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Acoustic guitars are a beloved instrument for many musicians, with their rich, warm sound and versatile playing styles.
However, finding the perfect acoustic guitar that fits your budget can be a daunting task. With so many options available, it can be challenging to determine which guitar offers the best value for your money.
In this review article, we will delve into the world of acoustic guitars under $500 and explore the best options on the market.
Our top overall pick, the Epiphone Hummingbird is a solid choice. But no matter your style, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide to help you choose the best acoustic guitar that fits your needs and budget.
Quick Summary of the Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500
- Epiphone Hummingbird Studio Acoustic (Best Overall)
- Yamaha FG800 Dreadnought (Best for Beginners)
- Cordoba C5 Nylon String (Best Nylon String)
- Baby Taylor (Best Small Body Guitar)
- CD-60S (Best Budget Choice)
Best Acoustic Guitar Under $500
1. Best Overall – Epiphone Hummingbird Studio Acoustic
SPECS
- Top Material: Solid Spruce
- Body Material: Mahogany
- Fingerboard Material: Pau Ferro
The Epiphone Hummingbird Studio is a 6-string acoustic-electric guitar with a classic and recognizable appearance. Its solid spruce top, mahogany body, and neck provide a warm and pure tone.
The pau ferro fingerboard features split parallelogram inlays, adding an elegant touch to the guitar. With a beautiful Faded Cherry Sunburst finish and a distinctive hummingbird pickguard, the Hummingbird Studio is a stunning acoustic-electric guitar that delivers great sound.
The guitar is equipped with Grover 14:1 tuners for stable tuning and Fishman electronics for excellent amplified sound. A set, mahogany neck provides comfortable playing and durability, making the Hummingbird Studio a value-packed acoustic-electric guitar with a vintage vibe.
2. Best Beginner's Choice – Yamaha FG800 Dreadnought
SPECS
- Body Style: Dreadnought
- Top Material: Solid Spruce
- Bracing: Scalloped Bracing
The Yamaha FG800 acoustic dreadnought guitar is an excellent addition to the Yamaha FG series, featuring a comfortable dreadnought body style and solid spruce top that players enjoyed in the FG700.
However, the FG800 comes with new scalloped bracing, making it an even more powerful instrument with an improved low-end and better projection for live performances and recording applications.
Its nato wood and okoume body, back, and sides offer a warm, full-bodied tone and elegant appearance, while the slim satin-finished neck with rounded fret edges provides comfortable playability. The FG800's scalloped bracing offers a more expressive dynamic range for punchy chords, sweet-sounding leads, and lively riffing.
Moreover, Yamaha's Player Port app, available on iOS and Android, makes the FG800 an ideal tool for beginners, providing convenient access to tips, FAQs, and even an automatic tuner, making it one of the best values on the market.
3. Best Nylon String – Cordoba C5 Nylon String
SPECS
- Top Material: Solid Cedar
- Back and Sides Material: Mahogany
- Neck Material: Mahogany
The Cordoba C5 is a great choice for those looking for an affordable nylon-string acoustic guitar. Its handmade construction features a cedar top and mahogany back and sides, providing rich and lively tones. The solid mahogany neck also adds to the sustain and detail of the instrument.
The classical design, including fan bracing, provides a balanced tone and allows for more free vibration of the top. The C5 is made of quality materials and is elegant with a rosette inlay, Indian rosewood binding, and gold tuners with pearl buttons. The gloss finish enhances the look of the mahogany and cedar wood.
The Cordoba C5 is not only visually appealing but also designed with playability in mind.
4. Best Small Body Acoustic Guitar – Baby Taylor
SPECS
- Size: 3/4 scale
- Top wood: Tropical American Mahogany
- Fretboard material: Ebony
The Baby Taylor's top is made of tropical American mahogany, which adds mid-range punch and a "bluesy edge" to the guitar's tone. The back and sides are made of layered sapele wood, which provides a sturdy and receptive platform for the vibrating string energy.
