14 Best Acoustic Electric Guitars Under $300 in 2024

Shopping for an acoustic electric guitar can get especially tricky when you’re on a tight budget. But don’t worry, there are still some pretty incredible guitars you can pick up without breaking the bank. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced guitarist looking for a great sounding yet affordable acoustic electric guitar, there’s something for everyone on this list.

In the rest of this article, we’ll help you find the best acoustic electric guitar under 300 dollars for your use cases. We’ll start by jumping straight into reviews, but if you want to learn more about them before reading reviews, we’ve also put together a handy in-depth buying guide to further assist your purchase decision at the bottom of the page.

Here Are the Best Acoustic Electric Guitars Under $300

1. Yamaha APX600 BL Thin Body (Best Overall)

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Estimated Price: $300

Body: Spruce wood with Mahogany back and sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Pickups: Piezo
Preamp: System 65A
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: Yamaha has combined its renowned craftsmanship with smart features and an eye-catching design to produce a solid winner with its APX600 Electro-Acoustic Guitar. This highly desirable guitar has a thinline cutaway profile and a spruce top with a mahogany body, which gives a great tone and big sound even when you’re not plugged in. A sleek mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard feels wonderful to hold and play. APX600’s great aesthetics are powered by the proprietary System 65A preamp with Piezo pickup and a built-in tuner, making this a gig-ready guitar you are bound to adore, especially with its pocket-friendly price tag.

Overall Build: APX600 sports the classic thinline APX body with a non-scalloped X-type bracing and a 25-inch scale length. The slender cutaway body clubbed with a slim neck with narrow string spacing offers great comfort and higher fret access along with a well resonant and dynamic tone. This glossy black guitar acoustic electric features good aesthetic appointments such as a 22 fret rosewood fretboard with small dot inlays and an Abalone soundhole rosette. The hardware is akin to original Yamaha models with die-cast chrome tuners and a rosewood hardtail bridge. While we are reviewing the glossy black model here, APX600 is also available in traditional Natural, Old Violin Sunburst, and Oriental Blue Burst variants.

Wood Details: The acoustic electric is made with a Sitka spruce wood top with three-ply mahogany back and sides. The neck also made with mahogany, has a satin finish, while the fretboard is made with rosewood. The guitar has a laudable eco-friendly construction as it uses locally sourced tonewoods to minimize waste and support sustainable harvesting of wood.

Sound Quality: Yamaha APX600 features a spruce top and a rosewood fingerboard in a player-friendly design to deliver a superior, resonant tone. The guitar features a tone accurate A.R.T pickup configuration which essentially uses a multilayer damper to absorb excess vibrations and control feedback while preserving the instrument’s natural resonance. The piezo pickup system offers three-band EQ controls, a volume knob, and a mid-range frequency slider along with a very convenient onboard tuner that helps in delivering an amplified tone which is true to the natural acoustic voice of the guitar.

2. Fender FA-125CE Dreadnought Cutaway (Best Value)

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Estimated Price: $260

Body: Laminated Spruce top, laminated Basswood back and sides
Neck: Nato wood
Fingerboard: Walnut
Pickup: Fishman
Preamp: Fishman preamp system
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: World-renowned for producing some of the best electric guitars out there, Fender has blended the acoustic and electric experience brilliantly with its FA-125 CE. This single-cutaway, dreadnought has an all laminate body and a Fender 3+3 headstock to deliver a rich, deep sound. A nato wood neck with a walnut fretboard and a beautiful Viking bridge ensures effortless playability and excellent tonal support. This traditional looking Fender is equipped with the popular Fishman preamp system which accurately reproduces the authentic and natural sound of the instrument. All in all, this Fender Alternative series guitar is perfect for beginners and intermediate players as they get the classic Fender sound with reliable built-in features at a very affordable price.

Overall Build: Fender FA-125CE is a beautifully crafted dreadnought with a traditional Fender C-shaped neck which makes it easy to hold and play. The cutaway style enhances playability and accessibility of chords as well as single notes located higher up on the fretboard. The laminated spruce wood top and basswood body has a standard 25.3” scale and is well built and durable. The inclusion of a Fishman pickup and preamp does wonders in reproducing and delivering a well balanced and amplified acoustic tone. The built-in tuner with a big screen makes it easy to keep a close watch on the notes while playing. The guitar has chrome hardware finish and die-cast sealed tuning machines and is available in natural, sunburst, and black color variants.

