Hunting for the best acoustic guitar under 1000 will surprise you with instruments that come close to the sound and feel of high-end models. I remember strumming one in this range and thinking, it resonated like something alive, full of warmth and sparkle, the kind of response you expect from a guitar with a much higher price tag.
Best Acoustic Guitar Under 1000 Dollars | Best Acoustic Guitar Under 1000 Dollars Product Image | Product Title | *GEARANK | **Sources | Check Prices |
 | 96 | 150+ | |||
 | 98 | 150+ | |||
 | 93 | 100+ | |||
 | 92 | 550+ | |||
 | 92 | 90+ | |||
 | 94 | 95+ |
*Gearank = Rating score out of 100.
**Sources = Number of gear owner and user opinions analyzed for these product Gearank Ratings.
Research Process: How Gearank Works
In the $500 to $1,000 bracket, you’ll find some of the best acoustic under 1000 options, and many of them are built with premium tonewoods, even the occasional all solid wood acoustic guitar.
They may skip the fancy inlays and luxury cosmetics, but the tone and playability are right there where it counts. These are good acoustic guitars under 1000 that make an excellent entry point into the world of serious instruments, whether you’re recording, gigging, or just playing for yourself at home.
Here, I’ve rounded up the models that stand out the most. As always at Gearank, this isn’t just guesswork, I’m drawing from years of hands-on experience, combined with our analysis of real-world reviews, ratings, and conversations from other players and experts.
Quick note: the guitars on this list are pure acoustics without onboard pickups. If you want something you can plug in, check out our Acoustic-Electric Guitar Guide. Or, if you’d rather customize your setup, you can always install one of the aftermarket Acoustic Guitar Pickups we’ve reviewed.
Best Acoustic Guitar Under 1000 Dollars
Guild DS-240 Memoir 6-String Acoustic Guitar
Blending vintage charm with modern playability, this guitar offers a warm, balanced tone that suits folk, blues, and fingerstyle players.
Pros:
- Clear sound with woody overtones sustain
- Warm and balanced tone
- It does bends and bluesy stuff with ease
- Not for fans of trebly sounding acoustics
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The Guild DS-240 Memoir is part of Guild’s vintage-inspired acoustic series. It is a masterfully crafted instrument that retains vintage aesthetics while using modern production methods for better consistency. And it does all this while keeping a price under $1000.
Featuring a solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides, this guitar delivers a rich, resonant tone with excellent projection and clarity. It has a nice warm tonality without the excessive top-end “zing” of modern acoustics.
Its classic woody tone matches its round shoulder dreadnought body shape, resulting in a genuine, high-quality retro vibe. The volume and low-end response are noticeably better than many similarly priced instruments.
The guitar’s comfortable C-shaped neck and 20-fret fingerboard ensure smooth playability, while the Nubone nut and saddle contribute to its impeccable intonation and sustain. Vintage-style die-cast tuners provide precise tuning and stability, and the sunburst finish wraps up its classic visual appeal.
In summary, the Guild DS-240 Memoir combines timeless design with modern craftsmanship. It’s an excellent guitar with good playability and a warm, balanced sound.
The acoustic-electric guitar alternative to this model is the Guild D-240E.
- Body Shape: Slope Shoulder Dreadnought
- Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
- Back and Sides: Laminated Mahogany
- Finish: Vintage Sunburst Gloss
- Bridge: Pau Ferro
- Neck: Mahogany
- Neck Profile: C Shape
- Fingerboard: Pau Ferro
- Fingerboard Radius: 16”
- Number of Frets: 20
- Frets to Body: 14
- Scale Length: 24.75”
- Nut Width: 1.6875″
Taylor Academy 10 Dreadnought
Designed with beginners in mind, the Academy 10 delivers Taylor’s impressive tone and comfort at a more accessible price point. Having personally played this guitar, I am blown away by its overall sound quality and the comfort provided by the beveled armrest.
