If you want to start playing the guitar, one of your first steps will be to purchase an acoustic model. Acoustic guitars can sound great with just a few practice sessions, they’re affordable, and they’re a joy to play with others. Plus, you’ll find that they’re fairly easy to maintain.
The options to consider when choosing an acoustic guitar are fairly simple for newcomers, especially compared to electric guitars and their myriad accessories. But before you shop, it’s important to understand the different elements of these instruments, and why they’ve become beloved by guitarists around the world.
A brief history of acoustic guitars
An acoustic guitar is simply a guitar that doesn’t need electrical amplification. Although guitar-like stringed instruments date back thousands of years, modern six-string guitars are a fairly recent creation.
Gut-stringed Spanish guitars originated in the early 1800s, and were the predecessors of today’s nylon-stringed classical guitars. Steel string guitars (the most common today) require higher tension and stronger internal bracing, and were not widespread until 1900.
Acoustic guitar parts
Headstock
This is located at the very end of the instrument’s neck, and it holds the six tuning knobs. A small plastic or bone nut separates the headstock from the neck.
Neck
Six strings run from the body of the guitar up the neck towards the headstock. These guitar necks are usually made of maple, with a flat fretboard of ebony or rosewood on top. The fretboard is divided into individual note spaces by 18-22 thin nickel bars called frets.
Body shapes
The main body of an acoustic guitar acts as a resonating chamber for plucked strings, projecting sound from the round soundhole in the center of the instrument. Acoustic guitar bodies usually feature hardwoods for their back and sides, while the top (front face) is made of softer wood.
Bridge
Just behind the soundhole, the bridge serves as the end anchor point for strings. Acoustic guitars bridges are located on the bodies.
Questions to keep in mind
How much should I pay for an acoustic guitar?
For the most part, you’ll want to spend at least $300 MSRP for an instrument that does not hinder your playing. Less expensive guitars feature wood laminates. This may sound slightly thinner. Solid carved wood is the more expensive alternative to laminate materials. Solid wood has a fuller, more expressive sound, but it can be vulnerable to abrupt changes in temperature and humidity.
What are the different sounds and styles?
Steel and nylon stringed instruments have very different sounds. Nylon strings sound more mellow, and they’re common in classical, flamenco, and bossa nova musical styles. Steel strings are brighter, more piercing, and excel in bluegrass, folk, and blues. If you want a sound that is even stronger than a steel string can provide, consider a 12-string guitar. They feature 6 pairs of strings that give a doubled-up fullness to chords.
What potential difficulties should I consider?
Younger players often start on ¾ sized or “parlor” guitars, since full-sized steel stringed instruments can be too big. Less expensive guitars may have higher action, which is the distance between strings and the fretboard. Higher actioned guitars require more finger strength and can be slower to play, but a good guitar shop may be able to lower the action on your instrument.
For the most part, the wider string spacing and softer strings of nylon-stringed guitars make them an excellent choice for beginning players.
Some of the best acoustic guitars in our selection
Our nylon stringed guitars by Ortega are a great, finger-friendly instrument for beginners. But if you prefer a slightly higher-end option with classical nylon strings, consider models by Alhambra or Kremona, all of which utilize excellent tonewoods.
For steel-stringed guitars, dreadnoughts (jumbo-sized) by Washburn, Ibanez, or Fender are tried-and-true workhorses that will sound great for bluegrass jams or campfire singalongs. If you want the sound of a steel-string, but a smaller size for easier carrying and playing, search out “parlor” guitars by the same brands.
Here are some other standout guitars options from our collection:
Ibanez Jampack IJV50 Dreadnought acoustic guitar package ()
Get everything you need to start playing with this package deal that includes a guitar, gig bag, tuner, and more.
Fender Classic Design CD-60S 6-String Dreadnought acoustic guitar ()
This Fender guitar has “classic” in its name for a good reason, and it’s the perfect pick for beginner/intermediate players.
Alvarez Artist 65 Series Classical acoustic guitar ()
This highly responsive, solid-top guitar sounds as good as it looks, and it delivers an open, warm tone.
The top acoustic-electric guitars
Merging the powers of both acoustic and electric guitars, these acoustic-electric instruments offer be best of both worlds.
Fender American Acoustasonic Telecaster guitar ()
This stunning, highly rated guitar is at the cutting-edge of acoustic-electric technology.
Fender FA-235E Concert acoustic-electric guitar ()
Another crowd favorite, this Fender acoustic-electric model comes in a beautiful Adorama-exclusive color.
Fender American Acoustasonic Stratocaster guitar ()
Fender delivers another gorgeous blend of acoustic-electric sounds with this guitar, which comes with a deluxe gig bag for touring players.
Feature photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash
