The best acoustic guitars under $500: six-string stunners from Guild, Gretsch, Cort, Fender & more
If you ask us, the opportunity to play guitar should be a human right. World leaders haven’t quite realised this yet, so the most affordable way to start playing is to buy a reasonably priced acoustic guitar. With no amplifier required, all you need is a couple of limbs, the guitar itself and a little spare time.
READ MORE: The 10 best acoustic guitars for all styles and budgets
You can get very good new acoustic guitars for under $500 – and decent ones for as little as $50. There are all sorts of styles, designs, tonewoods and finishes to choose between, so to help you navigate through the noise, we’ve reviewed ten of our favourite budget-friendly models below.
More than just an affordable entry point for beginners, lower-budget acoustic guitars present an opportunity for experienced players to explore different styles of the instrument. You can get reasonably priced 12-strings, parlour guitars, open pore guitars and nylon-stringed guitars, as well as affordable takes on classic designs such as the Dreadnought. (The original was released by Martin in 1916, but it’d cost a trifle more than $500 to buy one of those on the vintage market).
On a similar note, you might be an electric guitarist looking for an occasional-use acoustic to play on the side. If this sounds like you, then you might get along best with a playability-focused acoustic guitar that has a relatively low action and a slim neck. Whether you’re an experienced musician or you’re just starting out, we’ve included a diverse selection of acoustic guitars that might fit the bill below.
Worried about the cost? Schools in the United States can apply for grants towards buying musical instruments from the Guitar Center Music Foundation. In the UK, Music for All provides similar grants to schools, groups and individuals.
At a glance:
Our pick under $500: Guild D-320
Best dreadnought under $500: Gretsch Jim Dandy Dreadnought
Best all-mahogony under $500: Cort Earth L60M OP
Best nylon-stringed under $500: Córdoba Guitars Fusion 5
Best 12-string under $500: Epiphone DR-212
Best from Fender under $500: Fender CD-60S
Best electro-acoustic under $500: Tanglewood TA4CEGR
Best bargain under $500: Gear4Music Student Acoustic Guitar
Best parlour under $500: Harley Benton CLF-50E
Best folk guitar under $500: Alvarez Artist AF30
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Our pick under $500: Guild D-320
This could be the benchmark for entry-level acoustic guitars, with great looks and beautifully rich sounds. For a price far lower than our $500 upper limit, you’re getting traditional styling, a solid mahogany top, a rosewood fingerboard and nice details including pearloid dot markers and fancily-shaped machine heads.
With narrow string spacing, the D-320 is a comfortable choice for new guitarists (or for experienced electric guitarists). The action is fairly high, but strikes a good balance between providing slick playability and limiting fret buzz. Give it a strum and you’ll encounter a tone that’s more characterful than anything you’d hear from some guitars that cost double the price: bold, warm and woody.
Need more? Read our Guild D-320 review.
Best dreadnought under $500: Gretsch Jim Dandy Dreadnought
Any guitar collector can tell you that the right affordable instrument might have just as much character as a top-of-the-range model. This Dreadnought-style Gretsch is a good example, with 1930s-style looks and a slightly reedy tone that sounds fresh from the campsite. It’s quite similar to the classic Gretsch Jim Dandy – an affordable parlour guitar that’s also worth checking out – but it packs some added bass and volume.
What our reviewer enjoyed most about this guitar, besides its exceptionally cool appearance, was its playability. The vintage-style frets feel slick and smooth, while the edges of the fretboard roll smoothly into the neck, inviting you to reach for that next chord.
Need more? Read our Gretsch Jim Dandy Dreadnought review.
Best all-mahogony under $500: Cort Earth L60M OP
A guitar’s tonewood is definitive to its sound, and in the Cort Earth L60M OP’s case, it’s all about the warmth and balance of mahogany. The finish is open pore (unlacquered), so the wood’s tone and grain can really shine through.
This plays and sounds like a considerably costlier acoustic guitar, with just the right action, easily tweakable tuning pegs, and far more projection than you might expect from such a modestly proportioned acoustic. Its tone is relatively trebley, which will suit guitarists who like to occupy the mid-range frequencies in an ensemble. Acoustic and electro-acoustic versions are available.
Need more? Read our Cort Earth L60M OP review.
Best nylon-stringed under $500: Córdoba Guitars Fusion 5
Want the sweet sound of nylon strings, without the finger workout that tends to come with playing a classical guitar? This hybrid model is our top pick for ‘contemporary’ players, with a comfy neck and a distinctive shape that opens up the higher end of the fretboard for exploration – at least across the higher strings.
