Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1,000 in 2023: Our Top Picks For Great Sound And Value (2023)

FAQs

What acoustic guitars appreciate in value? ›

The big brands such as Fender, Gibson, Martin and Taylor have been proving for years that they hold their value very well.

Martin Guitar

Long considered the holy grail of acoustic guitars, the D-45 appeared first as a 12-fret neck to to body version with snowflake fingerboard inlays owned by cowboy legend Gene Autry.

Clapton has used a variety of guitars throughout his career, but his 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard guitar is still his favorite. The original owner pawned it for $250 at a pawn shop, but he took it home for $250.

Gibson. Gibson guitars are hands down the best guitars in terms of resale value. Everyone and their mother know the brand, so it's the first thing people think of when they're in the market for a guitar. Gibson guitars have several iconic guitar models such as the Gibson Les Paul and the Gibson SG.

The Martin Dreadnought. The Martin dreadnought is the world's most identifiable acoustic guitar. This iconic guitar has set the benchmark and is arguably the most copied guitar by other manufacturers.

Brazilian rosewood. Say it again, but in a hushed tone, one befitting its mystery and magic. Brazilian rosewood is perhaps the most sought after tonewood in music-making history, and there's a good reason for that.

When it came to acoustic guitars, McCartney initially used an Epiphone Texan to record 'Yesterday', but later adopted a Martin D-28 during most of the band's studio-only years.

What does Acoustic Guitar Do Most Musicians use? Most musicians who play acoustic guitar use a dreadnought guitar. This type of guitar has a large body and a powerful sound. It is the most popular acoustic guitar for both beginners and experienced players.

The Epiphone Casino electric guitar is one of the most popular on the market. It's an example of 1960s rock-n-roll style and sound that everyone remembers. According to McCartney, the Epiphone Casino is his favorite guitar of all time, and he considers it his favorite model of the guitar.

What was John Lennon's favorite guitar? ›

Overview. John Lennon played various guitars with the Beatles and during his solo career, most notably the Rickenbacker (four variants thereof) and Epiphone Casino, along with various Gibson and Fender guitars. His other instrument of choice was the piano, on which he also composed many songs.

Keith's favorite acoustic guitar is a Martin D-28, which he has used on many of his solo albums. This guitar has a rich, full sound that is perfect for Keith's style of playing.

To sum it all up, the best guitar brands are Ibanez, Fender, and Gibson. The best overall option would be the Ibanez JSM100, based on its overall quality and versatility. The Fender Telecaster is our number one Fender recommendation, while from the Gibson range we would single out the ES-175.

The Dreadnought shape is known as the Swiss Army Knife of acoustic guitars. It's by and large the most versatile acoustic guitar shape around. Brilliant for flatpickers and strummers or players after a traditional acoustic sound and shape.

If you're looking for the best acoustic guitar overall, we don't think you can get much better than the Taylor Builder's Edition V-Class K14ce. Perfectly marrying vintage vibe with modern playability it offers fantastic upper fret access, comfortable body contours, and most importantly, a phenomenal unplugged tone.

This Fender Stratocaster was used by Stevie Ray Vaughan for much of his career. Dubbed "Number One" and "First Wife" by Stevie, the guitar was used on all of Double Trouble's studio albums. Stevie Ray acquired the guitar from the owner of an Austin, Texas music shop in 1973.

Honduras Rosewood, a very unique wood with unparalleled sound qualities grows in the heart of Central America. The beauty of its resonance can even be heard on a raw-cut piece of wood Honduras Rosewood, which is also known for its hardness and durability.

Mahogany. Mahogany makes for a very stable neck due to it's even density reducing the risk of warping. The open pores make the neck a little more responsive than a maple neck, nor is it as dense as Maple.

Blackie is the nickname given by Eric Clapton to his favorite Fender Stratocaster.

What was George Harrison's favorite acoustic guitar? ›

In 1966, George Harrison acquired a Gibson SG Standard 1964-model, which he can be seen playing in the photograph above. He used it as his main guitar during the Revolver sessions and it remained one of his favourite guitars through into 1968. George gave this guitar to Pete Ham of BadFinger.

He uses a wide variety of both electric and acoustic guitars depending on the song being performed or recorded. Today, Eric Clapton is best associated with the Fender Stratocaster electric guitar (he endorses a signature model) and Martin Acoustic Guitars (five models have been issued over the years).

Elvis often used Gibson SJ-200 acoustic guitars, aka “The King of Flat Tops.” Gibson has now created Elvis' favorite SJ-200 in Ebony that is based on a guitar that was given to Elvis as a gift at a recording session at RCA Studio B in Nashville, TN in the mid-1960's.

Ed Sheeran's electric guitar of choice is the one of a kind “Crash X Teddy M” Fender Stratocaster.

