So how little can you get away with in the acoustic-electric world and still take home something that plays and sounds good? To find out, we set our sights on acoustic-electrics with street prices of less than $300—definitely the bottom end for something you might want to use for gigs or recording, but a popular price category for players who are stepping up from the beginner packages purchased on sale at Costco or Wal-Mart. We selected ten guitars that met the criteria and subjected them to a thorough evaluation of their build quality, setup, playability, and tones. For the amplified part of our tests, we used a Genz-Benz Shenandoah Acoustic Pro, a Schertler Little David, and a Fender Acoustasonic Junior.
Alvarez RD8C
Applause AE 128
Ashland SF 70CE3TS
Dean Performer E Mini-Jumbo Cutaway
Fender Sonoran SCE
Greg Bennett OM 5 CE
Ibanez AEL10E
Jasmine ES33C
Silvertone SD 50CE
Washburn EA16