The world of acoustic s can be a little intimidating for players on a budget. But luckily, you don’t have to shell out thousands of dollars for an excellent-sounding instrument – let’s explore some of the great acoustics you can grab for less than $500.
The Fender FA-135CE is a great starting point in the world of acoustic s – whether you’re grabbing your first , or are just wanting a couch acoustic to have around the house. The concert body is smaller than a full-size dreadnought, meaning it’s nice and comfy for players of all levels and sizes

If you do want to plug in, there’s the excellent Fender-exclusive CD-1 Fishman pickup system, a great bonus at this price. It offers easy control over output as well as a built-in tuner (something your housemates will thank you for). It looks the part too, especially if you feel like channelling your inner Johnny Cash with an all-black paintjob (you can, of course, go for something more traditional like a sunburst).
Taylor 500 Series Acoustic Guitars
If you’re looking for something a little louder – acoustically, at least – the Yamaha F335’s full-size dreadnought body and sturdy spruce top provide plenty of volume, while the meranti back and sides offer a rich, confident low-end to make sure you’re heard over the crackle of a campfire or the chatter of a bar. For easy playability, there’s also a slim nato neck topped with a rosewood fretboard.
With its laminated walnut back and sides, and solid sitka spruce top, the Baby Taylor offers some exemplary sounds at an approachable price. With a shorter scale length and small body, it’s definitely a comfortable player for those just starting out – but don’t mistake this for a beginner’s ! Plenty of seasoned professionals swear by smaller-short scale instruments for their bright sound and responsive feel.
Epiphone’s PR-150 is an affordable entry point into a classic, no-frills style of dreadnought acoustic: it features a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard. While there aren’t many surprises design-wise here, it’s a rock-solid instrument with good build quality and a rich sound. The PR-150 is also lent some retro charm by its big, old-school Epiphone headstock and pickguard logo.
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If you’re a Fender fan but want an acoustic that’s a little larger and more traditional than the concert-sized FA-135CE, the FA-125 is a great option. Its all laminate construction offers steady performance, even throughout humidity changes – and the nato neck has a comfortable feel. The ‘Viking’ bridge – resembling a nordic longboat – also certainly makes a visual statement.
This cutaway dreadnought from Yamaha offers the full, traditional acoustic experience at a great price, with a spruce top joining nato back and sides in s classic design. For amplification purposes, there’s a Yamaha 1-way piezo pickup and preamp system, and of course the upper cutaway will let you get adventurous and explore those upper frets.
This modern reimagining of the parlor s of the 1950s thankfully didn’t abandon the approachable price of those instruments. Its small, non-cutaway agathis body produces a warm, rounded sound with a lively playing response, in part thanks to the combination with the shorter scale length. Its diminutive proportions does make it great for beginners, but it’s by no means a beginners-only !
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Here we have an affordable example of Guild’s unique construction approach to flat-topped acoustics. A solid top is combined with laminated sides and arched backs also made from laminated wood. These arched backs are much stronger and stiffer than centre-joined solid-wood plates, meaning centre strips or back braces aren’t needed. This leads to a unique, characterful sound. Plus, the jumbo size and pickup system both mean there’s no risk of you getting lost in the mix!
This is a Grand Auditorium model that’s been designed for entry-level players. Its all-mahogany build offers a great, mellow sound as well as a beautiful aesthetic, and the bi-level bridge offers great stability thanks to the extra break angle.
There’s also the feature-packed YS250 pickup system – not only does it amplify your sound, there’s also a fully chromatic precision tuner with a backlit LCD screen, as well as a 4-band EQ for fine tonal adjustment.