Wood Details: This acoustic electric has an all laminated construction with a spruce wood top and basswood back and sides. The neck is crafted with nato wood while the fretboard is made with highly durable walnut wood. The choice of laminated tonewoods over solid wood could be attributed to keeping the price economical without hurting the performance or sound quality of the guitar. The design and overall quality of laminates paired with the onboard Fishman preamp results in a surprisingly rich sound and great projection.

Sound Quality: The guitar produces a big and bold sound making it a great value for its price. The quality laminates and dreadnought design delivers a rich voice with deep lows and high ends. The Fishman pickup and preamp fares well in reproducing the natural voice of the instrument when you switch to the electric mode. In terms of value, I would say this is the best acoustic electric guitar under 300 dollars on the market right now.

3. Washburn WA90CE Dreadnought (Budget Pick)

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Estimated Price: $170

Body: Linden Top, back and sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Pickups: Washburn
Preamp: Washburn
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: Founded in 1883, Washburn has produced a great selection of low to mid-ranged guitars without compromising on the quality of components or electronics. The company is so good at what it does that even their most modestly priced guitars have a great fanbase. With its solidly built body and reliable onboard electronics, Washburn WA90CE is no exception as it offers a wonderful deal at an astonishingly affordable price. The acoustic-electric has a cutaway dreadnought design and sports a vintage look thanks to its tobacco sunburst finish. We recommend this guitar to serious beginners looking for the dreadnought playing experience without breaking the bank.

Overall Build: The acoustic electric guitar’s dreadnought shape design has been crafted with Linden wood. A linden top with scalloped bracing provides a strong bass response. The clever Venetian cutaway profile makes it easy for the player to reach top frets located above the 12th fret.

The guitar’s mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard come with a dual-action truss rod which enhances neck stability and allows for easy string height adjustment. Washburn employs its own pickup and preamp system in this model. The preamp featuring a volume and a tuner on/off button is pretty basic but does the trick. A built-in tuner is helpful in tuning the guitar in between practice and during performances. The chrome plating on its tuners keeps them tough and corrosion-resistant.

Wood Details: The tonewood used for the body of the guitar comes from linden trees. Linden is a popular basswood that is used in many entry-level acoustic guitars and has a warm tone that amplifies mid-range. WA90CE features a comfortable mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard that evens out any high-end harshness while providing a warm, rich element to the overall tone. The guitar sports a classy, vintage look thanks to its tobacco sunburst finish.

Sound Quality: The guitar offers the quintessential dreadnought projection at an extremely affordable price. The Linden softwood renders a warm, balanced sound with great mid-range and good sustain. The onboard pickup/preamp and tuner enhance playability while accurately capturing the natural acoustic tone of the guitar. However, while playing for bigger crowds at large venues, an EQ pedal might be helpful.

4. Ibanez Performance Series PC12MHCEOPN Grand Concert

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Estimated Price: $230

Body: Mahogany top, back, and sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Pickups: Ibanez
Preamp: AEQ 2T
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: Ibanez has gone to great lengths to produce a budget electro-acoustic guitar that scores brilliantly on aesthetics, sound quality as well as overall performance. Ibanez PC12MHCEOPN is a gorgeous guitar with an all-mahogany body and neck that has a grand concert body shape which renders a warm, well-balanced tone. The Ibanez under-saddle pickup, AEQ 2T preamp, and onboard tuner ensure that the instrument’s natural sound carries through even when it’s plugged in. This versatile, well-designed guitar with solid specs is an excellent value for your money. We recommend it as an ideal pick for beginners and intermediate players.

Overall Build: The electro-acoustic has a beautiful grand concert shape which sets it apart from other acoustic electric in this price range. The grand concert profile with a 24.9-inch scale length is extremely comfortable to hold and travel with because of its compact design. The all-mahogany construction boasts an open pore natural satin finish which looks fantastic and also enhances the sound of the guitar. The mahogany neck coupled with rosewood fretboard delivers a smooth playing experience. The PC12MHE sports an interesting tortoiseshell rosette inlay, 20 fret rosewood fingerboard, and bridge which is teamed with Ibanez advantage pins for easy string tuning. Chrome, open-gear tuners with butterbean knobs are sturdy, corrosion-resistant, and fairly easy to tune.

Wood Details: The PC12MHE has an all-mahogany body construction with a mahogany top, neck, back, and sides, and a rosewood fingerboard. Ibanez has most definitely not cut any corners on the quality of tonewoods as well as the overall finish of this guitar. The sophisticated open pore natural satin finish enhances the acoustics by leaving the natural pores of the hardwood exposed to capture and preserve the full, warm tone of the instrument.

