20 Best Wood For Acoustic Guitars (2023 Updated)

I thought this guitar was overhyped but I went ahead and bought one in vintage nat. spent more time than I should have setting it up for playability. this is my 3rd acoustic. I got away from acoustics for many years just playing electric, so coming back to acoustic was a learning experience.

This guitar has become the star of the show. I own an Alvarez MD60BG,a wonderful guitar, an Epiphone frontier which is my least favorite and the FG800. This guitar is simple and very effective. much louder than my epiphone almost as good in every way as my alvarez.

Buy 1 and get it set up properly and you won’t regret the few bucks spent on this.

This Yamaha instrument is well made. Especially for the price point of just under $200. 00. I have purchased many Yamaha acoustics over the years and this guitar will not disappoint. No cosmetic flaws on this instrument, with a nice finish and worth checking out.

I have been playing for over 40 years and am now retired, and I rate this guitar at 9. 5 out of ten. Perfect for my finger style playing. Very full sounding board and visually appealing. Truss adjustment was made to tighten the action a bit to my personal preferred.

The frets could use some polishing, as do most of acoustics at this price. I had purchased an identical instrument not too long ago and it also was a gem right out of the box, and decided to keep only one.

Very comparable to an Ibanez Artwood instrument. I highly rate this Yamaha and it is definitely worth a look👍.

I have only been playing for 3 months and purchased an F325 as my first guitar. It was a good guitar but I really wanted an FG instead. Everyone I talked to said that the FG was the best bang for the buck thanks to its solid spruce top that enhances its sound quality, playability, and overall aesthetics.

Actually, the FG800 is so popular that I couldn’t get it at my local music shop. So I settled for the F325. Even though my F325 was a good instrument, I wanted something better. I was lucky to find one used and in excellent condition online at a Guitar Center in Atlanta The price was better than expected.

I Love This Guitar. It sounds great. Well, the 6 notes I know how to play sound great and it looks beautiful. Even when the time comes to upgrade to a Martin or equivalent, I will continue to play it for many years to come.

Overall: I don’t play acoustic guitar all the time as I am mostly an electric guy but, when I do I have a very specific tone that I like. If you ever listen to bluegrass music you will hear this super thick booming tone from the guitars.

It’s a tone that a certain brand that starts with an “M” is known for. Having owned one of their instruments in the past, the HD-28 I am very familiar with that tone. I won’t even begin to say that this is “just the same” or “every bit as good” because reality is that it isn’t.

The M guitar has a magic to it that nothing else has, the tone is so deep and clear that words can’t describe it. I had to sell that guitar due to financial hardships and I have been chasing that sound ever since.

I am happy to report that this Yamaha FG830 is as close as I have gotten. Since selling my M guitar I have had a handful of acoustics, some semi pricey and others fairly cheap but every one of them fell short of what I was hoping for.

A friend of mine even has one of the “budget” M guitars and it is not in the same league as the HD but, this Yamaha? It is so much closer to “that” sound than even the more expensive M guitar that my friend has.

To start the guitar is very beautiful, the rosewood look of the sides and back with the spruce top and binding make it look very much like a 28 but, this one also has neck and headstock binding which makes it look even fancier than the “real” thing.

The finish on the guitar is a deep gloss, even on the headstock. When it comes to looks this guitar absolutely has “IT” The neck is also something to mention, it’s so good that it deserves it’s own review.

The finish is satin so it’s very smooth and fast, it doesn’t stick to your hand when you try to play. The fretboard is glassy smooth and the frets are very well finished. I had no rough edges or protruding frets on mine.

A little lemon oil on the fretboard went a long way and now it is such a player! I also wanted to mention that there are no uneven frets or buzz anywhere on the neck! The action was slightly higher than my preference but a few minutes with some sand paper took care of that.

Now, on to the important part, TONE! As I mentioned before, this is NOT an “M” guitar BUT, this is the closest I have found and it’s less than $400! The lows are booming but clear, the highs are crisp with excellent sustain, the midrange is pronounced and makes the instrument stand out.

Chords are very clear and each note is decernable, clarity is a big part of the sound that this guitar produces. If you’re doing bluegrass licks those hammer ons and slides really pop on this thing. At the same time when you tune to D the low notes just boom with authority.