At publication time, this was the Highest Rated Acoustic Guitar between $500 and $1000
Pros:
- Impeccable attention to detail
- Neck profile, short scale length, and fret spacing make it easy to play
- Comfortable beveled armrest
- Sounds very balanced and much bigger than its 7/8 size
- Great beginner guitar
- The smaller body means less projection and bass
- Can feel a bit awkward at first
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The Academy 10 is a short-scale dreadnought-style guitar from popular acoustic guitar manufacturer Taylor.
It is part of their entry-level Academy line of acoustics, which makes Taylor’s brand of attention to detail and build quality more accessible. It is also a great entryway into the world of Taylor guitars.
For the price, this Taylor guitar comes with a solid spruce top, paired with layered sapele for the back and sides.
Its most distinct feature is its beveled armrest, a feature found in more expensive models. This feature makes for a more comfortable playing experience, and since your arm does not need to rest too much on the guitar top, it also helps with the guitar’s resonance and responsiveness.
Other features include having a maple neck with a 20-fret ebony fingerboard, Nubone nut, and Micarta saddle.
Note that among the best acoustic guitars, this one has a shorter scale length of 24.8″ and a nutwidth of 1.6875″.
If playability and build quality rank high in your book, check out the Taylor Academy 10.
If you’re looking for a stage-ready mini-dreadnought, then check out the Taylor Academy 10e.
- Body Shape: Academy Dreadnought
- Top: Solid Spruce
- Back and Sides: Layered Sapele
- Finish: Varnish Natural
- Bridge: Ebony
- Neck: Maple
- Neck Profile: Slim Profile
- Fingerboard: Ebony
- Fingerboard Radius: 15″
- Number of Frets: 20
- Frets to Body: 14
- Scale Length: 24.8″
- Nut Width: 1.6875″
Yamaha FG850
The Yamaha FG850 delivers professional-grade tone and feel through smart engineering. Its all-mahogany build and scalloped bracing give it resonance, richness, and projection that defy its price point. For warm, intimate recording or performance work, this guitar plays like a keeper.
Pros:
- Warm, woody tone from all-mahogany build
- Scalloped bracing adds resonance and sustain
- Excellent craftsmanship for the price
- Comfortable neck, easy playability
- Less bright than spruce-top models
- May need minor setup tweaks
- No case or electronics included
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The Yamaha FG850 stands out in the crowded sub-$600 acoustic category by delivering real design refinement, not just cosmetic tweaks. With a solid mahogany top matched by mahogany back and sides, it leans into the warm, woody tonal foundation that mahogany is known for—thick, focused mids, tight lows, and a balanced character that plays well both unplugged and in the studio.
Where the FG850 really evolves is in its new scalloped bracing, yielding a louder, more resonant low to mid-range. Yamaha used acoustic analysis and simulation (not just tradition) to optimize the bracing layout, which means the top vibrates more freely while maintaining structural integrity.
On the build side, you get a traditionally shaped dreadnought body with comfortable neck dimensions (650 mm scale, 43 mm nut width, rosewood fingerboard) and reliable die-cast tuners. The combination is instantly playable and doesn’t feel budget-cramped.
Users consistently highlight how it “resonates like something alive, full of warmth and sparkle”, and technically, that comes from its all-mahogany makeup plus scalloped bracing that emphasizes sustain and richness.
The craftsmanship, including gloss finish, abalone rosette inlay, and binding, punches above its weight in the price range. Many players say it feels like an investment-grade instrument, not an entry-level fallback.
- Body Shape: Traditional Western Dreadnought
- Top: Solid Mahogany
- Back and Sides: Mahogany
- Finish: Gloss Natural
- Bridge: Rosewood
- Neck: Nato
- Neck Profile: Rounded, comfortable profile
- Fingerboard: Rosewood
- Fingerboard Radius: 15.75″ (400mm)
- Number of Frets: 20
- Frets to Body: 14
- Scale Length: 25.6″ (650mm)
- Nut Width: 1.69″ (43mm)
Seagull S6 Original 046386 6-String Acoustic Guitar
Impressive rich, full-bodied tone, thanks to its pressure-tested cedar top and Canadian craftsmanship. A favorite among experienced guitar players, it delivers warm, articulate sound at an accessible price.
