Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1000 (Top Models Right Now)

Author: DL Shepherd

Darren has been playing guitar for over 23 years. He fronted the metal band Suddenly Silence in the early 2000’s, and also achieved recognition as an award-winning bluegrass guitarist.

A native of southwestern Virginia, and has shared the stage with many big-name acts from various genres. When he is not playing one of his many guitars, he can be found riding his Harley through the mountains of Virginia.

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Editing & Research: Teemu Suomala

I first grabbed the guitar in 2009. I started this website in January 2020 because I couldn’t do window installation anymore due to my health problems. I love guitars and have played dozens and dozens of different guitars through different amps and pedals over the years, and also, building a website interested me, so I decided to just go for it! I got lucky and managed to get awesome people to help me with my website.

I also got lucky because I have you visiting my website right now. Thank you. I do all this for you guys. If you have any recommendations, tips, or feedback, just leave a comment, I would love to chat with you. I have also been fortunate to produce content for several large guitar websites, such as Songsterr, Musicnotes, GuitarGuitar, and Ultimate Guitar.

I spend my spare time exercising and hanging out with my wife and crazy dog (I guess that went the right way…).

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How Taylor 110e sounds:

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The Next Best:

Best Flatpicking – Martin D-10E

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Summary

Pros:

• Tough construction stands up to abuse
• Fishman MX-T electronics are great for stage use
• Playability is comparable to higher priced Martins
• Quality tonewoods produce incredible volume and tone
• Balanced sound

Cons:

• Real bone nut and saddle would improve guitar’s tone and volume even more

Who is this guitar for?

The Martin D-10E is for guitarists who are looking to get an acoustic for flatpicking that has just as much to offer as some of the higher-end Martins.

Best Fingerstyle – Breedlove ECO Pursuit Exotic S Concert CE

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Summary

Pros:

• Slim “C” neck is extremely comfortable for barre chords
• Myrtlewood body provides perfectly balanced sound for fingerpicking
• Fishman electronics are easy to use and sound great
• Pinless bridge makes string changes easy
• Mahogany neck feels smooth

Cons:

• Real bone should be used in place of TUSQ for a bolder tone

Who is this guitar for?

The Breedlove ECO Pursuit Exotic S Concert CE is for the fingerstyle guitarist looking for a beautiful guitar with plenty of clarity, projection, and balance.

Best Parlor – PRS SE P50 Parlor

Sweetwater

Thomann

Summary

Pros:

• Incredibly comfortable & playable neck for such a small guitar (works as travel guitar too)
• Bright projection allows for surprising volume 
• Fishman electronics allow it to be played on stage
• Bone nut and saddle allow you to “feel” the tone
• Works especially well with light fingerpicking

Cons:

• Can sound a bit harsh on the high end when played hard with a pick

Who is this guitar for?

This guitar is for the player who is looking for a great travel guitar or a small guitar for songwriting sessions.

Best Value – Seagull S6 Original

Sweetwater

Thomann

Summary

Pros:

• Cedar top is very sensitive to even the most intricate picking
• Modified dreadnought body projects without being boomy
• Neck profile is comfortable and plays well all the way to the 20th fret

Cons:

• A gloss finish would have been better than the thin satin finish

Who is this guitar for?

The Seagull S6 Cedar Original is for a novice player looking to upgrade to a nicer instrument. It is also for players looking for a recording without breaking the bank.

Best For Electric Players – Alvarez AF66CESHB Artist 66 Folk

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Summary

Pros:

• Small body for those who don’t like bulky dreadnoughts
• All mahogany construction for great midrange tone and sustain
• Solid mahogany top offers deep and balanced tone
• Neck is great for those who are used to electric necks
• Onboard electronics offer endless tone-shaping abilities

Cons:

• Tuners feel a bit cheap

Who is this guitar for?

The Alvarez AF66CESHB Artist 66 Folk is for an electric guitarist who is looking to add an acoustic to his/her arsenal.

Compare The Key Specs:

Compare The Tonewoods:

Body Top: Solid Sitka Spruce

Sides: Layered Walnut

Back: Layered Walnut

Neck: Maple

Fretboard: West African Ebony

Body Top: Solid Spruce

Sides: Solid Sapele

Back: Solid Sapele

Neck: Select Hardwood

Fretboard: Richlite

Body Top: Solid Myrtlewood – occupies a space somewhere between the warmth of rosewood, the mid-range of mahogany, and the brilliant brightness of maple.

Sides: Laminated Myrtlewood

Back: Laminated Myrtlewood

Neck: African Mahogany

Fretboard: Ovangkol

Body Top: Solid Sitka Spruce

Sides: Laminated Maple

Back: Laminated Maple

Neck: Mahogany

Fretboard: Ebony

Body Top: Solid Cedar

Sides: Laminated Wild Cherry

Back: Laminated Wild Cherry

Neck: Silver Leaf Maple

Fretboard: Rosewood

Body Top: Solid African Mahogany

Sides: Laminated African Mahogany

Back: Laminated African Mahogany

Neck: Mahogany

Fretboard: Indian Laurel

You can learn more about tonewoods here and more about acoustic guitar history here.

For even more affordable tone-machines, check our favorite acoustics under $500.

Critical Tips

Know what you can afford and then buy the best guitar you can afford.

I learned this rule of thumb from The Guitar Handbook written by Ralph Denyer.

What kind of sound are you after?

• Warm and full?
• Bright and clear?
• Soft and balanced?

Know what you are after and you are on your way to choosing the right guitar for you!

Learn more about acoustic guitar tonewoods here.

Choose a guitar that enables you to play the music you love.

How We Chose These Acoustic Guitars

1. We decided which acoustic guitars to recommend by using our own experience, doing extensive research, visiting music stores, and asking help from our musician friends
2. After we had chosen the guitars to recommend we looked for a good way to test the gear. This means either renting it, buying it, testing it in a music store, or visiting a friend who owns it. This time, our main testing methods were playing these axes at music stores and relying on our past experience playing these guitars.
3. Even after this, we’ll still do another round of extensive research to make sure that this specific product is in fact, a real cream-of-the-crop candidate.
4. Then we wrote these in-depth but easily digestible reviews of these instruments. We kept in mind who will be playing them (most likely) such as intermediate players, fingerstyle players, players who want to plug in, flatpickers, advanced players, etc. 

Most acoustic guitars we recommend are run through tests like these:

• We go carefully through the finish and build quality of the guitar.
• We inspect the fretwork and edges of the fretboard to make sure there are no sharp edges.
• We play the guitar unplugged and plugged in.
• We use different playing techniques, such as fingerpicking, flatpicking, strumming, tapping, and even percussive playing.
• We measure and weight the guitar.
• We try licks and riffs from different genres.

Learn more about GND’s testing and reviewing processes here.