Sound Quality: This model’s grand concert shape crafted with high-quality mahogany and rosewood tonewoods produces a warm, nuanced sound with a well-balanced natural tone. The impressive Ibanez under-saddle piezo pickup with AEQ2T preamp and built-in tuner faithfully reproduces the warm, sweet tone of the instrument. This great-sounding guitar is a joy to play and can give a lot of other higher-end electro-acoustics a run for their money in terms of sound quality.

5. Ibanez PF Series PF15ECE Dreadnought

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Estimated Price: $230

Body: Spruce wood top and mahogany back and sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Pickups: Fishman Sonicore
Preamp: Ibanez SST
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: If you are on the lookout for the incredible sonics and projection that comes with a sturdily built dreadnought which is also easy on the pockets, then look no further than Ibanez PF15ECE acoustic electric guitar. A wildly popular choice for beginners, this guitar is a part of a highly reliable and economical Performance series. This model is made with spruce wood top and mahogany body and neck which provides a lively, well-balanced tone and a good sustain. The guitar boasts the Ibanez SST preamp, a Fishman sonicore piezo pickup, and an onboard tuner which ensures that the plugged-in sound does not stray from the natural voice of the instrument.

Overall Build: The distinguished-looking guitar has a 25.6” scale length and has the quintessential dreadnought shape. It features a spruce top with an X bracing pattern that renders stability as well as a great tonal balance. With a cutaway profile, glossy black finish, dovetail neck joint, chrome die-cast tuners, and pearl dot inlays, this guitar looks good and is a delight to play. Packed with great onboard electronics featuring a Fishman sonicore under-saddle piezo pickup and Ibanez AEQ-2T preamp with 2-band EQ of bass and treble control to deliver accurate reproduction of the guitar’s authentic tone when plugged in. The solid specs are rounded off with a convenient built-in tuner for fast and accurate guitar tuning. In addition to the glossy black variant, the model is also available in natural wood and a blue sunburst finish.

Wood Details: The PF15ECE model sports the classic dreadnought tonewood combination of a spruce top and mahogany back, sides, and neck. With this popular cocktail of spruce top and mahogany body, the players get a well-balanced yet versatile tone which is well suited to most musical styles. The acoustic electric has a mahogany neck with a satin finish and is topped with a 20 fret rosewood fretboard that is comfortable to hold and easy to maneuver.

Sound Quality: The spruce wood top with X bracing pattern renders bold lows and clear highs with a superb tonal balance, while mahogany back and sides works well in providing an amazing projection and sweet sustain. The dreadnought shape offers plenty of natural projection and adds to the overall sound quality of this guitar. While we thoroughly enjoyed the natural sound of the instrument, the onboard electronics which accurately reproduced its magical sound made us fall in love with this all-rounder six-string.

6. Luna Guitars Wabi Sabi Grand Concert

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Estimated Price: $280

Body: Spruce top, mahogany back and sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Pau Ferro
Pickups: Luna Proprietary
Preamp: Luna 3-band EQ
Tuner: No
Bag included: No

My Review: Luna Wabi-Sabi Series is based on the Japanese philosophy of embracing imperfection. This unique project from Luna involves crafting the Wabi-Sabi guitars from spruce tops which sound excellent, and just as good as A grade tops, but are not used simply for being slightly aesthetically asymmetric or visually ‘imperfect’. Using such material enables the brand to produce great sounding solid wood guitars at a very affordable price. Certainly a win-win proposition according to us!

The Wabi-Sabi is a grand concert shaped acoustic electric that has been thoughtfully crafted with a solid B-grade spruce top and a rich mahogany body. The natural rich tone and robust projection of the guitar are accurately captured by powerful onboard electronics which deliver a detailed direct tone making it perfect to record, jam privately, or rock out.

Overall Build: The eco-friendly guitar has a comfortable and curvy Grand concert body that is ideal for those who prefer a slimmer shape to a boxy dreadnought. A C-shaped mahogany neck is incredibly easy to hold, and the cutaway design offers easy access to higher frets and ensures a breezy playing experience. It also comes with a dual-action truss rod, which makes it easy to adjust the neck and tweak string height for enhanced playability.

The Wabi-sabi guitar’s zen brush stroke soundhole rosette and the Pau Ferro fingerboard side with offset dot inlays make it aesthetically appealing and eye-catching. The acoustic electric model is fitted with Luna RD-0904TL preamp with 3-band EQ along with Presence and master volume controls for a spectacular stage experience. The model has a natural wood look with a satin finish and highly durable chrome-plated hardware.

Wood Details: The Wabi-Sabi Guitar’s grand concert shape is sustainably built with B-grade solid spruce top while delivering an A grade sound quality. The solid spruce-top mahogany body is sturdy and long-lasting. A satin finish sleek mahogany neck will easily fit a wide range of hands, making this guitar well suited to players of all ages.

