Best Acoustic Guitar for Beginners [2023]

Buying the best acoustic guitar for beginners gives you music at your fingertips. Highly portable with a unique and very appealing sound, a beginner acoustic guitar is one of the most versatile instruments you can own. It’s ideal music kit for those who love to sing. Even the most self-conscious performers can strum away on the guitar strings, thus focusing less on who may be watching or may not be listening.

When you’re starting out, how do you know which are the best acoustic guitar brands for beginners? Especially when you want something affordable. What separates a good starter acoustic guitar from a poor one? This guide is here to help answer those burning questions, so you can focus on learning how to play all your favourite tunes. Whether you want a good beginner acoustic guitar you can grow with or the best entry level acoustic guitar, the instruments listed here are up to the task of teaching a beginner – as well as the test of time.

Click here to see the best starter acoustic guitar overall

I love the Yamaha FG800M because it’s a high quality guitar from one of the best brands in the business. This affordable, built-to-last instrument boasts a great sound and classic acoustic looks.

Finding the best acoustic guitar to learn on is easy when you know what to look for. If you want the best Yamaha acoustic guitar for beginners, the best cheap acoustic guitar for beginners or are considering investing in one of the top acoustic guitars for beginners, stay right here to discover them all.

No more air guitar for you. Why pretend, when the real thing is an affordable decorative feature and instrument in one? Propping up a guitar in a corner gives a touch of character to any room, while playing even a few simple chords will impress your family and friends. So let’s get started on this guide to sourcing the best first acoustic guitar for you.

Best acoustic guitar for beginners contents

An at-a-glance list to the contents and good entry level acoustic guitar options in this guide, so you can skip straight to which of the top acoustic guitars for beginners you want to see.

• Compare the best acoustic guitars for beginners
• Top 10 best acoustic guitar for beginner products
• Choosing the best beginner acoustic guitar
• Best beginner’s acoustic guitar reviews

Top 10 acoustic guitars for beginners

• Fender CD-60 V3 dreadnought acoustic guitar
• Fender FE235E electro-acoustic guitar
• Fender CD-60S acoustic guitar
• Fender CD-60S left-handed guitar
• Yamaha GuitarGo beginner’s set
• Yamaha CPX600RTB electro-acoustic guitar
• Yamaha FG800M acoustic guitar
• Epiphone Hummingbird Pro
• Epiphone DR-100 acoustic guitar
• Stretton Payne D1 package

Compare the best acoustic guitar for beginners

Name	Features	Price	Score
Fender CD-60 V3	Top brand, good looks, rich sound	Click here	4.8
Fender FE235E	Electro-acoustic, stylish, made to last	Click here	4.9
Fender CD60S	Ideal beginner or intermediate acoustic guitar	Click here	4.7
Fender left CD60S	Left handed version of the CD-60S	Click here	4.6
Yamaha GuitarGo	Starter set with stand, strap, bag & more	Click here	4.6
Yamaha CPX600RTB	Electro-acoustic, great sound, looks cool	Click here	4.6
Yamaha FG800M	Rich sound, classic looks, dreadnought	Click here	4.9
Epiphone Hummingbird	Iconic design, Gibson-owned company	Click here	4.8
Epiphone DR-100	Great value, easy to play, well built	Click here	4.6
Stretton Payne D1	Great price, everything included, cool colours	Click here	4.5

Choosing the best acoustic guitar – what to look for

Here are some factors to bear in mind when looking to buy the buy a great acoustic guitar for beginners.

Size and shape

What sort of size will suit you best? For many, the best beginner acoustic guitar is a dreadnought. A dreadnought acoustic guitar is often the top choice for learners, as its smaller size can make it easier to play. It’s the best way to learn acoustic guitar for many. Obviously this also makes a good choice as the best acoustic guitar for beginners with small hands – such as teens or females in particular. A number of the beginner acoustic guitars listed here are dreadnoughts. If you are larger in build or take a more long-term view, however, a full-sized one may be the best guitar for you.

Sound quality

How much does the sound matter when you’re learning? While the answer could well be ‘not that much’, it’s well worth looking at how things may be in future. Once you get the hang of playing, you might well find you’re paying a lot more attention to the sound. Also, what about your audience? If people are likely to listen to you play, then a pleasant-sounding instrument is more of a must. Don’t forget – a decent guitar might even make you sound more skilled than you really are.

