8 Best Acoustic Guitar Reviews – Diamonds in the Rough

Wood

Most guitarists and guitar makers have traditionally been of the opinion that all-solid wood guitars offer the best performance because solid woods carry sound and resonate better than laminated woods or other composite materials.

The main downside is that solid wood is more costly compared to laminate, and this is the reason why only a few acoustic guitars offer solid wood construction in lower price ranges. Thankfully, there are still some good solid top acoustic guitars that are rated well while keeping reasonable price tags.

Note that there are some manufacturers who utilize composite non-wood materials on their acoustic guitars and do so quite successfully, but they are usually used for stage-ready acoustic-electric models or for travel guitars. Even high-end manufacturers are now using composite wood in places like the fretboard.

Here are some of the most commonly used tonewoods:

• Spruce: One of the most popular tonewoods for the top of an acoustic guitar, it is generally considered to have an ‘all-round’ tone without being overly bright, warm, or bassy. Spruce tends to go well with most other types of wood that may be used on the rest of the guitar.
• Cedar: This is a less dense wood than Spruce so it tends to have less sustain and projection while sounding warmer. It’s often found on acoustic guitars that are designed for Fingerstyle players.
• Mahogany: Mahogany is a dense wood that lends itself to a warm tone that projects very well. It was traditionally used mainly on the back and sides of a guitar; however, in the last few years it has become a very popular wood used to build an entire guitar—in fact, many all-mahogany acoustic guitars are now rated more highly than their traditional counterparts.
• Sapele: Sapele is becoming a popular choice these days. It’s a bit denser than Mahogany and produces a slightly brighter sound. Taylor says it adds “top-end shimmer” to the acoustic guitars they use it on.
• Maple: This is a very hard and dense wood and is most often used on the back and sides, but you will occasionally find it used as a top wood. It has great projection but tends to emphasize the mid frequencies too much for many people’s taste as a top wood.
• Koa: Also known as Hawaiian Koa because it’s a native Hawaiian species. It’s a dense hardwood that emphasizes the mid-to-high overtones, and as it ages, it tends to ‘open up’, adding warmth to the mid-range. It’s mainly found on high-end acoustic guitars due to its high cost.
• Rosewood: Rosewood offers a lot of warmth and complex overtones. It’s usually found on the back and sides or fingerboard and is said to ’round out’ the overall tone of Spruce-topped acoustic guitars. It’s also an expensive tonewood, so you tend to find it used sparingly on less expensive models. Although specific woods have their characteristics, much also depends on how they’re used in building a guitar. If you’d like to dive deeper into this topic, then you might like to read a luthier’s opinion: Tapping Tonewoods by Dana Bourgeois.

Shape and Size

Generally, a smaller-bodied guitar, such as a Concert acoustic guitar, will emphasize the mids and high treble frequencies and is often preferred by fingerstyle players. This compact body also appeals to younger musicians who want to be comfortable playing their first acoustic guitar.

At the other end of the spectrum, jumbo-body acoustic guitars resonate with the lower bass frequencies much better and are preferred by those who play a loud strumming style.

In between, you have the Grand Auditorium and similar shapes that combine the tonal characteristics of small and large-bodied acoustic guitars.

The most popular shape is the Dreadnought, which is nice and loud. It also produces a good tonal balance of high and low frequencies with enough note definition for playing guitar melodies with a pick. Guitar Sizes and shapes impact portability, playability, and tone.

Some acoustic guitars have cutaways on their bodies for easier upper fret access. This is commonly found on acoustic-electric guitars, and is a common distinction when differentiating between an electric acoustic guitar vs acoustic.

Action / String Height

Acoustic guitars with low action allow for faster runs and the use of playing techniques such as tapping on the fretboard and hammering on/off.

Beginners and those transitioning from electric guitars generally find a lower Guitar Action easier to play. This is why many consider string action as an important factor for an instrument to be considered a good guitar.

A higher action, on the other hand, lends itself a bit better to aggressive playing, like loud strumming chords where fret buzz would be a concern if the action was too low. Unfortunately, guitar manufacturers typically don’t provide string height as one of their specifications, and the actual height tends to vary between individual acoustic guitars and batches, so if you don’t like the setup your guitar has when it arrives, you either have to get a guitar technician to adjust it for you or do it yourself. For advice on setting up your guitar, see this guide from Guitar Player.

Nut Width

The nut width essentially describes how far apart the strings are spaced. A larger nut width will suit players who are used to it, for example, anyone transitioning from classical guitars or those who have larger fingers. If your background is mostly electric guitar, then you’ll feel more comfortable playing an acoustic with a smaller nut width.

Scale Length

This is essentially the distance measured between the saddle and the nut, or more accurately described as double the distance from the nut to the 12th fret plus some “compensation” added by the position of the saddle. A longer scale length requires higher tension in the strings and results in a brighter tone. A more detailed explanation with examples is presented quite well by Stewart MacDonald, and a good description of the implications of different scale lengths can be found at Guitar Player. In line with scale length is the number of guitar frets.

Strap Buttons

It’s important to note that some manufacturers don’t provide strap buttons, or they don’t provide one on the neck side of the guitar. If you want to play using a guitar strap, then take a good look at the pictures to see if you need to buy strap buttons along with your guitar. They’re easy to install and fairly inexpensive.

Finish and Aesthetics

While ideally, we should be buying instruments primarily for their sound, as human beings, we are often easily lured by good aesthetics. Still, this does not mean that you ought not to consider the overall look of your guitar because getting a guitar that’s nice to look at will impact your enjoyment of the instrument, resulting in more inspired playing, practice, and overall musical journey. Keep in mind that if you want to keep the finish shiny and looking fresh, you’ll need to properly clean your guitar regularly.

What is the Best Acoustic Guitar for Beginners?

Students of the guitar have special needs; their limited budget must afford them an acoustic guitar that’s easy to play, inspiring to look at, and good sounding. It can either be a steel string acoustic guitar or a classical guitar. But it’s definitely not good to start a beginner with a Square Neck Resonator. For a more in-depth look at this topic, check out our Guide to Beginner Acoustic Guitars.