The internet loves to tell you that old guitars are the best – however, there’s a lot to be said for many modern guitars on the market. Advances in technology and newer and more efficient building techniques mean that manufacturers can give you a better guitar without you having to spend loads. The best acoustic guitars under $1000 are a great embodiment of that.
This is a great price point because you can get some great specs from big brands, but you’re not spending silly money. Within the best acoustic guitars under $1000, you’ll see mostly solid tops, a variety of shapes to suit all playing styles and some very nice tonewoods being used.
If you’re looking for a workhorse flat-top; something that’s going to give you good tone, reliability and a comfortable playing experience in the studio and live, then read on to discover what we reckon are the best acoustic guitars under $1000.
Guitar Player’s Choice
There really are some excellent choices out there, but if we’re looking for the one of the best acoustic guitars under $1000, our choice would be the Inspired By Gibson Epiphone Hummingbird. With its all-solid wood construction, classic looks and superb playability, it’s a great-sounding guitar that works well for so many different styles of music.
Another classic acoustic boasting the ubiquitous dreadnought body shape is the Martin D-10E. It’s made for life on the road and will provide you with great acoustic tones night after night.
Best overall
The Hummingbird is probably one of the most famous acoustic guitars of all time thanks to its distinctive looks and a list of players that reads like a rock and roll hall of fame. With everyone from Keith Richards to Chris Cornell wielding the original Gibson, Epiphone has now put this classic guitar firmly in the grasp of any player.
The ‘Inspired by Gibson’ range is designed to deliver Gibson design ethos and playability without the associated price tag. This means the Hummingbird has a completely solid wood construction, a feature normally reserved for acoustics twice the price.
Tonally it delivers a rich sound with plenty in the low range, a characteristic of dreadnought-sized guitars that’ll underpin your work in the mids and highs. The neck will feel familiar to any Gibson user thanks to its 12-inch radius, and single note riffs and chord work feel supremely comfortable.
Best for gigs
Martin Guitars’ Road Series is designed for regularly gigging musicians, providing great electronics, instant playability, and hardware that will stand up to the rigors of the road. With a solid wood construction, the D10e delivers a premium tone without the price tag.
One of the best features of this guitar is the hand-rubbed Performing Artist neck, giving you a played-in feel from the off that will have you feeling immediately at home. Combined with the excellent MX-T onboard electronics, you’ve got a guitar that’s gig-ready from day one.
The sound of this guitar is very warm, lending itself well to powerfully strummed chords and harsh pick attacks. It’s a powerful tone but never feels too boomy or unbalanced in the low end, to which some dreadnoughts are susceptible.
Best with effects
It’s not often you pick up an acoustic guitar and have your mind blown by it, but that’s exactly what happened when we got our hands on the Yamaha FSC TA TransAcoustic. Without plugging it in, you can have a warm wash of chorus and luscious reverb sounds thanks to its unique tech.
It works thanks to an actuator in the soundhole, which picks up string vibrations, turns them into electrical signals, then pumps them back through the guitar body using it as a form of amplification.
Innovative tech aside, this guitar also plays incredibly well with low action and no hint of any buzz across the neck. Complemented by a bright tone and plenty of warmth in the low end from the body, it makes for one incredibly exciting acoustic guitar.
Best orchestra model
Fender isn’t particularly well known for its acoustic guitars, but that’s not to say it has no heritage building them. In fact, the company's been making acoustic guitars since the ’60s, with both Elvis and Johnny Cash wielding the big F on their acoustic headstocks.
The Paramount series refresh represents the top end of Fender acoustics, and the PO-220E is a brand new addition, with an all-solid Mahogany body construction. It’s smaller than a dreadnought, so you get a little less volume and low end, but the Mahogany provides a lovely warm tone that is still plenty loud enough for small gigs and busking.
The neck profile tips its hat towards the better known Fender electric guitars, with a slim ‘C’ profile that feels great for a whole variety of playing styles. It’s a matt finish on the back too, so you don’t get any of that new neck stickiness, allowing you to get straight to business.
Best cutaway
Despite its comparatively recent foray into acoustic guitar building, PRS guitars has used all of its design ingenuity to provide a high-quality acoustic guitar range that delivers without breaking the bank. The SE Angelus A40E gives you slinky playability with trademark PRS looks.
Despite being part of the SE range, this guitar still comes with all the high-end PRS appointments, giving it the look of a much more expensive instrument with the trademark bird inlays and unique headstock design.
Sonically it delivers a great midrange tone that’s very neutral, suiting fingerpickers and strummers equally well. Featuring PRS’ signature ‘wide fat’ neck shape, this guitar will feel great for those transitioning from electric to acoustic, delivering superbly fast playability. Barre chords are a breeze on this neck, and even whole step bends are possible.
Best jumbo
If you’re looking to get on the gigging circuit, then you can do a lot worse than Takamine’s GJ72CE electro-acoustic offering. Famed for its pickups and preamps, Takamine certainly knows a thing or two about crafting top-quality acoustics.
The GJ72CE is absolutely colossal in size but it delivers a well-balanced tone. Crisp and clear notes abound in the mid-range, with a nice and tight low end. It takes to strumming superbly and when plugged in, you can warm things up with the addition of some bass EQ.
