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Acoustic guitars are widely popular for their variety of tones. The best thing about them is that they are easy to get a grip on and learn with regular practice. They make a good choice for being the first step towards the musical journey.
In this article, I have tried to describe acoustic guitars, their types, why they are unique in their nature, how to figure out the different strings in them, and what factors should be considered when buying an acoustic guitar a beginner.
This article will help you understand acoustic guitars better and you will be able to find a suitable model for starting your journey in this field.
The 8 Best Acoustic Guitars For Beginners
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YAMAHA FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar
Product Dimensions: 42.5 x 20.7 x 6.1 inches.
Positive: Features New Scalloped Bracing, Includes Adjustable Truss Rod, Offers Rosewood Bridge.
Negative: Quality Needs Improvement.
The Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar perfectly balances quality and affordability. With a solid Sitka spruce top, Diego nato back and sides, a rosewood fingerboard, and a rosewood bridge, it has all the features to produce beautiful sounds.
The diecast tuners allow for precision tuning, and an adjustable truss rod offers added durability when playing. With its sleek design and classic construction materials, it is sure to be a long-term companion for any musician looking to make great music.
Customer Review For YAMAHA FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar
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Ibanez AW54CEOPN Acoustic/Electric Guitar
Product Dimensions: 4 x 15 x 41 inches.
Positive: Provides Mahogany Top, Including Rosewood Fretboard, Comes With Onboard Tuner.
Negative: Electric Pickup Doesn’t Work Well.
The Ibanez AW54CEOPN Acoustic/Electric Guitar is an all-in-one package for musicians of every level. Its dreadnought body with cutaway has a solid mahogany top, and both back and sides are made of Mahogany.
The Rosewood bridge and fretboard will provide an excellent feel while playing. At the same time, the onboard tuner comes in handy to ensure you stay in tune. With many features available, this guitar is perfect for stage performances or practice sessions!
Customer Review For Ibanez AW54CEOPN Acoustic/Electric Guitar
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Cordoba C7-CE Cutaway Acoustic Guitar
Product Dimensions: 38.75 x 14.63 x 4 inches.
Positive: Features Fan Bracing, Includes Savarez Strings, Classic Design.
Negative: Low Quality.
The traditional fan bracing and Rosewood back & sides of the Cordoba C7-CE Cutaway Acoustic Guitar make it an impressive instrument. This guitar is full-sized and constructed with a full gloss finish for added aesthetic quality. The strings are Savarez which are known for their strength, tension, tuning rate, and longevity.
Furthermore, its classic natural wood adds unique character to the instrument, varying from guitar to guitar in terms of its color richness and individual wood grain pattern. This contemporary stringed instrument is an excellent choice for any aspiring guitarist looking for premium quality.
Customer Review For Cordoba C7-CE Cutaway Acoustic Guitar
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Fender Squier Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
Product Dimensions: 42.99 x 5.98 x 17.01 inches.
Positive: Easy To Play Neck, Durable Construction, Features Scalloped “X”-bracing.
Negative: The Bridge Broke Easily.
The Fender Squier Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar has been designed to provide a full-size steel-string acoustic that offers a big sound. Its all-laminate construction and sturdy Lindenwood top and mahogany back and sides can withstand wear and tear.
Furthermore, this guitar is adorned by scalloped “X”-bracing, a mahogany neck, and a durable dark-stained maple fingerboard for an instrument of stunning beauty. Its slim neck allows for easy playing, while the full-bodied dreadnought tone ensures every note sounds like it should. With such impressive qualities, it makes for an ideal accompaniment to any musician looking for quality sound with excellent resistance against external factors.
Customer Review For Fender Squier Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
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Donner Acoustic Guitar Kit
Product Dimensions: 42.52 x 20.08 x 2.76 inches.
Positive: Phosphor Bronze Strings Construction, Delivers Rich Sound, Easy To Tune.
Negative: Arrived With A Crack.
The Donner Acoustic Guitar Kit is the perfect choice for budding guitarists. Not only does it come with all the accessories a beginner needs to start playing, but its exceptional design also ensures quality sound and feel.
Its great spruce top, mahogany back, and sides with X bracing produce astonishingly rich and brighter sound, with balanced tone over full-rich intermediate frequency, along with prolonged resonance.
Even more so, it’s crafted using phosphor bronze strings and high carbon steel hex core to ensure the longevity of tune-up and pitch. Additionally, its full-size 41-inch cutaway body allows for full vibrancy in playing across all styles of music genres.
Customer Review For Donner Acoustic Guitar Kit
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Best Choice Products 38in Acoustic Guitar Kit
Product Dimensions: 40 x 17 x 4.5 inches.
