Acoustic guitars are popular, and there are many options available to you. So much so that it might be hard to pick the correct one for you, your spending limit, and your musical needs.
In order to help you with this, we have curated a comprehensive guide that will assist you in your decision-making process.
We have also chosen a few instruments that are among the very best acoustic guitars in the price range of under $1000.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
- OUR TOP PICK: Martin Custom D Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
- RUNNER-UP: Taylor 114CE 100 Series
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Martin X Series 2015 DX1AE
Table of Contents
Can You Find A Quality Acoustic Guitar Under $1000?
There are plenty of options that are available for under $1000. Just check out the great choices we have curated below. There are many astonishing acoustic guitars that use top-notch tonewoods and equipment. Many of them are designed and manufactured by time tested and trusted brands.
Source
The nature of the guitar isn’t determined by the cost or name alone; however, the design and attention to finer details can certainly determine the quality of the guitar, no matter what your budget looks like.
Why Did These Acoustic Guitars Make Our List?
Understanding what really makes a good acoustic guitar is half of the battle. For us, the factors below are some of the most important and what we used to construct our list.
Tonewood
The wood utilized in a guitar's build can be an integral factor with regards to its tone. In the $1000 territory, you may start to see the use of higher quality tonewoods like mahogany and rosewood.
Build
Sometimes the quality of certain features is regularly ignored for various pieces of a guitar. At the point when you are spending up to $1000 on an instrument, you should definitely not have any flaws. So, do an in-depth once over to make sure that there are none present. You will also want to choose one that is built for your frame and feels comfortable for you to hold for extended periods.
Pickups/Hardware
Pickups and tonewoods will sound diverse through various amps if you are utilizing an acoustic-electric. Other than that, make a point to check the tuners and the scaffold to ensure they are suitable. They all have an influence on the possible sound quality.
Comparison of the Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
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Review of the Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1000
Now that you have some idea of how to judge the quality of an acoustic guitar, we can take a look at the high-value instruments we have chosen for our list.
Best Overall:
Martin Custom D Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
If you are looking for a good sounding guitar that is capable of staying in tune for longer than other options on the market, look no further. Though there’s a bit of string buzz associated with the lower three strings, it is not something that cannot be adjusted. Beyond that, the numerous advantages of this instrument make it easily one of the best affordable acoustic guitars available.
Why it Stands Out to Us
While there is a lot to rave about when you look at this guitar, the feature that will have the most impact on the sound is the construction of the body. Crafted in high-quality mahogany, you will get an enhanced sound.
Who Will Use This Most
This guitar is an excellent choice for practically any guitarist, but especially for those that need a practice guitar. If this is the intent, you don’t need a fine-looking guitar, just one that has a lot of sound excellence, and that describes this guitar to a tee.
Bottom Line
This is a great guitar that gives the player a quality that is on par with much more expensive options. That makes this a steal that allows the guitarist to take advantage of the attention to detail given to this instrument by the design team at Martin.
Runner-up:
Taylor 114CE 100 Series
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This guitar brings with it a superior sound from the use of premium materials. Those materials are shaped into a design that optimizes comfort and looks sharp too. The use of mahogany, though, does make this acoustic guitar a bit heavy.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There are so many ways that the design of this guitar optimizes and expands the instrument’s dynamic range. The wood used in the build is the first step to dynamic range enhancement. Then when you combine that with a built-in saddle, you get a dynamic range that is especially elevated.
Who Will Use This Most
This guitar’s heightened sound quality is perfect for the guitarist who is trying to improve their ear. Doing this will improve their skills and allow for a better ability to craft an individually unique sound.
Bottom Line
Finding a high-quality acoustic guitar may be challenging, but it’s not impossible. All you have to do is look at our runner-up to see a guitar that is designed for optimized sound quality. The dynamic range that is given by the features included in the design is superior to many of the other choices available.
Best for the Money:
Martin X Series 2015 DX1AE
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PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This guitar is an elegant looking specimen that, due to its design, offers high-quality sound. It is a quieter guitar, but if you are not looking to play a large venue, that is of little consequence. All in all, this model is simply a great choice for most guitarists.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Though we could go on and on about the individual features and materials used in the design of this guitar from Martin, there is one thing that truly stands out -- the price tag. The value of this guitar would lead you to believe that it should cost way more than it actually does.
Who Will Use This Most
The versatility and tone of this guitar would elevate any guitarist's sound. However, there is one group that will definitely get more from it, and that is the studio musician. The versatility of musical genres capable of being played with this guitar makes it perfect for the musician that has to play multiple styles of music.
Bottom Line
When you are looking for a great acoustic guitar, odds are you probably think you need a huge budget, but that is just not the case. With this model from Martin, you can see that. All of the sound capabilities tied together with an affordable price tag makes this a perfect choice for many guitarists.
Best Acoustic Electric Guitar Under $1000:
Breedlove Solo Concert
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PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Acoustic-electric guitars give the player a versatility of sound that helps with crafting their own unique sound. This guitar just happens to come with a plethora of accessories that give you a greater bang for your buck, and that can’t be a bad thing.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The tonewood is important when looking at an acoustic guitar. Just as important when you are looking at an acoustic-electric is the hardware included in the build. This guitar is outfitted with quality electronics that elevate its sound capability.