The guitar just thumps you in the chest and has that “kerrang” that a great acoustic produces. I truly cannot say enough good things about this instrument. IF you have $3,000 to spend you may do better with the big boys but, if you’re like me and working on a budget I truly do not believe that you can do better than this one.

I have contemplated purchasing a mid range guitar in the $1,000 to $1,500 range but I then realize that they won’t top the Yamaha. The only thing I have played that betters this guitar is the high end stuff, $3k+ So, to summarize, if you’re on a budget, looking for a guitar that you don’t have to cry about scratches on, OR if you just want a fantastic instrument at an unbelievable price THIS is your instrument.

Yamaha has done such an amazing job that it’s hard to believe that they pulled it off! They have made something for the rest of us, something that fills the gap that we who cannot pay as much for a guitar as for a vehicle have to deal with.

Thank you, as always, to zZounds for a wonderful experience. Fast shipping, and pay as you play!.

Buying a (12-string) guitar during isolating lockdown was an anxious affair. You can’t see it, hear it nor feel if it’s right for you. So you rely on reviews, accurate descriptions & specs, lots of photos & vids (keeping in mind a good guitarist can make a broom sound great on video.

) and a little luck. Chose the FG820 (12) based on my budget/ price, listed build materials, quality, sound (indirectly) and +tv reviews. Reliability of my old Yamaha CPX5 acoustic also contributed. Some of the competition came with pickups, accessories & case for a similar price, but used all-laminates.

Opted to pass on such extras in hope of a better sounding guitar. Took plunge and ordered via PMT’s website on 25JAN2021, without hitch. Guitar arrived midday 27th in a large cardboard outer box. Inside was a Yamaha box (+guitar) and lots of shock-absorbing air bags.

Some compression damage to inner box at headstock end but happily guitar intact with no visible damage. Unpacked, guitar looks well made for mass-produced item. Surfaces well finished, no visible cracks or blemishes, bindings are sound, neck is smooth & playable with no sharp or uneven frets, solid build/ nothing loose.

One issue I had was busting both B-strings during Standard tune-up even tho’ taking my time (the thinner G was fine). Both Bs went at the saddle, which is longitudinally notched for the Bs and maybe cut a bit too sharp? Frustratingly, had to order & wait for new strings.

Note to PMT: be great to throw in some spare strings?! Finally new strings on (no breaks) and tuned using correct frequency tones. The action is perfect @medium-low (tho some reviews spoke of nut & saddle alterations).

Machine heads are holding Std tuning well. No early sign of any neck distortion (guitar comes with truss rod key for future adjustment). Best of all: it plays and sounds 12-string gorgeous – very happy with my FG820.

This was a 50th gift from my family. I’ve got an LL16 and Yamaha Parlour and this sits beautifully in the middle. The short scale and smaller body makes this guitar very easy to play and yet it has a very large sound.

I was actually after a Martin 000-18 but after playing both I just could not justify the much higher cost and to be honest I wasn’t blown away by it as much as I thought I would be. I’m currently having a local tech undertake a setup.

While the neck seemed fine the string height was excessive. Overall I am very happy with this guitar and would highly recommend. Better music were very good. The item was shipped promptly on payment.

This is the first upper tier Yamaha that I have owned and I’m very impressed. My first Yamaha was a FG200 bought in the Summer of 1973. This guitar looks similar to lower-end Yamaha guitars, but is actually a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BEAST! It is simple but beautiful, well-crafted, smooth-playing, and sounds really quite nice.

The sound is deep and rich in the bass, strong and clear in the treble, and has a nice, strong mid-range. The satin finish is very thin and allows the guitar to “open up” it’s tone rather quickly. It’s an excellent instrument but not very expensive for a great workhorse and will work well for any kind of acoustic music.

It is very close to a D-18 but HALF the price. I think you’ll love it!.

I mostly play for my own amusement, but I’ve been at it for about 40 years. The FS5/FSX5 is a well built, nice looking, and easy playing guitar. Setup was about perfect out of the box. I might take it down just a touch at the bridge, but it was definitely in the ballpark.

The neck feels comfortable, and I have had no issues with buzzes or rattles anywhere on the neck. Tuners are smooth and accurate. Out of the box, the guitar sounds very full and open, with good balance between the strings.