Positive: Classic Design, Easy To Operate, Offers Comfortable Experience.
Negative: It Doesn’t Last-long.
The Best Choice Products 38in Acoustic Guitar Kit provides a great selection to allow guitarists of any level of play a comfortable experience. It is designed with a classic shape and features an elegant finish, complete with a beautiful rosette for a modern acoustic look. It has been upgraded with closer proximity between the fretboard and strings, reducing finger fatigue so you can jam out for hours.
Also, the nylon strings are easier to hold down and minimize damage to the guitar bridge. In addition to this stylish instrument, this kit comes with added accessories – an e-tuner, gig bag, guitar strap with pick holder, extra nylon strings, six celluloid guitar picks, a capo, and cloth – making it the perfect package to get started playing acoustic guitar today!
Customer Review For Best Choice Products 38in Acoustic Guitar Kit
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Master-play Beginner Acoustic Guitar
Product Dimensions: 41 x 16 x 4 inches.
Positive: Features Practical Design, Comfortable To Grip, Offers Outstanding Playability.
Negative: Poor Quality Control.
The Master-play Beginner Acoustic Guitar is a finely handcrafted right-handed guitar designed to cater to the needs of both beginner and intermediate players. It has a lightweight design making it easy to hold while playing. The all-wood construction ensures smooth and bright tones.
At the same time, its fine finish with a lovely arch increases the aesthetics of the instrument. An ergonomic shape makes it easy for new players to access the fret easily. This guitar boasts excellent playability, letting its users express themselves in vibrant tones. All these features and its natural warm sound make it an ideal first guitar for budding musicians.
Customer Review For Master-play Beginner Acoustic Guitar
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Pyle Classical Acoustic Guitar
Product Dimensions: 435.8 x 13.4 x 3.4 inches.
Positive: Hand-crafted Wooden Construction, Dyed Wood Design, Features Protective Binding.
Negative: Doesn’t Hold Tune.
The Pyle Classical Acoustic Guitar is an excellent choice for novice and experienced guitarists, featuring a classic body style perfect for lessons, recitals, rehearsals, and more.
Along with the high-quality hand-crafted construction of a linden wood body and birch headstock with a dyed maple fretboard, this instrument comes complete with a gig bag case, pitch pipe tuner, extra strings, Pearloid picks, and a cleaning cloth. To top it off, it also includes a gift card making the kit even better value for money.
Customer Review For Pyle Classical Acoustic Guitar
Types Of Acoustic Guitars
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Standard Acoustic Guitars
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Dreadnought
These are large, big-bodied guitars with a round base and a sound full of bass and volume. Due to its size, the lower-range frequencies are fully emphasized, highlighting the warmth and mid-tones more than higher-range melodies.
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Slope-Shoulder
These are similar to the dreadnought in appearance. The only difference is the titular slope that allows the joint between the body and the neck to be smoother and more rounded. These also sound similar to the dreadnought type with the only difference being that it has softer treble frequencies creating more warmth in the output.
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Jumbo
Jumbo is an intentionally large guitar design. It is difficult to play in the normal position while sitting or standing due to its large size. In terms of sound, they are designed keeping Dreadnaught in mind, so their key feature is their volume and bassiness.
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Parlour
The shape of this type of guitar is thin and is rarely used. Due to its small size, the guitar lacks projection but has a distinctive sound. Sound-wise, it is trebly and quiet, making it an instrument for a specific purpose.
Though its chords sound slightly low and less boomy, the mid-range frequencies are emphasized enough to make explorative melodies sound great.
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Concert
This is a small-bodied balanced guitar and is often used for concert purposes. It has one of the most common shapes and is one of the oldest forms of existing guitars.
It brings out the warm bassiness of low notes without affecting the twinkling high notes.
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Auditorium
These guitars are the middle ground between the big and the small guitars. It is easy to recognize them as they often lack proportion between the top and the bottom as their bottom areas might be wider with extremely thin tops.
These acoustic guitars tones down the bass response but allow a smoothness that doesn’t overly emphasize highs, lows, or mids. It is mostly preferred by people who need a flat equalizer curve.
It further has a more advanced version which is the ‘grand auditorium’ form of acoustic guitar. It is a level ahead as it gives an almost flat frequency response meaning that it is neither too bassy nor too treble.
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Nylon Strung Guitars
There isn’t much of a difference between these nylon-strung guitars and the standard steel-wired guitars. The only difference is that due to the presence of the nylon strings, these produce output with a very warm tonality and less bright volume.