Layered wood is also less susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity, making it ideal for travel or for players who require more durability. The Baby Taylor features an adjustable truss rod and an X-brace bracing pattern, which provide stability and strength to the guitar's neck and body.
The fretboard is made of ebony and features pearloid dot inlays. The nut and saddle are made of Tusq and Micarta, respectively, which are synthetic materials that offer excellent tonal properties and durability. The tuning machines are enclosed and die-cast chrome plated, providing smooth and accurate tuning.
5. Budget Choice – CD-60S
SPECS
- Top Material: Solid Mahogany
- Neck Profile: Easy-to-play
- Fingerboard Material: Walnut with rolled edges
The CD-60S All Mahogany Dreadnought is an ideal affordable acoustic guitar for new or emerging guitar players seeking to master the instrument. This high-quality dreadnought has a mahogany top, mahogany back and sides, a comfortable and easy-to-play profile, and a smooth walnut fingerboard with rolled edges.
The classic tonewoods and large dreadnought body size produce a full-bodied sound with excellent projection for vocal accompaniment, solo work, and other unplugged applications. Mahogany, a soundboard timber with a warm and rich tone, is a favorite among finger pickers, singer/songwriters, and those who prefer a darker, more traditional sound.
The neck shape is a critical factor in determining the feel of the instrument, and Fender designed this acoustic-electric guitar with an "easy-to-play" profile to ensure that beginners are not put off by an unwieldy neck. The fingerboard edges have been rolled to provide an incredibly smooth feel when sliding up and down the neck.
Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500 Buyer's Guide
When shopping for the best acoustic guitars under $500, there are several important factors to consider:
- Sound Quality
- Build Quality
- Playability
- Brand Reputation
Sound Quality
When shopping for the best acoustic guitars, one of the most important things to consider is sound quality. Different wood types have unique tonal characteristics that contribute to the overall sound of the guitar.
For example, spruce is a popular choice for guitar tops due to its bright and responsive sound. Cedar is known for producing a warmer, darker sound. Mahogany is often used for guitar backs and sides and is known for its rich, warm tone.
Other wood types commonly used in guitar construction include rosewood, maple, and koa.
Rosewood is a popular choice for fretboards due to its durability and rich, warm tone.
Maple is known for its bright, clear sound, and is often used for guitar necks.
Koa is a unique wood that is known for its distinctive grain patterns and warm, balanced tone.
It's important to note that the type of wood used in a guitar's construction is just one factor that contributes to its overall sound quality. Other factors to consider include the guitar's body shape and size, as well as the quality of its construction and components.
Build Quality
Build quality is a crucial aspect to consider when purchasing an acoustic guitar. The way a guitar is built can significantly impact its overall sound, playability, and durability. Two important factors that contribute to the build quality of acoustic guitars are the type of bracing used and the body style.
Bracing refers to the internal structure of the guitar, which supports the top and back and determines the way the instrument resonates.
The most common types of bracing include X-bracing, scalloped bracing, and ladder bracing.
X-bracing is the most common type of bracing used in modern acoustic guitars. It involves two braces crossing in an X shape below the soundhole. This type of bracing provides a balanced tone with a clear midrange and well-defined highs and lows.
Scalloped bracing involves thinner braces that are shaved on the underside to make them more flexible. This allows the top to vibrate more freely, resulting in a more responsive, lively tone with enhanced volume and sustain.
Ladder bracing, on the other hand, is an older bracing style that is rarely used in modern guitars. It involves braces that run parallel to each other, providing a mellow, subdued tone.
The body style is another important consideration when it comes to build quality.
The most common body styles for acoustic guitars include dreadnought, concert, and parlor.
A Dreadnought-style body is the most popular traditional acoustic guitar body style, known for its large size and powerful sound. They are ideal for strumming and flatpicking and are commonly used in bluegrass and country music.
Concert guitars are smaller and more comfortable to play, with a balanced tone and excellent projection. They are well-suited for fingerstyle playing and are often used in folk and indie music.
A Parlor guitar is the smallest of the three, with an intimate sound that is perfect for blues and fingerstyle playing.