Pros:
- Consistently good workmanship
- The wider spacing between the strings allows for easier fingerpicking
- Good sustain and rich sound
- Great value for the money
- Wide nutwidth can be an issue for some.
- I’m not a fan of its narrow headstock aesthetic
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Canada-made Seagull Acoustics is well-loved for its quality, as evidenced by the many high ratings it continues to receive in reviews. The S6 Original 046386 is currently their best-rated guitar in this price range, bringing Seagull’s brand of playability and build quality at a very accessible price point.
At the core of this guitar is a solid cedar top, which, together with Seagull’s modified Dreadnought Guitar profile, results in good acoustic projection and clarity. The company also ensures tonewood quality and structural stability by pressure testing the tops.
Like other Seagull guitars, this guitar features wild cherry back and sides, which help give the instrument a distinctly balanced Seagull tone.
The neck is crafted from silver leaf maple and topped by a rosewood fingerboard. It features Seagull’s distinct narrow headstock shape, which better aligns the strings with the tuners for more stable tuning.
It also features a compensated saddle and nut made from composite material TUSQ, known for improved sustain.
With its high ratings and reasonable price point, the Seagull S6 Original is easy to recommend, especially for those who prefer wider-neck guitars.
A pickup-equipped version called S6 Original Presys II is also available if you want a stage-ready instrument.
- Body Shape: Modified Dreadnought
- Top: Solid Cedar
- Back and Sides: Wild Cherry
- Finish: Semi-Gloss Natural
- Bridge: Rosewood
- Neck: Silver Leaf Maple
- Neck Profile: Not Specified
- Fingerboard: Rosewood
- Fingerboard Radius: Not Specified
- Number of Frets: 21
- Frets to Body: 14
- Scale Length: 25.5″
- Nut Width: 1.8″
Guild OM-120 Orchestra 6-String Acoustic Guitar
An all-solid mahogany guitar with a warm tone that reflects its earthy appeal. Playability is also just as smooth as its tone.
Pros:
- Neck is thin and smooth, easy on the fretting hand
- Visually stunning guitar — with elegant mother-of-pearl detailing
- Clear and cutting mid-range
- Excellent build quality
- Some parts, like the bridge pins, are still made of plastic
- Does not have the boominess of a dreadnought
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The OM-120 Orchestra showcases how Guild pays exquisite attention to detail on every part of the instrument—from its very playable flattened C profile neck to its nicely tensioned 25.5″ scale length, which adds a little sparkle to its warm mahogany tone.
The OM-120’s all-solid mahogany construction gives it a warm sound that seriously impresses most guitarists who play it. Acoustic Life TV said it has “wonderful warmth and great punch but also this very seasoned woody bass sound.” You can see his full review in the video below.
The Guild OM-120’s tone and playing feel have been getting a lot of love; some even compare it favorably to the much more expensive Martin guitars, like the mahogany Martin 000-15M.
It’s a traditional guitar that works great for rhythm, folk, worship, blues, rock, and fingerstyle. And this all mahogany guitar works great when employed on stage or in the studio.
This is the best acoustic under 1000 ‘all-around’ option that you can use for most musical and playing styles.
The Guild OM-140CE is the closest acoustic-electric guitar version, with a similar body but having a cutaway design for easier upper fret access.
- Body Shape: Mid-sized Orchestra
- Top: Solid African Mahogany
- Back and Sides: Solid African Mahogany
- Finish: Gloss Polyurethane Natural
- Bridge: Indian Rosewood
- Neck: Mahogany
- Neck Profile: C Shape
- Fingerboard: Indian Rosewood
- Fingerboard Radius: 16″
- Number of Frets: 20
- Frets to Body: 14
- Scale Length: 25.5″
- Nut Width: 1.75″
Guild Westerly Collection D-140 6-String Acoustic Guitar
With a solid Sitka spruce top and rosewood back and sides, this guitar delivers the familiar resonant dreadnought sound with plenty of overtones and projection.
