Best Travel and Acoustic Guitar Reviews

"A line up of the best acoustic guitars that you can buy on the market today. Find the one that speaks to you ...."

Writer for KnightofMusic.com

By James Wall

Everyone loves music, and Guitars are arguably one of the most accessible instruments to learn because of their portability. They can be a useful tool for songwriting or just for the enjoyment of playing your favorite songs. One great feature of acoustic guitars is they don’t require electricity but can still be mic’d up if needed. Acoustic guitars are woven into the fabric of our music culture and inspire our inner musician to come to life.

If this is your first introduction to acoustic guitars, they are a perfect for playing in your room, the back yard, in a hotel room, the park, well you get the picture just about anywhere. As guitars go, the acoustic guitar is simple and straight forward and doesn’t require any special equipment in addition to the instrument.

The guitars reviewed on this page not only sound great; they have the beauty of exotic woods and are pieces of art in their own right. In some cases, the guitars have electronics built-in making it easy to play with a band or larger venues.

What does this article contain? We list our top rated guitars from featuring some of the best acoustic guitar brands that make quality instruments. Also included in this article are tips on how to look for your perfect acoustic guitar based on materials, sound, size, shape, cost as well as any unique features to the guitars.


Best Acoustic Guitar Overall


Martin Dreadnought - HD28

Reasons to buy:

  • No frills high-quality workmanship
  • East Indian Rosewood back and sides
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Dreadnought body produces good volume
  • The standard in tone to which other guitars are compared
  • Will likely be the last acoustic guitar you ever want

Reasons to avoid:

  • expensive for the average person to spend on a guitar
  • the standard model doesn’t come with built-in electronics
HD28 acoustic guitar is our top choice for acoustics.  Its well made and has a deep warm tone, but the high notes still have that shimmer.

Here are our picks for the best acoustic guitars: 

Different products for different purposes:


Best Acoustic Guitars on the Market

Image

Product

Benefits

Spec's

  • Great Martin Tone
  • Maintains its value over time
  • Hard-Shell Case
  • Scalloped bracing, Dovetail neck joint
  • Classic Herringbone-pattern binding
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • 25.4" Scale Length
  • 1 3/4" Nut Width
  • Body Depth 4 5/8"
  • Body Length 20"
  • Body Width 15 5/8"
Taylors Hawaiian Koa
  • Hawaiian Koa Top
  • Hawaiian Koa Back and Sides
  • Taylor's "NT" neck design
  • Venetian Cutaway for easy access to frets
  • Guitar will hold its value due to reputation
  • 25.5" Scale Length
  • 1 3/4" Nut Width
  • Body Depth 4 5/8"
  • Body Length 20"
  • Body Width 16"
  • Small Size is convenient for travel and smaller players
  • Padded Gig Bag to protect the guitar
  • Taylor's "NT" neck design
  • Variety of wood choices
  • 23.5" Scale Length
  • 1 11/16" Nut Width
  • Body Depth 4 7/16"
  • Body Length 17 5/8"
  • Body Width 14 3/8"
  • Shore-scale allows for easier bendding of notes
  • Built in LR Baggs Equalizer and pickup
  • Vintage slotted head stock and open gear turners
  • Traditional Dovetail neck joint
  • Solid Mahogany Top
  • 24" Scale Length
  • 1 3/4" Nut Width
  • Body Depth 3.6"
  • Guitar Length 38.78"
  • Body Width 14.13"

Best Acoustic Guitar Reviews [Updated]

1. Martin HD28, All Wood, Herringbone

Best Acoustic

User Rating

100%

Product Details

Top: Solid Spruce
Back/Sides: East Indian Rosewood
Fretboard: Ebony
Scale Length: 25.5 Inches
Features: Hard-shell Case, Adjustable Truss Rod, Gloss Finish

Pros

  • Solid wood construction
  • Scalloped bracing for a responsive guitar top
  • Rich Deep Martin Tone
  • Perfect for Rock, Folk, Country, and Bluegrass Music

Cons

  • Relatively high price
  • Electronics don’t come with the Standard Model
  • No cutaway for access to upper frets

The Standard for Acoustic Guitars.

