17 Best Acoustic Electric Guitars in 2024 (All Price Ranges)

If you’re looking for an acoustic guitar for all-around use, acoustic electric guitars are a much smarter choice and worth the extra investment. You can use it acoustically, record easily without an expensive mic, and most importantly, you can perform on stage much easier without worrying about the feedback from the mics or fear of your acoustic guitar sound getting buried.

Almost all the modern acoustic electric guitars will come with preamp and a pickup installed and the sound is easily adjustable with the controls on the preamp. And because it’s plugged in, you can connect the guitar through a series of guitar pedals and effects. As long as you can manage the feedback from the acoustics, the sky is the limit when it comes to the tone.

One of the most common reasons why people prefer an acoustic guitar as opposed to the acoustic electric guitar is because of the idea of drilling a hole into the body of beautiful wood. Drilling a hole to install preamp and endpin hole certainly could alter the natural sound of a high-end acoustic guitar, but luckily, modern acoustic electric guitars are designed with this consideration and there are plenty that sound just as full and beautiful as a regular acoustic guitar. That being said, it’s definitely something to consider when you’re buying an acoustic electric guitar.

Alright, let’s jump into reviews on the best acoustic electric guitars at different price points!

Here Are the Best Acoustic Electric Guitars (All Price Ranges)

1. Martin HD-28E (Best Overall)

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$3600
Body Style	Dreadnought
Top	Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides	East Indian rosewood
Neck	Solid Mahogany
Body Bracing	Forward shifted pattern 5/16’’ scalloped x bracing
Electronics	Fishman Electronics

My Review: Martin has produced some iconic guitars for a while now and one of their most iconic models is the HD-28. They are inspired by D-28 from the pre-war era and have been around since the 1970s. Since then, they remain one of the most popular models by Martin, and adding pickups on such a legendary instrument wasn’t a bad idea at all. By owning a Martin HD-28E, you get to be part of the long Martin legacy, with so many legendary players that have adored this guitar. Yes, it’s ridiculously expensive for a guitar, but it’s one of the most perfect dreadnought style guitars you will ever find.

Key Specs and Features: HD-28 has been around for many years now, and they have managed to keep many things the same over the years. I mean, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it right? The HD-28 is known for its 14-fret body, classic forward-shifted, and has scalloped x-bracing on it. And you can expect the absolute best choice of tonewoods on this guitar. For the top, we have the highest quality Sitka Spruce top, East Indian Rosewood for back and sides, and Solid Mahogany for the neck. The Sitka Spruce top will sound different as time passes and depending on how well you take care of the instrument, you are going to have an unbelievably gorgeous-sounding guitar as time passes by. If you preserve it well, the value will go up as the year’s pass.

Other classic features of an HD-28E include herringbone purfling and vintage-style open-back tuners. One of the updates on this newer version of HD-28E is the High-Performance Neck Taper, which gives the guitar a more modern comfortable grip when you play them. The Aged Toner gives the guitar a vintage-vibed straight out of the box.

As for the sound, you will probably expect a beautiful sound for such a price. Well, the chances are, it sounds way better than you expect. These are the gold standard of dreadnought guitars and the first impression you get is the super loud projection. It almost feels like it’s miked and the guitar responds extremely well to your little nuances in your picking or strumming. As you would expect from a dreadnought, the super-rich low-end stands out but doesn’t overwhelm the mids and treble. The mids and highs are clearly present as well and it’s just a gorgeous sounding instrument.

Electronics: Over a long period of collaboration between Martin and Fishman, this guitar now has the Aura VT Enhance system. This technology combines the under the saddle pickup with a digital processing called Aura image. And there is a second Enhance transducer on the guitar’s bridge plate. The controls are inside the soundhole and you adjust your volume and EQ.

Who Will Use This the Most: I recommend this to advanced guitarists who already have experience playing high-end guitars and know how to maintain a nice guitar like this.

Bottom Line: Martin HD-28E is the gold standard of dreadnought guitars and is one iconic acoustic guitar.

2. Taylor 214CE Deluxe (Best Value)

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$1500
Body Style	Taylor Grand Auditorium
Top	Solid Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides	Layered Rosewood
Neck	Sapele
Body Bracing	Taylor Standard II Bracing (Forward Shift Pattern)
Electronics	Expression System 2 “professional audio” -grade

My Review: Next up, we have an amazing guitar that is right in between high-end guitars and budget guitars. It’s honestly a great price point for a high-quality guitar by a top brand like Taylor and it’s designed to be comfortable and versatile. The Taylor 214CE Deluxe is the more expensive and well-made of the Taylor 200 series, and it’s certainly one of the most popular models out of the Taylor 200 series.

Key Specs and Features: The 214CE Deluxe model features Taylor’s own special body shape, the Grand Auditorium, which is a variation of the dreadnought body. The Grand Auditorium body has the same size as a regular dreadnought with similar width and depth. But the difference is in the contours in the body and the tapered waist that makes this body much more comfortable to play when seated. It also features the Venetian cutaway, which offers a unique design and easy access to upper frets.

Looking at the tonewoods, 214CE Deluxe is equipped with a Solid Sitka Spruce top, Layered Rosewood back and sides, and a Sapele neck. The tonewoods are top-quality tonewoods that can easily compete with the high-end guitars. Another unique feature of this guitar is bracing and it has the Taylor Standard II Forward Shifted bracing. When compared to the X-bracing, The Forward Shifted bracing offers a little more bright and shimmering tone.

The tone of this guitar is excellent and can be bright or warm, and it’s well-balanced from bass to treble. But most importantly, the guitar has a loud projection acoustically from the excellent tonewoods and the Forward Shifted bracing.

