Welcome to our guide to the 7 best acoustic guitars under $200. You might think you have to spend more to get a great-sounding acoustic guitar, but you’ll find a lot of nice instruments at a lower price point.
Quick Answer: Best Acoustic Guitars Under $200
- 1. Best Acoustic Guitar Under $200 Overall: Fender Squier
- 2. Jasmine S34C NEX
- 3. Ibanez Talman TCY10
- 4. Yamaha JR1 3/4 FG Junior
- 5. Donner Full Size Acoustic Electric Guitar
- 6. Sigma Acoustic Guitar
- 7. Epiphone Starling Dreadnought
I’ve played acoustic guitars for many years, and I’ve come across some nice lower-cost instruments during that time. This guide will help you find a nice acoustic guitar for a low price regardless of your current playing level or skill. Let’s have a look at the list.
About Acoustic Guitars Under $200
It’s possible to get a great acoustic guitar for under $200, but you may be confused by all the options out there. This guide will help you whether you’re a beginner or a player with some experience.
My Experience with Acoustic Guitars Under $200
I’ve played acoustic guitars all my life. A lot of my experience with lower-cost guitars came from working in a music warehouse as well as adjusting them for students. Guitars in this price range have a lot to offer today’s players.
Most guitars in this price range are designed for beginners, but they’re still ideal for plucking out some chords or for the beach. All the models listed here are excellent options no matter what skill level you’re at right now.
Things to Consider When Choosing Acoustic Guitars Under $200
Here are a few tips to keep in mind before purchasing your new guitar for under $200. These points will make it easier for you to find a great model to match your needs.
Size
Most guitars for under $200 are full-sized guitars, but you may also find some 3/4-sized guitars that are ideal for children or those that struggle with a full-sized acoustic instrument. You should try to have a good idea of the size you want before you buy.
The Overall Tone & Sound
You can expect a decent sound out of a guitar for under $200, but it’s not concert-quality, and you probably wouldn’t want to record with one. These instruments are mainly designed for lessons, playing a few chords, and getting to know the acoustic guitar.
Price
I’d go for models at $150-200. Guitars in this price range will have more options, a better sound, and will be made of higher quality materials than lower-priced models.
Electronics
Guitars under $200 may or may not have electronics installed. If they do, the electronics will be of lower quality when compared to high-priced models, but they still may be suitable for use with a guitar amp. Don’t expect an amazing sound at this price.
7 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $200
This guide to the 7 best acoustic guitars under $200 will help you find a good instrument whether you’re a beginner or someone on a budget but still wants to play. Let’s have a look at our guitar list.
1. Fender Squier Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Package
- Type: Dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar, accessories, lessons
- Pickups: No
- Material & finish: Mahogany, maple, gloss
- Best for: Beginners looking for a great guitar deal
The Fender Squier Dreadnought Package provides the guitar player with all they need to sound great. The guitar has a smooth and even tone up and down the neck. You can tune it up with ease thanks to the included tuner.
The x-bracing provides stability for the guitar and improves the overall tone. Students can use the DVD lessons to begin to play the guitar right out of the box. This guitar is set up and ready to go for the beginning guitar student looking for an amazing guitar package.
✅ Solid wood
✅ Lessons
✅ Accessories
✅ Good tone
❌ May need setup
❌ Case could be better
Why I Recommend It
I like Fender acoustic guitars because they’re well made, and the guitar in this package deal is no exception. I played one at a local music store I worked for, and they sounded pretty good for the price.
The neck on the guitar is really nice, along with the finish and overall build. It’s a good beginner guitar without a lot of issues. The player won’t have to fight with the instrument to get a good tone.
2. Jasmin S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Cutaway dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: N/A
- Material & finish: Rosewood, nato, mahogany, spruce
- Best for: Beginners that want to solo
The Jasmin S34C NEX provides the player with all they need to get started. This guitar features a playable neck and a good tone. The rosewood fingerboard keeps the guitar in stable tuning. The finish is smooth and looks great.
Players that want to solo will love the deep cutaway, which gives you easy access to the higher frets. The dreadnought style body produces a solid projection for chords, fingerpicking, and whatever else you want to play. This is an excellent bargain at under $200.
✅ Cutaway
✅ Smooth finish
✅ Easy playing
✅ Good tone
❌ No case
❌ May need some setup
Why I Recommend It
It’s not often you can get a solid cutaway dreadnought for under $200 that’s easy to play. This Jasmin has a great neck for its price, which the player will find comfortable at any position along the fretboard.