Pros:
- All solid wood construction
- Impressive projection and resonance
- Great value for the money
- The included padded gig bag is really nice with a very premium feel
- Bulky as expected of a dreadnought
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Cordoba’s acquisition of Guild may have been good for its acoustic line; an example is the Guild Westerly Collection D-140, which is well-received for its great specs and build quality.
With its solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides, this guitar can compete with more expensive acoustics. Its all-solid wood design is quite special in this price range.
The premium tonewoods used are shaped into the familiar dreadnought form, so you’re getting an all-solid wood dreadnought at a more accessible price point. The top also features scalloped Sitka spruce bracing for improved resonance.
The D-140 has good projection and a traditional-sounding low-end. Its tone matches its overall traditional acoustic vibe.
It has a mahogany c-profile neck with a rosewood fingerboard, a 25.5″ scale length, 1.75″ nut width, and a 16″ radius. Other features include a bone nut and saddle and vintage-style open gear tuners.
Thanks to the Guild Westerly Collection D-140, you can now have a premium-looking traditional all-solid wood dreadnought that’s great for Recording Acoustic Guitar – at a very accessible price.
If you’re looking for a traditional dreadnought guitar, then this is the best acoustic guitar under $1000 to get.
If you want a cutaway dreadnought with built-in pickup, then go for its sibling, the Guild D-140CE.
- Body Shape: Dreadnought
- Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
- Back and Sides: Solid Mahogany
- Finish: Gloss Polyurethane Antique Burst
- Bridge: Rosewood
- Neck: African Mahogany
- Neck Profile: C Shape
- Fingerboard: Rosewood
- Fingerboard Radius: 16″
- Number of Frets: 20
- Frets to Body: 14
- Scale Length: 25.5″
- Nut Width: 1.75″
Things to Consider When Buying a Mid-tier Acoustic Guitar
If you’re shopping for a guitar in this price range, you probably already have some experience and know what you like. Still, it helps to step back and think about the details that really affect how the instrument feels and sounds. If you want a more thorough overview, I recommend checking out our Tips for Acoustic Guitar Buyers.
Guitar Tonewoods
Tonewoods are one of the first things I pay attention to when testing a new acoustic. Solid wood construction makes a noticeable difference in resonance and projection, especially if the top is solid. In the $500 to $1000 bracket, most guitars have a solid top, and some even extend that to the back and sides for extra depth in tone.
- Spruce is the most common top wood for good reason. It’s versatile, clear, and resonant without leaning too much toward bright or dark. It’s a safe choice if you play a variety of styles.
- Mahogany has a tighter, warmer tone that works great for singer-songwriters and rhythm players. It’s no longer just a back-and-sides wood—there are some excellent all-mahogany guitars in this range.
- Rosewood is prized for its warmth and rich overtones, usually paired with spruce tops. Solid rosewood is expensive, so don’t expect it in this price tier, but when it’s there, it adds a more “alive” quality to the tone.
Shape and Size
Body shape has a huge impact on feel and sound. Smaller bodies, like Concert guitars, emphasize midrange clarity and are great for fingerpicking. Jumbo bodies push out deep bass and suit heavy strummers. Grand Auditorium guitars sit comfortably in the middle, while the classic Dreadnought remains the go-to for its mix of volume, punch, and balance. If portability is a factor, parlor guitars are compact and charming. The right choice depends on your playing style and comfort level.
Action / String Height
Action (string height) can make or break your playing experience. Lower action makes barre chords and quick runs easier, while higher action is better for aggressive strumming where you want to avoid fret buzz. The tricky part is that manufacturers rarely publish action specs, and it can vary from one guitar to another. If the setup isn’t to your liking, a tech can adjust it for you, or you can learn how to do it yourself. For more on setups and adjustments, check out this guide from Guitar Player and our page on Guitar Action.
