Best Acoustic Guitar Brands in 2021

The very first musical instrument that I ever got was a classical guitar on my 14th birthday. Now days they have mini version of that called a guitalele. Oh wait a minute . . . that would be my second musical instrument. The first musical instrument I ever got was a white Casio keyboard for kids.

I guess the first REAL instrument I ever got would be the classic acoustic guitar.

Anyways, nothing makes you feel like a rockstar than putting your arm around on a good solid guitar.

Electric or acoustic (Heck even if it’s a midi guitar controller or a unique lap steel guitar), once you start jamming away on one (No matter how horrible you sound in the beginning), nothing can stop you from at least dreaming of becoming a music god yourself.

Combine your favorite guitar sounds with your desired synthesizer and you got your self the tools to create some truly unique sounds.

Here I’m sharing my favorite acoustic guitar for beginners from the best guitar brands on the market today. If you are more interested in building a guitar, visit our guitar kits section. By the way, if you think guitars might be too big for you to play with, check out like a simple ukulele or a bass ukulele if you prefer bass guitars.

These days, you can get a good acoustic guitar (Not those plastic ones) from various brands. Just make sure you know how to protect it properly as well. A guitar humidifier is highly recommended here.

Check out the best acoustic guitar brands and the quality guitars by them.

Seagull S6 Original Acoustic Guitar with Hardshell Case and Guitar Stand

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A great guitar and even more lovely package. The Seagull S6 is a quality guitar all around. Not just the build of this guitar but also the sound is top notch.

The “6” represents the number of strings.  If you are a beginner (Adult or beginner), this acoustic guitar is for you. The hardshell case it comes with should encourage you to play it in all kinds of places.

Some people do suggest that a little bit of initial tuning is required but after that, it’s all set and ready to go.

The action on this guitar (Distance between the strings and the neck) is set at a great distance as well.

Yamaha Guitar FG700S – One of the top acoustic guitars of all time

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When you think of Yamaha and music, you think of this acoustic guitar. After all, they’ve been producing it for 40 years. What makes this the top pick for beginners and intermediate guitarists worldwide?

Well for starters, everything on it is quality. I mean from the top down. The neck joint for example is made to perfection and body of the guitar is literally hand painted.

Don’t forget the nice die-cast tuners and unlike most guitars in this price range, the strings won’t hurt your hands (Especially when you try to play different chords).

Which means you can practice longer and get better faster. Out of all these guitars, this FG700s is my pick for you. Calling this a good beginner acoustic guitar would be an understatement. May I also add that this is the best acoustic guitar for most beginners on this list. Absolutely beautiful.

Same as the FG700 but with changes like an adjustable truss rod and other upgrades. I would suggest this to someone who actually knows the basics of playing an acoustic guitar.

This dreadnought model is a proper size too at almost 41” (40 ⅞). Like all FG models, this Yamaha is also extremely playable for guitarists of all shapes, ages and sizes. Plus like all FG models, this one sounds spectacular as well. One of the top selling acoustic guitars of all time.

Fender Acoustic Guitar

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If Yamaha wasn’t around, this would be my pick all the way. Fender is another brand that is no stranger to making guitars. Especially for famous rock stars.

Although an American company, the guitars these days are made in China guys. That goes for the Yamahas as well. That said, the quality is definitely still there.

Besides everything is made in China so it shouldn’t be a big deal anymore. Good on Fender for maintaining quality and making this DG-8S acoustic guitar the best one for entry level enthusiasts by Fender.

You will also love the little goodies it comes with like the classic fender strap, adjustable truss rod that you can adjust with an included ellen ranch and more. Best acoustic guitar by Fender in our opinion and it’s right up there with the Fender acoustic guitar fa-100 as well.

Yamaha FS700 Acoustic Guitar

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Part of the same family as the FD, The FS Series of Yamaha acoustic guitars leans more towards craftsmanship and a slightly smaller overall size (Not necessarily a small acoustic guitar though).

Same great sound thanks to Yamaha’s industry leading steel strings (Nice low end or bass on this one), with just has a bit more attention to detail. Women prefer this model as it’s great for people with smaller ends.