I like the spruce top, which gives the notes you play on this guitar a lot of clarity. The x-bracing helps to improve the overall tone of this guitar. Beginners or even intermediate players will enjoy playing this model.
3. Ibanez Talman TCY10 Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: On-board pickup system
- Material & finish: Spruce, mahogany, rosewood, gloss
- Best for: Beginners that want a pickup
The Ibanez Talman TCY10 is an exceptional guitar for under $200. Players get a deep cutaway for easy access to all of the frets. There’s a built-in tuner and an EQ, so the guitar is ready for any amplifier.
The spruce top amplifies the tone, and the mahogany body provides good resonance. The shape of the body will appeal to rock and metal players. Beginners can’t go wrong with the Talman, as it’s got what the player wants in an acoustic guitar.
✅ Pickup
✅ Good tone
✅ Cutaway
✅ Easy playing
❌ Black color shows scratches easily
❌ EQ may confuse some
Why I Recommend It
I picked the Talman because it’s got a pickup system with a tuner, EQ, and battery pack right on the side of the guitar, which makes plugging into an amplifier a breeze. I also like the feel of the neck, as it’s smooth and responsive when playing,
This guitar has solid machine heads and a big rosewood bridge for good tuning overall. I found the guitar was set up nicely right out of the box. It sounds great for such a low-cost acoustic guitar. The main selling point is that nice pickup system.
4. Yamaha JR1 FG Junior
- Type: Small dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar, gig bag
- Pickup: No
- Material & finish: Spruce, mahogany, meranti, matte
- Best for: Younger kids
The Yamaha JR1 FG Junior is a smaller-sized dreadnought with a good tone. The smaller 3/4 size makes it the ideal guitar for children starting on guitar. This model holds its tuning well and sounds great right out of the box.
The spruce top gives the instrument good resonance and note clarity. Children will love plucking their first notes on this model. The guitar will be comfortable in their hands and will inspire them to keep playing. I recommend you pick up a JR1 FG Junior today.
✅ Smaller size for kids
✅ Easy to play
✅ Good tone
✅ Gig bag
❌ Limited use
❌ May need some setup
Why I Recommend It
I love the JR1, as it’s a solid guitar for kids. Many of my students had poor guitars, but one of them came in with this model. The guitar was tuned well and sounded great. Due to the smaller body size, it’s also a good guitar for adults who are traveling.
The guitar is built well and feels like a regular dreadnought, just in a mini size. The solid wood construction adds to the tone of the guitar. You may need to lower the action a bit, but overall this is a nice model for kids.
5. Donner Full-Size Acoustic Electric Guitar Pack
- Type: Dreadnought cutaway
- What’s included: Guitar, case, accessories, amp
- Pickups: Yes
- Material & finish: Mahogany, spruce, gloss finish
- Best for: Beginners that want a full package
The Donner Acoustic Guitar Pack is loaded with value. You get an easy-playing dreadnought cutaway, accessories, and a small amp. Accessories include a case, strings, picks, and a tuner for added value.
The cutaway makes soloing easy for the player, and the neck is comfortable at all positions. The electronics for the pickup are side-mounted for easy access when you’re playing. A beginner will love the amp’s sound and this instrument’s performance.
✅ Full size
✅ Lots of accessories
✅ Amp
✅ Cutaway
❌ Some accessories could be better
❌ May need setup
Why I Recommend It
This Donner package has a lot going for it. The guitar sounds great and I love the look. It’s nice to have a guitar in this price range with a pickup. Plugged in, it’s got a pretty good tone, so the player can experiment with recording if they like.
The best part is that there are tons of accessories such as a tuner, capo, and a lot more. The x-bracing improves the tone and sound projection. This package is a good bargain for any beginning player.
6. Sigma Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Folk dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: No
- Material & finish: Spruce, sapele, rosewood, gloss
- Best for: Those that want an easy-playing acoustic
For those looking for dependable guitar tones, you can’t go wrong with the Sigma. It’s made with superior wood and provides a smooth and even sound. The spruce top gives the guitar a great sound no matter what you’re playing.
The body is smaller than a standard dreadnought, so it’s comfortable for those that may not like a full-sized dreadnought. The neck is responsive at all positions for chords, single notes, and solos. Players will love the Sigma.
✅ Big tone
✅ Quality wood
✅ Nice neck
✅ Easy to hold
❌ May need setup
❌ No included accessories
Why I Recommend It
I love the Sigma, as it was my first real acoustic guitar. I had my Sigma for years without any real issues with it. This guitar is part of the Martin guitar company, so you’re getting a quality acoustic. You’ll get a big tone out of this guitar thanks to the solid wood construction.
