This guide to the 7 best acoustic guitars under $500 is designed to help you as a player find a high-quality guitar at a moderate price. You’ll find a great guitar in this price range no matter what your current playing ability is.
Quick Answer: Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500
- 1. Best Acoustic Guitar Under $500 Overall: Seagull S6
- 2. Little Martin LX1E
- 3. Epiphone Dove Studio
- 4. Ovation CE44-5 Acoustic Guitar
- 5. Yamaha Storia III
- 6. Guild F-240E Jumbo
- 7. Tim Armstrong Hellcat
I’ve played acoustic guitars for many years, and I’ve come across a wide range of great guitars. It’s possible today to find an amazing guitar for under $500, as the quality has risen in recent years. Let’s have a look at what’s out there.
About Acoustic Guitars Under $500
At under $500, you can expect that the quality of your new guitar will be good. These guitars far exceed the starter guitar packages that many people buy when they begin to play.
You’ll get a great tone and an easy-to-play guitar.
My Experience with Acoustic Guitars Under $500
I worked for a music store and we sold a lot of guitars under $500. I got to play a lot of these guitars myself. I also worked on these guitars as a quality control technician in a music warehouse.
In recent years there’s been more choice than ever before in terms of affordable guitars. You don’t need to spend thousands on a good acoustic. In the $500 range, there are solid options such as the guitars listed below in my list.
Things to Consider When Choosing Acoustic Guitars Under $500
There are a few points to keep in mind before you buy a guitar for under $500. I’ve highlighted the main points you should review before you buy your new guitar.
Size
Most guitars in the $500 range are full-sized dreadnoughts or cutaway dreadnoughts. You can find a few smaller body dreadnoughts, but for the most part guitars in this range are more adult-oriented.
Price
At around the $500 range, you’ll be getting a guitar that has a better build quality when compared to lower-priced guitars. The wood is better, they may have electronics installed, and you get a great tone. This is a good starting point for a beginner or intermediate player.
Electronics
Guitars in the $500 range may or may not already have electronics installed. If you want a pickup, some models come with them already installed or you can have one installed in your new guitar if you prefer.
7 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500
This guide looks a the 7 best acoustic guitars under $500. All of these instruments would make great selections. I’ve had experience with these guitars, so I know you’re going to get a great guitar.
1. Seagull S6 Slim Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: No
- Material & finish: Mahogany, cedar, cherry, maple, satin finish
- Best for: Intermediate players that want a great guitar
The Seagull S6 Slim is a superb-sounding acoustic guitar. This model features a smaller neck than the standard S6, so it’s comfortable to play at all positions along the fretboard. The cedar top produces a smooth and balanced guitar tone.
The guitar top is pressure tested for durability and long life. The guitar excels no matter what you want to play, whether it’s chords, fingerpicking, or solos. The S6 sounds great every time you pick it up.
✅ Solid wood
✅ Great neck
✅ Smooth finish
✅ Good tone
❌ No case
❌ No accessories
Why I Recommend It
My main guitar is a Seagull acoustic, and I know firsthand that the company makes superb guitars. The S6 feels like an expensive guitar and plays like one too. It’s got a nice cherry back and sides which further enhance the tone of this guitar. The neck has a nice satin stain for smooth transitions.
I’m always impressed with the tone I get out of my Seagull, and the machine heads hold the guitar in perfect tuning for a long time without a lot of tweaking necessary. This is an entry-level Seagull, but it’s well worth it as it plays well and sounds amazing.
2. Little Martin LX1E Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Small dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar, gig bag
- Pickups: Fishman
- Material & finish: Spruce, mahogany, Richlite, satin finish
- Best for: Intermediate players that want a smaller body guitar
The Little Martin LX1E is a superb entry-level Martin acoustic. It’s got that dependable Martin tone in a smaller package. This small-size dreadnought is easy to hold whether you’re sitting or standing up. The spruce top gives it an enhanced tone and sound.
You can use the Fishman pickup for excellent plugged-in tones. The Richlite fingerboard and bridge is a sustainable wood, so this guitar is environmentally friendly. This is a guitar you can depend upon each time you pick it up.
✅ Smaller size
✅ Smooth finish
✅ Great neck
✅ Good tone
❌ No accessories
❌ A bit small for some
Why I Recommend It
Our music store stocked a lot of Martin guitars, and the LX1E was one of them. This is an incredible Martin guitar that’s affordable for anyone. The smaller body is ideal for those that don’t like full-sized dreadnoughts. You get that tone you desire with this Martin.
If you want to play folk, fingerpick, or play similar styles, this is the guitar for you. It’s comfortable to play, and the Fishman pickup sounds great out of an amp. This is why I think the Martin LX1E is one of the best acoustic guitars under $500.