This is the guitar all others aspire too. Martin one of the oldest guitar companies, created the classic dreadnought shape, its solid wood construction, has no electronics to interfere with the tone and has a tasteful herringbone pattern for binding on the front of the body. If you’re looking for a quality guitar that sounds great that will not have you wondering a year later if maybe you should have got a little bit better instrument, this is the acoustic guitar you’ve been looking for.

This guitar is a cannon and holds its own in an acoustic setting. The bass notes are prominent and ideal for creating a steady backing rhythm. The East Indian rosewood back and sides contribute to a shimmering treble tone when playing leads.

Aesthetically, one feature that we liked is the diamond shape on the back of the neck where the head-stock starts to bend back. The tapered neck also makes for ease of playing anywhere on the neck.

This is one of the top-rated guitar brands out there, and as you play other guitars, it becomes apparent the Martin HD28 is one of the better acoustic guitar choices out there for rock, country, folk, and bluegrass music.

But alas it has one hurdle that you must get over. It is a fairly expensive guitar, but we think you will find that it is a quality item that will last you for years. And over time you may even find it to become priceless.


2. Taylor 724ce with Expression System 2 sound system

Taylors Hawaiian Koa

Professional

User Rating

100%

Product Details

Top: Hawaiian Koa

Back/Sides: Hawaiian Koa

Fretboard: West African Crelicam Ebony

Scale Length: 25.5 Inches

Features: Venetian Cutaway, ES2 Electronics, Indian Rosewood binding on body

Pros

  • Sweet Koa Tone
  • Venetian Cutaway for access to the full fingerboard
  • Top of the line electronics for performing live
  • Hard-shell case
  • Taylor's "NT" neck Design
  • V-Class Bracing

Cons

  • Price of this guitar can be out of reach for some
  • The figuring of the Koa wood is a little less than the K series.

What’s not to like about this acoustic electric guitar. Taylor’s craftsmanship is one of the best in the industry, and it has top-notch woods, electronics, and a cutaway for fret access. Taylor’s new v-class bracing has really improved the sonic properties of the guitar and is yet another game-changing design improvement from Taylor.

This full-size guitar has everything you would need for recording, playing at gigs, or just writing songs in your favorite spot. The tone of this guitar is comparable to the Martin but is a little bit brighter and articulate.

While there are many Taylor acoustic guitars available, this was our favorite in testing in this price range. In general, just like with Martin and Gibson, these premium guitars are not cheap. But over time you will see why they demand a premium price.

Taylor’s “NT” design neck joint allows for quick and easy adjustments to be made should the alignment of the neck change as the joints of the wood “settle in” over time. When you have an expensive guitar like this, it is nice to know these types of adjustments can be made without having to go through an invasive procedure to un-glue, reset, and re-glue the neck.

This is a great guitar that you will not regret owning. In our mind one of the best Taylor guitars.   The NEW Koa models are a departure from the rosewood 700 series.   At the time of this writing, it appears Taylor is going to rebrand the 700 series with Koa as a more affordable option to the K series.


3. Taylor GS Mini

Travel

User Rating

90%

Product Details

Top: Available with a choice of Solid Spruce, Mahogany, or Koa

Back/Sides:
Available with a choice of layered Mahogany, Koa, Walnut, Sapele or Ovankal

Fretboard:
West African Ebony

Scale Length:
23.5 Inches

Features:
GS Mini Hard Bag, Adjustable Truss Rod, Varnish Finish

Pros

  • Great guitar for travel
  • Perfect beginning guitar for Kids and Adults
  • Variety of Wood Choices
  • Taylors "NT" neck design
  • Padded gig bag

Cons

  • Doesn't have the volume or deep tone of a full-sized guitar
  • For An entry-level guitar, this model is still a little pricey

What can I say, I just love these small guitars, they are fun to play and well made.