Revealed: The Best Acoustic Guitars Under 500 Dollars
Ibanez’s AEG70 certainly makes a statement with its flamed maple top – available in a range of bold colours, from Purple Iris Burst to Tiger Burst. The maple is paired with sapele back and sides for a full and characterful sound.
For electronics, there’s the AEQ-TTS preamp, which gives you a little less to think about on stage, as it has only two control knobs: volume and shape. But there is also an on-board tuner with an LCD screen.
4 “If you’re not stretching yourself, it tends to be safer – and who cares about being safer?” Marnie Stern’s new album welcomes back a modern greatThe dreadnought is big. Outside of its portly proportions, this form remains a top-seller a century after its birth. For all of the talk about how fun it is to play parlor guitars and other small-bodied instruments, the dreadnought still casts a tall shadow across the landscape.
Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500/£500 In 2023: Unplug On A Budget
That is why we decided to look at this perennial guitar at its most popular—and competitive—price point. We invited guitar makers to submit their best examples selling for around $500.
The makers assembled here—Breedlove, Eastman, Epiphone, Martin, Seagull, Takamine, Taylor, and Yamaha—have either distilled the essence of the classic dreadnought in a new design or used its form as a canvas for experimenting with woods, finishes, and contemporary features like cutaways and electronics.

After spending hours with these beasts, I can safely say that what you can take home for $500 these days is remarkable—a far cry from the subpar budget offerings of yesteryear. Every guitar has unimpeachable fretwork, quality hardware, and a setup that is ready to go from the first strum. All sound huge and respond best to a flatpick or fingerpicks. They like to be driven powerfully, which makes a lot of sense, as guitarists clamoring for loudness originally dictated the dreadnought’s large size.
The Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500 For 2023
Not every one of these guitars is perfect for every player—you have to find an instrument that speaks to you—but this group shows that there are ample options for an affordable dreadnought that you can rely on for years of inspiration and fun.
From 12-fret bodies, to shifting internal braces, to cutaways, the framework of the dreadnought has lived through many variations. Below are the typical specs for a 14-fret D-shape guitar.
The Look With its dark, richly figured sapele top and abalone rosette inlay, the glossy Pursuit is an eye-catching guitar that does its own thing in the dreadnought format. The plastic tortoiseshell binding around the body adds an elegant touch that helps set it apart.
Juarez Acoustic Guitar, [ Left Handed] 38 Inch Cutaway, 38cl/bk With Bag, Strings, Pick And Strap, Black
The Feel Having a not-too-slender and not-too-chubby okoume neck, the Breedlove’s neck was one of my favorites of this roundup. It’s also one of the heaviest guitars in this group, likely due to its robust construction and onboard electronics.

The Sound Playing similar instruments made from different woods can sometimes feel like using different EQ settings on your stereo. In this case, the Breedlove’s solid sapele top seemed to lend less of a midrange cut than the typical spruce soundboard, leaving me with a full-range tone, from low-end thrust to high-end sparkle. This thick, even sound was conveyed nicely through a Henriksen Bud combo amp.
The Look With its plain appointments, matte finish, and lack of pickguard, the AC120 really nails the workhorse dreadnought vibe. Eastman cut its teeth by raising standards in the violin-family world, and they’ve shown the same dedication to building smart-looking flattop guitars out of fine tonewoods since jumping into this competitive field a few years ago.
The Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500 In 2023
The Feel The AC120’s setup and feel were buttery smooth. The string heights allowed all of the notes to ring freely up and down the neck and the generously proportioned C-shape neck felt plush to my hands. The only improvement I could want would be a softer edge on the top’s binding, which dug into my picking hand’s forearm.
The Sound With a hearty scoop taken from the mids, the Eastman’s big bass and lacey treble came closest to vintage dreadnought tone. Dropping to open-G tuning and fingerpicking through some easy slack-key pieces produced a massive sound, not unlike, say, a church organ.
The Look Epiphone recently revived the Masterbilt name from its 1930s heyday. Since then, the company has stormed the affordable guitar scene with contemporary versions of classic archtops, as well as modern flattops that show an extraordinary level of detail. This cutaway dreadnought—the only all-solid-wood offering in our lineup—has a feast of features for the live performer.

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The Feel The softly sculpted fingerboard edges and plump neck profile were comfortable for long picking sessions. Soloists will dig the cutaway for shenanigans on the higher frets.
The Sound Open chords have a big tone with a clear and warm bass, making the Epiphone a strong performer for acoustic playing. Of the guitars with built-in electronics, the Masterbilt had the crispest electric tone, so I found myself using the tone thumbwheel to dial
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