10 Best Budget Acoustic Guitars for Beginners [Guide]
At some point in our lives, most of us have expressed a desire to learn to play a musical instrument. But due to various circumstances and, well, excuses, we never took action to accomplish that goal.
However, if you are ready to take the next step and want to learn to play a musical instrument, then you are at the right place. In this guide, we’ll talk about the 10 best budget acoustic guitars for beginners.
While it’s not the cheapest, the acoustic guitar is still one of the most accessible musical instruments for novices.
But affordability isn’t the only thing that makes the guitar attractive. It’s also a cool and widely popular instrument. There’s a reason why the most famous rockstars play guitars (electric & acoustic), and not a flute or clarinet.
These days you can easily get a quality budget acoustic guitar under $300. And the best thing about is that you have dozens of guitars to choose from on the market. All you need is some knowledge on the topic and time to research to find the best acoustic guitar for you.
But since beginners lack the experience to choose one, or simply don’t have the time for research – we did the work and picked and reviewed the best budget acoustic guitars for beginners.
10 Best Budget Acoustic Guitars
1. Fender CD-60 Dreadnaught Acoustic Guitar (V3)
2. Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar, Natural
3. Yamaha GigMaker Deluxe Acoustic Guitar FD01S
4. Ibanez 6 String Acoustic Guitar Pack, Ambidextrous, Natural Gloss (IJV50)
5. Alvarez Artist Series AD60 Dreadnought Guitar, Natural/Gloss Finish
6. Epiphone Songmaker DR-100, Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Ebony
7. Ibanez AW54OPN Artwood Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Open Pore Natural
8. YAMAHA FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar, Natural
9. SIGMA 41” Acoustic Guitar, Dreadnought
10. Fender 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right, Blue
*Note: Dimensions are Length – Width – Height (L x W x H)
Disclaimer: We are Amazon associates and get a small commission in return for every purchase made from our suggestions (at no additional cost to you).
Best Budget Acoustic Guitars Reviews
1. Fender CD-60 Dreadnaught Acoustic Guitar (V3)
Dimensions: 46 x 20.4 x 8.2 inches
Item Weight: 15 pounds
Color: Black/Natural/Sunburst
Size: Full
As the first challenger on our list for best budget acoustic guitar for beginners, we have the dreadnaught Fender CD-60. This is a classic beginner acoustic guitar by the iconic American manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers.
The Fender CD-60 offers features and sound like you would expect from a much more expensive instrument. This is a full-size dreadnaught guitar with an easy-to-play neck and six strings made of steel. The rolled fingerboard edges make the guitar extremely beginner-friendly and comfortable to play.
Since it’s a budget acoustic guitar, the Fender CD-60 V3 features a spruce top with laminated mahogany back and sides to give you a nice sound and balanced tone.
Also, this guitar can be found in three different colors from which you can choose from: natural, black, and sunburst. But despite the contrasting looks, all types have the same features and are built identically.
Top Material: Spruce
Back & Side Material: Laminated Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Walnut
Neck Material: Maple
Guitar Bridge System: Hardtail
Strings: 6
String Material: Steel
Pros:
- Beginner-friendly budget acoustic guitar
- The excellent design makes it comfortable and easy to play
- Durable guitar made to last
- Features a scalloped “X” bracing, dual-action truss, and die-cast tuners
Cons:
- The Fender CD-60 weighs 15 lbs making it not suitable for smaller body type players
- It’s known to have tuning stability issues
2. Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar, Natural
Dimensions: 18 x 8 x 48 inches
Item Weight: 5.1 pounds
Color: Natural
Size: Full
Next in line, we have the lightweight Jasmine S-34C acoustic guitar, another brilliant instrument for beginners.
This 5 pounds grand orchestra-styled guitar is a well-built and easy-to-play guitar with a balanced sound. It offers extraordinary value for money if we take into account the price and the excellent sound it produces.
The Jasmine S-34C features a spruce top paired with Sapele back and sides. It also has a natural smooth sating finish which maximizes the resonance to offer you the best sound quality.
However, one of the best attributes of this guitar is the slim Nato neck and full 25 1/2″ scale length which guarantees you comfort when playing. It also comes with chrome tuners and a full body binding.