The sustain and volume are also both pretty good. The guitar responds pretty well to dynamics, and you can dig in a bit before it starts to hit the ceiling. I’ve played some that have a little more dynamic range, but the FSX5 hangs.

Offers pretty good clarity for fingerstyle, and I have no problem bringing out the notes I want to emphasize. I am really happy with how it sounds with strummed chords. rich, yet clear and punchy. The aesthetics are low-key, but still classy and elegant.

The A. R. E aged top under the satin finish is a lovely warm orange-gold, and the simple black binding with smaller white inner bands frames it nicely. The ebony pickguard is a nice touch. much richer look than simple plastic.

The electronics get the job done. I like about an 80% mic blend, and a bit of a bass cut. I run it through a Fishman Platinum EQ and Preamp. and would recommend a good preamp to get the most out of this pickup system.

you can dial in a good tone without one, but you’ll get the best results with a preamp. Overall, I think Yamaha made some great decisions with this guitar. Although some of the basic fab work is done in China, the finishing touches fall under the auspices of the Japanese craftsman.

They used quality materials for the build (bone nut and saddle, ebony bridge), but otherwise kept the “bling” to a minimum, and concentrated on delivering quality in the sound and feel. This is a players guitar, and the price is right for what it is.

A beautiful guitar with a wonderful tone, it was sent with a relatively good action. There were some finish issues in the one I ordered that I will have to correct so I can’t give it a perfect review, but this is a really good guitar for the price.

Had I payed full price (I got it on sale for 100) I would have been very upset with the finish flaws and probably sent it back for a replacement. That being said, it sounds and plays beautifully.

Aesthetically, really really nice and didn’t need much setting up. The case that came with it didn’t have the Fender logo across the front but a little Fender plate by the handle. Not a big deal but it did differ from the picture.

Made in Indonesia if anyone is wondering. My only criticism is that it would have been nice to get a spare string peg or something but it’s a minor quibble for a name brand at this price point.

Generally, it is a great guitar. Many of you would expect a low volume for a mahogany top, back and side guitar. However, it’s dreadnought style compensates for this and thus you will have a warm mellow toned guitar whilst still having plenty of volume.

The guitar looks a lot better in real life than on the photos you may see on the internet. Contrary to the CD60S spruce top (built in Indonesia), this guitar is manufactured in China. The tone difference between CD60S spruce top and this one is small as the spruce top also has mahogany back and sides.

This guitar however is one with great overtones. Being a novice, it is a great starting guitar. My only complaint is that the nut and saddle are plastic. The nut, in particular, causes the guitar to be in need of tuning every 2 or 3 days.

However, this disadvantage is very manageable and if you prefer, you can spend a tiny bit of money to replace the nut with a bone nut at a guitar shop. If you webchat with a guitar center rep they might be able to give you a discount to cut the cost of this guitar to the price level of the cheapest possible for a major manufacturer’s acoustic guitar.

Recording, practicing, playing out. Purchased at a music store, so tried it, fell in love, and brought it to a new forever home. Those people who were helping me choose had several acoustics for me to try.

Once this 322ce got into my hands, I couldn’t put it down. I might have passed up some other really nice instruments that I never tried, but I know this is the perfect guitar for me, hands down. Something about the tone and the feel of this guitar.

And being a 4’10” female, the size of this guitar with several unusual features (like the classical appearance of the headstock and the neck joining at the body at the 12th fret, for instance), makes this guitar look like Taylor custom-built this beautiful instrument to my specs.

For 57 years, I’ve been playing some REALLY nice guitars, including another cherished Taylor, that were built with larger people in mind-it was all just the way it was. until I discovered this beauty.

Actually, the smaller size and fast fret board took some getting used to. I’m already accomplished in my self-taught, bluesy, fingerpicking style, but this guitar has demanded me to step up to another level of playing, and not only is my playing even more precise, I am tackling material I never thought of learning before.

This guitar is just that much fun. Just what I was looking for without knowing it at the time. I’ve had this beauty for about two months now, and I guess for the sake of the tone and playability of my other guitars, I should quit abandoning them.

But it’s going to be hard because everything about this new one is addictive. It sounds so beautiful, I was drawing a small crowd in the store while trying it out. Yes, THAT beautiful. Thank you, Taylor!.