When pressed to pick his favorite guitar in the collection, Harrison selects the 1968 Rosewood Telecaster that his father most notably played on the Beatles' rooftop performance of “Get Back,” captured in the documentary Let It Be.

Both John Lennon and George Harrison used the Gibson J-160E, an acoustic guitar with an electric pickup at the base of the fretboard.

Since he bought it in 1966, the Epiphone Casino became, without a doubt, an essential part of Lennon's signature sound during the second half of the fabulous four's career, and the singer-songwriter legend kept this guitar as his main instrument until the end of his life.

Instrumentation (most likely): John Lennon - Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar (1964 Gibson J-160E), Piano (Challen blond-wood spinet), heavy breathing.

What is Kurt Cobain's favorite acoustic guitar? ›

“Out of all the guitars in the whole world, the Fender Mustang is my favorite,” Cobain said in a 1991 interview with Guitar World.

We are pleased that country mega-star Luke Bryan chooses to play a Bourgeois 00 during his live shows!

Williams' fabled 1941 Martin D-28, owned by Neil Young, is the better-known guitar: Williams bought that one from Dobro legend and Nashville guitar-store owner Tut Taylor (the legend goes that Hank Jr.

Top Guitar Brands

Gibson holds the largest share at 34%, followed by Fender at 30%. Ibanez, Yamaha, Epiphone, and other brands make up the rest of the market.

Simply said, Gibson and Fender are the two most popular guitar brands.

Legendary artist and chief Parrothead Jimmy Buffett has used Martin guitars throughout his career, with multiple Martin signature models in his collection.

Most acoustic guitars will come standard with 12 gauge strings. While 12's are a great choice, you always have the option to go with a heavier string like 13's or a lighter string such as 11's.

A high-end acoustic guitar will have a beautiful pitch and tone. The next thing it will possess is great dynamic range, which is related to pitch and tone. That is just a fancy way of saying it will sound beautiful whether you are gently finger picking or strumming hard.

In many cases, the traditional steel-string Acoustic guitar can be the hardest to play. The strings tend to have a heavier gauge which makes things harder when first learning. The metal strings also means that your fingers will ache after playing while new to the instrument.

Is it better to play acoustic guitar with a pick or fingers? ›

Using a pick gives you a brighter and more consistent tone than using your fingers, because the pick is made of the same material throughout, while plucking strings with different parts of your fingers produces different sounds.

Fender Stratocaster

It is the classic guitar of all rock music, so of course it will work with punk, just keep the distortion high and the chords simple!

Some of the most valuable vintage electric guitars are American-produced Gibson and Fender models from the 1950s and 60s. This was when these enduring brands were still building and innovating. Not every guitar from these brands or decades will be a worthwhile investment.

Age: While an older guitar will generally command a greater value than a newer one, there are many model-specific exceptions. Consulting price guides and checking the prices of similar models will help zero in on a value.

They are portable, affordable, and can be played in many styles of music. However, guitars do depreciate in value over time. When you buy a guitar, its worth is based on a number of factors. The age of the instrument, the condition it is in, and the craftsmanship are all important.

Answer: David Gilmour's Black Stratocaster sold for $3.9 million. Again, Colts' owner Irsay purchased it at the same auction. This is the most expensive guitar ever sold in history.

So, what is the average lifespan of a guitar? The roughest estimation would be around 10 years for a cheap acoustic\classical guitar. On the other hand, even cheap electric guitars will be able to last a lot longer, 20-30 years.

Do more expensive acoustic guitars sound better? ›

The answer is yes, expensive guitars will most likely always be of better quality than cheaper guitars. The detail in which the guitars are made, the type of materials used and how well the adjustments are made is what increases the quality of a guitar, therefore the price.

Acoustic guitars have proven to the ears of many players - to sound better as they age. The theory that best explains this is - that as the wood in the body ages, it becomes lighter and more responsive and more resonant.

Expensive guitars will typically use premium pickups. Companies like Gibson and PRS have their own American made pickups. Other guitar manufacturers will use high-quality pickups from established bands such as DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan, or EMG.

High-end Guitars: $800 – $1800-ish

High-end guitars are built using high-quality tonewoods, electronics, and components. Guitars in this category are generally crafted with the aim of producing the best tone and providing maximum playability and comfort.

That said, it is possible for a cheap guitar to sound good if it's made well and set up properly. In general, however, you'll get what you pay for when it comes to guitars – so if you're looking for a truly great sounding instrument, you'll likely need to spend more money.

Acoustic guitars usually have wider fretboards and these are more difficult for beginners to handle. Besides, they are more fragile than electric guitars. Beginners usually find it difficult to play the heavy strings of acoustic guitars.