This guide to the 7 best acoustic guitars under $1000 will help you find a high-quality guitar. At this price, you’re starting to get into territory where the guitar will be suitable for almost any application. There’s a lot to choose from at around $1000.
Quick Answer: Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
- 1. Best Acoustic Guitar Under $1,000 Overall: Taylor 210 CE
- 2. Martin Road Series D-10E Acoustic Guitar
- 3. Seagull Maritime Concert Hall
- 4. Ovation Elite TX Acoustic Guitar
- 5. Epiphone Masterbuilt Hummingbird Acoustic Guitar
- 6. Fender Newporter Bundle
- 7. Guild D-150CE Westerly Collection Acoustic Guitar
Over the years, I’ve played plenty of guitars that were around $1000. My main guitar was around this price. The quality in this range is exceptional and you’ll enjoy a guitar that you can play for years. Here’s a look at my list.
About Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
At around $1,000, the quality of a guitar goes way up. These instruments are suitable for the stage and recording, and they’ll be good enough for almost any type of music. Most have a good tone and many come with pickups.
The tone isn’t quite as good as a professional guitar, but most won’t be able to tell the difference. My main acoustic is around this price and it sounds fine no matter what I play.
My Experience with Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
Most acoustic guitars I’ve owned and played have been under $1,000. I’ve set these instruments up for students and worked on them as a quality control technician in a warehouse.
In today’s market, you have more choice than ever before when it comes to moderately priced guitars that sound decent and are easy to play. I’ve selected several guitars here for all playing abilities.
Things to Consider When Choosing Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
There are several points to consider before you buy an acoustic guitar for under $1,000. This is an excellent price range with a lot of options available to you. Here’s what to consider.
Size
There are quite a few different sizes in this price range, including dreadnought, smaller dreadnought, concert hall, and cutaway acoustic guitars. Most are full-size instruments and not the smaller student 3/4 size.
The Overall Tone & Sound
You can expect an exceptional tone in this price range. It’s not quite professional, but it’s getting there. Guitars at this price tune easily and have the sound you want for most musical styles.
You need to pick the guitar that sounds the best to your ears, which is the hard part. There are really a lot of great guitars around $1,000, so have fun trying them all out before you buy. Check this list for some good recommendations.
Price
Instruments at around $1,000 are well built and have a very good tone. I’d aim for $850+ in this range, as the quality improves a lot compared to $500 or so guitars.
Electronics
Guitars at the price often come with pickup systems, although some don’t. This is a nice option to have if you plan to record yourself playing or want to go to a jam. Most systems on the instruments are quite good.
7 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
This guide highlights guitars under $1000. There’s a guitar here for you whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or advanced guitar player. These instruments are all exceptional and worth the price tag.
1. Taylor 210CE Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Dreadnought cutaway
- What’s included: Guitar, gig bag
- Pickups: Expression System 2
- Material & finish: Mahogany, ebony spruce, rosewood, satin finish
- Best for: Those that want a top-tier acoustic guitar
The Taylor 210CE is made with top-quality wood for an exceptional tone no matter what style of music you’re playing. The cutaway body makes it easy to solo up and down the fretboard.
The Expression 2 Pickup System gives you smooth and balanced tones when it’s plugged into any amplifier. The guitar is easy to play and sounds great each and every playing session.
✅ Solid wood
✅ Good electronics
✅ Gig bag
✅ Cutway body
❌ A bit expensive
❌ EQ system a bit hard to access
Why I Recommend It
I got my hands on this Taylor model in a local music store. Taylor produces great guitars and the 210CE is a joy to play. The fretboard is smooth at all positions and it sounds great whether you’re playing single notes or strumming chords.
The expression 2 Pickup System gives a balanced natural-sounding tone out of your amplifier. It’s got a NuBone nut and micarta saddle for great tuning stability. Overall, this is an exceptional guitar for under $1000.
2. Martin Road Series D-10E
- Type: Dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar, case
- Pickups: MX-T Fishman
- Material & finish: Richlite, sapele, select hardwood, satin finish
- Best for: Those that want a great playing dreadnought
The Martin Road Series D-10E is an easy-playing dreadnought guitar for a lower-than-expected price. The sapele top provides a warm and even tone.
The MX-T Fishman electronics give you a great tone for the stage or studio with a natural acoustic sound. The guitar is easy to pick up and play for all players. This is one of the best acoustic guitars under $1000.