Electronics: The Taylor 214CE Deluxe has Taylor’s own Expression System 2 “professional audio” -grade. They are certainly a good pickup and preamp but can be a little confusing at first. Just like the Gibson Hummingbird, the control knobs are hidden under the soundhole and the knobs are not labeled. But in any case, they still do an excellent job when the guitar is plugged in.

Who Will Use This the Most: The Taylor 214CE Deluxe can be a huge step-up guitar for intermediate players, as this guitar can hang with the high-end guitars in terms of specs and sound. This guitar can also serve as a great recording and performing guitar for experienced musicians.

Bottom Line: Taylor 214CE Deluxe is a guitar that is a comfortable, versatile guitar with a huge projection of sound and a well-balanced tone.

3. Martin D-10E Road Series (Best Under $1000)

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$850
Body Style	Dreadnought
Top	Solid Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides	Sapele
Neck	Solid Mahogany
Body Bracing	Sitka 5/16’’ Non-Scalloped With ¼’’ Tone Bars
Electronics	Fishman Electronics

My Review: First appearing on the scene in 2001, the D-10E Road Series is Martin’s made-in-Mexico budget guitar that sounds and looks like a Martin guitar. Made-in-USA Martin guitars are often not the best instruments to carry around because they can be damaged easily, so that’s where this guitar comes in. It’s less than ⅓ of the price of the famous Martin guitars and it looks and sounds close to Martin guitars. With the help of the Fishman electronics, you can plug it in anywhere and get a great Martin dreadnought guitar sound.

Key Specs and Features: Even though it’s less than 1/3 of the price of an HD-28, D-10E Road Series has a Solid Sitka Spruce top. But the back and sides are made of Sapele instead of East Indian Rosewood and the neck is made of Solid Mahogany. The body style is the common 14 fret neck dreadnought style body and has an all-Satin finish with pearl soundhole inlay. The all-Satin finish gives it a slightly different feel from its American-made counterparts but it doesn’t look all that different because of the inlays around the top and the soundhole.

The neck is just like the American-made Martin guitars and has Martin’s hand-rubbed Performing Artist neck. It’s extremely comfortable and you can slide from the bottom fret to the top very smoothly. The projection of the guitar is quite surprising considering the price, and the guitar can get very loud acoustically. The overall tone is balanced and has rich bass, as you would expect from a Martin dreadnought style guitar.

Electronics: The D-10E Road Series comes with the Fishman MX-T system and you can access the knobs under the soundhole. There are one volume and one tone knob respectively, and this time you get a tuner that you can easily see under the soundhole. Many players love the fact that all the control knobs and tuners are hidden under the soundhole instead of hanging out on the side of the body.

Who Will Use This the Most: This guitar is great for intermediate players and it’s a great chance for them to experience a Martin guitar. Also, experienced musicians can take this guitar around as their touring or performing guitar.

Bottom Line: Martin D-10E Road Series gives hope to regular folks that we can all afford a Martin guitar and proudly play one! Overall, I would say this is the best acoustic electric guitar under 1000 dollars.

4. Martin LX1E Little Martin (Best Small Body Acoustic Electric Under $500)

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$500
Body Style	Modified O-14 Fret
Top	Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides	High-Pressure Laminate
Neck	Rust Birch Laminate
Body Bracing	Non-Scalloped X
Electronics	Fishman Electronics

My Review: Martin is well-known for being one of the absolute best acoustic guitar companies in the world. Their guitars are gorgeous-looking and sound even better than it looks. But the downside of Martin is its ridiculous price that goes well over $3000. In recent years, Martin included some excellent low-budget guitars to their list and it has become one of the most popular acoustic electric guitars around. The Little Martin guitar has become extremely popular because you can see singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran taking this guitar on tour for his solo shows in arenas. For such a small guitar, it produces a beautiful sound that fills up the entire arena with the powerful acoustic guitar sound. And because of the small size, it can fit almost anywhere from an airplane, backseat, to tiny rooms and crawl spaces. So for songwriters, artists on tour, people that are always on the move, the Little Martin is one of your best options. It also looks simple but elegant and boasts a much larger sound acoustically than people might expect.

Key Specs and Features: As you would expect from a top brand like Martin, the tonewoods are quite exceptional on this guitar. The top is the most important wood on an acoustic guitar and Little Martin has a Solid Sitka Spruce on the top, which is one of the very best wood for the guitar top. The back and sides are a little different, and they are made of High-Pressure Laminate. The neck is composed of Rust Birch Laminate. The laminate sides, back, and neck might not produce amazing acoustic sound compared to natural wood, but it provides much durable material for traveling and long-term use.

Looking at the neck, it’s a modern low oval-shaped neck profile and has a PA taper on it. This provides a super comfortable grip for chord playing, fast lines, and all sorts of technical fun. This guitar is obviously much smaller compared to a full-size dreadnought and the scale length is 23’’, which is more than two full inches shorter than full-size acoustic guitars. Inevitably, it won’t have as much sound acoustically, but once you’re plugged in, you can really go as loud as the amp or the speaker can take it.

The tone is on the brighter side than warm and unfortunately, it lacks resonance if we’re comparing it to full-size dreadnought guitars. But once you are plugged in and use pedals like reverb, delay, EQ, etc, then you can get a lot more tone out of this instrument.

Electronics: The preamp and pickup are by Fishman and it’s a very simple system with just 1-band EQ and a volume knob.

Who Will Use This the Most: The Little Martin LX1E is best suited for kids learning the guitar or musicians that need a traveling guitar.

Bottom Line: The Little Martin provides a large sound for its smaller size and it’s very comfortable to play due to the small size.