Great guitar for beginners (definitely me) although I had 6 years of formal lessons as a child into my teenage years and even played some bluegrass gigs with my teacher. But at 51 years old my Conn classical guitar wasn’t giving me the sounds I remembered.

My wife the internet guru investigated what I was telling her I thought I needed. She came up with the Fender FA 100 Dreadnought for a lot less $$ than I expected but I am thoroughly happy with the guitar.

I play it daily and it meets my every challenge with ease and precision. Often covering my little missed notes. I was recently surprised with a Fender Strat and start out every session on the Acoustic due to the ease of playing.

Fender definitely has a gem with this guitar!!.

Let me start by saying this – I will never go anywhere else for our guitar needs other than SamAsh Music. The reason? I work at a Title I school just south of Cincinnati in a little town called Dayton, Kentucky.

When disaster struck and our guitars were damaged due to a heating issue in the building, SamAsh stepped up and saved the day! They gave us a GREAT deal on brand new FA-115 Dreadnaught Guitar Packs. We were able to purchase an entire class set, and it wouldn’t have been possible without their generosity! These guitars are significantly better than the recent Honer brands we were using.

The attack of the notes is crisp, the resonance is fantastic, and its incredibly easy and smooth to maneuver on. My students were ecstatic when they came back from Winter break! Thank you Fender, and thank you SamAsh music for making many young musicians happy, and eager to play the guitar!.

It wasn’t shipped in original box which was suspicious. No added padding, cardboard inserts, or bubble wrap in rectangular shipping box. Guitar was simply slipped into a somewhat form-fitted soft plasticy shipping bag.

Guitar is beautiful but the Lacquer on back of guitar was chipped and damaged. Blame it on shipping. I needed it urgently as a gift and so points for speedy shipping. I did not return it because the person I gifted it to was too excited to care about the cracked lacquer.

I bought this as a travel guitar. I’ve had others, Martin Backpacker, Applause Travel, whose sound was flat. I’d compare my prior experience with small travel guitars as sounding like a cigar box guitar.

The GS Mini is unlike those. It has a great sound, when I pluck, I can feel the vibrations against my abdomen and chest – this is always a good sign. The scale is a bit short and bit cramped up around the 9th fret and beyond, barre chords are problematic after the 8th fret for my hands.

I expect that from a small guitar. The sound is big across all strings. The Taylor gig bag is high quality and very protective. I would buy this again and again.

Let me start by say that these photos do not do any justice for this instrument. In person this guitar is truly stunning, from the way the MOP rosette sparkles in the light, to the depth of the flamed maple back and sides.

The arch back not only looks unique but projects sound much better, and the beautiful binding really makes the blue stand out. The MOP logo on the headstock and dots on the fingerboard complete the look.

But as Guild says right on the box they aren’t made just for looking or admiring, they are “Made to be Played” and that it does exquisitely well. The combination of the tone woods and arch back makes the projection and sustain on this guitar incredible and the thing just sings! I love the feel of the satin finish on the mahogany neck and was surprised to find it was only slightly more difficult to play than my 6 string.

They did a beautiful job on this neck and you will feel it the first time you play it. Don’t take my word for it, go play one for 15 minutes and you will be sold. please note: don’t do this until you are ready to buy because ready or not you are probably going to buy it anyway!.

I picked up this gorgeous 12 string in burst black on a SDOD sale. Reading the reviews, I was skeptical because they were all so positive. I moved and I needed to sell my last 12 string (west coast manufacture) but I was missing that 12 string jingle.

At somewhat the same price point, the Guild is in a class all by it’s self, quality, finish, playability and sound. I’m glad to join the rest of the ranks, this guitar is unreal. 1st, it stays in tune.

I live in the south and the guitar came off the UPS truck hot and humid; I unboxed it immediately, tuned it up and the next day, it was still in perfect tune. The finish is high gloss and spotless. I looked everywhere for a flaw and nothing.

The neck has a satin finish which is very smooth and soft to the touch. Out of the box it plays well, but there is a little room for improvement there. The pickup works well, but the addition of a tuner would be a plus especially on a 12 string.

