Top Acoustic Guitar Choices for Guitar Beginners
When learning how to play guitar, the most popular choice is to learn through an acoustic guitar. And it’s easy to understand why: acoustic guitars, unlike other guitar types, are simple enough to learn and carry around. Overall, it is a solid investment if you are just starting your musical journey.
Now on to a more important question – which acoustic guitar do you choose? Right now, there are so many choices available in the market that most beginners tend to get overwhelmed and get “sales talked” into buying the most expensive guitar in the first store they manage to walk into. Or worse, seeking out brands merely out of its popularity or association with a popular band or artist.
So here we created a short guide on our top acoustic guitars picks the current market has to offer. Read on and decide for yourself which guitar you should actually choose!
Yamaha FG730 S
The name “Yamaha” has been around for decades and is considered top-notch when it comes to the quality of their musical instrument. With the release of the FG730, however, Yamaha has once again proven that a beginner’s guitar does not need to scrimp on quality and style. It’s like investing on a saxophone and using it for Saxophone Lessons by Music To Your Home. Your money’s worth is well-spent!
What is interesting with the Yamaha FG730 is the combination of a solid Sitka spruce top with the laminated rosewood that makes up the backs and sides. The high resonance coming from the rosewood seamlessly combines with the robust sound of the top wood, producing balanced frequencies and rich volumes you can work with. The neck is a slim d-neck that features an equally smooth fretboard made with rosewood. Most importantly, the FG730 retains its tunings quite well.
Going for about $300 a piece, the Yamaha FG730 S is a bit on the expensive side of the spectrum. It is a guitar that is more than able to compete with plenty of guitars that are a notch or two higher in the price range. We definitely think this is worth the investment.
The Baby Taylor Guitar
If you’re a parent looking for the perfect guitar for your kid, you may want to check the Baby Taylor. At just the ¾ of a normal-sized acoustic guitar, the Baby Taylor offers a great build for those with smaller frames and shorter reach. It is also a great choice for those who want a travel-sized guitar that you can lug around across the country if you want.
Though the Baby Taylor is small in body, it is not small in quality. It combines a classic spruce top with laminated sapele back and sides, creating a great mix of tones centered on mid to high frequencies.
Epiphone Hummingbird Pro
The Epiphone Hummingbird Pro is perfect for brand-conscious beginners who are looking for a top-quality guitar that won’t put a dent in your bank account. After all, this Gibson subsidiary packs quite a punch with its big, square-shouldered dreadnought body decorated with an elaborate synthetic tortoiseshell pickguard. Its top is made of solid spruce while the back and sides are made of select mahogany. The result is a bright, warm, and rounded sound that you can also amplify using the Hummingbird’s built-in pickup.
The best part? The Epiphone Hummingbird Pro is quite a catch for a little below $300.
Takamine GD30 Guitar
The Takamine brand is quite prolific in producing acoustic guitars. But the most familiar from their collection are undoubtedly the Takamine G Series. The said series is composed of about seven types of guitars ranging from $200 to $900.
The GD30 is a mid-range guitar that features a solid spruce top accompanied by laminated mahogany sides and back. The slim neck is made of mahogany and is topped by a rosewood fretboard that is divided into 20 frets. The overall sound is both warm and rounded, with the upper tones distinctly emphasized. Priced at around $280, the Takamine GD30 is a simple but solid choice for a beginner’s guitar.
Washburn WD 10SCE
When it comes to durability and reliability, there are very few guitars in the market right can beat the Washburn WD 10SCE. In fact, with proper care and maintenance, some users report that this model can last close to two decades!
This acoustic guitar is built with a solid spruce top and laminated mahogany sides and back. The shape is a unique cutaway dreadnought, that will allow beginners to access the guitar’s rosewood frets more easily. The guitar gives out pronounced middle and high frequencies that are both warm and robust to the ears. It also has a built-in amp with which you can tweak the levels of your bass and treble.
Buying your first guitar can be stressful and overwhelming, but it really shouldn’t be! So go ahead, read out guides, ask around, and try out guitars. With proper research and enough patience, you will find your perfect guitar match. Good luck!