5. Fender CD-140SCE (Best Under $500)

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$450
Body Style	Dreadnought Single Cutaway
Top	Solid Spruce
Back and Sides	Rosewood
Neck	Rosewood
Body Bracing	Quartersawn Scalloped X Bracing
Electronics	Fishman Electronics

My Review: The Fender CD-140SCE is a top-selling model in Fender’s Classic Series that was released in 2017 during the NAMM show. Straightaway, the design is the very classic-looking body in a jumbo cutaway shape. The tonewoods are top-notch and the neck is very comfortable even though it’s a full-size dreadnought guitar. And with the very balanced guitar tone, Fender CD-140SCE is clearly one of the best beginner or low-budget acoustic electric guitars around.

Key Specs and Features: First looking at the guitar body, it’s a full-size dreadnought body with a single-cutaway. It comes in a beautiful sunburst finish or a natural finish, and both finishes look super classy. The top is a solid Spruce top and it’s finished with a tortoise-shell pickguard. The neck is a mahogany neck with rosewood fretboard, and you can see that all the tonewood components are the type of wood that you would find on high-end acoustic guitars. The bracing is also top-notch, finished with quartersawn scalloped “x” bracing. The quartersawn scalloped X bracing will help get the most resonance and tone out of the guitar and get more volume than non-scalloped bracing.

One thing that could be a disadvantage to playing a dreadnought style guitar is the bulky nature of the guitar. The neck is often thick and really hard to grab for beginners and intermediate players and Fender made sure this particular model would still be comfortable to play for guitar players of all levels. The neck type is called ‘Easy-to-play’ neck and it has a much slim neck profile and even has rolled fingerboard edges. With this neck, even beginners won’t have much trouble getting their thumb over the neck to play those big chords.

The other components of the guitar are also well thought out and picked. The machines are chrome die-cast machine heads and it also features dual-action truss rod. The dual-action truss rod makes the neck easily adjustable and very trustworthy. Whenever you have fret buzzing noise or problems with the action, you can easily adjust the truss rod accordingly.

Finally, let’s talk about the sound. The tone of CD-140SCE can be described as well-balanced and good for all-around use. The bass, middle, and treble are all full-sounding and it has loud enough sound to be played acoustically in many different spaces. The tonewoods are all very responsive to your playing and it’ll be an amazing guitar for anyone looking for a guitar under $500.

Electronics: The electronics are Fishman Presys Plus Preamp with a built-in tuner. It’s a very trustworthy industry-standard electronics and it comes with simple bass, volume, treble knobs.

Who Will Use This the Most: This is a perfect choice for all beginner and intermediate guitar players and the electronics allow for all kinds of use such as recording, performing, jamming, and practicing.

Bottom Line: Fender CD-140SCe is a trusted, comfortable, affordable, high-quality instrument, and in my opinion, the best acoustic electric guitar under 500 dollars.

Popular Related Article: 17 Best Acoustic Electric Guitars Under $500

6. D’angelico Premier Tammany (Best Under 300)

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$350
Body Style	Orchestra/OM
Top	Solid Mahogany
Back and Sides	Laminated Mahogany
Neck	Mahogany
Body Bracing	Scalloped X Bracing
Electronics	D’angelico MG-30 onboard preamp/tuner

My Review: D’angelico is the dark horse of the modern electric and acoustic guitars, and they’ve been creating some of the best-looking, affordable and great-sounding guitars ever since their revival in 2010. D’angelico is a New York City brand with its history going back to 1932 and the company was started out with the legendary luthier John D’angelico. He created some of the best hollow body guitars at the time and now since their revival, the company has also put out some gorgeous acoustic electric guitars. They are able to put out some luxurious-looking guitars that have their own special “D’angelico” look and by producing their guitars overseas, D’angelico is able to keep the price very affordable for its quality.

D’angelico Premier Tammany is from their recent Premier lines and it’s offered in multiple colors like Matte Black, Mahogany Satin, Trans Black Cherry Burst, Ice Tea Burst, and Vintage Natural. Every color is slightly different in terms of body design and body wood material and Mahogany Satin finish is the most affordable option among them. It’s one of the cheapest prices offered by the legendary D’angelico and it’s a great chance to experience the D’angelico excellence for just around $300.

Key Specs and Features: The Mahogany Satin has an all-mahogany body and it uses laminated mahogany for both top and back and sides. But the real difference between this particular guitar and the other guitars on this list is the guitar shape. Many other guitars were mostly dreadnought shape, which is known to produce a bigger and bass-heavy full guitar sound. The D’angelico Premier Tammany has an OM body, Orchestra Model. The OM body is known to produce a sweeter, mid-heavy guitar tone. It might not be as loud as a Dreadnought body or have as much as bass sound in the tone, but the OM body has its advantages of having a more mellow sound. Another huge advantage of an OM body is its smaller and comfortable body shape. So for those who struggle to wrap their body around a full-size dreadnought guitar, this OM body might be for you.

The neck profile is C-shaped and it’s very comfortable to grip and move around throughout the neck. The scale length is very standard, a total length of 25.5’’, the hardware is chrome and there is a dual-action truss rod running through this guitar’s neck. With so many color/finish choices and the classic D’angelico headstock, the D’angelico Premier Tammany looks both luxurious and modern. And most importantly, the tone quality backs up its good looks.

Electronics: The electronics are D’agenlico’s own system, MG-30 onboard preamp/tuner. It’s simple but effective with volume, bass, mid, treble, phase, and an accurate tuner.

Who Will Use This the Most: For those of you who find dreadnought body guitars too big or just too much, this guitar will fit much more comfortably to your body. The characteristic of guitar sound is also different, this OM body is sweeter and mid-range based while dreadnought is more bassy and full.

Bottom Line: D’angelico Premier Tammany is a very attractive OM body guitar that also has great sound and comfortable playability.