3. Epiphone Dove Studio Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: Sonitone
- Material & finish: Spruce, maple, rosewood, gloss
- Best for: Beginners that want a pickup
The Epiphone Dove Studio is a solid and well-built dreadnought acoustic. The Sonitone pickup gives the guitar excellent plugged-in tones for live performances or in your studio. The Graphtec nut and saddle keep the guitar in perfect tune each time you play.
The solid spruce top gives the guitar a huge projection for musical styles such as country, rock, and blues. The solid maple back, sides, and neck further enhance the tone of this superb guitar.
✅ Pickup
✅ Good tone
✅ Great looks
✅ Solid build
❌ No case
❌ No extras
Why I Recommend It
We sold a lot of Epiphone guitars in a store I worked for, including the Epiphone Dove Studio. This guitar has a great responsive neck at all positions and has the tone to tackle multiple guitar styles. It excels at strummed chords and has a big boomy sound.
It’s got Grover tuners that keep the tuning stable, and it’s got that traditional “hummingbird” look made famous by Gibson. This is an impressive guitar capable of producing great tones, and for under $500, you can’t go wrong with the Dove Studio.
4. Ovation CE44-S Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Cutaway dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickup: Ovation Slimline pickup
- Material & finish: Spruce, fiberglass, nato, rosewood, gloss finish
- Best for: Those that want to play solos
The Ovation CE-44-S is a solid and well-built guitar designed for today’s player. You can plug in, use the superb Ovation Slimline pickup, and tweak your sound with the EQ knobs. The solid spruce top provides a huge tone whenever you pick up the instrument.
The deep body cutaway makes guitar solos effortless on this model. The SlimTaper D neck is comfortable at all positions along the fretboard. The machine heads and bridge are solid and the guitar shines no matter what you’re playing.
✅ Big tone
✅ Good pickup
✅ Deep cutaway
✅ Solid wood
❌ No case
❌ Scratches show on black finish
Why I Recommend It
I like the Ovation CE44-S as a guitar for soloists. The side-mounted EQ has bass, middle, and treble to make it easy to sculpt your sound, plus the battery compartment is on the side for easy battery changes. The guitar is perfect for a studio or a live session.
Ovation guitars take a bit of getting used to because of the odd body shape, but they have an amazing tone. This guitar sounds great no matter what you want to play. It’s one of the 7 best acoustic guitars under $500 on this list.
5. Yamaha Storia III Acoustic Guitar
- Type: Small dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: Piezo
- Material & finish: Mahogany, nato, walnut, gloss
- Best for: Beginners that want a smaller-sized guitar
The Yamaha Storia III is the right guitar for players that don’t like a full-sized dreadnought guitar. This instrument has a great tone thanks to a solid mahogany build. The guitar is comfortable when you’re standing up or sitting down to play.
The piezoelectric pickup allows the player to plug into an amplifier for clean and crisp amplified tones. This is one of the 7 best acoustic guitars under $500 for today’s guitar player.
✅ Smaller size
✅ Good tone
✅ Solid wood
✅ Easy to play
❌ No case
❌ No accessories
Why I Recommend It
The Yamaha Storia III is a nice guitar and I picked it because of the smaller body size. I’ve seen players struggle with a full-sized dreadnought and then excel once they tried a smaller body guitar. This guitar is easy to pick up and play for a new guitar student.
The smaller neck makes playing chords easier for those with smaller hands. I can confirm this, as I have a smaller reach and I found chording on this guitar to be a breeze. This guitar sounds great and its easy playability is why I recommend it.
6. Guild Guitars F-240E Acoustic Jumbo
- Type: Full jumbo dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: Ap-1 Fishman
- Material & finish: Spruce, mahogany, morado, gloss
- Best for: Country guitar players
The Guild F-240E Acoustic Jumbo is built for chord strummers. The jumbo body produces a huge guitar tone. The Fishman pickup allows players to plug into an amplifier and get the sound they need night after night.
The guitar has a solid spruce top along with a mahogany back and sides. The arched back of the guitar produces more volume, so your strumming stands out. This is the perfect guitar for those looking for a big tone and a lot of volume when they play.
✅ Big tone
✅ Pickup
✅ Nice neck
✅ Bone nut/saddle
❌ Too big for some
❌ No case
Why I Recommend It
Guild is one of my favorite acoustic guitar makers and the F-240E Acoustic Jumbo is a nice guitar for those that do a lot of strumming. It excels at styles such as country, blues, and rockabilly due to its huge tone from the jumbo body.
