USA, the construction labor is reduced, therefore the prices are more affordable for beginners, and their parents.

Richie Rich

Unless you are Richie Rich, I would not suggest starting out on a brand new Martin D-18, or a high end Taylor. You or your child might find you are not suited for playing guitar.

So here are a few beginner guitars that I would recommend. Please note, I would never any guitar that does not have a solid wood top.

Solid Spruce Top

The ones I am recommending all have a solid wood sounding board. If you are researching in a music store or on line, the description will mention if the wood is solid, be it the top, neck or any part of the instruments body. If it does not solid wood; it is laminate.

Spruce wood tops are usually associated with a warm tone, while mahogany tops sound a little brighter. The guitars top is one of the most important parts of the guitar, since that is what the strings cause to vibrate, producing the sound.

The back and sides are important as well, as these work as the to project the sound.  On the guitars I am suggesting, the back and sides are generally made of laminated wood. Though not ideal, but it does reduce the price of the guitar, and has far less effect on the sound as does the soundboard.

I’ve kept these in a budget of $300 to $500 range. If you find one that sells for less, make sure it has a solid wood top. Most of these guitars I am suggesting I have played at one time or another. So let's get started.

Baby Taylor - Spruce Top

The Baby Taylor guitar comes with a solid spruce or mahogany top, and is made by Taylor Guitars. Both model have solid wood tops. These are small sized guitars, so they are nice for children, or anyone with small hands. The back, sides, and neck are made of layered Sapele wood, which comes from Africa. It has become a popular wood for guitars since it is plentiful.

Baby Taylor
Mahogany Top

The neck on the Baby Taylors are bolted onto the body by a couple of screws that are mounted on the fretboard and covered under fret markers. These guitar come with a sturdy gig bag, and they retail for $350.00. Martin guitars offer a similar instrument called The Little Martin LX. I cannot recommend it as it is made of high pressure laminate material.

Taylor Big Baby

The Taylor Big Baby comes with a solid Sitka spruce top. The back, sides, and the neck are made of Sapele wood. This guitar is a larger version of the Baby Taylor, It is a 15/16th size guitar with a 25 1/2" scale, so it is actually a normal sized guitar, with just basic features. The body is larger than the Baby model, therefore the sound is larger.


The back on this model, and on the Baby Taylor has a slight arch, which eliminates the need for back bracing.  Like the smaller model, this guitar comes guitar comes with a bolt on neck.  It also has pickguard. The Big Baby Taylor comes with a gig bag, and retails for $450.00

Taylor 3/4 size GS Mini with
 a  Mahogany, Spruce, Koa top

The Taylor GS Mini comes with a Sitka spruce, Koa, or a mahogany top and though it is a 3/4 size guitar, it has a bigger body than the Baby Taylor, The neck on the GS Mini is one inch longer than the Baby Taylor with a 23 1/2" scale. The back, sides, and neck are made of Sapele wood.  The neck on this guitar has a heel, and it is bolted from the interior of the body, so it is easily adjustable.

Taylor GS Mini ES-Go PIckup System

The body on this guitar has the added feature of binding. Although it is not an electric guitar, for an extra cost, you can buy the Taylor ES-Go pickup system that easily turns this instrument into and acoustic electric model. The Taylor GS Mini comes with a gig bag and retails for $499.00

All Taylor guitars in this price range are made in El Cajon, Mexico.

Seagull S6 Original 

The Seagull S6 Guitar This guitar is normal sized. It has a solid cedar top, that is pressure tested at the factory. The grain of the wood is cut to give a compound curve and produces a superior tone. The back, and sides are made of three layers of cherry wood, which are laminated so the grain of the mid layer is reversed from the inner and outer layers.

The neck is made of Silverleaf Maple and has a 24 5/8" scale.

Seagull Tapered Headstock

The headstock on Seagull guitars are tapered so the strings have a straight pull, which is helpful in maintaining and keeping intonation. The headstock is angled at a 45 degree angle.

Seagull S6 - Natural Cherry
Back and Sides

The Seagull S6 guitar comes with a natural finish on the back and sides, or the stained finished (shown above). It retails for around $420.00, but I have seen used models for more than $100 less.

If I was starting all over again, this is the guitar I would want. Seagull guitars are made in Canada, in the Provence of La Patrie, in Quebec and they are well made instruments.

The company is owned by Robert Godin, who builds guitars under a number of different brand names. The wood for Seagull guitars is harvested in Canada, and it is aged at the factory. The case or gig bag are sold separately.

Ovation Elite Celebrity CE44-1

The Ovation Elite Celebrity CE44-1 acoustic-electric is a normal sized This guitar is made in China. The top is solid spruce and instead of a large sound hole, it has multiple small sound holes with a decorative overlay. It comes with a built-in OP-4BT preamp which controls volume and EQ, and has Ovation's unique piezo pickup system in the instruments bridge.


It also has a built-in tuner. This guitar is made in China, and retails for $470.00. The case or gig bag is sold separately

Saga Musical Instrument
Company Brands

Saga Musical Instruments is a distribution company and has been in business for more that 40 years. They started by offering instrument kits, which they still sell, but currently sell completed instruments that are made in China.

