Buying a Guitar for the first time is the stepping stone to your learning journey. As I mentioned in the very first post, you need to choose your guitar cautiously as this fellow is going to be your companion for quite a long time. If you choose the wrong one, you pretty much ruin your whole learning process. Thus, you need to carry out which brands are the best as well which of them provide affordable options. Before I list out some of the best guitars that are presently available in the market, I should make it clear that these guitars and brands are my personal choice over the years. They sound good, are affordable, durable and are easily available.
Note- You can get these guitars for $500 or less which according to me is a decent price for the brilliant acoustic guitars for beginners.
The Top 10 Acoustic Guitars
Martin LX1E
Want to play what Ed Sheeran prefers and plays with? Martin’s most popular model and perhaps one of the most sold too is the Martin LX1E.
It might be their smallest model on the rock but let me tell you, it has a brilliant tone and quality which stand unmatched. The LX1E model has a Sitka spruce top, a high pressure mahogany laminate on back and sides, finished with warm satin. It’s small and light, good for travel. Even though some shops have it listed for above 500$, you can shop around to get this one within $500.
Taylor GS Mini Guitar
The guitar has been marvellously scaled down which still pretty much is an acoustic bombastic storm that can rock! The guitar is portable, features a solid spruce (or mahogany top) and needless to say, is worth every penny spent. The tone and quality of sound is one of the best in affordable guitars priced under $500.
Fender Tim A Hellcat
This model as the name suggests, has been based on Tim Armstrong’s 60s Fender acoustic. The Rancid star used the same guitar model for all his sensational songs and for you; this baby is ready to fire up! Armstrong gave this model some mojo of his own, adding the pearl acrylic logos of Hellcat to the third, fifth and seventh frets instead of markers. A pair of skulls gives the finish to the twelfth fret which not to forget, looks incredibly cool. Some of the other incredible features include mahogany top, scalloped bracing and of course the heart of many guitarists, Fishman Hellcat Acoustic preamp.
Loar Brownstone LH-204
Want a vintage-style bluesy guitar that sounds incredibly amazing? You don’t need to head to the crossroads neither do you have to shell out a fortune for the same. Just for the price of $300, you can get this amazing guitar- Loar Brownstone LH-204. The new LH-204 has a marvellous dark tone and has been based upon the highly appreciated LH-200. It has a solid Sitka spruce top, rosewood fret board and mahogany back, neck and sides finished with brown satin. The headstock is low-key while the complete design brings you back to old days, right to the roots of the guitar era.
Ibanez Artwood Tenor
Remarkably superior hardware, solid tops and well chosen tone woods- that is the specialty of the Ibanez Artwood series. The design itself adds to the overall tone, sound and the value which is why this series happens to be one of the most respected guitar series in the world. The guitar all of a sudden has witnessed a spike in its popularity as more and more contemporary artists are going for it. Mahogany neck, rosewood fret board and bridge, open gear tuners from Butterbean and much more- that’s Tenor models for you.
Note: Don’t go for four string models in the beginning.
Ibanez Artwood Tenor
Epiphone “1964” Texan (Inspired)
This guitar model is surprisingly affordable, priced somewhere around $400. The model is a reproduce of the vintage Epiphone that was a favourite of stars like Peter Frampton and Paul McCartney. The Epiphone has the much respected and state of art NanoFlex pickup system. The guitar has a mahogany back and neck with a solid spruce top. You can get the Antique Natural or the Vintage Cherry finished one.
King Torrefied RP1-16C
Torrefied top- isn’t that an advantage available to you in just $500? Before that, understand what torrefaction is. It is the process of heating the woods to a precise temperature without the oxygen which reduces impurities and gives a decreased weight with a stiff top. The transformation is similar to that of wood dried for several years. Result, is a brilliant vintage style instrument that would last longer than most of the high class expensive guitars. The guitar can also serve as a brilliant fingerstyle instrument in your advanced learning stages.
Ovation CS24P-NBM
Celebrity Standard Plus guitar would be the first step for you if you plan to enter the Ovation domain of guitars. CS24P-NBM has a Lyrachord cutaway body which gives an amazing sound. The model has a marbled top with X bracing. Many patterns were evaluated by Ovation before they finally finalized this design that supports the tone of this amazingly built guitar. The guitar has an Ovation Slimline pickup with OP-4BT amp system. Even though it is officially priced around $600, you can get it for $470 from selected shops.
Yamaha LL6M
Real performance combined with the classic design- the LL6M is just the perfect instrument for any individual to begin their journey with. The LL6M has a brilliant Acoustic Resonance Enhancement or ARE Engelmann spruced top. The guitar is lined up with mahogany sides and back, complementing its warm tone. Yamaha has been coming with brilliant guitars, one after another but this reflects the heritage of guitars – the guitars played by revolutionary musicians. The 5-ply neck is smooth to work on, not to forget the comfort you feel while holding this model in your hands. Yamaha’s very own Zero Impact System delivers high performance without any complex control options.
Washburn WG26SCE
Washburn WG26SCE is one of the most desirable acoustic guitars present in the market today that come under the price tag of $500. Most of the body of this extravagantly designed guitar is made from rosewood that imparts a different style and an unmatched beautiful tone to the model. The model has a solid cedar top and for the electric components, we have the highly respected Fishman pickups. Even though it is priced at $450, you can find it a guitar store for $400 and trust me when I tell you, this is one of the best out there in terms of style, design and tone combined.
Washburn WG26SCE