The Venetian-style cutaway design grants you an effortless approach to higher frets, while the distinctive strap button positioning gives you better control over the guitar when playing.
Another great thing about the Jasmine S-34C is the advanced “X” bracing system where the braces are placed in close vicinity to the soundhole which results in a more defined and energetic sound.
Top Material: Spruce
Back & Side Material: Sapele
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Material: Nato
Guitar Bridge System: Adjustable
Strings: 6
String Material: Steel
Pros:
- Features an advanced “X” bracing system
- Smooth satin finish for better sound quality
- Nicely positioned strap button for improved balance and comfort
- Venetian-cutaway design for easier access to higher frets
Cons:
- Made from lower-quality materials, especially the tuning pegs
3. Yamaha GigMaker Deluxe Acoustic Guitar FD01S
Dimensions: 21 x 42.5 x 6 inches
Item Weight: 9.85 pounds
Color: Natural
Size: Full
The first challenger from Yamaha on this guide for the best budget acoustic guitar for beginners in 2022 is the FD01S model. This model comes as part of a deluxe acoustic guitar package which features everything you would need to play a gig (protective bag, strap, picks, digital tuner, extra strings)
The back and sides of this dreadnought Yamaha FD01S acoustic guitar are made from nato wood while the top is spruce. And unlike the previous two guitars on this list, the FD01S is a premium solid-top guitar that offers a higher level of tone.
Although this is an excellent first guitar for beginners, the Yamaha is also worthy for intermediate and even professional players which only speaks volumes of the instrument’s quality.
Furthermore, it features a tortoise-shell pick guard and the tuners are die-cast Chrome. The bridge and fretboard are made from rosewood, while the neck is made from nato wood.
Top Material: Spruce
Back & Side Material: Nato
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Material: Nato Wood
Guitar Bridge System: Fixed
Strings: 6
String Material: Bronze
Pros:
- Premium solid-top guitar with a higher-level sound
- Whole GigMaker deluxe package includes a guitar, gig bag, digital tuner, strap, and picks
- Suitable for both beginner and more experienced players
- Rosewood fretboard and bridge
Cons:
- The gig bag is cheap and comes without straps
- On the heavier side; weighs almost 10 pounds
4. Ibanez 6 String Acoustic Guitar Pack, Ambidextrous, Natural Gloss (IJV50)
Dimensions: 38 x 5 x 12 inches
Item Weight: 7 pounds
Color: Natural Gloss
Size: Full
If the guitars so far were mostly right-hand orientated, let me present you the ambidextrous Ibanez 6 IJV50 budget acoustic guitar. That’s right, this ambidextrous acoustic guitar doesn’t ignore all the lefties in the world!
Similar to the Yamaha FD01S, the Ibanez 6 IJV50 also comes with a guitar pack that includes multiple accessories. Besides the guitar, in this pack, you’ll find a gig bag, strap, pouch, and an accurate electronic tuner.
The laminated spruce top of this guitar delivers fantastic sound and the overall build quality is quite decent considering the price range it’s in. The back and side parts are made from Agathis wood, the neck is from mahogany and the fretboard is made from rosewood.
And while we are the neck and fretboard, the great design of the Ibanez 6 IJV50 allows you to easily reach and play these parts.
Top Material: Laminate Spruce
Back & Side Material: Agathis
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany
Guitar Bridge System: Fixed
Strings: 6
String Material: Bronze
Hand Orientation: Ambidextrous
Pros:
- Easy-to-play acoustic guitar for beginners
- Great design and build quality
- Comes with a complete gig-ready pack (gig bag, electronic tuner, strap, pouch…)
- Lightweight budget acoustic guitar
Cons:
- Doesn’t produce the best sound when strumming
- Doesn’t feature a guitar pickup configuration
5. Alvarez Artist Series AD60 Dreadnought Guitar, Natural/Gloss Finish
Dimensions: 41 x 15.75 x 4.25 inches
Item Weight: 4.65 pounds
Color: Natural Gloss
Size: Full
The next entry-level acoustic guitar on this list is the dreadnought Alvarez AD60. This is a guitar from the “Award Winning Artist Series” that Alvarez has produced. These awards were won in competitions all around the world, so the exceptional praises and reviews the guitars from this series receive are completely justified and backed by facts.