The neck is quite a stocky ‘C’ shape, giving you a great playing platform with a comfortable 12-inch radius. The action is low out of the box and it feels very much electric-guitar-like with its medium frets, lending itself well to all styles of playing.
Best compact
Any model within the GS Mini series can be seen as one of the best acoustic guitars under $1000, particularly if you’re looking for something compact yet punchy, The mahogany version has a lovely warm, woody tone with plenty of dynamics. It’s got a solid mahogany top which is paired nicely with layered sapele back and sides, which helps brighten things up a touch.
Whilst it’s more compact than a full size concert guitar, it’s still got a fair amount of volume available. It’s also not quite as small as a 3/4 guitar, so players who are used to full-sized instruments don’t need to readjust too much.
It responds well to fingerpicking and strumming and works nicely for a variety of players. The on-board ES-B pickup system lets you plug in and play when you need amplification, and it comes shipped with a quality gig bag.
Best dreadnought
Despite not being the biggest name on this list, the Guild D-140 has some serious lineage, with big names like Nick Drake, Tom Petty and Jeff Buckley all having used Guild acoustics for their impassioned performances.
With no electronics, the D-140 is relying solely on its natural sound to project well and it certainly meets that brief incredibly well. It’s got a throaty midrange and chime-like high end, with plenty of oomph in the lows.
The neck has a ‘C’ profile which will feel instantly familiar to any guitar player. It’s got a relatively wide nut, so will suit fingerstyle players well, but isn’t so wide that you can’t comfortably fret barre chords. Combine that with a premium bone nut and saddle, and you’ve got yourself a very capable acoustic.
FAQ
Choosing The Best Acoustic Guitar Under $1,000
You can trust Guitar Player. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
When selecting the best acoustic guitar under $1,000, there are a few elements you’ll want to look at before selecting your purchase. As we’re entering the mid-range of the acoustic guitar world here, you’ll want to make sure you’re investing your money into an instrument that’s right for your style of playing.
Is The Wood Important On An Acoustic Guitar?
As you might expect, the sound you hear from an acoustic guitar is very much determined by the wood that’s used. Acoustics around and under the $1000 price point will likely feature a mixture of solid and laminate, or layered wood.
Solid wood resonates more than laminate, so you’ll get a richer, more complex sound. As with anything in the music world, neither is better per se, but most players will prefer solid wood on an acoustic.
Of course, the compromise with this is price. Guitars made from all solid wood cost more – a nice in-between is a guitar featuring a solid top, and laminate back and sides. The top of an acoustic is a little like the speaker of the instrument, so having this made from solid wood can provide a really nice tone, but the laminate back and sides help keep costs down.
At, and under, $1000, you might see a few guitars made from all solid wood, but you’ll also find some fantastic instruments with laminate back and sides too.
The actual wood makes a difference too – woods like spruce, maple and koa tend to give the guitar a brighter sound with more top end brilliance. Mahogany and cedar will sound warmer and mellower. The style of music you play, or whether you’re playing solo or with a band, might determine what works best for you.
What Size Of Acoustic Should I Go For?
The size of the acoustic you choose makes a massive difference to not only how it feels to play, but also the sound that is produced - so make sure you choose wisely.
You may want to opt for a smaller guitar for a tighter, more controlled sound. Concert, Grand Auditorium and Parlor all offer their own unique characteristics, but the one thing they have in common is a very focused tone, with not too much low-end. This means these guitars play well with others, as you don't need to EQ out all the extra bass energy.
In contrast, the humble Dreadnought and Jumbo deliver a deeper sound and increased bottom end. This is due to their larger size. It's no surprise that these models are firm favorites of singer-songwriters playing unaccompanied, as they contain the entire frequency spectrum, meaning they sound fantastic on their own.
Of course, this larger sound can get lost in a band situation, though, as the extra bass and low-mid frequencies interfere with a bass guitar or kick drum - so keep that in mind when making your decision.
Do I need a pickup?
You’ll find that many of the best acoustic guitars under $1000 come fitted with a pickup. This means it’s perfect for playing live at shows or open-mic nights. You might not need one now, but if you’re thinking that you’ll be venturing out with it at some point, then it’s often worth future-proofing your purchase.
If you know that you won’t need one, then you might get more for your money if you look for something without a pickup. Some models are even available both with and without one. It’s worth noting however, that if an acoustic has a pickup system, or even a cutaway, the impact on the instrument’s acoustic tone is minimal.
How we choose
At Guitar Player, we are a team of dedicated guitarists who have immersed ourselves in the world of acoustic guitars.
To compile our list of top acoustic guitars under $1000 guide update, we combine our hands-on experience, meticulous research, and insightful discussions with our editorial team. We consider a range of factors, including tonal quality, playability, build quality, aesthetics, and value for money, ensuring that we showcase the finest Taylor guitars on the market.
As passionate musicians ourselves, we understand the importance of finding the perfect instrument that resonates with your playing style and musical preferences. Whether you're a fingerstyle virtuoso, a strummer, or an all-around player, our goal is to provide reliable and informed recommendations that help you discover the best acoustic guitar under $1000 for your musical journey.
Read more on how we test gear and service at Guitar Player.
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