I like the feel of the neck, which is smooth and responsive at all positions. There’s no fighting with the guitar to get the tones that you want out of it. The AP-1 Fishman pickup sounds great, and for under $500 this is one of the best guitars you can buy for the money.
7. Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat
- Type: Small body dreadnought
- What’s included: Guitar
- Pickups: Fishman
- Material & finish: Mahogany, walnut, maple, gloss
- Best for: Those that want small body guitar
The Fender Hellcat is a small body dreadnought with a big tone for today’s player. The solid mahogany body and top provide a deep resonance with each note picked. It’s got a Fishman pickup for equally impressive plugged-in tones.
The built-in tuner ensures the guitar is in perfect tuning night after night, while the urea nut and saddle further enhance the tuning stability. The maple neck makes the guitar comfortable to play no matter what type of music you’re into.
✅ Easy to hold
✅ Great tone
✅ Pickup
✅ Built-in tuner
❌ No case
❌ No extras
Why I Recommend It
I like the Tim Armstrong Hellcat because it’s easy to play thanks to the smaller body size. A lot of players struggle with full-sized dreadnoughts, but this guitar is the right size for just about anyone.
The walnut fingerboard is smooth at all positions and easy on the fingers as you play. The Fishman pickup has bass, treble, and volume controls to help you sculpt your sound the way you want it. This is a nice well-rounded guitar with a lot going for it.
Acoustic Guitars Under $500 Aesthetics & Build
There’s a lot of positives for guitars under $500. At around this price range, the quality of the wood increases by a wide margin, and you get a far better sound. Wood choice is a personal preference, as you’ll soon discover the wood tones you like the best as you play.
Material
- Spruce: The wood is common for guitar tops as it has excellent resonance and note clarity.
- Mahogany: This wood is often found on the back and side of acoustic guitars due to its warm tone.
- Basswood: A common wood used on lower-priced guitars
- Maple: Common for guitar necks and some acoustic guitar bodies since it’s a solid wood with a good tone
- Laminate: This is a combination of different wood sometimes used on acoustic guitars.
- Cedar: Another common wood used for guitar tops with a good tone.
Finish
- Gloss: This is a common finish on acoustic guitars with a good shine and long life.
- Nitrocellulose lacquer: This hard finish isn’t that common on acoustic guitars.
- Matte: A flat finish without a lot of gloss and common on many acoustic guitars
- Polyester: A hard finish with good shine and durability
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that people often ask when looking for guitars under $500.
Are Guitars Under $500 Worth It?
Yes, they are. In this price range, there’s a lot of choice in the market and quite a few guitars that are well worth the money. The sound in this price range is quite good, plus many guitars have pickups so they’re ready for recording or live performances.
What Type of Sound Can I Expect?
Guitars in this price range have a nice tone. At around $500 you start to get close to a professional tone. They make great practice instruments, and you can use one to record or even take to a jam if there’s a pickup installed.
What Size Should I Buy?
Adults will probably want a full-sized dreadnought. There are smaller body dreadnought guitars that are easier to hold as well as guitars with a cutaway body which makes soloing easier. You need to experiment a bit with guitar body size until you find the right fit.
Where to Buy Acoustic Guitars Under $500
There are several locations where you can buy a good guitar. I’ve listed the popular ones below. Have an idea of what you want before you go out looking. Look at demo reviews on YouTube, as I find this helps me make an informed guitar purchase.
Amazon
Amazon is your one-stop source for acoustic guitars and other musical products. I find that they have a great selection, excellent prices, and good customer service. I also like to read the reviews on guitars before ordering.
Sweetwater/Guitar Center
Guitar Center and Sweetwater are two alternatives to Amazon. Both stores have a great product selection, excellent customer service, and reasonable prices. You’re sure to find a great guitar when you shop at either location.
Your Local Music Store
Your local music shop is another place where you’ll want to check out some guitars to get a feel for what’s out there. I always like browsing guitar stores even if I don’t buy anything. The downside is that the selection isn’t as good as online.
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Table of Contents
- Acoustic Guitars By Price
- About Acoustic Guitars Under $500
- My Experience with Acoustic Guitars Under $500
- Things to Consider When Choosing Acoustic Guitars Under $500
- 7 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500
- Acoustic Guitars Under $500 Aesthetics & Build
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Acoustic Guitar Brands
- In Conclusion
In Conclusion
Thank you for reading my guide to the 7 best acoustic guitars under $500. You can find a great guitar for not a whole lot of money. All of the guitars listed here would make excellent choices.
Please like, comment, and share this article. I want to hear from you about acoustic guitars and guitars in general. What’s your favorite acoustic guitar?