I will never win in a head to head sound test, but for playing around the house, on the road, or well just about anywhere this guitar shines. It’s hard to put it down!

The variety of wood choices allow for some individuality making your decision something that speaks to you. Whether you like the traditional look and sound profile of Sitka spruce combined with Sapele or something more exotic like a Koa top with layered Koa back and sides, these options are available.

The smaller size and scale doesn’t impact finger spacing, and the neck is very similar to a full-sized guitar making the transition to a standard-sized guitar at a later time a non-event.

Perhaps one improvement could be a cutaway option for those that like to play in the upper register of the neck. For a little more, there is a version with electronics if you should want to plug-in when you are traveling.

We highly recommend this guitar for someone looking for a smaller bodied or travel guitar. For the most part, it’s everything you look for in a portable guitar.


4. ALVAREZ ARTIST Small Bodied Parlor Guitar- AP66ESHB

Parlor Guitar - Home Use

User Rating

84%

Product Details

Top: Solid African mahogany
Back/Sides:
Mahogany
Fretboard:
West African Ebony
Scale Length:
24 Inches
Features:
LR Baggs StagePro EQ and Element pick up, Shadowburst/Gloss, slotted head

Pros

  • The finish on this guitar is beautiful
  • Compact parlor body style
  • On-board electronics
  • Forward Shifted X Brace
  • Responsive to finger-style playing

Cons

  • Sound is a little thin and "tinny" when flat-picking
  • No gig-bag or case comes with the guitar

This is an excellent little parlor guitar. I had a hard time choosing between this and Taylors Mini GS. While this guitar doesn’t come with the wood choices or a gig bag, it makes up for it in looks and electronics come with it as a standard feature. This is an elegant looking guitar that is easy to play.

This guitar really excels in finger-style picking, which makes it ideal for sitting on the patio or living room, picking out your favorite tunes. The forward shifted x-bracing allows for the top to be responsive and this guitar produces a warms sweet tone when finger-picking.

While typically you wouldn’t need to plug in a parlor guitar it is a nice feature to have the build-in LR Baggs electronics. It also has a tuner built-in. Did I mention this is a beautiful guitar? The slotted head, open-gear tuners, and the finish really add to the aesthetics of this parlor guitar.

If you’re looking for an affordable Parlor guitar that looks great and comes with electronics this guitar should be on your shortlist.


Top Brands and Manufacturers

5. Martin HD-28 Professional Grade Acoustic Guitar

User Rating

100%

Product Details

Top: Solid Spruce
Back/Sides: East Indian Rosewood
Fretboard: Ebony
Scale Length: 25.5 Inches
Features: Hard-shell Case, Adjustable Truss Rod, Gloss Finish

Pros

  • Solid wood construction
  • Scalloped bracing for a responsive guitar top
  • Rich Deep Martin Tone
  • Perfect for Rock, Folk, Country, and Bluegrass Music

Cons

  • Relatively high price
  • Electronics don’t come with the Standard Model
  • No cutaway for access to upper frets

As mentioned before this is the Standard for Acoustic Guitars. The tone of this guitar can’t be beaten and will last a lifetime.

The only sticking point is price, but it’s a great guitar if you can pull together the resources to buy it.


6. Taylor 724ce acoustic guitar

Taylors Hawaiian Koa

User Rating

100%

Product Details

Top: Lutz Spruce

Back/Sides: East Indian Rosewood

Fretboard: West African Ebony

Scale Length: 25.5 Inches

Features: Venetian Cutaway, ES2 Electronics, Koa binding on body

Pros

  • Rich Tone
  • Venetian Cutaway for access to the full fingerboard
  • Top of the line electronics for performing live
  • Hard-shell case
  • Taylor's "NT" neck Design
  • V-Class Bracing

Cons

  • Price of this guitar can be out of reach for some

As stated earlier in the article price of this guitar can be out of reach for some, but if you can afford it and want a premium caliber guitar, it fits the bill.  