7. Ibanez V70CE (Best Under 200)

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$200
Body Style	Dreadnought
Top	Select Spruce Top
Back and Sides	Mahogany
Neck	Mahogany
Body Bracing	–
Electronics	Ibanez Preamp and Pickups

My Review: Ibanez V70CE is a very trustworthy acoustic electric guitar that has been around for more than 10 years. For such a long time, Ibanez V70CE has been steadily popular and always has been a popular go-to acoustic electric. And if you take a look at the price and its specs, it’s hard not to know why it’s so popular. For just under $200, you get a full-size dreadnought body with great quality tonewoods and the signature soft single-cutaway gives you very easy access to higher frets. The tone of the guitar is full and loud, and it’s really versatile for many different genres of music. It’s also comfortable to play for guitar players of all levels, and the extremely affordable price point makes this guitar irresistible. This makes the Ibanez V70CE a perfect beginner guitar or an acoustic electric for singers and singer-songwriters.

Key Specs and Features: As I mentioned above, the main thing that stands out from this guitar is the soft single cutaway shape. The top is made of layered spruce and the rest of the body is constructed with nato mahogany. The fretboard is rosewood and you can see that the choices for the wood, Spruce, and Nato Mahogany, are a type of tonewoods that you would find on a high-quality acoustic guitar. The combination of Spruce and Mahogany will give you a full and balanced sound.

The soundhole is also attractive with its rosette design and around the body of the guitar, you can see the solid plastic ivory-colored binding. This binding protects the guitar from cuts and damages, and also serves as a great decoration for the guitar. In terms of tuning, you get die-cast chrome tuners that will last a lifetime and a compensated saddle for very long tuning stability. The tone is loud, pronounced, and rich with resonance, and the sound will be suitable for most genres. If this is your first guitar, you might find the full-size dreadnought body slightly overwhelming, but if you take the extra time to develop strength in your hands to play comfortably on these, then you’ll have no trouble playing any other type of guitar bodies in the future.

Electronics: Electronics are simple yet effective with Ibanez preamp and pickup. The simple design gives you the option to control the volume, bass, and treble.

Who Will Use This the Most: I recommend this guitar to beginner guitar players that want to learn straight from a full-size dreadnought body guitar. Although it’ll be more painful and harder to make beautiful sounds on a full-size dreadnought body guitar, it will all be worth it when you overcome that and build strong finger/hand muscles for the future.

Bottom Line: Ibanez V70CE impresses with its great value and V70CE continues its popularity as a solid affordable acoustic electric even after 10 years of production.

8. Gibson Hummingbird Standard (Editor’s Choice)

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$4000
Body Style	Square Shoulder
Top	Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides	Mahogany
Neck	Mahogany
Body Bracing	Traditional Hand-scalloped X
Electronics	L.R. Brass Electronics

My Review: Anyone who knows anything about guitars will have heard of Gibson guitars. They are one of the most legendary guitar companies in the world and even to this day, they only produce high-end guitars while Epiphone produces the low budget versions of the Gibson guitars. The Gibson Hummingbird Standard can be described as one fine wine and it looks the part. With gorgeous Vintage Cherry Sunburst color, this guitar will sound better with time and properly aged like a fine French wine. Now the price is definitely a significant jump from all the previous guitars, but this is one of those high-end guitars that are totally worth the price. By owning this guitar and playing it, you are following in the footsteps of many rock and country legends like U2, Keith Richards, Lenny Kravitz, and Chris Cornell.

Key Specs and Features: Gibson Hummingbird Standard is most known for its iconic look, vintage cherry sunburst with the one-and-only Traditional Hummingbird pickguard art. For some people, they might not be the biggest fans of flowers and bird drawings on their guitar, but trust me, this particular design will grow on you real quick! It’s one of those guitars that can be instantly recognized from afar because of the iconic pickguard and Gibson Hummingbirds have their undeniable aura about them. And as you would have expected, the tonewoods are the absolute best, Sitka Spruce for the top, Mahogany for back and sides, and Rosewood for the fretboard. Another amazing feature is the traditional hand-scalloped X, which is a rare trait you would only find in high-end guitars like this. And because of the best choice of tonewoods and body bracing, the guitar tone is studio ready both acoustically and plugged in. The guitar will sound just as good with a nice condenser microphone or plugged in through an amp or PA system which is pretty rare to find in any guitar.

Many of the hardware and features of the guitar are very similar to the original design from the 1960s and that’s not surprising because the original guitar model was already close to perfection. Following the Martin tradition, the neck of the guitar is attached by a compound dovetail at the 14th fret, and the neck is supported by a single action truss rod and has a scale length of 24.75’’. Judging by the bulkiness of the guitar, the 24.75-inch scale length is quite surprising. And because the scale length is shorter than most full-size guitars, it allows the players to really play comfortably and play a variety of styles like fingerstyle, rock riffs, fast runs to simple strumming.

You’ve heard this guitar in so many different performances and recordings from the likes of Rolling Stones, Brian May, to Chris Cornell. It seems that this guitar is mostly associated with rock stars but the Hummingbird can offer so much more. The excellent build and tonewoods make this guitar extremely responsive to the subtleness of your playing, whether you’re softly strumming with your thumb or fingerpicking with all your finger strength. The tone is very versatile, from a silky warm tone to a loud twangy sound. If you have the budget, it’s really a do-it-all, gorgeous, and such a precious instrument that you won’t regret buying.

Electronics: The electronics on this guitar are by L.R. Baggs and the pickups are discreetly hidden inside the guitar and you can barely notice that it’s there. The control knobs are also not on the body like most acoustic electric guitars and that’s a great feature because the place of the preamp is not destroying the natural wood of the body. It has a simple tone and volume knobs under the soundhole.

Who Will Use This the Most: The Gibson Hummingbird Standard is for experienced guitarists that have the budget for this kind of high-end guitars and it’s for players who want the absolute best acoustic guitar for recording and performing purposes.