✅ Good pickup
✅ Solid construction
✅ Balanced tone
✅ X-bracing
❌ No cutaway
❌ Pickup controls in soundhole
Why I Recommend It
I like the Martin Road Series guitars because they’re well built, and for under $1000 most people can finally afford a Martin guitar. This is an excellent well-balanced dreadnought with a huge tone no matter what your playing style.
The neck is comfortable whether you’re strumming chords or playing single-note lines. This is a simple basic dreadnought, but it’s got the Martin tone you want and a built-in pickup. This is a clear winner for any player.
3. Seagull Maritime Concert Hall Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Cutaway Concert Hall
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: Godin QIT electronics
- Material & finish: Mahogany, spruce, satin finish
- Best for: Beginners that want a pickup and cutaway
The Seagull Maritime Concert Hall has a smaller than normal body for great comfort when you’re playing. The neck is comfortable at all fretboard positions thanks to the deep body cutaway.
The spruce top is pressure tested to ensure a great tone every time you play. The tapered headstock provides great tuning stability, especially when you’re using altered tuning. Plug in for great tones with the QIT electronics.
✅ Pickup
✅ Cutaway neck
✅ Smooth neck
✅ Compact headstock
❌ No case
❌ Top strap button spot
Why I Recommend It
Seagull is one of my top brands, as my main acoustic guitar is a Seagull. This model has a nice thin body for easy playability. I like the position of the battery compartment, which is on the bottom so there are no cumbersome changes.
Seagull necks are easy to play for chords, scales, and fingerpicking. This guitar also has a great electronics system for plugged-in tones. This is one of the best acoustic guitars under $1000.
4. Ovation Elite TX Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Jumbo cutaway
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: Ovation pickup
- Material & finish: Spruce, rosewood, Pau Ferro, Lyrachord, satin finish
- Best for: Guitar soloists
The Ovation Elite TX is a guitar designed for soloists. It has a deep cutaway body for simple higher fret access. The maple neck is solid and responsive at all positions for great tone and playability.
The Ovation pickup and preamp provide exception tones when plugged into an amplifier. The instrument is designed for soloists, as it’s easy to play quick lines without much effort.
✅ Deep cutaway
✅ Good electronics
✅ X-bracing
✅ Great tone
❌ Some may not like the shape
❌ No included case
Why I Recommend It
This Ovation is the perfect guitar if you’re into faster guitar playing and want an easy-to-play acoustic guitar for that style. It’s got 22 frets, so you’re all set to play complicated solos on your instrument.
The Ovation body takes some getting used to, but these guitars do have a great tone. For under $1000 this instrument is a real bargain. The pickup, preamp, and easy playability make the guitar a real winner.
5. Epiphone Masterbuilt Hummingbird Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: Fishman Sonitone
- Material & finish: Mahogany, spruce, laurel, maple, gloss
- Best for: Players that want a guitar for strumming
The Epiphone Masterbuilt Hummingbird is designed for chord strumming because it has a huge, classic tone. The neck is smooth at all positions and it’s comfortable for chords and single-note lines.
The solid spruce top gives exceptional note clarity, and it’s got a built-in Fishman Sonitone pickup for great amplified tones. If you’re a chord strummer and want an easy-playing guitar, the Masterbuilt Hummingbird is for you.
✅ Bone nut/saddle
✅ Great tone
✅ Classic looks
✅ Pickup
❌ No case
❌ Soundhole access for electronics
Why I Recommend It
We sold these guitars at the music store I worked for and Epiphone has a real winner here. The guitar is nice for both strumming and flatpicking. It sounds expensive, but it’s under $1,000.
The maple back and sides give the guitar good volume and note clarity. The laurel fingerboard and C profile neck make the guitar comfortable in your hand. The addition of a pickup is another reason to pick up this Epiphone.
6. Fender Newporter Bundle
- Type: Cutaway dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar, accessories, gig bag
- Pickups: Fishman
- Material & finish: Maple, mahogany, morado, satin finish
- Best for: Beginner acoustic guitar players
The Fender Newporter Bundle provides an excellent guitar for those with a bit extra to spend on their first guitar. The cutaway body is easy to play and the guitar sounds great.
The instrument comes with lessons, picks, a strap, strings, and a tuner so the player is ready to go. Use the included pickup to record your first song or play a live gig. This is a great acoustic guitar for under $1,000.
✅ Great neck
✅ Good pickup
✅ Feels like an electric
✅ Deep cutaway
❌ Some poor accessories
❌ Fretboard material could be better
Why I Recommend It
I like this Newporter Bundle because it includes a great guitar and some accessories for the beginner. It costs more than basic guitar packages, but the guitar is easy to play and feels like an electric with its Strat-style headstock.