I was fortunate enough to find a used model that was only a couple of months old and saved several hundred dollars on the price.   A used model can be an attractive option if the ~3500 price tag is still a little out of reach.

It has everything, premium woods, Taylor's own “NT” neck design, innovative v-class bracing, ES2 Electronics for amplification, and a Venetian cutaway all in one guitar.


7. Gibson J45, “the workhorse.”

Martin

User Rating

86%

Product Details

Top: Solid Sitka Spruce

Back/Sides:
Solid Mahogany

Fretboard:
Rosewood

Scale Length:
24.75 Inches

Features:
Mother of Pearl dot inlays, LR Baggs Electronics, Grover Tuners

Pros

  • Solid wood construction
  • Discrete volume and tone controls just inside the sound-hole
  • LR Baggs Electronics test out well delivering an exceptional tone
  • Gibson Hard-shell case

Cons

  • No Cutaway for complete access to the fingerboard

While slightly less expensive than the HD28 and 714ce models discussed before, this guitar isn’t cheap by any means.

Gibson is a well know brand and something I have always liked visually watching many artists on TV and in concerts playing the J-45. But in our testing, we found the results to be inconsistent. Some of the J-45’s we played were on par with Martin and Taylor models while others just fell short. In general, the fit and finish of the guitar were not the same as well as the tone.

Despite the inconsistency in tone, when you find a good one, they are exceptional. And the electronics for this model are well suited to performing. One of the things we liked about the J-45 models is how the tone wasn’t as overpowering as the comparable Martin and Taylor models. Sometimes you are looking for that warm sweet, understated tone out of your acoustic and this where the J-45 excels.

While this isn’t our top choice for guitars in this price range, we list it here as it is a viable option for songwriting, performing and all-around playing offered by Gibson guitars. And if you’re lucky, the one you find may be one of the good ones, and you’ll have a real gem on your hands.

We currently don't have an affiliate relationship for this guitar but you can find out more information on the J-45 guitar on Gibson's website:  Gibson Guitars

There are two other alternatives you may want to consider for a sloped-shouldered dreadnought.

  1. Taylor Guitar also makes a comparable sloped shoulder guitar with their new Grand Pacific body shape. 
    • The Grand Pacific 517 model has mahogany back and sides similar to the J-45.  Taylor does a great job of capturing the essence of a slope-shouldered dreadnought while putting their own signature on it.
    • Most will find the Taylor model competes very well with if not beats the Gibson J-45.
  2. Epiphone has come out with a "Gibson Inspired" J45 that is solid wood and sounds pretty good. 
    • The Epiphone model does a good job of representing the J-45 and the solid wood design is a welcome improvement to the typical entry level Epiphone.
    • I think most experienced players should be able to tell the difference in feel and the subtle sound nuances.   It was surprising how close these new models are in sound to the Gibson models.
    • With the Gibson model's coming in at 3-4 times the price of Epiphone, I think it is worth asking the question, is the Gibson model REALLY 3-4 times better?   It is a personal choice, but one worth considering.



8. Breedlove SOLO Concert - Acoustic Natural

Breedlove Solo Concert

User Rating

90%

Product Details

Top: Solid Western Red Cedar 
Back/Sides:
Laminate Ovangkol 
Fretboard:  
Indonesian striped Ebony
Scale Length:
25.3 Inches
Features:
LR Baggs Electronics, Side Sound hole, pinless bridge

Pros

  • All-purpose guitar both fingerstyle and strumming
  • Cutaway, for access to the entire keyboard
  • Warm tone from Solid Cedar top
  • LR Baggs electronics produce supurb tone
  • Side sound hole acts as a monitor for the player

Cons

  • No hardshell case (comes with gig bag)
  • Neck felt a little chunky.

Breedlove has become more of a main stream instument of late.  The build quality is excellent and pricing is just under some of the more expensive brands like Taylor or Martin.  The concert body shape provides a well rounded sound and it sounds good both finger picking and strumming.  