Some nylon-strung guitars are classical guitars, flamenco, electro-acoustic guitars, arch-top guitars, string-acoustic guitars, resonating guitars, etc.
How To Differentiate Between Steel Stringed And A Nylon Stringed Guitar?
There is a significant difference between a nylon-string guitar and a steel-string guitar because steel strings are louder, have a brighter tone, and have bigger bodies than nylon strings. However, nylon strings sound mellower than steel strings and are preferred by classical musicians.
Steel-stringed guitars have a stronger brace within their body and a reinforced bridge, which helps them adjust the tension created by steel strings. Nylon-stringed guitars have wider necks and a bigger neck profile but are surprisingly easier and more comfortable to play.
Additionally, the amount of string tension produced by nylon-string guitars is around 75–90 pounds, whereas steel-string guitars have around 150–200 pounds of heavy string tension.
Nylon-stringed guitars have decreased tension and softer quality material, which increases their playability as these strings fall softer on the player’s fingers, but they also have a larger diameter to play. while the steel-stringed guitar includes a much wider option for gauges to help you change them to lighter gauges when you feel the diameter is rougher on the fingers.
What Makes An Acoustic Guitar Unique?
There are specific reasons why an acoustic guitar is unique and is widely preferred by top musicians globally.
First, it is a stringed instrument that is played without electricity, making it very versatile. It can be played anywhere and everywhere. Second, it doesn’t require an external source like an amplifier to boost the chords’ sound and business.
Third, an acoustic guitar has an extensive wide range of sounds. It can produce a soft and mellow tone, a deep or bassy to a bright and lively one. So, it is used in many genres of music.
Apart from all these unique features, you may face one difficulty when using an acoustic guitar, and that would be connecting a headphone to your acoustic guitar. Hence, if you love an acoustic guitar and do not prefer an electric guitar, then you would need an amp to connect your electric guitar, and then you can connect your headphone to that amp. This is one of the ways that you can use to listen to guitar tunes on your headphone.
Tips For Playing Acoustic Guitar
- Learn to play guitar chords
- Master strumming patterns
- Practice technique that will help you train your fingers to control them what to do and how to gain perfection
- Read theory to learn how creative you can be with your fingers while playing guitar
What To Look For When Buying An Acoustic Guitar As A Beginner?
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Body Style
Acoustic guitars are available in a variety of sizes, like classic, jumbo, dreadnought, etc., and the choice you make depends on how comfortable you will be while holding the guitar as a beginner. The sound projection depends on the body size of the acoustic guitar. There are a few options available in a single- or double-cutaway design.
For instance, the Cordoba C7-CE Cutaway Acoustic Guitar comes with a soft cutaway design and can be an ideal option for you to record or learn guitar playing. Its traditional fan bracing provides maximum resonance while offering you a warm and well-balanced acoustic tone.
Additionally, these acoustic guitars include a hand-inlaid wooden rosette and a two-way adjustable truss rod that can help you stabilize the neck against the string tension that produces a lot of force on your guitar and can cause warping of the wooden guitar neck.
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Tonewood Choice
Your tonewood choices determine how well your acoustic guitar will produce sound. Different woods produce different tones, but the main feature that determines its tonal quality is the top of the acoustic guitar, which is made using Sitka spruce wood. However, different types of wood like rosewood, mahogany, spruce, cedar, etc. are preferred by guitar makers to create acoustic guitars.
A good option to look for in terms of premium tonal quality is the Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar, which has a top material made up of spruce wood. Its fingerboard and bridge are constructed using rosewood, which brings out the most natural sound of the instrument. While the body is made using mahogany wood and the neck with nato wood, this exclusive Yamaha FG option is crafted with hand-sprayed finishes that further add to its exclusivity. It comes with six guitar strings and a fixed guitar bridge system. Moreover, its scalloped bracing design gives you a balanced and authentic sound that would like by you when you learn guitar play with it.
If you are a fan of a laminate construction, you can try the Fender Squier Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, which is a full-size steel-string acoustic guitar and offers good sound quality. Through its all-laminate hardwood construction, with a Lindenwood top and mahogany back and sides, it offers more durability and is meant for everyday use. Thus, you can toss it around without worrying about scuffing your acoustic guitar.
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Fretboard
The fretboard wood material has a slight impact on the tonality of an acoustic guitar, but its texture and finish determine the feel and the playability of the instrument playing a direct role in the final output. There are different types of wood materials preferred for the fretboard, like, rosewood, maple, etc.
Rosewood has a rich, warm tone with less high-end harshness requiring conditioning every six months. It is primarily available in lighter shades.