I like the way the Sigma feels. When you play it, you might think it’s an expensive guitar, but it’s not. These guitars are made well and that comes out in the overall tone of the guitar. I highly recommend the Sigma as these are great guitars, especially for beginners.
7. Epiphone Starling Dreadnought
- Type: Standard dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups:None
- Material & finish: Mahogany, spruce, laurel, gloss
- Best for: Beginners that want a good guitar
The Epiphone Starling is a classic dreadnought with good looks and easy playability. This guitar has a spruce top for a solid tone and sound projection. The laurel fretboard is smooth at all positions no matter what you’re playing.
The C-shape neck is comfortable in the player’s hands, so the guitar is ideal for the beginner. The Graphtech nut and NuBone saddle keep the guitar in perfect tuning. This is one of the 7 best acoustic guitars under $200.
✅ Classic look
✅ Nice neck
✅ Solid wood
✅ Good tone
❌ No pickup
❌ No accessories
Why I Recommend It
I like the Epiphone Starling because it’s a classic take on the Gibson Hummingbird design. It’s got that look that players want. As far as tone, this guitar sounds great for under $200. It’ll inspire players to keep on practicing.
This is an easy-playing guitar, so the player won’t struggle with chords. I find that Epiphone plays pretty well right out of the box without the need for a guitar store. My only complaint is that there’s no included accessories with the guitar.
Acoustic Guitars Under $200 Aesthetics & Build
Here’s what you need to know about the build when you’re buying an acoustic guitar for under $200. These are decent instruments but may use lower quality wood when compared to expensive models.
Material
- Spruce: This wood is common for guitar tops as it has excellent resonance and note clarity.
- Cedar: Another wood used for acoustic guitar tops due to its warm tones
- Rosewood: Often used for guitar bridges, as it’s durable
- Mahogany: Often used on guitar backs, necks, and sides due to its resonance
- Basswood: A lower-cost wood used for the construction of cheaper guitars
- Laminate: A combination of woods used to construct lower-priced guitars
Finish
- Gloss: This finish is typical for acoustic guitars. It has a good shine and a long life.
- Nitrocellulose lacquer: Not as common on acoustic guitars, but sometimes used
- Polyester: An alternative to nitro with a good shine and long life
- Matte: A common smooth finish on acoustic guitars without a lot of shine
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are some common questions that people ask regarding acoustic guitars under $200 that you should be aware of.
Are Guitars Under $200 Worth It?
Yes, there are quite a few good models in this price range. While these guitars don’t have a stellar sound and may need to be set up before they play well, you’re still getting a decent beginner guitar that’s all you need to get started on the instrument.
What Type of Sound Can I Expect?
The sound of guitars under $200 is decent, but not outstanding. Higher-cost guitars use better tonewoods. These are still fine guitars for learning those first chords, although you probably wouldn’t want to record with one of these guitars.
What Size Should I Buy?
Most guitars in this price range are full-size instruments, but there are some 3/4-sized models, which are ideal for younger kids. Most adults will want a full-sized guitar. 3/4 are also ideal for travel or the beach, as they don’t take up a lot of space.
Where to Buy Acoustic Guitars Under $200
There are several places where I like to purchase musical instruments. These are the top choices in terms of price, selection, and customer service. Here’s what you need to know before you buy.
Amazon
Amazon is the top choice, as they have a huge product catalog, good customer service, and you can read reviews before ordering. I always have a good experience when ordering products from Amazon.
Sweetwater/Guitar Center
Sweetwater and Guitar Center are two alternatives to Amazon. Both have an extensive product selection with good prices. They ship fast and have good customer service.
Your Local Music Store
You can also visit your local music store, but not all stores carry every guitar, so you won’t have as wide of a selection. Stores may be able to special order a guitar for you if they don’t have the model you want.
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Table of Contents
- Acoustic Guitars By Price
- About Acoustic Guitars Under $200
- My Experience with Acoustic Guitars Under $200
- Things to Consider When Choosing Acoustic Guitars Under $200
- 7 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $200
- Acoustic Guitars Under $200 Aesthetics & Build
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Acoustic Guitar Brands
- In Conclusion
In Conclusion
Thanks for reading our guide to the 7 best acoustic guitars under $200. You can find a great guitar for not a whole lot of money if you do a bit of shopping around. All the guitars on this list would make great beginner guitars or suitable instruments for that camping trip.
Please like, comment, and share this article. We look forward to hearing from you about acoustic guitars and other musical instruments. As always, have fun playing the guitar.
