Best Budget Acoustic Electric Guitar 2024: Trusted & Proven

Basic Tonewood Overview

• There are many different wood types used in guitar construction, and they have a big impact on the resulting sound, especially when talking about acoustic guitars. Unfortunately, there aren’t many different tonewoods to choose from in this price range, but most of the guitars come with the familiar combination of a spruce top and mahogany (along with its other variants) on the back and sides.

Laminated vs Solid Top Wood

• Acoustic guitars with solid wood tops are preferred by many because of the open and vibrant sound they produce. On the flip side, laminate wood is cheaper and more resistant to weather changes, making it ideal for entry-level guitars. Ideally, every guitar should be made out of premium solid wood, but real-world budget constraints, especially in the entry-level market, along with various environmental factors, call for cheaper alternatives.

Body Shape

• Physics dictates that different body shapes of acoustic guitars affect the overall sound. Generally, bigger and thicker guitars, like those with the familiar dreadnought shape, have a lower end and more projection. Thinner and smaller ones emphasize the upper mids and highs, and they are also lighter and oftentimes more comfortable to play. And while most entry-level guitars still come in the familiar dreadnought shape, those with smaller and thinner bodies tend to get better reviews in the entry-level market, as evidenced by the many thinline guitars topping the ratings and taking up multiple spots in this guide. But there’s a twist to all this, when plugged in, you can manipulate the resulting sound to your preference. This is the reason why body shape is not as crucial when discussing electric acoustic guitar vs acoustic.

Passive vs Active Pickups

• Active undersaddle acoustic guitar pickups are generally preferred for their realism and overall volume. And this is true both in the upper and lower spectrums of the market. The downside to these pickups is their power requirement, which entails having to use batteries. On the other hand, passive pickups are more discrete, but they don’t offer the same tone, controls, and features as active ones.

Common Fretboard Issues

• More often than not, manufacturers of the best cheap acoustic electric guitars tend to cut costs by skimping on fretboard quality. And there are plenty of reviewers who go out of their way to drive this point home. Thankfully, fretboard issues like high action, fret buzz, and sharp fret wires are often easily corrected.