But let’s move on from the commendations and see what the Alvarez AD60 actually has to offer to you.
To begin with, it features a handpicked A-grade solid Sitka spruce top to guarantee you tone of the highest quality. The neck, back and sides are made from mahogany while the fretboard is from rosewood.
Furthermore, it’s hand sanded and it features an advanced scalloped bracing system. The FST2m bracing system, alongside the bi-level bridge and real bone nut, additionally improves the sound quality of the guitar.
The tuners are premium die-cast and made to last while the binding is done with Ivory ABS.
Top Material: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back & Side Material: Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany
Hand Orientation: Right
Strings: 6
String Material: Steel
Pros:
- Comes with a lifetime limited warranty
- Features a bi-level bridge and real bone nut
- Has a solid Sitka spruce top
- Advanced FST2M bracing system with scalloped asymmetric tone bars
Cons:
- Beginners may struggle with setting it up
6. Epiphone Songmaker DR-100, Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
Dimensions: 42 x 18.5 x 5.5 inches
Item Weight: 8 pounds
Color: Ebony
Size: Full
When it comes to guitars, it’s hard to make a list without mentioning an Epiphone guitar. After all, it’s a company operating since 1873, and that’s all you need to know about the quality of their instruments. No one survives that long without providing high-quality products.
The guitar representing Epiphone in this guide is their best selling acoustic – the DR-100 dreadnaught.
Similar to the Ibanez 6 IJV50, this one is also ambidextrous and perfectly suits both left and right-handed players.
The DR-100 Songmaker has a classic dreadnought shape and it features a select spruce top paired with mahogany back and sides. This combination of spruce top and mahogany gives the guitar a nice balanced sound and mellow bass.
The slim mahogany neck, alongside the rosewood bridge and fingerboard, makes the Epiphone DR-100 guitar easier to play and perfect for beginners.
Moreover, this guitar also features a SlimTaper C-profile neck, premium die-cast tuners, and a sloped dove wing headstock by Epiphone.
Top Material: Spruce
Back & Side Material: Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany
Hand Orientation: Ambidextrous
Strings: 6
String Material: String
Pros:
- Ambidextrous acoustic guitar suitable for both right and left-handed players
- SlimTaper C-neck for easier fretting
- Superb budget acoustic guitar for beginners with great value for money
- Three finish options to choose from (Ebony, Natural & Vintage Sunburst)
Cons:
- Features a sharp fretboard which might be uncomfortable to play at the beginning
7. Ibanez AW54OPN Artwood Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar – Open Pore Natural
Dimensions: 4 x 15 x 41 inches
Item Weight: 4.5 pounds
Color: Natural
Size: Full
The second Ibanez acoustic guitar for review is the AW54OPN, a model from their Artwood Series. This is a mix of the best traditional and modern elements of the guitar’s construction.
The Ibanez AW54OPN is characterized by the popular dreadnought body shape and the solid mahogany top that makes it stand out from the rest. Besides the solid top, the back, sides, and neck are also made from mahogany. However, in this case, it’s laminated and not solid, which is to be expected for a 200$ budget acoustic guitar.
Next, we have the rosewood fretboard and bridge accompanied by the advanced Ibanez bridge pins. The tuners are die-cast Chrome and the guitar is fitted with D’Addario EXP strings.
Sadly, the AW54OPN doesn’t come with a case but that’s hardly an issue when you get a guitar that can compete with acoustics three times above its price range.
Top Material: Mahogany
Back & Side Material: Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany
Guitar Bridge System: Fixed
Strings: 6
String Material: Bronze
Pros:
- Dreadnought body with solid top mahogany
- Mahogany back, sides, and neck
- Extraordinary value for money
- Advanced Ibanez bridge pins ease the strings changing process
Cons:
- No major cons, just have in mind that the open pore finish is very sensitive to water
8. YAMAHA FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar, Natural
Dimensions: 42.5 x 20.7 x 6.1 inches
Item Weight: 6.38 pounds
Color: Natural
Size: Full
When it comes to the best budget acoustic guitars, Yamaha‘s products should be on your priority list. Especially the FG/FS series that dates back to 1966. For more than 50 years they’ve been focusing on making affordable guitars while keeping their outstanding musical tone and not sacrificing the build quality.