Type of wood

The guitars listed here are made using a variety of woods, with more than one being used to construct most guitars. Mahogany and rosewood are prized for the rich, rounded sound they can help the reverberations of your guitar strings to produce. Spruce is also popular, and often used to built more cost-conscious guitars.

Electronics

Do you want an electric guitar that’s styled and sounds acoustic? If so opt for an electro acoustic guitar. They are more expensive than traditional acoustic models, but having electronics on board does give a superior sound and authentic playing experience.

Style

OK, so this one might seem a little shallow, but I’ll freely admit that looks came into it when selecting the guitar we have at home. For me, you want something you can get excited about when it arrives, right? Surely if you can’t tear your eyes away then you’re going to feel more inclined to take it up and play. Where will your guitar sit? Would it look good there?

Best acoustic for beginners – reviews

Fender CD-60 V3 acoustic guitar review

What better to begin with than a Fender? Surely they know a thing or two about producing the easiest acoustic guitar to play. This gorgeous-looking instrument comes in 3 cool colour options to suit your style – black, natural or the stunning, multi-tonal sunburst (pictured above).

This dreadnought-sized Fender guitar not only looks great in any home. Chrome die-cast tuning ensures spot-on sound, while the solid mahogany wood neck helps to enrich your playing tone. Even when you’re yet to perfect that.

C-shaped construction makes it comfortable to hold, while the smaller size than some means its more lightweight, compact and portable. This is a top pick for anyone after the best Fender acoustic guitar for beginners.

High points:

• Top music brand
• Great looks in 3 colours
• Rich sound

Low points:

• Smaller size

Click here to see the Fender CD-60 V3 dreadnought guitar

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Fender FE235E electro-acoustic guitar review

This is another seriously good-looking guitar from Fender. It’s ideal for those seeking the best acoustic electric guitar for beginners, as it combines the best of both worlds. This one comes in Moonlight Burst (as pictured), sunburst or natural.

Attracting very high ratings, this guitar is more of an investment. But buy it and it’s unlikely you’d ever need another. The body is made from solid mahogany, prized for the richness of the sound it produces as the strings reverberate.

This Fender electro-acoustic guitar is a great purchase and should offer many years of happ playing. As well as drawing lots of admiring looks. It’s good enough an instrument to become a potential heirloom.

High points:

• Electro-enhanced sound
• Solid mahogany body
• 3 beautiful colours

Low points:

• Higher price tag

Click here to see this Fender electro-acoustic guitar

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Fender CD-60S acoustic guitar review

If you want a top brand beginner’s guitar at a low price, then you could do so much worse than the Fender CD-60S. It’s very similar to the CD-60 V3 model listed above – apart from the size. As this is also one of the best intermediate acoustic guitar options, there’s a good chance you won’t outgrow this one as easily.

Also ideal for any leftie looking for the easiest action acoustic guitar is the specially designed left-handed CD-60S. Both options are great for beginners or intermediate players, and feature solid walnut plus rosewood or mahogany. They are also highly rated by existing owners.

People are impressed by the sound quality of this guitar – especially when bearing in mind the modest price tag for a Fender. If you hanker after a leading brand guitar to get started with, this could be the one. If you want the best left handed acoustic guitar for beginners, it’s also a great bet.

High points:

• Left-handed version available
• Impressive sound
• Low to mid price range

Low points:

• Plainer design

Click here to see the Fender CD-60S

Click here to see the left-handed Fender CD-60S

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Yamaha GuitarGo starter set review

If you like the idea of getting everything you need in one top brand package, then take a look at the GuitarGo set from Yamaha. The package deal comprises a Yamaha acoustic guitar for beginners plus a gig bag to store and transport your guitar in. Also included are a guitar strap and stand, picks, and a tuner.

This acoustic for beginners is made with bronze, rosewood and spruce, and is suitable for most musical styles – from pop to blues or even country. A voucher even comes with the set for a music lesson at on online or in-person lesson at the Yamaha Music School or with one of their partners. Also included is a month’s membership for JamFactory, so you can follow at your level while learning.

The Yamaha F310 guitar is one of the best acoustic guitar for intermediate players options – whether you’re getting back into playing – or just getting started. It offers a rich, balanced sound, and the slimmer, shorter scale neck makes it simpler to play. With this package, you get everything you need for years of musical enjoyment.

High points:

• Great value package with stand, bag, strap and more
• Top quality guitar
• Big brand

Low points:

• Higher price than guitar alone

Click here to see the Yahama GuitarGo starter set

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Yamaha CPX600RTB electro acoustic guitar review

It’s worth checking out this acoustic electric guitar for beginners just to see the choice of colours – black, vintage tint, violin sunburst and root beer. (The latter is pictured above.) Again, this is a little more costly, but could last a lifetime and then some.