It’s got a good tone at all ranges because of the mahogany top and body. If you play electric and want to try acoustic, this guitar is a good starting point. The thinner body makes it easy to play standing up too.
7. Guild D-150CE Westerly Collection Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Dreadnought cutaway
- What’s included: Guitar, case
- Pickups: Fishman API
- Material & finish: Mahogany, spruce, rosewood, gloss
- Best for: Players that want a great sounding guitar
This Guild D-150CE guitar features a solid spruce top and a rosewood body for exceptional tones. The mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard are smooth.
The Fishman API pickup sounds great with any amplifier. The bone nut and saddle help keep the guitar in perfect tuning. This instrument is capable of producing great tones every time you pick it up.
✅ Easy playing
✅ Lots of accessories
✅ Solid wood
✅ Gig bag
❌ No pickup
❌ Case could be better
Why I Recommend It
Guild has some nice mid-priced guitars, and this one from the Westerly Collection is a great-sounding bargain. You get a full-sounding dreadnought tone yet have soloing ability thanks to the cutaway.
I’m not a fan of soundhole pickups, but this one does sound nice, and Fishman is a great brand. The spruce top and rosewood body produce a nice clean acoustic tone.
Acoustic Guitars Under $1000 Aesthetics & Build
At under $1,000, your guitar will have a nice build. You can expect better tonewoods at this price and a guitar that’s quite responsive no matter what you want to play. Here are a few things to keep in mind before buying.
Material
Here’s a little bit about the wood choices for acoustic guitars under $1,000.
- Spruce: A lot of acoustic guitars have spruce tops because this wood produces a great acoustic tone.
- Mahogany: This wood is used for the neck, body, and sides on quite a few acoustics.
- Maple: Some acoustics have maple bodies or necks. This hardwood is sturdy and long-lasting.
- Cedar: An alternative to spruce, with a warm tone
- Rosewood: Found on bridges, fretboards, and sometimes the guitar body
- Richlite/laurel: Alternatives to rosewood, used for fingerboards
Finish
There are several different finishes used on acoustic guitars. Here are the basics of each.
- Gloss: A common finish with a good shine
- Nitrocellulose lacquer: Not that common on acoustic guitars
- Matte/Satin: Smooth finish without a lot of shine
- Polyester: A finish with good durability, but not common on acoustics
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are a few points to consider when buying a guitar for under $1,000.
Are Guitars Under $1000 Worth It?
Guitars at around the $1,000 price point are quite good. You’ll get better tonewoods and easy playing necks, and many come with built-in pickups. You can gig, record, and do almost anything with these types of guitars.
What Type of Sound Can I Expect?
The sound quality at this price is near professional, but not quite. Most guitars will be fine for almost any application. The only difference is that the tone might not be as good as a more expensive guitar.
Most players won’t be able to tell the difference in tone when compared to expensive guitars. As your ear develops, you may prefer the tone of expensive guitars, but most players will enjoy guitars at this price.
What Size Should I Buy?
There are a few body size options. Standard dreadnoughts are great for chords, but not soloing. The cutaway dreadnought makes soloing easier. You’ll also find smaller concert body sizes, which are ideal for fingerpicking.
Try different body types until you find something that works for your needs. I like the cutaway models, as I’m more of a soloist than a chord strummer. Your needs may not match mine, though, so experiment.
Where to Buy Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
There are quite a few places to pick up an acoustic guitar for under $1,000. Here’s where to look.
Amazon
I like shopping on Amazon due to the product selection and ability to read a lot of reviews before you buy. I’ve never had problems shopping there. If you do, it’s easy to contact them to correct the issue.
Sweetwater/Guitar Center
Both Sweetwater and Guitar Center are alternatives to Amazon if you can’t find the guitar you want there. They both have a good selection of acoustic guitars, great service, and fast shipping.
Your Local Music Store
Your local store probably has a good assortment of acoustic guitars, but the selection won’t be as good as online. Stop by and try out a few acoustics to get a feel for what you like before you buy.
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Table of Contents
- Acoustic Guitars By Price
- About Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
- My Experience with Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
- Things to Consider When Choosing Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
- 7 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
- Acoustic Guitars Under $1000 Aesthetics & Build
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Acoustic Guitar Brands
- In Conclusion
In Conclusion
Thanks for reading this guide to the 7 best acoustic guitars under $1,000. All the guitars listed here would make excellent options. Experiment until you find a guitar that suits your playing style.
Please like, comment, and share this article. I want to hear from you about your tastes in acoustic guitars and other guitars. Have fun playing your new acoustic guitar.