Playability
A guitar that is comfortable to play will encourage you to practice more, while an uncomfortable one will make you want to put it down. There are a few key features that can affect playability, including the fretboard and neck shape.
Fretboards come in different materials and shapes, and each can affect the way the guitar feels to play. One common material is rosewood, which is a dense, hardwood that is often used on higher-end guitars.
Rosewood fretboards are smooth and have a warm tone, but they can be harder to play for beginners because the frets are closer together.
Another common material for fretboards is maple, which is a lighter-colored wood with a bright, crisp tone. Maple fretboards are often smoother than rosewood and are easier to play, making them a good choice for beginners.
The shape of the neck can also affect playability. Some guitars have thicker necks that are more comfortable for people with larger hands, while others have thinner necks that are easier to grip for people with smaller hands.
In addition to the fretboard and neck shape, other factors that can affect playability include the action (the distance between the strings and the fretboard) and the size of the body.
A guitar with low action will be easier to play, while a guitar with high action will require more finger strength. The size of the body can also affect playability, with smaller-bodied guitars being easier to play for beginners and larger-bodied guitars providing a fuller sound.
Brand Reputation
Some brands have a long-standing history of producing high-quality instruments, while others may be relatively new to the market. It's essential to research the brand's reputation before making a purchase, as this can give you an idea of the quality of the instrument you're considering.
Reputable brands have a lot to lose if they produce subpar instruments, so they are often more careful about the materials and construction methods they use. They also tend to offer warranties, which can give you peace of mind in case anything goes wrong with your guitar.
A brand's reputation can also be an indication of its commitment to innovation and staying up-to-date with industry standards. Brands that invest in research and development often produce instruments with unique features and improved playability.
When researching brands, consider the following:
- History
- Reviews
- Artist endorsements
- Warranties
- Innovation
By considering a brand's reputation, you can make a more informed decision when purchasing an acoustic guitar. Remember that a higher price tag doesn't necessarily equate to better quality, so it's essential to do your research and choose a reputable brand that aligns with your needs and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between a dreadnought and a concert-size guitar?
The main difference between a dreadnought and a concert-size guitar is their size and shape. Dreadnought guitars are typically larger and have a deeper body than concert-size guitars, which are smaller and more compact.
What is the difference between a nylon string and a steel string guitar?
The main difference between a nylon string and a steel string guitar is the type of strings used. Nylon string guitars, also known as classical guitars, use nylon strings, while steel string guitars use steel strings.
Nylon string guitars typically have a wider neck and a more rounded fretboard, which makes it easier to play fingerstyle and classical guitar techniques.
Steel string guitars have a brighter and louder sound, which makes them popular for playing genres like folk, rock, and country. The strings are thinner and under more tension, which can make them more difficult to play for some people, but also allows for more dynamic range and projection.
What is the difference between a solid top and a laminate top?
A solid top is made from a single piece of wood, usually spruce or cedar, and is known for its superior sound quality. Solid tops are more expensive than laminate tops due to the cost of the higher-quality wood and the labor required to craft them.
The solid wood allows for greater resonance, resulting in a fuller, richer sound with better sustain and projection.
Laminate guitars are made of several layers of wood that are glued together. While laminate tops can look similar to solid tops, they don't vibrate as freely, leading to a less dynamic sound. Laminate tops are typically used in lower-end guitars to keep the cost down.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many excellent options for budget acoustic guitars under $500 on the market today. It's important to consider factors such as sound quality, build quality, playability, and brand reputation when choosing a guitar.
Whether you're a beginner or an experienced player, there are acoustic guitars out there for you that fit your budget and your needs. Remember to take your time, do your research, and try out as many acoustic guitars as possible before making a decision.
With the right guitar in hand, you'll be on your way to making beautiful music and enjoying the experience of playing for years to come.
Improve your sound with the best acoustic guitars, where craftsmanship meets tone, offering a harmonious blend of playability and resonance.
Photo Courtest Sweetwater