Bottom Line: This expensive guitar by Gibson is a guitar that is close to perfection and is well worth the money.

9. Epiphone Dove Pro

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$400
Body Style	Dreadnought
Top	Solid Spruce
Back and Sides	Select Maple
Neck	Hard maple
Body Bracing	–
Electronics	Fishman Sonicore

My Review: Epiphone is known for producing excellent and super affordable remakes of famous Gibson originals. With every remake of a Gibson classic, Epiphone is somehow able to make an affordable version that sounds fairly similar to the original, but with almost a quarter of the original price. That’s the same case with Epiphone Dove Pro, The Dove style acoustic guitars were first produced in the early 1960s and soon became an instant rock and roll classic. It’s the iconic rhythm guitar shape for rock and Epiphone has produced an unbelievably cheap version that is just around $400. Whether you need you’re a singer-songwriter and need an acoustic guitar for playing chords behind your singing, or you’re a rhythm guitarist in a band, the Epiphone Dove Pro has you covered. It’s the rare kind of affordable guitar that can also be used by professional guitarists and beginner guitarists alike, and the gorgeous guitar design makes this guitar almost irresistible.

Key Specs and Features: The top is made out of Solid Spruce and the back and sides are composed of select maple. The neck is hard maple and the fingerboard is made out of rosewood. The Solid Spruce produces a resonant and full guitar tone, which is perfect to use as a rhythm guitar. It’s also the type of wood to sound better with age and you can treat it like a fine bottle of wine. Then there is the SlimTaper D Profile neck, which is a signature Gibson style neck. It’s found in all of Gibson’s guitars from electric to acoustic guitars and it’s honestly one of the most comfortable neck profiles around. The SlimTaper D Profile is just thin enough to wrap most people’s whole hand around, but you still get that nice grip for getting the most out of your guitar.

The neck has a 12-inch fretboard radius and a 1.68-inch nut width. The rosewood fretboard also comes with beautiful Pearloid parallelogram inlays, imitation bone nut, and durable compensated saddle. And just like many Gibson instruments, the Dove Pro comes with a set of Grover 14:1 tuners for best tuning stability.

In terms of tone, Epiphone Dove Pro would be best suited to playing genres like rock and country. As promised, you get a full, fat dreadnought guitar tone from the Epiphone Dove Pro. It’s more on the warmer side and Dove Pro would be an amazing instrument for playing strumming rhythm guitar behind a band.

Electronics: Dove Pro has Fishman Sonicore electronics, and it’s a pretty straightforward system with bass, treble, and a volume knob.

Who Will Use This the Most: Epiphone Dove Pro is a great guitar for anyone looking for a rhythm acoustic electric guitar for performing or recording rock and country music.

Bottom Line: Epiphone Dove Pro delivers a fabulous sound and playability while also being extremely affordable and attractive.

10. Takamine GN93CE Nex

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$730
Body Style	NEX Cutaway
Top	Solid Spruce
Back and Sides	Rosewood
Neck	Mahogany
Body Bracing	Quartersawn X
Electronics	Takamine TK-40D Preamp with Built-in Tuner

My Review: This brand is definitely not as well known as Martin or Taylor, but Takamine is known as an amazing brand amongst the guitarist community. They provide excellent quality tonewoods and sound, and always have that luxurious look about them. The Takamine GN93CE Nex is one gorgeous looking instrument and has specs that can be mistaken for a high-end guitar. The thing that makes this guitar special is Takamine’s own NEX-style body. The NEX style body was first released in 1992, and it’s basically of a mix of jumbo style and dreadnought style. It combines the benefits from both styles and has a slimmer waist so that it’s much more comfortable to play sitting down.

Other than the groundbreaking guitar body shape, the GN93CE Nex also has a well-balanced sound and a distinctive design that will capture your eyes. All the details and parts are well-thought-out, and it’s simply a great guitar overall.

Key Specs and Features: Looking at the tonewood choices, it’s hard to beat this guitar for the price, Solid Spruce top, mahogany neck, and rosewood back and sides. The number of frets is also slightly higher than the standard acoustic guitar, with 21 frets instead of 20 frets. In addition to the NEX body style that makes this guitar easy to play, it also has a round single-cutaway so that you can reach all the way up to the 21st fret with ease.

Takamine GN93CE shows off its premium look with components like maple body, neck and headstock binding, dark wood rosette and body purfling, abalone dot inlays, gold die-cast tuners with black buttons, and a beautiful gloss finish.

The sound without the electronics is just as good as many high-end acoustic guitars and the tone is crisp and beautiful. It’s very resonant as well and the tone will suit many different genres from pop, rock, country, blues to jazz. When plugged in, it retains the crispness and the fullness, and you can really control the volume in detail by using the electronics. It works quite well with gain as well so there are so many different tones you can bring out using this guitar.

Electronics: This guitar comes with Takamine TK-40D Preamp with Built-in Tuner and this is a quite sophisticated preamp compared to other ones that we talked about. You get three EQ knobs, bass, mid, and treble, and a gain knob. On top of that, you get Tuner, Mid Contour, EQ Bypass, In/Out, and Filter knob. Honestly, it can’t get any more sophisticated than this!

Who Will Use This the Most: The Takamine GN93CE NEX is one of those guitars that are great for all levels. It’s highly recommended to beginners if they have the budget because it’s a relatively comfortable guitar to play. Otherwise, intermediate and advanced players can use this guitar for recording or performing.

Bottom Line: Takamine GN93CE NEX is a perfect guitar for its price, showing its comfortable playability, beautiful design, top-notch sound, and feel.