Don’t worry, guys love this one as well. I guess to be more accurate if you had a problem playing the F chord on other guitars, you should get this one. I would recommend this one for beginners because the ‘action on these is a little higher than usual.

I think that’s great because it will help you play what you need to play and as you improve, then you can get an acoustic guitar with a lower or so called “standard” action on them. As I mentioned earlier, action is the space between the strings and the fretboard of a guitar. Overall, another gem by Yamaha.

Rouge Acoustic Guitar – Best Starter Acoustic Guitar

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Considered the best entry level guitar by Rogue yet. This full size acoustic guitar (41”) creates a nice overall tone thanks to it’s solid and lightweight dreadnought body shape.

If you don’t want to spend too much but still be able to help the enthusiast in your house (That includes you as well) to get started on learning some tunes, this is the guitar for you.

Don’t forget to tune it a little bit as sometimes, they loosen up the strings during shipping so it won’t damage them. Rogue has done a great job by creating a good looking guitar that works and is easy on the wallet as well.

Beginner Fender Acoustic Guitar

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This acoustic guitar is basically what the FG series is to Yamaha. A top of the line guitar for beginners with a spruce body and rosewood construction, this is Fender’s flagship acoustic guitar. Bottom line, it’s nothing to mess with.

One of Fender’s top selling guitars, it comes with a hardwood case and even snap ons so you can attach a strap to it. You know what, I love Yamaha’s myself (If you haven’t noticed already) but there is something about Fender straps that make you feel like a freaking rock god.

Anyways, sorry for drifting off in a tangent there but if you like the FG series by Yamaha and FG by Fender, they are both amazing guitars. So at this point, the deciding factor would be the number of accessories each guitar comes with.

Oscar Schmidt Acoustic Guitar OG2SM – Best Budget Acoustic Guitar

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Out of all the guitars here, this one seems to have most perfectly placed action.

You might have not heard of this brand but they are definitely carving their own niche in the acoustic guitar market.

If you like to play on an affordable quality guitar that comes in various colors (The black acoustic guitar is awesome), this Oscar Schimidt guitar model is an easy choice. Oh and last but not the least, the sound is great as well.

Whenever someone creates a “Cool acoustic guitars” list, this one usually makes it. best budget acoustic guitar

Fender Acoustic Guitar Review (CD 60S)

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The Fender CD 60S is the complete acoustic guitar kit. It comes with a hard case, guitar tuner, guitar strap and even a few guitar picks.

It’s a nice light weight guitar that produces room filling sound and is perfect for sing alongs during special holidays but also to play on a professional level.

If you are looking for an all in one package, I would pick this over any of the Yamahas featured here.

Get incredible value and sound with this one (Whether you plug it in an amplifier or not).

Seagull Entourage Review – Best Sounding Acoustic Guitar

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Seagull guitars are making waves and this model is one of their best. A standard 6 string size guitar and when it comes to quality, it actually surpasses *takes a deep breath* the Yamahas and and a few other well known brands. Hey I love the Yamahas myself but I have to tell you the truth.

Bottom line, this is an awesome acoustic guitar and of the highest quality guitars out there right now. In fact, a lot of people compare this specific models to the high end acoustic guitars that fall in the price range of $1500 to $3000.

In addition, it comes with a guitar case, a guitar stand and a few other guitar parts (Including a guitar bag). As if all of this wasn’t enough, the Entourage is also the best sounding acoustic guitar on this list.

Yamaha FS820 Best Acoustic Guitar For Beginners

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Better known as the best yamaha acoustic guitar ever made, the FS820 comes in dreadnought and concert edition.

You also get a choice of what kind of wood you want for the top, etc.  Definitely one of the most customizable acoustic guitars on the market.

As if that wasn’t enough, you can even get it in various colors. Try Try Mahogany, Natural, Flamed Maple, Autumn Burst, Black, Brown Sunburst, Sunset Blue, Turquoise, Ruby Red, Tobacco Sunburst and Dusk Sun Red. Unfortunately not in white though.

Plus it’s part of the FS series so you know that you’re getting one of the best guitars around.