That’s why we chose to review the Yamaha FG800 acoustic guitar for beginners.
This is a dreadnought that features a solid Sitka spruce top paired with nato wood back and sides giving it an authentic sound. It has a simple traditional look, nothing rebellious, and comes at a very reasonable price.
What makes the Yamaha FG800 stand out, however, is the newly developed scalloped bracing. This new bracing pattern improves the guitar’s durability and gives it a more natural sound.
The bridge and fingerboard are made of rosewood while the neck is nato. It also features diecast tuners and an adjustable truss rod.
Top Material: Solid Spruce
Back & Side Material: Nato Wood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany
Guitar Bridge System: Fixed
Strings: 6
String Material: Bronze
Pros:
- Excellent sound and build quality
- Adjustable truss rod
- Newly developed scalloped bracing
- Solid Sitka spruce top
Cons:
- Doesn’t have a pickup configuration
9. SIGMA 41” Acoustic Guitar, Dreadnought
Dimensions: 40.8 x 15.5 x 4.8 inches
Item Weight: 8.38 pounds
Color: Natural Gloss
Size: Full
In order to enter and conquer the affordable guitar price market, the legendary American guitar manufacturer C.F. Martin released a new line of guitars under the name of Sigma. The brand was established in 1970 and C.F. Martin owned it until 2007.
The Sigma guitar we are reviewing now is a full-sized dreadnought acoustic with a solid spruce top and Sapele back and sides. It’s a gently crafted instrument by seasoned technicians who explore every detail when crafting it. The tone only gets better with age.
Not only it’s affordable, but it’s also a remarkably playable guitar thanks to the fine craftsmanship. The fretboard is made of rosewood and it comes with high density and wear-resistance features that ensure you comfort when playing.
The neck on the other hand is made by Sapele and has a professional matte finish that gets rid of the stickiness. It also has premium D’Addario coated phosphor bronze strings.
Top Material: Solid Spruce
Back & Side Material: Sapele
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Material: Sapele
Guitar Bridge System: No
Strings: 6
String Material: Phosphor Bronze
Pros:
- Solid spruce top paired with Sapele back and sides
- D’Addario EXP16 phosphor bronze strings
- Beautiful design and fine craftsmanship
- 30-days return guarantee
Cons:
- Doesn’t have a guitar pickup configuration and bridge system
10. Fender FA-15 Acoustic Guitar
Dimensions: 38.19 x 15.75 x 6.3 inches
Item Weight: 6.8 pounds
Color: Blue
Size: 3/4
The last but definitely not least budget acoustic guitar review is reserved for the Fender FA-15.
This is a lightweight guitar with a 3/4 body size that offers sound and performance as you’d expect from a full-size one. The versatility of this guitar makes it a perfect choice for beginners with a smaller physique and even children.
The Fender FA-15 is an all-laminate construction. Everything from the mahogany top, to the Sapele back and sides are laminated which makes it strong and durable.
Furthermore, the mahogany neck and walnut fretboard give the FA-15 a nice lively tone and warm feel. It also has a modern 3+3 headstock that smoothens the playing experience even further.
Besides all that, the Fender FA-15 features steel strings, a guitar bridge system (hardtail), and a guitar pickup configuration (S) as well.
Top Material: Mahogany
Back & Side Material: Sapele
Fretboard Material: Walnut
Neck Material: Mahogany
Guitar Bridge System: Hard Tail
Guitar Pickup Configuration: S
Strings: 6
String Material: Steel
Pros:
- Multiple color finish options to choose from
- Satin finish gives it an elegant look and smooth playing experience
- Whole package includes a gig bag
- Great for beginners
Cons:
- Cheap price for a cheaply made guitar
Beginners Buying Guide for Acoustic Guitars
If this is your first acoustic guitar buying rodeo, then the various types, designs, sizes, and shapes, alongside the information you need to know, might overwhelm you. That’s why in this guide we’ll try to keep it as short as possible, but informative at the same time.