11. Breedlove Solo Concert

Shop on Sweetwater

Check Amazon Price

Estimated Price	$800
Body Style	Concert
Top	Solid Red Cedar
Back and Sides	Rosewood
Neck	Mahogany
Body Bracing	Info not available
Electronics	L.R. Braggs

My Review: Breedlove is not as well known to the public but they have been loved by many guitarists over the years. The company was first founded by California luthiers Larry Breedlove and Steve Henderson in the early 1990s after they left their jobs working for Taylor. Breedlove’s intention was to mix the good traits of a traditional acoustic guitar and fuse it with modern technology. The company is also environmentally conscious and picks woods that are alternatives to the wood from endangered trees. That’s why you see a lot of cool tonewood choices that you wouldn’t see from many other acoustic guitars and in a lot of cases, these other alternatives sound just as good as the other option. Breedlove produces a lot of amazing midrange to high-end guitars and in this review, let’s talk about the Breedlove Solo Concert.

Key Specs and Features: Breedlove Solo Concert is a guitar that was first designed for singer-songwriters and solo guitarists. This was a guitar that was designed to have clear defined notes with long sustain and excellent tonewood choices. The top wood is pretty unique from all the other guitars and it is made of Solid Red Cedar. The back and sides are composed of Rosewood and the neck is made of Mahogany.

The body shape is also pretty unique and it’s basically a concert body type with a single-cutaway. The concert body shape is much rounder in the edges compared to a dreadnought or a jumbo size and it produces a sweeter and more mellow sound. Breedlove’s concert body shape is their most popular body shape and it’s easy to see why. Even though it’s a concert shape, it has ample low end with beautiful mids and highs. So it’s perfect for fingerstyle and picking.

The neck profile is a C profile with Satin finish and it has Breedlove’s signature pointy headstock. The scale length is the standard 25.5 inches and has offset dot inlays on the fretboard. Another very unique feature is that only this guitar has its second soundhole. You might wonder why would anyone need a second soundhole. But this second soundhole on the side of the body acts as a monitor for guitar players to clearly hear their playing, you can hear your guitar at the same volume as your audience that is sitting in front of you.

Electronics: The electronics are by L.R. Briggs and it features volume, tuner, phase, and 3-band EQ, bass, mid, and treble.

Who Will Use This the Most: The Breedlove Solo Concert guitar will suit any singer-songwriter or guitar player that is at the intermediate to advanced level. If the beginners can afford it, it’s also a great guitar for practicing because of the monitor soundhole.

Bottom Line: Breedlove Solo Concert is a truly unique guitar with two soundholes and very effective body shape that makes it worth the affordable price.

12. Taylor 114E

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$800
Body Style	Taylor Grand Auditorium
Top	Solid Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides	Layered Rosewood
Neck	Neo-Tropical Mahogany
Body Bracing	Taylor Standard II Bracing (Forward Shift Pattern)
Electronics	Taylor Expression System 2 Professional-Audio-Grade

My Review: Similarly, the Taylor 214CE Deluxe that we looked at, here we have another Taylor guitar that shares similarities with 214CE Deluxe but it is a much more affordable version. While Taylor and Martin are both known as the best two acoustic guitar companies, Taylor does a great job of offering cheaper models like this one. Taylor 114E has a Grand Auditorium body like the Taylor 214CE Deluxe but instead of a single cutaway, there is no cutaway on this guitar. Overall, it’s really a solid acoustic electric guitar with recording and performing capabilities.

Key Specs and Features: As you might expect, the top is solid Sitka Spruce, the back and sides are Layered Rosewood, and Neo-Tropical Mahogany is used for the neck. The body is complete with Matte Finish and this gives it a real smooth feeling when you touch it and adds to the luxurious look. Most guitars on this list have a single cutaway in the body, but this guitar has no cutaway. While a single-cutaway might be better for reaching the top frets above 14th fret, the no cutaway gives a more classic feeling. Plus, you might get more tone out of the guitar without that extra side shaven off of it.

The guitar has layered wood construction, which provides a sturdy base and increases the longevity of the instrument. Also if the instrument is sturdy and kept safe, you will get a better tone over time as the tonewood ages. You also get the classic Taylor headstock, rosewood bridge, black pickguard, and six die-cast tuners. The sound is very responsive to your touch and the low end is rich. Overall the tone is well-balanced and it has an ample sound without any amplification and has a little bit of Taylor’s signature brightness to it as well.

Electronics: Just like the Taylor 214CE Deluxe, it has Taylor’s own Expression System 2 pickup system. It’s a groundbreaking technology called behind-the-saddle pickup where the pickup doesn’t sit under the saddle and lets the guitar vibrate fully. With this system, you get more of the guitar’s natural sound through your amplification. The preamp becomes a part of the guitar and it just has three simple tone and volume knobs.

Who Will Use This the Most: This guitar has a rather friendly budget for a high-quality guitar and will suit all levels of guitar players.

Bottom Line: Taylor 114E is an amazing guitar for its affordable pricing and it has a classic and luxurious look with a beautiful guitar tone.

13. Martin OM-28E Modern Deluxe

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$4700
Body Style	Auditorium/OOO
Top	Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides	East Indian rosewood
Neck	Solid Mahogany
Body Bracing	Forward shifted pattern 5/16’’ scalloped x bracing
Electronics	Fishman Electronics (Fishman Aura VT System)

My Review: OM stands for Orchestra Model and the OM-28 is the most famous model of the OM series. The OM-28 has been around since the 1930s and now it has almost 100 years of history. It was one of the first guitars with the 14 fret design and it’s certainly another one of the iconic acoustic guitars in history. OM-28 has many different characteristics in terms of look and sound when compared to the HD-28 and both are great guitars in their own right. The OM series guitar tends to have less bass than dreadnought guitars and it’s much sweeter and it’s more used for fingerstyle playing (but not limited to).