Sound Quality: The guitar’s curvaceous shape and combination and quality tonewoods make it an impressive-sounding instrument. The solid spruce top offers a lovely blend of rich and complex sound which is backed by a strong and balanced tone thanks to its mahogany back and sides. We truly admire Luna’s commitment to quality and sound as well as the environment with its Wabi Sabi concert guitar model.

7. Alvarez RF26CE OM/Folk

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Estimated Price: $250

Body: Spruce top, mahogany back and sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Pickups: Alvarez SYS250
Preamp: Alvarez SYS250
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: Yes

My Review: Perfect for aspiring guitarists, Alvarez RF26CE is a great entry-level guitar that offers its players many impressive appointments of Pro-level top-of-the-line Alvarez models, at a fantastic price. This spruce top guitar with mahogany body has an OM/folk body shape and is a part of Alvarez Regent guitar series that has been smartly designed to deliver superior value for your bucks. This folk-styled guitar boasts a spruce top, mahogany body, rosewood fretboard, and bi-level bridge which work in tandem to produce a warm, mellow tone with the best possible response. The guitar has SYS250 3-band EQ pickup/preamp and a chromatic tuner installed in the body to reproduce the authentic acoustic sound while enhancing the playing experience. To top it off its great value, this guitar comes with a plush, 15mm Duo foam-padded gig bag which makes it easy to carry around when you are on the go

Overall Build: The folk shaped construction is quite similar to the classical guitars in their dimensions but are smaller and have more curvaceous than a dreadnought shape. The Alvarez RF26CE’s OM/folk body has been designed to get the best out of its compact profile. The guitar features high-quality components such as a bi-level rosewood bridge, scalloped X bracing, PPS synthetic bone nut, and saddle which work along with good onboard electronics to produce a great sound. The satin-finished mahogany neck with a dovetail joint has a slender profile and cutaway design which allows easy access to higher frets and is extremely comfortable to grip and play. Other appointments such as chrome, die-cast tuners, an ivory ABS binding, and a glossy finish enhance the durability and aesthetic quotient of the instrument.

Wood Details: The folk body guitar has been crafted with a spruce top which is a popular choice of tonewood for the acoustic top because of its durability and a full, bright, and versatile sound. Its glossy finished mahogany body and neck further enhance sturdiness and provides the great resonance and good sustain. With a sleek mahogany neck and a 20 fret rosewood fretboard, the acoustic electric guitar offers its players a rewarding experience.

Sound Quality: The RF26CE offers high-quality sound at a reasonable price. This OM sized guitar with its use of premium tonewoods of spruce, mahogany as well as a rosewood fretboard renders a full and open sound with a solid response.

8. Epiphone AJ-100CE Acoustic Electric Guitar

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Estimated Price: $250

Body: Mahogany Body, Select Spruce Top
Neck: Set Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Pickups: Nanoflex
Preamp: None
Tuner: No
Bag included: No

My Review: The AJ 100CE does what Epiphone does best – offering a solid guitar that sounds great and is comfortable to play at an affordable price. A big guitar with a bright, resonant sound, its cutaway body lets you access the upper frets that are usually hard or impossible to reach. Nanoflex pickups are flexible and adapt to the guitar’s body to allow the perfect guitar-pickup-saddle contact that picks up all the vibrant and sounds for minimal signal loss and great sound quality.

Overall Build: The first thing you’ll notice about the AJ-100CE is that it is a large guitar, being an advanced jumbo shape. That directly translates to the sound it produces as well. The cutaway body allows for your hands to reach the tricky upper frets and opens up more musical possibilities. The chrome hardware ensures that your strings stay firmly in tune for long hours. Some folks say that they come with a slightly higher action off the box, but that’s something that can be easily tweaked to your liking. The nanoflex pickups under the saddle are made up of 7 different layers of sensor material that picks up all the frequencies produced while playing for clear signal quality. It comes in a warm, natural brown finish for the classic Epiphone acoustic look.

Wood Details: Being a mid-priced guitar in this range, the wood quality is quite impressive. It has a select spruce laminate top and mahogany back and sides. The set mahogany neck seamlessly fits into the body, while the fingerboard is crafted from rosewood. The fretboard is especially smooth which makes for great, effortless playability.