Anatomy of an Acoustic Guitar

Headstock

Basically the top of the guitar which has the tuners sticking through them. If it’s a 6 string guitar, you’ll have 6 tuners sticking through if it’s an 8 string then you’ll find 8 tuners.

Tuning Keys

Usually made of diecast or wood, these are placed within the Headstock and help you tune (Tighten / loose) the steel strings of your acoustic guitar.

Fret

Represents a semitone on an octave. An octave is made up of the classic 8 notes that we use in music today.

Neck

The longest part of the guitar that connects the Headstock to the body. Also known as the middle of the guitar as it’s situated in the middle.

Strap-on Button

Helps to connect a strap to a guitar. You usually add one on the body of the guitar and the other one to the headstock. Finally, you attach a guitar strap from both ends and you’re good to go.

Rosette

The rosette is usually most decorated part of the guitar (Personally, I love outer body of a guitar) but it’s not just for looks. The Rosette further strengthens that hollow part of the guitar and helps it last longer than usual.

Top

This is the part that determines what kind of sound an acoustic guitar will create. Most common tops on an acoustic guitar are made from rosewood, maple and other types of wood.

Machine Head

Basically refers to the tuners. It’s just another name for it. The famous rock band Machine Head named themselves after this.

Strings

You pluck them and sound will be generated. Think of them like keys on a keyboard. In an acoustic guitar, strings are usually made of steel and even nylon. The nylon stringed guitars are usually classical anyways.

Fingerboard / Fretboard

Basically the other side of the neck of a guitar that is directly under the strings with the frets on them. It’s around the fretboard that you will place your fingers and each type of placement will create a certain sound.

Position Marker / Dot Inlay

These little white dots are usually placed on a guitar to mark the certain harmonic spots.

Binding

Similar to the rim in a banjo, this binding usually makes sure that the guitar stays in place.

Pick Guard

There to protect the top of your guitar if you decide to go all James Hetfield on it.

Types of Acoustic Guitars

There are several types of acoustic guitars out there but these are the main 6. Bet you didn’t know there were 6 types of acoustic guitars huh? No worries. That’s why we’re here:

Dreadnought Guitar

All except one are Dreadnought guitars that are featured here. The other one is a Small body guitar. Dreadnought is the classic acoustic guitar shape that is used by 95 of the people that play an acoustic guitar. Usually around 41″. If you get a dreadnought, don’t worry about others here.

Parlour Guitar

Refers to the smaller body guitars that are under 40″.

Jumbo

They are usually bigger and the body of these guitars is almost in a shape of an 8. Really similar to Dreadnought guitars.

NOTE: The bottom three are considered more speciality acoustic guitars than anything else.

Round-shoulder Dreadnought Guitar

Mostly a dreadnought shaped but slightly slimmer body (At least the top of the body).

Auditorium Guitar

Has that sexy hourglass figure that fits well for a lot of artists who do “unplugged” gigs. Feel free to upgrade to this once you become a decent or good guitar player. Size wise, it fits right in the middle of a Jumbo and Parlour.

Grand Auditorium Guitar

This is the choice of almost all country artists. The American company Taylor and Martin are the kings of making the Grand Auditorium.

Small Body Guitar

Also known as the ‘baby’ guitar and it’s more of something that was created recently to help kids play real instruments rather than the toy versions before this. It’s a real instrument just smaller in size.

How to restring and Acoustic Guitar

Surprisingly, restringing an acoustic guitar isn’t a complicated task. Just take your time with it and if you can follow simple instructions, you will be restringing your favorite acoustic guitar in no time. Don’t worry, I’ll be adding images here soon so it will be even more easier.

By the way, this method will work on any acoustic guitar including:

• 6 string acoustic.
• 12 string acoustic.
• Slotted-headstock acoustic.

Let’s start with focusing on a 6 string acoustic guitar and then we can jump on to the other acoustic guitar types.

Fair enough?

Speaking of tools, you only need a few but you do need them. You’d just be way better off with them and minimize any harm to your guitar as well.

So what do you need?