Key Specs and Features: The new 2018 OM-28 is a mix of tradition and modern upgrades. OM-28 has the classic scalloped bracing, tinted top toner, and open style Martin headstock script, which adds a vintage vibe to the guitar. Then there are the classic open-back tuners, bold herringbone binding, and vintage style fingerboard inlays. The neck profile is relatively new and they have added the high-performance neck taper for maximum comfort and speed.

Looking at the tonewoods, it’s the same as HD-28. Martin loves using the Sitka Spruce for the top, East Indian Rosewood for back and sides, and Solid Mahogany for the neck. As for the sound, the low-end is not as rich as the HD-28, but the OM-28 is full of mids. The full midrange allows the guitar to cut through a wall of sound and you don’t have to overplay the instrument to get it to cut through the sound of your ensemble. The strumming sounds just as beautiful as fingerstyle playing and once you have played this instrument, it’s easy to see why it’s such a legendary guitar.

Electronics: Just like the HD-28E, the OM-28E has the Aura VT Enhance system by Fishman. This allows the pickup to capture more of the guitar sound without negatively affecting its acoustic playability or tone. There are 2-band EQ and a volume knob, and unfortunately, there isn’t a built-in tuner.

Who Will Use This the Most: I recommend this guitar to experienced guitarists who like to play a lot of fingerstyles and like the midrange-y and warm guitar tone.

Bottom Line: Martin OM-28E is another legendary instrument that has been around almost 100 years and it produces some gorgeous, warm guitar tone that is full of midrange and highs.

14. Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat

Shop on Sweetwater

Check Amazon Price

Estimated Price	$460
Body Style	Concert/O
Top	Solid Mahogany
Back and Sides	Laminated Mahogany
Neck	Laminated Hardwood
Body Bracing	Scalloped X
Electronics	Fishman Electronics (Isys III)

My Review: This here is a very unique guitar and it’s based on Tim Armstrong(Rancid)’s beat-up guitar that he wrote many of his songs on. It was originally made as a punk rock guitar as part of Fender’s Artist Series, but the guitar itself became a huge hit for anyone looking for a budget do-it-all guitar. With a unique concert body and cool design, this guitar is comfortable, chic, and most importantly, sounds amazing. It’s a great little guitar that you can take anywhere to write songs and rock out on stage!

Key Specs and Features: First looking at the tonewoods, Hellcat has a Solid Mahogany top, Laminated Mahogany back and sides, and Laminated Hardwood for the neck. Sure, it’s not the best quality woods you’ll find for an acoustic guitar, but considering the price, at least there is a solid mahogany top. The scale length is pretty close to the standard size, 25.3 inches. It’s a perfect length for comfortable playing around the fretboard. And to make the best use of the tonewood choices, this guitar comes with Scalloped X bracing under the hood. The body style is a smaller-sized concert body, which will be comfortable for players with a smaller body frame.

But the thing that makes this guitar stand out is the four-ply tortoiseshell pickguard and Tim’s special signature on the truss rod cover. There are also special details like the special Hellcat inlays on the fretboard and double skull inlays on the 12th fret. You also get a nice C shaped neck profile with a slender satin finish.

In terms of sound, you’ll get a very different tone from many of the Sitka Spruce top guitars. You get this grainy texture on the top and the tone from Solid Mahogany is much warmer. Guitar responds extremely well even when you play it super hard and it’s a sturdy guitar that you can take anywhere.

Electronics: This guitar comes with effective Fishman Isys III, which comes with a volume and a 3-band EQ.

Who Will Use This the Most: I highly recommend this guitar to any beginner or intermediate guitar play and I recommend it even to children.

Bottom Line: Fender’s Tim Armstrong Hellcat guitar is a versatile, super-sturdy, and beautiful sounding affordable instrument.

15. Yamaha A-Series A3M Dreadnought

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$900
Body Style	Dreadnought
Top	Solid Sitka Spruce
Back and Sides	Mahogany
Neck	Mahogany
Body Bracing	Info Not Available
Electronics	Yamaha Electronics

My Review: Yamaha is another fantastic brand for acoustic guitars that we still haven’t talked about. They produce amazing cheap and mid-level priced acoustic guitars that are totally worth the price. Yamaha A-series A3M is another top-quality dreadnought guitar in the mid-level price range and it has enough power and tone-quality to make it into the recording studio or the road for a tour. The tone is versatile and the instrument is very well thought out and well-built.

Key Specs and Features: The tonewoods are excellent and the top is made of solid Sitka Spruce and the other parts of the guitar are all made with Mahogany. The tonewood’s choices are pretty standard and it’s what we expect from a guitar at this price point. The other features of the guitar are also pretty standard as well, with the standard dreadnought body and a deep single cutaway for maximum fret reach. However, the scale length is quite unusual and it’s only 23.65’’. The shorter scale length will result in a much more comfortable grip for your left hand but at the same time, you won’t have as much tone out of the instrument compared to a regular-sized dreadnought guitar.

The tonewoods are treated with Yamaha’s Acoustic Resonance Enhancement technology, which basically pre-ages the wood for a more resonant tone right out of the box. The mahogany neck is rolled off in the edges and has a straight taper for comfortable playing, and the guitar is made in China instead of America.

As for the tone, Yamaha made the best use of its tonewoods and technology. Because it was “pre-aged”, you get a very resonant and well-balanced Sitka Spruce top sound right out of the box. And the “pre-aging” factor is really the feature that stands out from the rest of the competitive mid-range guitar pack. With a big, full, warm, and rich tone, you can get a great recording tone with a condenser microphone and get a decent live acoustic guitar tone using the built-in preamp.