Sound Quality: Thanks to the mahogany and spruce body, and when taken together with the guitar’s large size, the AJ-100CE produces a loud, resonant and bright sound. Given its price, we think it offers quite a rich, versatile acoustic off right off the box. The nanoflex pickups are apparently the first-ever pickups that do active amplification right at the pickup source. As a result, there is no signal loss, and a great job of translating the acoustic tone onto the plugged-in sound as well, despite the absence of a built-in preamp of EQ. If you’re looking for the best acoustic electric guitar under $300, this should be a top contender.

9. Washburn EA55G-A Festival

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Estimated Price: $300

Body: Koa Top, Catalpa Back & Sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Tech Wood
Pickups: Piezo
Preamp: Barcus Berry
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: The Washburn EA55G-A Packs a lot of power in its mini-jumbo-sized body. The striking design and looks come with great sound as well. Crafted from a Koa and Catalpa, it’s not only lightweight but also has a bright, resonant tone. Its cutaway shape lets you access high frets easily, and makes for excellent playability. The X-style bracing also reinforces the tone and Thanks to the Barcus Berry preamp and piezo pickups, you get a full-bodied sound even while plugged in. The built-in tuner lets you stay perfectly in tune, be it offstage or onstage. All in all, a pretty neat guitar that’s easy to play, looks great and is durable at a steal of a price.

Overall Build: First off, this guitar has a pretty striking appearance, thanks to the Koa sunburst hue with a glossy finish and white body and neck binding. The mini jumbo body size is great for beginners as well as experienced players. Along with a bright, natural tone, what we really like is the guitar’s electronics. The piezo pickups, coupled with a 4-band Barcus Berry Preamp EQ gives you great control over the sound and tone. Moreover, the choice of wood is also quite interesting and daring and has produced great results. The gold die-cast tuners and a nice vintage touch, while complimenting the rich reddish-brown finish.

Wood Details: The choice of tonewoods for this guitar is quite interesting and is where it is different from the rest of the options mentioned on the list. The EA55G-A is made from a laminated koa top and catalpa wood sides and back. You may not have heard of Catalpa wood before, so let us give you a run-down. Catalpa is actually one of the very few woods that are indigenous to North America, and it’s quite light in weight. But what’s really cool is that this lightweight wood produces a surprisingly resonant and bright tone, especially on this model. Another interesting thing about this model is that they decided to go with ‘tech’ or ‘engineered’ wood for the fretboard. Tech wood is actually treated with heat and chemicals to make it even more durable, water-resistant, and stable. Finally, the mahogany neck is C-shaped for easier playability.

Sound Quality: The unique tonewood combination used in this model really comes through with respect to its tone and sound quality. Thanks to the Catalpa and Koa body, and coupled with the mahogany neck, you get a well-balanced, versatile, and resonant tone that will sound good for a wide variety of genres. Moreover, the Barcus berry, 4-band EQ preamp, and the piezo pickups dutifully carry this natural sound over to make sure that you enjoy this tone even while you’re plugged in.

10. Alvarez Regent RD26CE Dreadnought Cutaway

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Estimated Price: $200

Body: Spruce Top, Mahogany Back & Sides
Neck: Mahogany Neck
Fingerboard: Bi-Level Rosewood
Pickups: Sys250 pickups
Preamp: 3-Band EQ
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: Part of Alvarez’s Regent series of guitars, the RD26CE is much more than an entry-level guitar, lest its low price tricks you into thinking that. With a solid, large frame, beautiful finish, beautifully well-rounded tone, and excellent playability, this is a great buy at just $200. With a built-in tuner, Sys250 pickups, and 3-band EQ, you get an impressively resonant tone even when it’s amplified. Once again, Alvarez has used their decades of experience to get the best out of the components used for a model that projects beautifully and is also durable and affordable. In our opinion, this is one of the most value for money pieces you will find out in the market.

Overall Build: The RD260Ce is a well-designed guitar that manages to bring out the best from its various building blocks. The dreadnought cutaway shape is comfortable to play and allows access to higher frets easily. A built-in tuner and 3 band EQ gives you control over the guitar’s tone and overall sound. The scalloped bracing system makes the body quite responsive, and adds a nice punchy bass layer, while also making the overall sound louder. Another feature that makes the guitar more responsive is the dovetail neck joint, a technique of fitting in the neck and the body in a way that is quite seamless. What this does is allow the guitar’s vibrations to travel throughout the guitar, leading to better tone and giving you a real feel of playing the instrument. The sunburst, high-gloss finish also makes this guitar quite the looker.

Wood Details: This guitar features an all-laminate construction, with a spruce top and mahogany wood for the back and sides. The neck is crafted with mahogany, while the fretboard is made from rosewood. Despite its ultra-low price, the brand has managed to ensure that the overall quality, sturdiness, and durability of the model is not compromised. As a result, you will get the feel of a solid, stable guitar.