Side Sound Hole

Breedlove has some cool features that we have to call out. For one it has this odd oval shaped hole on the top side of the guitar. I have to admit my first reaction was to pass on the guitar. After testing it out though I have to admit it does provide a way for the guitarists to hear what they are playing as those around them hear it. Think of is as your own personal monitor. Also if you find that you don't like it, Breedlove equips it with a cover that you can put over the hole.

One of our concerns with the side hole open, would it affect the projection from the front sound hole.  In our test it wasn't measurable.much to our suprise. 

Another great feature of this guitar is the pin-less bridge.   You don't need to pull pins any more or make sure they are seated proplerly.  When changing the strings in our test we found this to be a really nice feature.

The cedar top produces a nice warm tone and looks beautiful.  You don't see a lot of cedar topped guitars so this also gives this guitar something that sets it apart from all the other guitars since most use sitka spruce.

On the negative side we found the neck to be a little chunky.  This is a subjective thing, so its only a small negative.  The more its played the we all got used to the different feel.

While this guitar isn't Breedlove's top of the line guitar, we find it fills that middle ground and gives a guitarist an affordable, well constructed guitar with a couple of unique features to set it apart from the crowd.   This is a guitar any beginning to intermediate guitarist should consider when looking.

9. Eastman Acoustic Guitar with Fishman Matrix electronics (AC322CE)

User Rating

88%

Product Details

Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back/Sides:
Solid Mahogany
Fretboard:
Ebony
Scale Length:
25.4 Inches
Features:
Fishman Matrix Electronics, All wood design, Cutaway for fret access

Pros

  • Great value for a solid wood guitar with electronics
  • Cutaway, for access to the entire keyboard
  • X Bracing delivers a responsive Sitka spruce top
  • Great for casual play and performing
  • Hard-shell case

Cons

  • In our tests,the pickups didn't seem to capture the essence of the guitar
  • While functional, the fret wire was not as wide as the other guitars we tested.

Eastman makes some amazing instruments at this price point. If you were shopping for a Taylor GA or GS body style but can’t get around the hefty price tag, you really should consider this Eastman model.  

It checks all the boxes as far as an all-wood design, electronics, and it has a cutaway for fret access. It sounds incredible and is a lot of fun to play.  We tested several different guitars, and the sound and play-ability were consistent across each guitar we played.

If there is a knock against this guitar, it is the Fishman Matrix pickup that comes with it. The Fishman brand is a good pickup, so we had high expectations on the performance in this guitar.  In our tests with this guitar model, we just found the sound quality lacking. It pickup does function and is not so bad that we can’t recommend the guitar, but I was a little bit of a disappointment given how well the guitar sounded and played when it was unplugged.

While this guitar doesn’t come with the pedigree or the price tag of the Acoustic guitar elite, This is an excellent option for a guitarist that demands an all would guitar and on a budget.  This guitar is at least half the price of the big names but still delivers a big sound.


10. Yamaha FG800 - Yamaha Western Style Dreadnought Guitar

User Rating

90%

Product Details

Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back/Sides:
Nato/Okume
Fretboard:
Rosewood
Scale Length:
25 9/16” Inches
Features:
Solid Wood Top, new scalloped bracing pattern, 4 color options

Pros

  • Low Price
  • Better volume with the new scalloped bracing pattern
  • Simple Design
  • Quality Craftsmanship

Cons

  • No Electronics
  • No Case

Excellent beginners guitar for kids or adults.

The reason this guitar made our top list of guitars isn’t that it has the most beautiful woods or that it is the best sounding guitar. But it is on our list because it is relatively inexpensive while still providing features that make this a perfect guitar for learning and it doesn’t sound cheap.

The improved x bracing continue to improve the sound on the FG guitar series that was started over 50 years ago.  

Many inexpensive guitars are thin sounding and poorly crafted.  Yamaha acoustic guitar division has done a great job of providing a quality guitar with great sound for a very affordable price.