Blueridge Guitars

Their current line up includes a brand called Blueridge Guitars. Many of these guitars are replicas of Martin guitar, right down to the scalloped bracing. The company makes some high end, and expensive instruments that are totally solid wood.  Some professional musicians are using these.  However for a beginner or amateur player, I would recommend a lower price point guitar.

Blueridge instruments are well constructed.

Blueridge BR-63

The Blueridge BR-63  is a replica of a vintage 000 Martin guitar. It has a solid Sitka spruce top. The back and sides are mahogany. Much like the 000 Martin style, body is slightly smaller, but this is a normal size guitar. You would need to purchase a case or a gig bag. It retails for around $450.00

Blueridge BR-40

The Blueridge BR-40 is a replica of a Martin D-18, but it has a fancy headstock. The guitar has a solid Sitka spruce top, and the back and sides are mahogany and it is a full sized guitar. You would need a case or a gig-bag. It retails for $650 to $700, but you can find a used one for less than $500.

The Takamine Guitar Company is a Japanese firm that started in 1959, and took it's name because the original companies facility was at the base of Japan's Mount Takamine. This business makes some very nice guitars.

In fact their guitars are so nice that are so nice many well known artists use them on stage. Their parametric piezo pickup system is very similar to Ovation's system.  Takamine offers their G series of guitars that are made in China.

Takamine
GX18CENS

Takamine GX18CENS 3/4 Size Travel Acoustic-Electric Guitar is a 3/4 sized guitar. This guitar has a solid spruce top. This is a very well made instrument that has some aspects found on more expensive guitars. The back and sides are mahogany laminate.The case or gig bag is sold separately. It sells for $400.00.

Takamine GD30CE

The Takamine G Series GD30CE is a full sized acoustic electric guitar. It has a solid spruce top, and laminate mahogany back and sides. The guitar includes a TP-4TD preamp, with EQ and a built in tuner connected to the bridge saddle piezo unit.  It is available with a gloss natural or black finish and retails for $460.00 to $480.00. Once again the case or gig bag is sold separately.


Currently all Epiphone guitars are now all made in Qingdoa China. In the past they were manufactured in Japan, and Korea. However in 2004 Gibson invested in the Chinese factory.  Some of the companies moderately priced models are good. These are all are replicas of Gibson guitars, which sell for thousands of dollars more.

Epiphone DR-400MCE

The Epiphone Masterbilt DR-400MCE retails at $400.00, and is probably the best instrument in it's class. This acoutic-electric guitar not only has a solid Sitka spruce, but the back and sides are made of solid mahogany.

This guitar has Epiphone's Esonic2 HD pickup system which combines a piezo unit mounted in the bridge saddle, and a magnetic pickup at the end of the fretboard.  The controls are thumb wheels on the upper side of the sound hole. The neck is nicely dovetailed to the body. It retails for $400.00 The case or gig bag is sold separately.

Epiphone Hummingbird Pro

The Epiphone Hummingbird Performer Pro model, is no longer being manufactured, but new and used models are still available. This model features a solid spruce top, with laminate back and sides. It includes a Shadow undersaddle nano flex pickup with a 2 band EQ control, and phase filter. This comes in a cutaway, or non-cutaway version, and tobacco burst or cherry burst finishes and sells for around $370.00. Case or gig bag is extra.

 Epiphone currently offer the Hummingbird Artist with a price range from $200 to $225. The "Artist" has a laminated top, and a plain black pickguard. The Pro model has the decorative pickguard with hummingbirds embossed on it. I advise to go with the Pro model.

Epiphone Dove Pro

The Epiphone Dove Pro model is Epiphone's take on the Gibson Dove guitar. The Dove Pro is a gorgeous instrument and features a solid spruce top. The decorative image of a dove is found on the pickguard, and dove wings are inlaid in the guitars mustache bridge. The back and sides are laminated maple. The fret marker are parallel style. This guitar has a Fishman Sonitone undersaddle pickup with soundhole controls and preamp. It comes with a violin-burst finish, however there are LTD, or limited editions with an Ebony or Alpine white finish. The guitar retails at $370.00, and case or gig bag are sold separately.

Yamaha FG800

At a lower price of only $200.00, the Yamaha FG800 is a normal sized guitar that comes with a bound solid spruce top and is a very good bargain.  The back and sides are made of nato wood, which is a Asian hardwood from the Mora tree. There is nothing fancy about this guitar. This guitar is available with a Sand-burst or a natural finish.


The Yamaha corporation of Japan has been building guitars since the 1940's. Many popular artists including John Denver and Paul Simon have used Yamaha guitars. In the early 1970's the Yamaha FG150 was a popular guitar due to its affordability.  The FG800 seems to be an updated version. A case or gig bag is sold separately.

Cordoba CM3

I have concentrated on guitars with steel strings, as they are more popular than their nylon string cousins. The same rules would apply to a nylon string instrument. Find one with a solid top. Better yet find one with solid back and sides, such as the Cordoba CM3 which sells for $200. If the description of the guitar says cedar top, mahogany back and sides, it is made of laminated wood. Classical guitars have wider necks, usually no position markers, and are meant for playing with your fingers instead or strumming the guitar with a pick.

Finally, if you can find these guitars, or any acoustic guitar in the used market, at a lower price, I would buy it, as long as the top is made of solid wood, and the action is acceptable. You can always use lighter gauge strings on a guitar, or have a music store adjust the action. If you have any suggestions, please respond to me,

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