Sound Quality: Alvarez has taken a lot of care to craft the guitar in a way that brings out the best tone and sound quality possible from its components. The brightness of the spruce top and the warmth of the mahogany sides and back results in a full-bodied, well-rounded tone that is quite versatile. Moreover, the scalloped bracing technique further adds a bass depth and resonance which gives you a louder volume. We’re also quite impressed with the way the Sys250 pickups reproduce the original acoustic tone, giving you a nice acoustic tone when amplified.

11. Ibanez Talman TCY10 Acoustic Electric Guitar

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Estimated Price: $200

Body: Spruce Top, Mahogany Back & Sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Pickups: Ibanez piezo
Preamp: Ibanez AEQ200T
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: If you’re looking for a thin-bodied acoustic that gives you the feel and effortless playability of an electric but the full-bodied tone of an acoustic guitar, then do check out the Ibanez Talman TCY10. Its double-cutaway shape and slim body make it a pleasure to play with and give great access across the fretboard. With a well-designed, light yet durable body and Ibanez’s proprietary pickups and electronics, you get a balanced, warm, and natural tone both in an unplugged and plugged in setup. Would especially recommend it for beginners for its comfort and playability, and even to intermediates looking for a solid guitar on a tight budget

Overall Build: Right off the bat, let us tell you the biggest advantage of this guitar – it’s incredibly easy to play and almost feels as effortless to play like an electric. This is why this model has been quite popular amongst those just stepping into guitar playing, although this is not to say that musicians with more experience won’t enjoy playing on this model.

The double-cutaway shape of the body is the biggest reason for its easy playability – its thin body makes it quite easy for you to both strum or fingerpick, while the double-cutaway offers unparalleled access to higher frets. Overall, the quality of components is quite good and has been intelligently designed for durability and good tone. Its chrome die-cast tuners do an impressive job of firmly keeping the strings in tune for long durations. The Talman TCY10 is available in three great finishes – Vintage sunburst, transparent blue sunburst, and a classic black.

Wood Details: This model is made with a spruce top, while the back and sides are crafted from mahogany. It has a mahogany neck and a rosewood fretboard. Given that this is a thin body guitar, you wouldn’t expect its unplugged volume to be as loud as that of full-sized dreadnoughts, and that’s fine. Despite its incredibly low price, Ibanez has used good quality wood that produces a balanced, rich tone, especially when plugged in.

Sound Quality: The TCY10 offers a balanced, warm tone and overall sound when unplugged, and sounds much fuller when it’s plugged in. Its components and design come together to reinforce its sound quality – the wood, body shape, the brand’s proprietary AEQ200T preamp system, the vortex nut, and saddle. Thanks to it all, the guitar’s overall sound really comes alive.

12. Luna Guitars Henna Oasis

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Estimated Price: $250

Body: Select Spruce Top, Mahogany Back & Sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Pickups: Piezo Pickup
Preamp: Luna SL-3 Preamp, 3-Band EQ
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: Yes

My Review: If you’ve been thinking of getting yourself a guitar that is comfortable, sweet-sounding, and has a unique visual aesthetic, then check Luna’s Henna Oasis Acoustic Electric. Created in collaboration with a UK-based Henna Artist Alex Morgan, this model has a stunning and complex artwork laser-tattooed onto the body, once again carrying forward Luna’s focus on building solid guitars that are distinctly beautiful as well. The spruce and mahogany body together deliver a rich, well-balanced tone, while the piezo pickups do a great job of reproducing the original tone in the amplified setup as well.

Overall Build: The Luna Henna Oasis is a well-crafted guitar with a strong visual aesthetic. It is a relatively smaller-bodied guitar compared to the other models listed here, so it’s a good option for those that prefer playing a sleeker, small-sized body. Its thin body and cutaway shape allow easy access to the upper portion of the fretboard. Its C-shaped neck is quite comfortable to play, while the sealed die-cast tuners keep the string properly tuned for a long time. Visually, it’s one of the most distinct pieces you’ll come across, thanks to the complex piece of artwork laser-etched upon the body, its light brown hue, and a natural, open-pore finish.

Wood Details: This guitar has a select spruce top, while the back and sides are crafted from mahogany wood. The neck is made from mahogany and is C-shaped for easier playability. The fretboard is crafted from rosewood. With a sleek, smaller than the usual body, it still managed to produce a lovely, warm tone thanks to its body and the quality tonewoods used.