Yamaha is very consistent in its manufacturing process, making these guitars an easy recommendation for beginners. Our biggest complaint about this entry-level guitar is you don’t get a gig back or a softshell case with the guitar; you need to purchase these items separately or leave the guitar unprotected.


11. Epiphone DR-100 Acoustic Guitar

User Rating

83%

Product Details

Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back/Sides:
Laminate Mahogany
Fretboard:
Rosewood
Scale Length:
25.5” Inches
Features:
Solid Wood Top, 3 color options, Gloss Finish, 1.69” nut

Pros

  • Inexpensive full-sized guitar
  • Comes with a selection of ebony, natural, and burst color schemes
  • The right choice for a starter guitar or using when camping
  • Nice Gloss finish

Cons

  • Doesn't come with guitar case or gig bag
  • Frets in many instances were rough and required some filing to take the sharp edges off

We chose the Epiphone DR-100 to include in this list because it is an extremely popular beginners guitar because of its price.   

The DR-100 had fairly rough frets on the specific guitars we tested this seems to echo what many reviewers in Amazon had to say about this guitar.   This can by be remedied by filing the sharp edges or having a luthier dress the frets.

In addition to the frets some of the guitars we played needed to have the neck adjusted so that the strings were closer to the neck or set a little higher.  They weren’t consistent in the adjustment required.

Other than the minor technical adjustments required, after we resolved those issues, the guitar played well and is a good option for a no-frills guitar.   We also liked that you could get it in one of three color options allowing for some individuality.  

 While this guitar isn’t our top choice overall if the price is your most important criteria, and you don’t mind having to make a couple of DIY adjustments to the guitar this guitar fits the bill.


12. Fender PM-1 STANDARD DREADNOUGHT, NATURAL

User Rating

90%

Product Details

Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back/Sides:
Solid Mahogany
Fret-board: Ovangkol
Scale Length:
25.3” Inches
Features:
Checker binding, Fishman Design Electronics, Gloss Finish, Hard Shell Case

Pros

  • Built-in electronics
  • All wood design
  • Affordable for an all wood guitar
  • Includes hard-shell case
  • Includes Amazons 90-day product phone support

Cons

  • The varnish was applied a little heavy, a lighter application would have allowed the wood to breath

Fender is known mostly for its electric guitars and entry-level acoustic guitars. However, the Paramount series is a step up in the acoustic forum for Fender. This guitar can hold its own with other all-wood construction guitars.

The scale length and body depth are slightly less than a Martin dreadnought, giving the Paramount PM-1 a little less volume. But this is an excellent guitar for the money. It checks all the boxes with electronics, all wood construction, classy headstock, fingerboard inlay, and a modern-looking checkerboard pattern on the binding.

The Fishman builtin equalizer and pickup have a nice profile that doesn’t detract from the beauty of the guitar. It also includes a tuner on the equalizer.

It's hard to find fault with this guitar, it has an affordable price tag and is made with quality materials. If you are looking for an all-wood guitar on a budget we highly recommend you look at this guitar.



13. Ibanez AC240OPN Artwood Series Acoustic Guitar (Open Pore Natural)

User Rating

85%

Product Details

Top: Solid Okoume
Back/Sides:
Okoume laminate
Fret-board: Ovangkol
Scale Length:
24.9 Inches
Features:
Abalone Rosette, Compound Radius Neck, Grover Tuners with half-moon knobs

Pros

  • Bone nut and Saddle
  • Comfortable body shape
  • Ibanez Advantage bridge pins

Cons

  • No Electronics
  • No case or gig bag

We chose the Ibanez AC240OPN guitar because it competes well with some of the solid body mahogany guitars out there.   Even though it is a step down from some of the premium models out there it's worth a look if you are on a budget.

The amazon descriptions state that it is a solid mahogany top and with laminate mahogany back and sides.  The manufacturer says that it is Solid Okoume for the top and Okoume laminate for the back and sides.  For the ones we played, it didn’t exactly look like mahogany, so we tend to go with what the manufacturer states.  Either way, I don’t think as an entry model it really matters.