Seated comfortably on the lap, the Fusion 5 sounds lively and surprisingly loud – not unlike a flamenco guitar. It’s an electro-acoustic model with an under-saddle pickup, so you can tweak that sound (as it’s heard through an amp or PA) using the discreetly integrated tone and volume controls.
Need more? Read our Córdoba Guitars Fusion 5 review.
Best 12-string under $500: Epiphone DR-212
The full, bright sound of a 12-string guitar is a lovely option to have within reaching distance – but shelling out on one is often a stretch. This Gibson model is a reasonably priced compromise, with a modified Dreadnought-style format that will feel familiar to most acoustic guitarists.
If you haven’t played a 12-string before, the DR-212 could make a fine introduction to the type. Its mahogany neck and fretboard have a comfy feel, and the well-considered action makes fretting manageable (you’ll need a little extra finger strength for a 12-string) while avoiding fret buzz. Restringing a 12-string is always a bit of a faff, but the DR-212 makes it relatively easy with straightforward bridge pins.
Best from Fender under $500: Fender CD-60S
You might associate Fender mostly with electric guitars and basses, but this mahogany dreadnought acoustic is a wallet-friendly classic in its own right. The neck is glossily finished and has rolled edges where it meets the fretboard, which makes for accessible playability that will suit guitarists whose hands are more accustomed to electric guitars.
The CD-60S has plenty of personality, as you’d expect from anything bearing the Fender logo. Its solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides make an eye-pleasing pairing, while delivering a balanced tone with plenty of brightness. There’s an all-black version that goes nicely with acoustic covers of The Cure, too.
Best electro-acoustic under $500: Tanglewood TA4CEGR
If you’re looking for an acoustic guitar that’s simple to record or amplify through a PA (or amp), then you’re probably best off getting an electro-acoustic model with an in-built pickup and output. This eye-catching model from brilliant budget guitar-maker, Tanglewood, is our top pick.
The body shape (which Tanglewood calls ‘Super Folk Cutaway’) feels great on the knee, and perhaps surprisingly, the bold green finish uplifts the guitar’s natural beauty, highlighting the gorgeous grain to its quilted ash top. On a less organic note, Tanglewood’s Premium Plus EQ system gives you a preamp and tuner at your fingertips, which will come in handy for gigs and open-mic nights.
Best bargain under $500: Gear4Music Student Acoustic Guitar
Costing around one-tenth of the price limit we’ve set for this article, theGear4Music Student Acoustic Guitar gives you a decent platform for learning guitar – or a way to keep playing when funds are tight.
Look, there’s nothing fancy going on here, but you’re getting a serviceable full-size instrument with basswood construction, a laminated poplar fretboard that plays smoothly enough, and a C-shaped neck that essentially gets out of your hand’s way while you practice chord shapes and scales. It also has guitar strap buttons, so you can sling it over your shoulder and take it out busking, once you’ve honed your repertoire.
Best parlour under $500: Harley Benton CLF-50E
A parlour guitar is a smaller-bodied acoustic guitar that pretty much begs you to pick it up and play it, whenever you set eyes upon it. In an ideal world, every guitarist would have one (and we would also have a room to which we refer as a parlour).
If access to cash is what’s holding you back, this ultra-affordable, prettily finished parlour model from Harley Benton would be a great pick. Its mellow, twangy tone is ideal for the living room – or for a campsite jam – while the streamlined mahogany body makes for low-effort transportation. This is an electroacoustic model, so you can always boost the volume via the mixing desk in a live performance setting.
Best folk guitar under $500: Alvarez Artist AF30
With plenty of hollow to sit on a bouncing knee and a beautiful combination of tonewoods (sitka spruce on top; mahogany pretty much everywhere else), this entry-level Alvarez guitar is a great match for delicate fingerpicking and soulful strumming. It looks just as folksy as it sounds, with a natural wood finish.
Despite its accessible pricing, the AF30 has some features that you might associate with a higher-end acoustic guitar, including a real bone nut (typically produced as a byproduct of cattle farming – yuck!/yum!), creative shaping to the saddle and scratchplate, and a 50/50 gloss and satin finish on the neck.
Why You Can Trust Us
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That means that when you click on a Guitar.com buyer’s guide, you’re getting the benefit of all that experience to help you make the best buying decision for you. What’s more, every guide written on Guitar.com was put together by a guitar obsessive just like you. You can trust that every product recommended in those guides is something that we’d be happy to have in our own rigs.
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