Well you definitely need a pair of side cutters to cut the strings through (That’s a given) and a 10mm nut driver to tighten up the tuners after you’re done restringing.

Just to give you a better idea though, here are tools required in list form:

• Side cutters: To pull out the pegs in the bridge and clip strings.
• 10mm nut driver: To tighten the tuners.
• Peg Winder: An automatic peg winder will really help but you can use your hands as well.

Now let’s get started . . .

1. First lay your guitar on it’s back. This way it stays stable. If you can put something on the sides of the body to hold it in place would be even better.
2. Once the body is nice and steady, pull the string up (Starting from the bottom up) and hold it steady while you loosen the tuner. Repeat this process for each string. You can either use your hand or you can use a peg winder.
3. Now we’re going to focus on the opposite end of the strings. Next step is to use some side cutters and pull out each of the pegs. One by one.
4. Now remove all the strings from the holes.
5. Next step is to go the opposite end again, the headstock and remove your strings from that end as well. Take your time here as you don’t want to hurt your tuners.
6. Now this step is not necessary but it will help you keep your guitar in tune especially when install your new strings. I personally don’t mind re-tuning the guitar (You usually end up doing it anyways) but if you are short on time, this will help. Use a 10mm nut driver and tighten each tuner post (Don’t forget to hold the bottom part). In most cases, you would just need to give it a little turn. This will hold your tuning. Pretty smart eh?
7. Now it’s time to put on the strings.
8. Start off with the High E. Also be careful when you are unwinding your strings. Don’t just pull it out but gently spread it out so it doesn’t break or slap you back in the process. Just let it untangle nice and easy.
9. Now it’s time restring and it all starts at the bridge.
10. First put the string back in the hole and then put the Bridge pin in. Make sure it’s in solid. You should here a snap if you locked the string in properly.
11. Now do the same with the remaining 5 strings. It’s always best to do it all at once because this way you know at least one side of the restringing is taken care of.
12. Once all 6 of the strings (At least on if you’re using a standard acoustic guitar) are installed from the bridge side, it’s time to connect them to the headstock.
13. Now this is where you need to pay just a little bit more attention. Grab your E string and move it up to the E tuner (Guitar post). Make sure there is some tension on there. Now loosen it a little bit more and move up to the next post. This is where you’re going to use the side cutter. The idea is to use that ‘extra’ string, to wrap it around the tuner. Make sure you keep the tension throughout though. It’s kind of like putting tape around a hockey stick.
14. Now when you start the string wrapping process, make sure you wrap from the bottom down. This way the strings stay on properly and will come off just as easy. The ‘winds’ have to be underneath each other. That’s the right way of doing things.
15. Repeat this process for the remaining 5 strings. This is where a peg winder really helps but you can use your hands as well.
16. Now it’s time to tune your guitar. After you’re done, here is the so called “magic” step that 99 of guitarist miss and that’s why their guitar ends up out of tune after just a few weeks.
17. It’s time to ‘Stretch’ your guitar strings. Just hold each string on top of the body and give it a nice little stretch (Almost like a massage). Nothing to drastic but just a little pull. Do that for each string. If you tried restringing before and you lost tuning after a few weeks, there is a good chance that it’s because you didn’t stretch your strings.

How to restring a 12 String Acoustic Guitar

1. Read the instructions above.
2. When you get to step # 13, pull the string to two posts instead of one like you would with a 6 string. Stringing a 12 string is exactly the same but instead of going one extra post on the string, you go two posts. That’s the only difference.
3. Continue on with the rest of the steps.

How to restring a Slotted Headstock Acoustic Guitar

1. Same thing . . . follow the instructions above and until you get to step 13.
2. Once at the thirteenth steps, for a Slotted Headstock, you do 1 post and a half and you always wind from the inside of the headstock to the outside. Again, that’s it.
3. Now finish off the remaining step by step instructions and you’ll be done.

Sources:

• Wikipedia, Acoustic guitar
• Best acoustic guitars
• Classical vs Acoustic Guitar: Which is Easier to Learn for Beginners?
• Acoustic Guitar Price: What Do They Cost?
• Can You Teach Yourself to Play Guitar?