We’ll begin by dissecting the guitar and then move on to its features and the things you need to pay attention to.
Acoustic Guitar – Construction
While the design and construction of the acoustic guitar seem simple at first glance, the reality is a bit different.
The guitar is constructed by а dozen parts and all of them play a role in the build and sound quality. Some parts play a smaller, and other play a bigger role in defining the guitar’s value.
Acoustic Guitar Parts
- wooden body
- bridge
- waist
- soundhole
- strings
- neck
- frets
- fretboard
- nut
- headstock
- tuners
Types of Acoustic Guitars
Naming and going into details for every type of acoustic guitar requires a post on its own. That’s why in this guide we’ll only briefly touch on the topic and move on to the things you need to consider when buying an acoustic guitar.
There are many types of acoustic guitars, but as a beginner going through all of them at once might be overwhelming. Therefore, in this guide, we’ll focus only on the best and most beginner-friendly acoustic guitars.
Common Acoustic Guitar Types
- Dreadnought
- Dreadnought Variants
- Classical
- Auditorium
- Grand Auditorium
- Jumbo
- Parlor
- Travel
- Acoustic-Electric
Acoustic Guitar – What to Consider
Although a guitar may look fascinating on the outside, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a great musical instrument. There are a few substantially more important things to consider when buying an acoustic guitar than its beauty.
That’s why in this section we’ll focus solely on the rudimentary things a beginners needs to pay attention to when buying their first acoustic guitar.
Size and Shape
First of all, it’s very important to pick a guitar with the right dimensions for you.
Why? Because acoustic guitars aren’t universal, they come in various shapes and sizes, and your stature can be the deciding factor when buying a guitar. So make sure you pick a guitar with the correct size.
- Full size – These acoustic guitars are usually between 36″ and 40-inches
- 3/4 size – These acoustic guitars are usually between 34″ and 36-inches
- 1/2 size – These acoustic guitars are usually around 34-inches
- 1/4 size – These acoustic guitars are usually around 30-inches
Sound & Build Quality
Normally when an acoustic guitar is made of the best materials and is manufactured without defects, as a consequence you get a guitar with great sound quality. So these two guitar characteristics aren’t necessarily separated.
However, many would argue that sound is subjective and what sounds awesome to one person may sound completely boring to another. But in all honesty, any well-built guitar like the ones reviewed on this guide has a great sound and in the end, everything boils down to preference.
Additionally, the guitar’s sound potential can remain dormant if it’s not properly tuned. Therefore, as a beginner, you’ll need to learn how to set it up in order to unlock the guitar’s full sound potential.
The build quality mainly depends on the manufacturing process and the types of wood used in the construction of the guitar.
The type of wood plays a big role in defining the resonance and tone of a guitar, but so does the production of the soundboard. Cheaper acoustic guitars usually have soundboards made of laminated wood – a manufacturing process where multiple thin pieces of wood are glued and pressed together. More expensive guitars, on the other hand, are made of solid top i.e. made from one big slab of wood.
Buying on a Budget
The one thing you should be realistic the most about is your budget.
We all can dream of having the best and most expensive guitar, but at the end of the day, we have to settle for what’s in front of us. And when buying on a budget your choices are limited. In this situation, you need to be picky in the choosing process because even the smallest details can make a difference.
That’s why in this guide to ease your buying process we made sure to highlight the features and the pros and cons of all the acoustic guitar reviewed. But ultimately, the final decision is yours to make.
Conclusion
These days there’s an abundance of quality products just a click away from us, and guitars aren’t an exception.
However, despite the abundance of quality guitars, getting the right one for you might be a bit tricky, especially as a beginner. That’s why in this beginners guide for acoustic guitars we did our best to ease your buying process by presenting the crucial information and features a novice needs to know.
Besides that, we also handpicked and reviewed the best 10 budget guitars for beginners. These guitars are the best in their price range, and you will not go wrong with whichever you choose as long as its the correct size.
Hopefully, the budget acoustic guitar reviews and the information provided helped you to choose the best instrument for your needs.
Read Next: 10 Best Budget Bass Guitars for Beginners