The lack of electronics and a gig bag also are a knock on this guitar, but this is also why the price can be so affordable.    Of the guitars we played, they were consistent in build, and the compoustiled boxnd neck radius did make for a playable neck.  The Okoume wood had a sweet warm sound.

 If you are looking for an all-mahogany guitar but don’t want to pay the price, this is an excellent substitute.


Conclusion


Martin Dreadnought - HD28

Some many choices, which one to choose!


With the exception of the entry-level guitars in this list, all of the guitars mentioned are exceptional guitars.


If forced to make a decision, I’d go with the Martin HD-28. As much as I like cutaways and electronics for flexibility, I have to admit for most of my purposes they aren’t necessary, and the electronics can be bought separately if I really need it. Playing and listening to a Martin HD-28 is just a fantastic experience.

Taylors 714ce and Eastmans AC422CE are also great options: Particularly if you prefer the more modern looking Grand Auditorium body style.



What Should You Look For?

Shape/Size

While this is a slight oversimplification, there are two general shapes of acoustic guitars: the various orchestra or concert shapes and the Dreadnought shape.

We lump the orchestra and concert shapes together because they are all similar with more rounded curves in the body than the Dreadnoughts. The Orchestra and Concert shapes are more of a modern-day look while the Dreadnought is more what we think of in a traditional guitar or the western guitar. The dreadnoughts tend to have a little more volume.

Generally, if you’ll be playing with others or in a situation where you want more volume, the larger body guitars work out better. If you are just playing around the house, you may prefer the smaller guitar. Smaller guitars tend to be more responsive to finger-style picking as well. Guitars with a shorter scale are also easier to bend notes on.

Wood Selection


General guidance is to get an all-wood guitar if you can afford it. They tend to sound better with time, and there is just something about an all-wood guitar that feels better.

That being said, all wood has some drawbacks, its sensitive to drastic temperature changes because of how it expands, and contracts, Laminate or layered woods are more durable and less susceptible to temperature and humidity. And they are also less expensive.

The guitars that we recommend that use laminate, all have a solid wood top with laminate back and sides.

As for the choice of woods, the tops should be Spruce, Mahogany, Koa, or similar woods. The back and sides are typically Mahogany, Rosewood, Ovangkol, Maple, or Sapele. The two most prominent kinds of wood are Mahogany for the warm woody tone or Rosewood for its deeper bass and shimmering highs.


Bracing/Nut/Saddle

Most modern guitars use an X bracing pattern, or a forward shifted X bracing pattern. Guitars that have scalloped bracing tend to have a more responsive guitar top and in the test we ran, usually scalloped bracing sounded the best when compared to the standard bracing.

Taylor has again changed conventional thinking in bracing just like they revolutionized the neck joint. The new V-brace pattern by Taylor is worth looking at. These guitars are very articulate and just ring if you're looking for a brighter and clearer tone, you should consider a v-braced guitar from Taylor.



Cost


As with most musical instruments, the better instruments are more expensive. However, the gap is narrowing with more and more manufacturers perfecting their processes. The premium guitars while better sounding than most if not all of the mid and low-end guitars don’t always deliver a quality and tone difference to justify the higher price tag.

If you have the funds, our philosophy is to get the best one you can afford and like. But if you don’t, there are some very good guitars out there in the $1000 price range or less.



Extra Features


Extras come in many forms Electronics, hard-shell cases, cutaway design, different style end-pins, binding and/or inlays.

The two extras you’ll mostly consider are electronics and cutaway.

If you plan on performing or plugging into an amplifier electronics become a very desirable extra. Also if you play a lot of notes up by the 12th, 13th and 14th frets, you’ll like likely want a cutaway design.

That’s it, that’s what we look at when considering guitars, let get started with the top choices for a specific purpose!

Recap of the Top Products For Your Needs

Item

Image

PRODUCT

Purpose

Taylors Hawaiian Koa
Taylors Hawaiian Koa
517 Grand Pacific

8

Breedlove Solo Concert

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