Sound Quality: With this guitar, it’s not just about the looks. The Henna Oasis has a rich, sweet, balanced sound that sounds great whether you’re fingerpicking or strumming through the song. This balanced tone is thanks to the brightness of the select spruce and the slightly warmer tone of the mahogany. What’s even better is that its plugged in sound is even more phenomenal. The Luna SL-3 preamp, piezo pickups together not only faithfully reproduce the acoustic unplugged tone, but also add a little auditory sheen to it. Moreover, its 3 band EQ gives you creative control over tweaking the tone to suit your own preferences to create a tone that is all your own.

13. Cordoba Mini II EB-CE Mini

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Estimated Price: $279

Body: Spruce Top, Striped Ebony Back & Sides
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Composite
Pickups: Undersaddle Piezo
Preamp: Belcat Preamp
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: For those of you who want a travel-friendly, half-size acoustic electric guitar, the Cordoba Mini II perfectly fits the bill. Part of the brand’s well-known mini-series of guitars, the EB-CE is a small-bodied guitar with a scale length of 22.8”, which is ideal for the younger or more petite musicians. Extremely lightweight and portable, you can easily carry it along with you on road trips or flights without a hassle. The good choice of tonewoods and electronics produces a pretty impressive sustain and reverb for its scale length and price point. Also, do remember that this model is built for nylon strings, since the tension of steel strings may damage the bridge. Overall, we vote it thumbs up for its easy playability and neat overall sound for its size.

Overall Build: It’s important to remember that the Mini II EB-CE is a half size guitar – so it won’t be ideal for those looking for a regular-sized model. With that out of the way, we have to say that it is a well-built and great sounding guitar for its size. It’s designed like a standard acoustic guitar with an almost full-width neck and a smaller body. This makes for easy playability and high comfort. It also has a striking look, thanks to the beautiful pale brown spruce top with a satin finish, and darker, striped ebony back and sides.

Wood Details: The Mini II EB-CE is made with a spruce top and striped ebony back and sides. The composite fretboard keeps it water-resistant and durable for a long time, while the neck is crafted from mahogany.

Sound Quality: For a guitar this small, it has quite a robust sustain and reverb, thanks to the tonewoods used. The spruce adds a trebl-y brightness to the tone, while the ebony brings in a warmer midrange and bass layers. Also, despite its half size, you can tune this one up to standard tuning without any issues. The electronics also hold up well – producing a neat amplified sound thanks to a good undersaddle pickup and Belcat preamp.

14. Jasmine JD-36CE Dreadnought

Check Amazon Price

Estimated Price: $190

Body: Spruce Top, Sapele Back & Sides
Neck: Nato
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Pickups: Piezo
Preamp: B-Band M-450T Preamp
Tuner: Yes
Bag included: No

My Review: Jasmine guitars have increasingly carved a nice little niche for themselves by crafting good quality guitars that are quite affordable and very easy and comfortable to play. This quality has made them quite popular amongst beginners. You may not be aware of the fact that Jasmine guitars were a brainchild of the iconic Japanese guitar manufacturers, Takamine. However, a decade after associating with Jasmine, Takamine reportedly sold the brand over to KMC. Why are we telling you this? Because, knowing Takamine’s near-faultless focus on craftsmanship and quality, knowing this fact definitely adds a degree of credibility to a relatively newbie-sounding brand like Jasmine.

The JD-36C is another one such model that boasts of sound design fundamentals, comfortable playability, and a bright, loud tone. Its Venetian cutaway shape offers access to higher frets, while the thin body and slim neck make it easy to play for players of any age and build. Solid electronics also make this model quite a bang for the buck.

Overall Build: The JD-36 comes across as quite a comfortable guitar that is easy to play on. This is thanks to its thin body, the 24 3/4th” scale length, and the Venetian cutaway design. So even though it has a typical dreadnought body shape, the slimmer feel makes a big difference in the playability. Built with an advanced X-style bracing, it helps the top vibrate quite nicely, allowing more volume and resonance to shine through the playing. Thanks to the chrome die-cast tuners and also the built-in tuner, you will easily stay in tune whenever you play. The natural light brown, high-gloss finish gives a sleek, pristine look.

Wood Details: The JD-36 has a select spruce top, and Sapele back and sides. Sapele is a beautiful sustainable wood that’s quite hard and stable but also easy to carve as well. As a result, it offers a balanced, even tone, like a mahogany body typically does. So together, this guitar’s body is quite durable and solid. The nato neck and rosewood fretboard allows for a smooth playing experience for beginners and experienced musicians alike.