Electronics: The electronics are unique and this guitar has Yamaha’s S.R.T system that allows you to access both piezo and microphone pickup options available. And the preamp comes with a master volume and 3-band EQ.

Who Will Use This the Most: The Yamaha A-Series A3M is the perfect guitar for intermediate players and it’s a fantastic guitar overall.

Bottom Line: Yamaha doesn’t fail to impress with its A Series A3M guitar, top-quality tonewoods, sound, and playability for its price.

16. Washburn WCG55CE Comfort

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$900
Body Style	Grand Auditorium
Top	Koa
Back and Sides	Koa
Neck	Mahogany
Body Bracing	Quartersawn scalloped Sitka Spruce
Electronics	Fishman Electronics

My Review: Here is another excellent mid-range priced guitar that has a completely different sound and feels to the Yamaha A-series A3M. The Washburn WCG55CE is a guitar that is designed for maximum comfort, standing, or sitting. The body shape, the neck profile, and a single cutaway are all extremely well-planned out for any guitar player. Not only that, but the body also looks totally unique and has an excellent koa-wood guitar tone. If you’re into decently priced guitars that are completely different from the rest, the Washburn WCG55CE would be a great choice for you.

Key Specs and Features: First off, you will notice its unusual armrest on the side of the guitar body. It’s a feature that Washburn specializes in and the armrest ensures maximum comfort for playing standing up or sitting down. The tonewoods are very unique as well. The top, back, and sides are all made of Koa, which has completely different characteristics than Solid Sitka Spruce or Mahogany. Koa gives this guitar a rather rustic feel and the body style is also different Grand Auditorium body style. And combined with the soundhole inlays, the guitar almost looks like a nylon-string classical guitar.

There are other special features like Parquet-style rosette from a combination of mahogany and maple, unique black sealed tuning machines in the guitar head, Ovangkol bridge, and a black NuBone nut and saddle. The tone is also top-notch and has amazing sound for its price. The all-Koa body gives a very well-balanced tone that is on the warmer side of the spectrum. It’s a tone that’s extremely versatile and one that can be used for many different genres of music from rock, folk, to jazz with various playing techniques. The volume is also quite loud acoustically and the guitar works well with PA systems and amps.

Electronics: The Washburn WCG55CE is loaded with Fishman Presys 501T and the preamp has a built-in tuner, 3-band EQ (bass, middle, treble), as well as a notch, mic blend and phase controls.

Who Will Use This the Most: The Washburn WCG55CE is a very suitable instrument for intermediate and intermediate/advanced players and it’s an extremely comfortable guitar to practice with.

Bottom Line: Washburn WCG55CE is a totally unique, stand-alone model with Koa body, armrest on the body, and unique Grand Auditorium body style.

17. PRS SE A50E

Shop on Sweetwater

Shop Guitar Center

Estimated Price	$950
Body Style	Angelus Body Style
Top	Solid Spruce
Back and Sides	Maple
Neck	Mahogany
Body Bracing	Hybrid X Classical
Electronics	Fishman GT1 Electronics

My Review: Last but not least, we have another totally unique guitar that is made by the one-and-only PRS. PRS is a famous guitar company that is known for its ground-breaking solid body guitars, and their guitars often take an existing model and incorporate modern technology. Recently, they have dipped their toes into making acoustic guitars, and their acoustic guitars are very innovative. In 2018, PRS released an innovative acoustic electric guitar that turned many people’s heads, the PRS SE A50E. At first glance, the guitar looks like a weird mix of acoustic, classical, and solid-body guitars. The guitar looks very glamorous and looks like a high-end guitar, but it’s actually much less than $1000. The innovative design and technology resulted in a gorgeous-looking and beautiful-sounding acoustic electric guitar of our modern era.

Key Specs and Features: The body style is PRS’s own distinctive body style called the Angelus and it looks pretty similar to an OM body with a single-cutaway. The curvy waist allows for a comfortable playing position when sitting down and the sleek cutaway allows you to reach up to 20th fret easily. Its tonewoods are the typical top-quality materials, Solid Sitka Spruce for the top, figured maple for back and sides, and Mahogany for the neck.

A very unique feature that we see on this guitar is the advanced hybrid X classical bracing, which will bring out the most resonance and warmth from the tonewoods. The scale length is a standard length, with 25.3 inches in total. It’s a great length for both comfort and maximum string resonance. The decoration adds a significant level of luxury to the guitar. On the PRS SE A50E, they have added Abalone inlays for both around the edges of the guitar top and around the soundhole, and there are also beautiful bird inlays all around the fretboard. Additionally, A50E has an ebony bridge, top-quality bone nut, and bone saddle, which will all lead to a better-sounding guitar.

Now let’s talk about its sound. Even though PRS SE A50E gives a bizarre first impression due to its distinctive design, it is a complete package in terms of the sound. The tone you get is bright, resonant, and clear with enough warmth. Also, the hybrid classical bracing allows for maximum projection, therefore getting quite a loud acoustic sound. Even when the guitar is plugged in, you get a trustworthy tone without too much feedback.

Electronics: The electronics are Fishman’s GT1 system. The GT1 system is placed under the soundhole and does not damage the guitar body. But, you only get a single EQ knob and a volume that you can access under the soundhole.

Who Will Use This the Most: PRS SE A50E is perfect for intermediate and advanced players alike since the quality meets the recording and performing needs of a professional guitarist. It’s also a great guitar for practicing, jamming, and writing songs on.

Bottom Line: PRS SE A50E is an innovative instrument by the big name brand PRS, which always looks to the future and looks to innovate new technology for guitars. SE A50E has a distinctive, comfortable body with an A plus tone quality that can be used for many different genres and situations.

Wrap up:

That does it for this review. Let us know which guitar is your favorite in the comments below. Also, let us know if there are any guitars you feel we should add to the list!