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Best Acoustic Guitar Under $1000

We present to you GuitarSite’s award for the best acoustic guitar under $1000, along with some equally impressive runner-ups!

There are a number of great acoustics in the sub $1000 price range, which is great from the point of view of having variety, but it can make it difficult to choose. But don’t worry, we’ve used our considerable experience to present you with the best options under $1000, along with some details to help you decide on which one to buy. These guitars feature tone woods, durability, attention to detail, and sounds that are comparable to many more expensive models.

The Best!

Martin DSR2

Martin DSR2

It was a close call, but ultimately, the Martin DSR2 tops all the best acoustic guitars under 1000 dollars. Although the runner-ups did come close and can arguably beat it on some aspects, this well rounded guitar served as our standard to which other guitars were measured.

If you are looking for a great all around acoustic guitar, best get it from one of the oldest and biggest brands – C.F. Martin & Co. Getting a full featured and great sounding Martin guitar at a retail price of less than $1000 is already a very sweet deal, considering their legacy and popularity. To be specific, the Martin DSR2 will exceed your expectations with its craftsmanship and playability, which is comparable to more expensive models, albeit with less aesthetic embellishments. The guitar comes with an all-solid body – solid sitka spruce top, and solid sapele for the back and sides. With Martin’s superb build consistency and after sales service, you can be sure that you have yourself an instrument that will last a lifetime, when reasonably taken cared of. And since Martin themselves developed and popularised the dreadnought shape that this guitar comes in, you can be sure that the build quality and resulting tone is of high quality. With great reviews and raves for this guitar, the Martin DSR2 is simply the one to beat in this price range. Manufacturer: C.F. Martin & Co.

Runner-ups – Close to the Best…

Taylor 210 Deluxe

Taylor 210 Deluxe

Taylor is a relatively new comer in the acoustic guitar making industry but their popularity and status now rivals that of established brands when it comes to quality acoustic guitars. It may not have the same historical significance or vintage styling, but the Taylor 210 is a strong contender for the top spot with its equally impressive tonewoods – solid sitka spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides.

The Taylor 210 features the Dreadnought shape, the most familiar of all acoustic shapes. This traditional body is known for its volume, punch and deep lows. Combining that to Taylor’s modern thinner bracing that allows the top to move faster, the result is to an airy mid-range tone that works with various musical styles, be it delicate flat picking or all-out strumming. The guitar’s ebony fretboard, 25.5″ scale and comfortable neck profile add to its already respectable playability. Sitting at $100 cheaper than the Martin D1-GT, we will understand if you choose this over our top choice. Manufacturer: Taylor Guitars

Washburn R314K Vintage Parlor

Washburn R314K Vintage Parlor

Being one of the oldest guitar brands in the world, it is only fitting for Washburn to produce exemplary vintage style parlor guitars like the R314K. This guitar is based on actual instruments that Washburn produced back in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. It features vintage style appointments, parlor guitar shape, tone and appeal, but built using reliable modern building construction and better tonewood choices.

With a price tag of just under $500, this guitar comes with conventional tonewoods – spruce top and trembesi for the back and sides. But what makes it appealing is its old school parlor guitar design and aged finish. Other premium components include the quartersawn sitka spruce bracing, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, elegant slotted headstock design, intricate inlays, bone nut and saddles. It is a great deal for those who are looking for a true to form acoustic parlor guitar. Manufacturer: Washburn | Get the latest price & reviews Amazon

Yamaha FG830

Yamaha FG830

The Yamaha FG7830 is an affordable workhorse acoustic guitar, featuring a solid spruce top, rosewood back/sides, nato neck, and rosewood fingerboard. The material used alone make this guitar an excellent deal. Getting a solid spruce top at this price range is already quite impressive, add to that the guitar’s rosewood fingerboard bridge and it easily can match the specs of more expensive acoustics. The use of light and resonant wood gives the FG830 a dynamic tone that you wouldn’t usually find in this price range.

The guitar comes with rosewood back and sides that blend well with the spruce top. This is a tried and tested combination that gives out an open acoustic tone. All these materials combine to provide what many users describes as a “lively” tone. This 25.5″ scale guitar is certainly an interesting choice for students and beginners that are looking for a truly budget friendly acoustic.