Sound Quality: This guitar has a surprisingly loud sound for such a sleek guitar and a tone that is well-balanced with a touch of brightness, thanks to the Spruce wood top. The guitar’s electronics are also quite impressive – the B-band preamp and piezo pickup do a good job of reproducing its acoustic tone in an amplified setting. Moreover, the 4-band EQ gives you creative leeway to tweak and play with the tone to suit your taste.

Choosing the Right Acoustic Electric Guitar (Buying Guide)

This section is for those of you who want to learn more about acoustic electric guitars before reading reviews.

Simply put, acoustic electric guitars are basically acoustic guitars that have been modified so that they can be plugged into an amplifier. This allows the original acoustic sound of the guitar to get amplified and projected to louder volumes when plugged in.

This conversion of the unplugged sound into an electric one is usually done thanks to two crucial electronic components – a preamp and a pickup. The acoustic pickup system is called a ‘piezo’ pickup system. In it, the guitar pickup is fitted right under the guitar’s saddle, and this allows it to literally ‘pick up’ the vibrations that are produced by your guitar strings when you play.

Since the electric signal from the piezo pickup is usually weak, you need the preamp to amplify that signal and make it strong enough so that it can then feed directly into an amplifier. An acoustic electric guitar will also often have a built-in EQ that helps you tweak the plugged-in tone to your liking.

The Advantages of Having an Acoustic Electric Guitar

Adding a good quality acoustic-guitar to your collection gives you tremendous advantages.

First off, you can play an acoustic electric just as easily both unplugged as well as plugged in. But an acoustic electric gives you the advantage of projecting your acoustic tone to a much louder volume. So it’s perfect in case you’re playing to a huge audience without you having to switch to an electric.

Secondly, the EQ on an acoustic electric gives you more control over your overall tone and sound, so you can customize it to your liking.

And finally, last but not the least, acoustic electric guitars are priced quite close to acoustic-only guitars, so why not pay slightly more and get a model that lets you amplify your much-loved acoustic tone for a much larger audience as well?

What Should I Look For In An Acoustic Electric Guitar

To choose the perfect acoustic electric guitar for your needs, it’s important to know what features you should look for, and their functions:

Body Style: Acoustic-electric guitars come in several different body styles and shapes – from thin-bodied shapes to jumbo, dreadnoughts, cutaways to non-cutaways. Each of these styles has its own pros and cons. While thin and smaller-bodied guitars are more comfortable and easier to play, they may not project as loud a sound as larger body guitars. Others may not mind the bigger, boxy size of a dreadnought because of the fuller tone and resonance they provide. It’s all about what you’re comfortable with.

Both cutaway and non-cutaway guitars have their own advantages. While a cutaway guitar gives you access to upper frets and a brighter tone, non-cutaway guitars may have a more resonant, bassier layer to their tone.

So there is no right or wrong shape – choose the body shape depending on your personal preferences, and the sound that you like.

Tonewood: The tonewood used to craft your guitar matters as much in an acoustic electric as it would in an acoustic-only guitar. Go for a body that is made with good quality tonewoods like Spruce, mahogany, rosewood. There are also some unconventional woods like Catalpa and Sapele that are of good quality but not widely used. While woods like Spruce add a brighter, treble touch to the tone, mahogany will offer a warmer earthy mid-range tone that is well-balanced.

Electronics: The quality of pickups and the preamp will make a huge difference in how well your guitar translates the unplugged acoustic sound into the plugged-amplified tone. Having a built-in EQ is also a bonus, though not necessary, to tweak your tone to your liking.

Brand: While there are several brands selling acoustic electric guitars out there, it’s a good idea to consider the brand you’re buying from, especially when you’re picking a piece at a budget-friendly price point. This is because well-established, experienced brands have more knowledge in bringing out the best tone and playability from their components, even on a tight budget. So going for reputed brands will make it more likely for you to get a good quality acoustic electric guitar even in the low-price options.

Your Preferences: This is very important. The body style, shape, tonewood, and sound that works for one person may not work for the other. So make sure to go through all the features of the guitars listed here and check if they match your personal playing style and preferences.

Bottom Line:

Having a solid, great sounding and affordable acoustic electric guitar gives you the freedom to not only perform unplugged but also amplify your performance for a bigger audience when you’re onstage. We hope that this blog gives you all the information you need to zero in on the guitar that is your spirit animal!

Each musician has their own preferences and playing style, so the perfect acoustic electric guitar can vary greatly for different musicians. But if you’re asking us for a general recommendation, we find the Yamaha APX600 BL as an impressive combination of great quality and affordability. For those on an even tighter budget, the Alvarez Regent RD260CE is definitely worth a good look.

But like we said, the right choice can greatly differ from person to person, so it’s important to go through the features and find what works best for you. Happy playing!