Nut Width
Nut width determines how much room you have between strings. A wider nut feels natural for classical players or those with bigger hands. Narrower nuts are easier for players with smaller fingers or anyone used to electric guitars. This is one of those specs that you should try in person if possible, since small differences can feel big.
Scale Length
Scale length affects both string tension and tone. Longer scales feel tighter and give you a brighter, snappier sound. Shorter scales are easier on the fingers and lean a bit warmer. For a deeper dive into what scale length really means, see Stewart MacDonald’s explanation and this overview from Guitar Player.
Strap Buttons
Not every acoustic comes with strap buttons, and some only include one at the tail. If yours doesn’t, you can either install your own or use a strap designed for acoustics without buttons. We cover your options in our guide to guitar straps. If you’re not confident about drilling into your new guitar, I’d advise against a DIY job, better to let a pro do it than risk dropping your instrument.
Taking Care of Your Acoustic Guitar
Once you’re spending real money on a guitar, it’s worth protecting it properly.
- Humidity control is crucial. Wood can crack if it’s exposed to extremes, so I always recommend guitar humidifiers and/or guitar case hygrometers.
- Cleaning your strings after every session extends their life and keeps the fretboard from building up grime. A proper deep clean every so often makes a big difference in feel.
- Storage matters. Keep your guitar in a case or gig bag or on a sturdy guitar stand to prevent accidents. Using a guitar strap, even while seated, adds one more layer of security.
Best Acoustic Guitar Under 1000 Selection Methodology
The first edition was published in 2020. The current edition was published in 2025.
To find the best acoustic guitar under 1000 dollars, we looked at 6-string steel string acoustic guitars that don’t have built-in pickups. This is an important distinction that separates a traditional acoustic guitar from those that come with built-in electronics and other features like a built-in tuner. As such, we did not feature acoustic-electric guitar models in this guide.
To ensure that you can readily buy them, we only feature the top-rated acoustic guitars under 1000, which are available from major retailers in the USA. We undertook an extensive survey of acoustic guitars among the different guitar brands, priced between $500 and $1000. The result is 24 models being placed on our shortlist for closer examination.
We then gathered and analyzed relevant information from over 2100 guitarist reviews, ratings, and online discussions. All these were then processed using the Gearank Algorithm to produce the rating scores out of 100 you see above. We selected the highest-rated options to recommend.
Here are the types of acoustic guitars not considered for this guide: Acoustic-Electric, Classical / Nylon String, and Travel Guitars.
For more information about our methods see How Gearank Works.
About the Author and Contributors
Here are the key people and sources involved in this guide’s production – click on linked names for information about their music industry backgrounds.
Lead Author & Researcher
Contributors
Jerry Borillo: Product research.
Alden Acosta: Product research.
Jason Horton: Supplemental writing, Editing, and Illustrating.
Media / Image Credit
Main/Top Image: by Gearank.com using photographs of the Blueridge BR-70, Seagull S6 Original, Guild OM-120, Taylor Academy 12, and Guild D-140.
The videos have been embedded in accordance with YouTube’s Terms of Service.
The individual product images were sourced from their respective manufacturers’ websites, promotional materials, or supporting documentation.
More Best Acoustic Guitar Under 1000: Great Tone & Value Related Posts
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Best Acoustic Guitar Under 300 – The Sweet Spot for Value
Best Travel Guitar for Sound and Comfort on the Road
Best Parlor Guitar Choices for Comfort and Great Sound
Best Acoustic Electric Guitar: Reliable Picks for All Budgets
Comments:
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Publication of our August 2021 Edition resulted in the following guitars coming off the recommended list above, but you can still read our analysis of them:
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As a result of our September 2020 update the following guitar came off the recommended list above, but you can still see our analysis of it:
Acoustic Guitar Guides
Disclosure
Author & Contributors
Alexander Briones
I have been writing about and researching music gear for many years, all while serving as a music director at my local church. I engage in guitar playing and singer-songwriter stints, in addition to mentoring young musicians and teaching guitar and bass.
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