Which Acoustic Guitar Should I Buy? (for any budget)

By far the most common question we get is "which acoustic guitar should I buy?". In this guitar lesson, Nate Savage and Andrew Clarke will be taking a look at the differences between many types of acoustic guitars and why you would choose one over another. There's no "best" acoustic guitar out there, but hopefully, this video will help you find the best one for you.

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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:08 WHAT IS YOUR PRICE RANGE?
2:36 WHAT'S YOUR STYLE OF MUSIC?
3:22 WHAT IS YOUR STATURE?
4:11 ACOUSTIC OR ACOUSTIC ELECTRIC?
5:07 SOLID WOOD TOPO
7:20 DON'T FORGET ABOUT ACCESSORIES
7:56 BUY SOMETHING THAT YOU LIKE

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[MusoraMedia]

Ready to level up your playing? Get personal coaching tips and structured lessons: enjoy your free 7-day trial to Guitareo!

[Dcraine]

I've been playing for about 50 years and I've learned a few things along the way. What guitar should you buy? Three thoughts: One, stay inexpensive until you are sure this is going to be a lifetime thing. There are tons of really good guitars these days under $300, and it's best to stick with a major brand. My recommendation is always to go with Yamaha for a first guitar. The workmanship and sound quality rival guitars that cost three times as much. My first guitar was a cheap Sears Silvertone, circa 1968. Once I knew I would continue playing, I purchased a new Yamaha FG-300 in 1974. I think it was around $400 then. I still have it today, and it's still my favorite guitar. Two, realize that the odds are you will keep a guitar for your entire life. That old Sears Silvertone is long gone, but every guitar I've ever bought since (seven guitars in all) I still own and play regularly. So from that perspective, once you know you'll be a player, buy the best guitar you can afford. The extra $200 you pay for a guitar today will be meaningless in 40 years, but the higher quality of the guitar will be something you'll appreciate forever. I pushed my budget to the limit in the late 1980s to buy two of my favorites, an Ovation Custom Balladeer 12-string, and a Gibson Les Paul Studio. Thirty years later, I still feel a thrill each time I pick up one of those two guitars. And three, I recommend staying away from electric guitars until you're comfortable playing acoustics. Acoustic guitars are much more physically difficult to play, and learning to play on one will reap huge benefits by the time you're ready for an electric. If you learn to play on an acoustic, and become adept at getting the sound, chord shapes, and fingering techniques you desire, you'll be absolutely amazed at how cool it is to use those abilities on an electric.

[robertgandy]

1:00 How much money do you want to spend?
1:49 Price tiers
2:30 What style of music? (Acoustic guitar types)
3:17 Your own body's size
4:04 Acoustic or electric?
5:04 Solid wood top or not?
6:14 Solid wood back and sides?
7:16 Don't forget to budget for accessories
7:41 Buy something you like
8:18 Try guitars to get the "feel" of the guitar

[PattyJeddyfun]

Only one piece of advice to everyone. Find people to play with, regardless of your skill. With Meetup groups, etc everywhere, find people to jam with who just want to play and make music. It's so much more fun with others.

[donaldlewis]

The year was 1970, I was 19 and I went into a small music store and bought my first guitar. It was a used Grammer guitar for $325. I made payments because that's around $2 thousand in todays money. It was outstanding and had a sound like no guitar I've ever heard. Hard times came and had to sell it for $150.00. I've seen asking prices as high as $5 thousand for that guitar today. I still miss that guitar. Oh well, such is life.

[ScottCamire]

My little story starts as, I always wanted to learn to play guitar since i was a kid and couldn't afford it. Now at 55 years old I started oh boy ! Now I'm addicted and your in part to blame lol ! 1st Taylor 110E
2nd Taylor 150E 12 string, 3rd Taylor 314CE 4th Martin OMC 28E that is the acoustics. I absolutely love them all and use them all (now have 12 guitars) Why did I wait so long ? Any you guys are amazing I learn so much from you Thank you Thank you Thank you !! I surprised my wife with the first one a year and a half ago. As I played and sang her a song and she cried, (in laughter) yes you helped.

[johnmiller]

My number one piece of advice I would give to anyone buying a guitar for the first time would be to, buy the one you played. Don't ever get the one from the warehouse. I know, some people like the idea of getting the "fresh" one, that nobody has touched. But guitars are alive. They all have their own personalities. The one you played, quite often, will have different characteristics to the one nobody has touched. And it's exactly because nobody has touched it. You want the one that's been played, touched, maybe even dropped a few times. If that's the one that sounds good to you, buy that one, that EXACT one. I can't tell you how many times I've talked to people who bought a guitar and then complained that it didn't sound the same as the one they played at the shop. Or it didn't feel the same, or the action was off, or any number of things. And that's because it's not the same.

[yeasinarian]

Anyone about to buy one during Corona Pandemic 2020?

[rllcll]

Mom: I’ll buy you no more than 150 dollars!
Video: under 150 dollars are poor quality
Me: gg

[CrisPBacon-zywh]

For beginners, here's my own guide. To be technical, (Applies to all amount of budget).
1. Get a guitar with a light headstock to avoid "neck diving" - Neck diving happens when your guitar headstock is heavy thus requiring you to support it which reduces your play speed (Some players ignore it while I found it annoying when your headstock is heavy especially when I was still a beginner).
2. Get a guitar with a flat fretboard profile - Flat fretboard relatively makes it more playable than a Curve fretboard.
3. Get a guitar with "Low action" - Low action means that the strings are low and close to the fretboard and make it easier to play.

This is based on my experience and it's the same guide I followed when I bought my electric guitar.

[ganyrehs]

First guitar I purchased was a Fender CD60CE. Still sounds great to this day.

[dmx]

My first one was a low end dreadnought from Furch / Stonebridge. The quality for it's price was outstanding. It satisfied all my weekend guitar player's needs completely. I'd strongly encourage everyone not to glance over the unfamiliar brand name and try Furch guitars alongside your typical Yamaha and Taylor.

[yinyangja]

Difinitely solid wood top. Also you can add a bone nut & saddle and bone or hard wood pins very cheaply and this will help improve sound.

[chevking]

My first guitar is an Art & Lutherie Legacy with the bourbon burst finish. Absolutely fell in love with it the moment I saw and heard it.

[michaelj]

"i mean..look at my arm.." yeah cant get my eyes off of it 😂

[lanz]

I really wish that I saw this before I got my first guitar. I was 9 years old and my pop got me a 3/4 frame Palmer steel string. It was awful. Red laminate. Those steel strings cut into me so much that I bled each time. It was not fun to learn to play on. I'm guessing that it was the cheapest one in the store. Ironically I became a bass player in my teen years. Nevertheless, this is a great guide for anyone to avoid making really common mistakes.
Thanks!

[joemack]

got my first guitar about 4 months ago, bought a Guild M-20E, concert body, solid mahogany (top, back and sides). beautiful piece. following your video series Nate, thanks so much

[mervinbesuena]

You guys nailed it. Tips exactly what i'm looking for. Very clear explanations for a acoustic guitar player like me. You deserve lots of credits! Thanks so much! All the way here in philippines.

[kitan]

its all about your personal preference, the feel, your style & how it sounds to your ear- there are so many variables like strings, action etc. - I've played a few expensive martins, taylors, guilds, etc. my main is a $300 used Epiphone super jumbo single cutaway electric acoustic. it even came with the case. a good cleaning and a set of 10 elixir polys and it works very well for me. it's all personal

[tracymarlar]

Ibanez ae10 wonderful guitar I've been extremely happy with my purchase