Manufacturer: Yamaha | Get the latest price & reviews Amazon

If you feel that we missed a great guitar that lies below the $1000 price range, or if you have your own list of the best acoustic guitars under 1000 bucks, you can let everyone know through the comments section.

Related Information:

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23 thoughts on “Best Acoustic Guitar Under $1000”

  1. new player
    saintwhosins

    any advice guys,have just retired and am about to take up learning guitar(you’re never too old),the choice of guitar is confusing,need one of good quality that will stay with me as I progress,have a budget of£700,can anyone help to narrow down choice,looking for acoustic maybe a dread ro grand auditorium,looking to learn fingerpicking but also strumming,so an alrounder really.

  2. The Yamaha FG730S is the
    Anonymous

    The Yamaha FG730S is the Rosewood version of the FG720S. It is fantastic. Have a Taylor K10 and needed a more everyday guitar. Tried the Taylor 210 and the FG720 and a few Martins, Seagulls, Epiphones, Breedloves, etc. The FG730S stacked up against all of them. It could have been a diamond in the rough, ’cause I used to sell guitars at a retail shop and would play 5-6 of the exact same model and one would rise to the top and one would be far inferior to the rest, while the others were all kind of average with one another. This was true with budget priced stuff as well as the top dollar stuff.

    Anyway, the 720 is a great deal, but thought I’d mention the 730 as another alternative. It’s got a little more bottom end and a little more presence, definitely not as flat (in regards to EQ) as the 720.

  3. Did Gibson make my guitar
    Buddy Clark

    I bought an Epiphone Hummingbird in a box that read made by Gibson ,if this is the case is it a Gibson or an Epiphone.

    Bud thank you.

    1. Hummer
      Epi lover

      Gibson owns a big factory in China that makes Epiphones mostly hand 1 at a time out of wood ranging from aa — aaaa. Some play and stay in tune as well as any guitar EVER MADE . Some are no better than a first act from walmart.

      Take some time and strum away at a price close to fair.

  4. best guitars under $1000
    Anonymous

    You must check out the Zager guitars.
    Hand built in the USA in Lincoln Nebraska.
    Their guitars and customer service are the best.
    Try one you will not be disappointed.

    1. Zager guitars
      Anonymous

      I use to own a zager guitar and the label was coming off and under the label it had the factory sticker on it and Yes it said made in indonesa so I called zager and he told me mouth to mouth over the phone that their guitars are made overseas and then they set them up when they get them shipped from the factory in indonesa(pardon my spelling). So no they are NOT made in the USA. And NO they don’t pay return shipping.

    2. Zager
      Anonymous

      I had a zager guitar and if you lift the sicker from the insde it will tell you that their guitars are not made in Nebraska it will let you know the guitar is made in indonessia. And they will not pay for return shipping I had to pay it.

  5. Acoustic Under 1000
    Rodney

    I am actually looking for an all solid guitar for $1,000. And Im looking at Eastman E10D, Larrivee D-02, Martin D-1GT, Yamaha A3M and Cole Clark FL1. I have tried out all excelpt the Cole Clark FL1.

    Here are my observatrions
    -The Eastman appears to have the volume and balance tone I was lookin for.
    -The Larrivee D-02 was warm and the action of the guitar I tried was low and easy to play.
    -The Yamaha A3M almost sounded like a Taylor 110 but the low E string was a little too near the edge of the neck for me.
    -The Martin was also good, but for my need the D-1GT is a low end for Martin, while the other brands I tested it was a mid-level in terms of the materials.

    i did try also the Seagull Maritime (as I have an S6 original), its good for finger styles, however when strum its has a lot of mid-range.

    1. i have read about seagull
      Anonymous

      i have read about seagull quitars it seems nice but i’ve never try one i wandering about s6 and his tone quality,the price seems ok for the quality but i dont know many things for the sound because no one sell it in my country.,i want to play songs like nick drake john martyn etc.. can you tell me is it have to many mid range as maritime does?is it ok for finger picking?i need a opinion of an experienced player,or if you have another quitar to propose me in the same price you are welcome

      1. I have two Taylors (114ce and 414ce) and two Seagulls (s6 and 25th Anniversary). I bought the s6 used for $280 last month to have a guitar at my son’s place, where I visit. The s6 is the easiest to play and has the best feel of all of the guitars I have. It doesn’t have the volume of the Taylors, but it’s damn good.

    2. i wandering about seagul s6
      chris

      i wandering about seagul s6 its cheap one i want to play songs like nick drake john martyn etc,ive never try one because none sell it in my country.
      ive read some comments about to many mid range sounds,whats your opinion?

    3. I own a Vester and a Norman,
      Anonymous

      I own a Vester and a Norman, however I recently tried 20 different guitars, including Taylor Washburn Martin Gibson Epiphone Ibanez Takamine Yamaha Fender and Seagull. The best sounding guitar at 1/3 of the cost of the Martin and Gibson, and 1/2 the cost of the Takimine or Taylor was the Seagull Performer Jumbo mini.

      1. New Acoustic guitar I have tried
        Everett Bonds

        A friend of mine who teaches guitar showed me his new recent purchase. It’s called a Teton guitar. I tried it out. Now, I play a Martin D-41. Neck is on the small side, and uncomfortable. STill sounds fantastic, but I need a larger neck, otherwise, my Martin is to die for. This guitar he had fit my hand. Sounded damn good, too. Almost as good as my Martin. Not quite, but good. I thought he had paid at least a grand for it. No way, he said. 400. What? It felt great to play, sounded good. I told him, I wanted one. Didn’t come with a case, tho. I don’t care, I want one. They sell a 12 for almost the same exact price. I’ll buy my own case. I can’t believe it. They sell them almost with any type of woods you want. Cedar tops, Sitka tops, Mohogany backs, sides, Rosewood back, sides you name it. I am getting one, soon. Teton guitars.com. They don’t look all that great on-line, but once you hold one and play one, you need one.

  6. Epiphone Masterbuilt AJ500R
    Geoff

    I thought the Epiphone Masterbuilt AJ500R might have made the top 4. It has a sitka spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides. Like the Yamaha L series it is now made in China (except the higher end 26 and 36 which are still made in Japan) and I have read – for both makes – that there are quality control issues regarding construction of the neck and flaws in the finish. However, it appears to be a good enough instrument for Russ Barenberg who plays the mahogany version on the link below:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0wCwBXfMx4

    The shame is that Epiphone Masterbuilt series are not so readily available in the UK as in the US.

  7. Another Possible Guitar for the List
    Anonymous

    http://www.recordingking.com/products/guitars-all-models/guitars-ro16

    The Recording King is a fairly unknown yet in my opinion very good guitar brand. My friends older brother sold his guitar to buy this one along with some other things and I must say it plays great with the price. Its an OOO style guitar which is thinner than the standard dreadnought body and after playing on dreads for about 6-7 years I thought it was a nice transition. I’m a teenage musician who came across a pretty well paying job and now I’m looking to upgrade my guitar. I’m willing to spend around 800 and although its not certain yet I believe that in the end I will purchase the recording king.

    1. Recording King
      Jason

      Thanks for mentioning Recording King – not enough people know about this brand. We did consider them and we might have included them if the list above was a Top 10 rather than a Top 4.

      1. Recording King
        Anonymous

        I have a Recording King RD-327 and it looks like a Martin D-45. It sounds really great for the price. My Recording King R0S-626 that looks like the Martin 000-28VS also sounds incredible.
        Don’t get me wrong, I have 2 Vintage Martin Guitars and I still like playing my Recording King guitars as well as my Martins.

  8. God bless America
    Common behaviour

    I agree about the Martin guitar supremacy in acoustics. However, Martin relies in his reputation to charge and profit beyond imagination.

    Consider the pricing and quality wood used by Godin –Solid Wood Series– Why Martin, using less appealing woods, such as sapele, laminate stratabond necks, etc., cannot do the same and sell their guitars with some kind or rationality, dignity and respect.

    After all Martin has made billions of dollars selling guitars, they have had already their moment to make billions profit. They maybe, maybe not, using the same suppliers to buy woods; just like Godin and the others manufacturers and luthiers. Conversely, Martin culture and reputation –created by rich artist that can buy their guitars with the money earned from you and I, allows the company to behave just like the banks and the people who is managing the national economy.

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