Acoustic purists will insist that you only buy a guitar with a solid spruce top. The Core-OC Mahogany, like the rest of the Core-OC series, all possess the OM cutaway body style. The fantastic vintage pickguard with a flower-and-dot pattern will catch the attention of anyone who sees it. TheEpiphone L-00is a tiny, sleek acoustic-electric guitar with a focused, punchy voice. The onboard Fishman electronics have a two-band EQ and are more than adequate for gigging. While the maple mustache bridge with curving inlays adds a unique touch to this guitar that you wont find on any other model. Tonewoods all sound distinct, and knowing what they are could help you choose the best Epiphone acoustic guitar for your style and needs. Anything else is a waste of money. We think that you can pick up some of the very best cheap acoustic guitars for as little as about $/150, some of which are from big names in the industry such as Gretsch, Ibanez and Fender. In terms of feel, tone and looks, it is the real deal, delivering all-but flawless performance, with huge jumbo tones that really fill the mix when strumming. MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Don't miss the latest deals, news, reviews, features and tutorials. However, there is still a little scoop in the mid-range, making this body wood ideal for singer/songwriters since the vocals can occupy that frequency range without clashing with the guitar. It is one of the best affordable guitars for beginners. When you're looking for an excellent Epiphone acoustic-electric guitar that can travel anywhere, the Lil' Tex is your best choice. During our tests we found the acoustic voice to be exceptional. So they built theirs with a round shoulder they used on other Gibson acoustics and brought a new identity to the dreadnought guitar. A timeless look crafted for bluesy tone, projection, playability, and aesthetic beauty, Great for fingerpicking, strumming, and singers, Produces a punchy and articulate vintage sound, Great for recording artists and songwriters, You'll be able to play for long periods without getting tired, Beautiful guitar with a classic, vintage tone, Perfect for fingerpicking, strumming, and singing, Has the classic dreadnought body style that can cut through a busy mix, You'll have an instrument that you'll want to keep and play for years, It lacks the depth and weight of other dreadnought style guitars, Solid spruce top provides excellent value for money, The neck has a slim and comfortable feel to it, Classic design that will stand the test of time, This is an entry-level guitar, so while it looks great, the sound is 2-dimensional, It lacks the "coolness" factor of other Epiphone guitars on this list, Comes with the beautiful and iconic hummingbird pickguard, Great affordable alternative to the more expensive Gibson models, Comes standard with classic and elegant split parallelogram fret inlays, It has a thin-sounding low-end compared to other dreadnought style guitars, Onboard electronics suffer from the piezo "quack", Great for country, rock, and blues performers, A beautiful and timeless design that will catch anyone's attention, Great affordable alternative to Gibson's more expensive model, Jumbo body size can be uncomfortable for smaller players, The tone, when strummed, can lack articulation and depth, The tone lacks some weight and depth compared to other parlor guitars, You may have to modify the guitar to get it to play the way you want, Feel the power of the J-200 in a more convenient package, The smaller size is great for portability, It's easy to play for long periods, making it perfect for your next tour, When playing with a strap, you'll feel some slight "neck dive", Laminated back and sides slightly hinder the full tone you could get from this style of guitar, It's an excellent guitar for kids and beginners, Some users reported intonation issues with the factory setup. However, suppose you dont require this function. Once upon a time in the not-too-distant past, the thought of picking up a Taylor or Martin on a budget would have been the stuff of dreams - but not anymore. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). These acoustic guitars, although cheap, are far from rubbish - in fact, they all surprised us with the tones they could produce and the impressive playability. Some people find dreadnoughts and jumbos a little unwieldy, and prefer something more modestly proportioned, such as a concert, grand auditorium-style acoustics, or a parlour or travel-sized guitar. The PRS SE P20 is a newer addition to PRS ever growing acoustic SE range. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. There are acoustics of all shapes and sizes in our list, and many challenge our preconceived notions of how they should sound. Round shoulder dreadnought Epiphone guitars are the body shape of flagship Gibson models, which Epiphone replicates. The material may be man-made, but the fingerboard and bridge look like dense ebony, while the dark-hued HPL back and sides are a dark, rich mahogany with the back's central core material giving a dark binding line, which evokes a classy feel. Far from a gimmick, this is a guitar with its own vibe and voice - and both are very appealing. Although designed for travel, they both have an impressive voice that will record well and hold up in pretty much any live situation you can think of. The gorgeous aged gloss finish accentuates its distinct look and perfectly suits the artist who wants