For instance, the Ibanez AW54CEOPN Acoustic/Electric Guitar has a fretboard made up of rosewood and laurel material that is noted for its hardness and uniform texture. Bending strings on a rosewood fretboard is easier to control, and you can easily try multiple stringing techniques on it. A good-quality fretboard improves the overall tone of an acoustic guitar and also adds to its playability.
Maple wood produces a bright, crisp sound with good resonance. It has a variety of woods available to make the fretboards ranging from lighter to darker shades.
If you are looking for a guitar to work on your playing skills, you should look to test different fretboard types; for example, the Pyle Classical Acoustic Guitar has a dyed maple wood fretboard and a handcrafted Lindenwood body. Maple wood is naturally porous, which requires a lacquer covering. This acoustic guitar comes with a high-gloss polished body back along with a protective binding. Adding to its aesthetics are its rosette linden laminate finish and a chrome 3-in-line machine head.
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Strings
Acoustic guitars are known for their steel strings but in the case of a beginner, nylon strings can also be chosen. For instance, the Best Choice Products 38-inch Acoustic Guitar Kit is an all-in-one acoustic guitar option designed with tuning pegs and nylon strings and using handcrafted hardwood. You can play it as a beginner or at intermediate levels.
Its classic design and nylon strings make it easier on the hand, allowing you to use it for hours without any fingertip discomfort. Thus, you can enjoy your hour-long jam sessions without feeling tired or fatigued.
On the other hand, the Donner acoustic guitar kit has phosphor bronze strings made using a high carbon steel hex core that easily tunes the guitar and keeps up with tone quality after the first string tune-up. Besides, its spruce-topped mahogany body offers richer and brighter sounds, and the 41-inch cutaway body covers all kinds of music, adding to its playability and making it a perfect choice for beginners.
Nylon strings are softer and will not wear out your fingertips allowing you to continue your practice easily. But with these strings, the sound that will be produced will be less bright and offer more warmth. Steel strings can make longer practice sessions for a beginner difficult and painful but will produce a brighter sound with more warmth. However, it should be noted that a guitar model with settings for steel strings cannot be replaced with nylon string settings.
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Neck
When choosing an acoustic guitar, the neck of the guitar should be considered in terms of comfort and playstyle. Strumming is perfectly done on thin-neck guitars like the Fender Squier Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, which presents comfortable playing through its mahogany wood neck and its dreadnought type and offers reliable tone quality, making it an ideal choice for beginner strummers.
While fingerstyle techniques are done on wider neck guitars, a good option for that is the Seagull S6 Cedar Original Slim Acoustic Guitar. It is a beautifully designed classic guitar, so you will feel comfortable holding it in your hands. The neck width is around 1.8 inches, which provides more space for your fingers to play on it rather than feeling confined on thin necks. Solid cedar is used for the top, while the back is constructed with wild cherry.
Additionally, this acoustic guitar shines in a semi-gloss finish, and its neck is made up of silver leaf maple that gives a beautiful bright tone for folk, r&b, and acoustic pop. However, it is not as powerful as other dreadnought-shaped guitars that are used for playing country or rock music.
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Budget
Budget plays an important role when deciding which acoustic guitar you must choose. These guitars offer various features at multiple price ranges. A good option for you is the Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar, which is an excellent choice for a beginner acoustic guitar. It offers a full-bodied and rich tone and sounds fantastic.
In addition, it features a new scalloped bracing pattern that helps maintain the durability of the top board made of spruce wood. Falling under the price range of $230, this premium acoustic guitar is one of the best choices to look for acoustic guitars for beginners.
Moreover, practicing for hours requires sturdy and durable acoustic guitars, and the Master-Play Beginner Acoustic Guitar can be a good pick without having to break the bank. This 41-inch advanced full-size guitar comes under the price range of $81 and has a complete wood construction that gives out smooth tones from solid wood construction. It’s lightweight and has an easy grip that lets you comfortably hold it while sitting or standing.
Yet, you can purchase high-quality acoustic guitars for anywhere between $60 and $999. It depends on how much you’re willing to spend and the features of your ideal acoustic guitar, such as the type of wood, strings, and body structure.
Conclusion
Frequently Asked Questions/FAQs
The ideal acoustic guitar for a beginner is the concert, folk, or grand auditorium, albeit the lower size can result in some tone loss. The sound a guitar produces will increase in size as it does so. The acoustic guitar size, like the large-framed dreadnought, creates a large tone with depth and low notes but can be awkward for novices to hold in their hands.
You can learn to play the guitar in a few weeks with consistent practice, but it can take some time. To play melodies and tunes, you must first master the basics of rhythm before moving on to learning chords and switching between them.