Who Will Use This Most
This guitar takes a little more finesse to set up, and that is why it is perfect for the intermediate player. This guitarist needs to want a unique sound capability and the ability to change their style on a whim. If that is you, then this is a great choice.
Bottom Line
Any acoustic guitar will need to be built with attention to both the natural materials as well as the hardware. The folks at Breedlove understand that, and that is precisely how they crafted this well built and great sounding entry on our list.
Best 12 String Acoustic Guitar Under $1000:
Takamine GJ72CE-12NAT
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Though it is a bit bulkier than most acoustics because of the 12-string design, ultimately it is still a very playable model. The Takamine GJ72CE is crafted with the best materials and with attention to detail that shows the minute your strum the instrument.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The built-in electronic controls make this 12-string shine above many of its competitors. The ability to shape your sound is elevated to a level that can only serve to improve your playing and build a sound that is truly your own.
Who Will Use This Most
12-string guitars are the next level of skill ability. That means that this guitar is perfect for the player ready to level up their skills. Along with this challenge of skill, they will also find their way to a unique sound.
Bottom Line
When they have reached an adequate level of proficiency with a regular 6-string, many guitarists dream of tackling a 12-string. Not only do these give you a more melodic sound, but they can improve your current sound. This Takamine does that with not only its design but also the materials used in the design.
Best Cutaway Acoustic Guitar Under $1000:
Yamaha FGX820C Solid Top Cutaway
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Tuning can be a tedious task if you are stuck doing it consistently. With this guitar, that is not a problem. The tone quality offered to the guitarist can help improve the sound creation and building of the guitarist’s ear. The frets on the neck can be rough and may have to be sanded to make this guitar more comfortable to play. It also may develop a buzz after a while, but a simple adjustment of the truss rod solves that.
Why it Stands Out to Us
When you are going for an acoustic-electric, you want one that will elevate your sound and give you more control over the shape of your sound. That is why the built-in 3-band EQ is easily the best feature of this guitar. That, combined with the cutaway design, makes for one of the best acoustic guitars out there.
Who Will Use This Most
This guitar is perfect for adults that are new to playing guitar, especially the budding blues or country player. Natural sound is amazing, but with the volume and capability of hooking to an amp, this may be a great choice for any guitarist that is hitting the road.
Bottom Line
Versatility is the name of the game with this acoustic guitar. The ability to switch between electric and acoustic can help you build your own unique sound. The careful cutaway design helps the playability, which makes holding the guitar for long periods comfortable.
Best Left-Handed Acoustic Guitar Under $1000:
Martin LX1
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
This guitar comes in both left and right-handed versions, which helps make it more accessible to any guitarist. The sound quality, though dampened a little, is still good enough to find its way into many kits.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The use of the ¾” scale makes this a great guitar to travel with and much easier to play. Though there are plenty of things we could say about the overall construction, that is the thing that really makes this a great guitar.
Who Will Use This Most
This instrument is not only gentle on the wallet but comes in a left-handed model as well. This, along with the lightweight, compact design, makes it the right choice for that gigging lefty on a tight budget.
Bottom Line
Finding a well-crafted guitar that is left-handed can be frustrating; finding one that is a budget-friendly option is even harder. With this model from Martin, you get both of those things tied up in one neat package.
What Do I Need to Know Before Buying?
The highlights to take a gander at are not by any means the only thing that you ought to know before you settle on your final selection. Here are a couple of different things that may help you along your way as you filter through the options available to you.
Financial Limit
Knowing the scope of your financial ability will assist you with narrowing down the field. This thought ought to be weighed against the highlights you ultimately can’t live without and those that are available to you as wish list features.
Music Genre
Another factor to consider is the style of music you are looking to play on your new acoustic guitar. Realizing this will allow you to discover the guitar that has the correct tone and response for the music you will use this guitar to play.
Intent of Use
One of the most important things you should consider is your intent of use. Are you looking for a guitar to learn on? Or are you intending to get up on that stage and play some small venues? Knowing the answer to that will help you figure out which of the acoustic guitars will work best for you.
Cautious Considerations to Keep in Mind
Just as there are positive aspects that you should consider, there are also aspects that you should be cautious of when buying any musical instrument. With an acoustic guitar, these are the things you should keep in mind:
Solid/Laminate
Picking between an all-solid guitar and a semi-laminated guitar truly relies upon the person who will be using it. All-solid guitars are produced using uncommon woods and are designed to highlight a specific shading variety as well as different grains. They will also generally produce a progressively characterized and steady tone in contrast with the semi-laminated variety of guitars.
Brand
Though there are some benefits to going with a name that has brand recognition, it in no way means that you have to stick with the tried and true. There are many names unfamiliar to even the most seasoned player that offer just as much reliability as names like Fender, Gibson, or Taylor.
New/Used
Trying to find a guitar can be challenging, and on a benefit, even at $1000, you may want to check out your used options as well as the new models. If you go the used route, make sure you inspect the guitar thoroughly before making it your final choice.
Conclusion
Finding a good acoustic guitar for under $1000 may seem like a daunting task at first, if not simply because of the vast amount of options to choose from. However, if you use our guide that we laid out above, we are sure you will find your search a little easier. That, combined with the list that we put together of the best acoustic guitars under $1000, should have you well on your way to strumming along with your favorite songs.