to stand out from the crowd. Its also got a beautiful look that will turn heads at your next gig. The soundboard (or top wood) of an acoustic guitar is the most essential tonewood. Traveling musicians and kids will love this guitar style because of the small body design. Read the full Martin LX1E Little Martin review. If youre searching for a performance guitar perfect for strumming and flatpicking, the Super Jumbo is the one to choose. In addition, Epiphone provides a wide range of finishes to choose from, so you can find the perfect look for your style. As this guitar is entirely made by hand for less than $/500, Seagull has cut a few corners. Solid wood also ages, improving the guitars sound with time. This guitar has a solid Sitka spruce top and maple back and sides. We've included some in depth buying advice at the end of this guide, so if you'd like to read more about the best budget acoustic guitars, click the link. TheEpiphone J-200 EC Studio Parloris a classic acoustic guitar with modern touches. Use a polishing cloth to clean the top, sides, and bottom of your guitar. You can choose from the following body types: Yes, vintage guitar parts are available, so you can have everything you need to make your instrument complete. There's so much choice in the best cheap acoustic guitars bracket these days, and the quality of instruments is higher than it's ever been. However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. Its a shrunken version of Epiphones full-size guitars, meaning it has all the classic features that fans know and love but in a portable package! At the same time, the passive under-saddle piezo pickups produce incredible amplified acoustic sound. Thank you for signing up to Musicradar. But we have to concede that all that champagne gold and brass really does complement the all-mahogany top, back and sides. With a look that references Epiphones storied history in acoustic guitar design, the J-200SCE is a premium electro-acoustic without the accompanying price. The spruce top and cherry back and sides offer up plenty of punch and presence, which compliments the low-end youd expect from a dreadnought. Vintage acoustic guitars, including those made by Harmony, Yamaha, and Gibson, have classic looks and high-quality construction. The Cort Core-OC Mahogany (opens in new tab) is another one of our cheap acoustic guitar top picks, mainly for the reason of its impressive all-solid construction and warm, rich tone. The 24.75 scale length makes this guitar simple to play, particularly for lengthy periods. While this guitar can produce excellent recordings, it is also fantastic for the guitar player sitting around strumming chords or picking out melodies on the couch at home. The Maple neck with Walnut center stringer and Pau Ferro fingerboard offers incredible response and feel for hours of comfortable playing. Both bringing a sound and performance to match their reputation, we could have happily settled for the one-two of the Taylor GS Mini (opens in new tab) and Martin LX1E Little Martin, but the Epiphone J-200SCE (opens in new tab) is foremost in our thoughts when looking for a gig-worthy budget acoustic guitar. The look of the Tennessee Red might put some people off with its retro pawnshop vibe, but sometimes acoustic guitar design can be a little well-mannered. Fitting pickups at a later date can be fiddly and it nearly always ends up being more expensive. Read the Art & Lutherie Guitars Roadhouse Tennessee Red review. There is a lot of debate if there are any fundamental tonal distinctions between round and square shoulder dreadnought guitars. Popular Epiphone Small Body Acoustic Guitars: Epiphone parlor guitars are well-known for their woody sound. The Mahogany neck has an excellent feel and playability. The Epiphone J-200 is the perfect choice for players who want to have that classic vintage Gibson design and playability without paying an arm and a leg. This is crucial when you need to record many passes of the same take in the studio! So if you're looking for a great deal on a great classic guitar, the Epiphone J45 Studio should definitely be at the top of your list. Its combination with the other tonewoods typically results in a warm tone and helps even out the sound of the top wood. Blues musicians favor this body shape because it gives them a more aged and worn-in tone. Cort is much more widely known for its electric and bass guitar ranges, but the Core-OC series proves that theyve arrived, and their acoustic guitars mean business. published 24 June 22, Your guide to the best cheap acoustic and electro-acoustic guitars out there, with amazing value options from Epiphone, Alvarez, Taylor and more. It must be considered when selecting the best Epiphone acoustic to suit your needs. This creates a warmer, more mid-focused tone than youd find from something with a Spruce top - which we love to bits. Its a miniaturised Grand Symphony, a size that can be all midrange and truth be told, a little honky but it plays against type and is balanced and full of lively upper-mids. When purchasing a new acoustic, you must consider whether you want electronics and pickups. A solid Spruce top enables the guitar to resonate wonderfully, while providing a punchy and vibrant quality to the notes and chords youre playing. Bath All rights reserved. At the same time, a Super Jumbo might be uncomfortable for smaller-framed players. Also, certain body types are going to be more comfortable than others.