This medium jumbo sized model is one of the best intermediate acoustic electric guitar products – and is also suitable for absolute beginners. Mahogany wood and a cutaway body enhance that acoustic sound, while improved bass response provides a more rounded sound.

Satisfied owners say it sounds great even when not connected to an amp, and praise the high quality finish on this top branded electro acoustic guitar.

High points:

• Top brand
• Great sound
• Electro acoustic model

Low points:

• More pricey than basic acoustic

Click here to check out this Yahama electro acoustic guitar

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Yamaha FG800M acoustic guitar review

The Yamaha FG800M is a great all-rounder, and the price tag is pretty reasonable too. This is a classic acoustic guitar – solidly built with a good sound to a high standard. Just as you’d expect from a Yahama instrument.

A dreadnought shape makes this one simpler to play at the start of your guitar journey, while its blond good looks enhance modern or more traditional styles of interior. Surely half the fun of guitar ownership is seeing it out on display every day? It means it’s easy to grab when you want to play too.

This guitar gives a rich, warm and natural sound and is suited to complete beginners – as well as those seeking the best acoustic guitar for a teenager or adult intermediate player. This is a top quality guitar from a leading brand, and available at an affordable price.

High points:

• Natural, warm sound
• Classic styling
• Top branded all-rounder

Low points:

• Smaller than some

Click here to see the Yamaha GF800M acoustic guitar

Check eBay prices

Epiphone Hummingbird Pro acoustic guitar review

Epiphone is owned by Gibson, and the Hummingbird Pro surely has to be among of best acoustic guitar to start with options. Its looks are incomparable at this price, with pearl inlays to the neck and an iconic hummingbird scratchplate. Buy this guitar and you’re unlikely ever to need another.

The tuners maintain a good level of tension and the slimmer, more tapered neck makes it easier for those starting out to get acquainted with this beautiful instrument. A balanced, rounded sound ensures it suits various playing styles.

The body, back and neck are mahogany, while the fingerboard is made from rosewood. If you’d love to buy the Gibson Hummingbird but would rather pay around a tenth of the price, then this is without doubt the acoustic guitar for you.

High points:

• Iconic Hummingbird design
• Balanced sound suits various styles
• Mahogany body, neck and back

Low points:

• Style not to everyone’s taste

Click here to see the Epiphone Hummingbird acoustic guitar

Check eBay prices

Epiphone DR-100 acoustic guitar review

If you like the idea of a guitar from Gibson-owned Epiphone but aren’t keen on the Hummingbird’s style or price tag, then take a look at this dreadnought. It’s surely among the best starter acoustic guitar for adults budget options.

This guitar is easy to get used to, built to last and sounds great considering the modest amount of cash it costs. Its resonance ensures a richer and more rounded tone than you might expect given that it’s such a bargain buy.

Yes the more expensive guitars listed may look and sound a bit better, but if value for money is key then this Epiphone dreadnought guitar is worthy of serious consideration.

High points:

• Great value price
• Easy to play
• Respected brand

Low points:

• Others sound better

Click here to see the Epiphone DR-100 acoustic guitar

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Stretton Payne acoustic guitar package review

Like the Yahama GuitarGo, this Stretton Payne guitar comes with the complete beginner’s package. There’s a good starter guitar that comes in blue, white or green as well as wood tones. This is a full-sized dreadnought with steel strings, made from spruce with a rosewood fretboard.

This Stretton Payne guitar package comes with a bag, digital tuner, picks, strap, spare strings and even access to online lessons. There are also helpful guides to assist with set-up and tuning.

The package provides everything the rookie players needs – and is very affordable too. When you want a second guitar for travel, a holiday home or a young beginner, this product from British brand Stretton Payne amounts to a great deal.

High points:

• Available in 8 colours
• Includes strap, bag, picks, tuner and more
• Very affordable price

Low points:

• You could outgrow this one

Click here to see this Stretton Payne guitar package

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Which is the best beginner acoustic guitar for you?

Whether you fancy treating yourself to an iconic Epiphone Hummingbird, an electro acoustic model from Fender or a great value Yamaha, I hope this guide helps you find the right guitar for your needs.

A musical instrument can enhance any home – aesthetically as much as in terms of audio. Who knows, that investment beginner’s guitar might even become an heirloom one day.

Marcy x

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