I highly recommend this 12 string for anyone looking for one, grab it quick because they are out of Guilds current catalogue. I couldn’t be happier and recommend this 12 string to all.

Ok. So I have been playing acoustic guitar and singing semi-professionally for 30 years. Churches, bars, small to medium sized venues. I am currently a church worship music leader and do a lot of recording as a hobby.

I have owned too many guitars to count (and sold them all thanks to divorce lol). I was looking for a high end acoustic to depend on as my main instrument, with a budget of no more than $1750. Of course I was comparing Martins, Gibsons, Taylors and the like.

I was very happy with a lower end Yamaha 800 series as a “beater,” so I started looking at Yamaha’s higher end options. When I found this guitar online, it had all I was looking for, but I did not have access to an actual physical example.

I have never bought a guitar sight unseen, and I was nervous to do so, but the combination of my respect for the 800 series acoustically and the description of the new Atmosfeel system made this my first choice.

I took the risk and ordered it, and I could not be happier. To my ears (subjective I know) it is the best sounding acoustic I’ve ever played, both unplugged and plugged in. With its mahogany body it is midrange heavy, but not to the detriment of the lows or highs.

It has plenty of all three and is pleasantly balanced. It has lots of volume. When I record acoustically into a mic it makes me very happy :-). Plugged into my church sound system or into my fishman loudbox mini, it is also wonderful.

It is the most “acoustic” sounding guitar I’ve ever heard when amplified, and sounds almost exactly the same as when unplugged. The neck is great. I love the tuners. The action may be just slightly high out of the box for some tastes, but I like it as is.

It is finger picking friendly, but not so low that it buzzes when strummed aggressively. I’ve made no changes to the setup yet and may never. I have been playing it nearly every day now for a couple of months, and it is my favorite guitar I have ever owned.

Actually, very impressed with this guitar. Was not expecting the finish to look so good, (thought top was satin, but it is glossy). I was not expecting Mother of Pearl Yamaha logo on the headstock either.

The abalone around the sound hole is beautiful as well. I said that I wasn’t going to buy anymore guitars made in China but could not pass up this deal. Under $300. 00, I guess I don’t care. I purchased this to mainly be able to strum out some acoustic tones here and there, and to strengthen my fingers for when I play electric.

This fits the bill just fine for that. Wish it was made in Japan, but then it would not have been under $300. 00.

First and foremost, this is the fifth or sixth guitar that I’ve purchased, online, from the CME. They are amazing folks with whom to deal. Communication is timely, prices are fair, shipping is lightning-quick and all guitars arrive, perfectly packed, exactly as advertised.

Thanks, guys and gals! My Gibson Generation G-00 is a nice little “parlor-style” guitar. It’s well-made, easy to play and a great little instrument for finger-picking and a bit of light strumming. If you’re sitting on the couch, watching a football game, having a few cold ones, this is the guitar for you.

Way to go, Gibson and Chicago Music Exchange!.

I absolutely love my Taylor. I started out on an Epiphone DR-100, which is a fine instrument for its price, but after about 8 months this guitar is exactly the upgrade that I had hoped it would be. Everything is just that much tighter and more refined.

There is just that much more attention to detail. The tuners are high quality. There’s a precision in dialing in the note while tuning that I hadn’t experienced. The beveled edge may seem gimmicky, but between that and the smaller size, this instrument just sits so comfortably in my lap, whether I’m on the couch, a chair or standing up.

The unvarnished wood was surprising at first, (There is no gloss whatsoever) but I quickly grew to appreciate the simple elegance of the construction. In terms of fit and finish, even as a beginner I can tell that this is more than one should reasonably expect at this price point.

The whole guitar is sonically alive in a way that my Epiphone never was. The spruce top and sapele sides are beautiful, and the whole body resonates wondrously. I’ve also now gotten to experience the high-end sparkle that I’d read about with Taylors firsthand, and it really is quite something.

The sound is just so much cleaner and lovelier than I even imagined. I also worried that the slightly smaller scale would be a problem, but I didn’t miss a step. The first chords I strummed on it rang out with a satisfying responsiveness.

Everything about this guitar. everything. makes me just want to grab it and play it. And the bag is waaaay nicer than I expected. Taylor has made a fan for life. I realize this is a glowing review from a beginner and there are probably nuances I would criticize if I had more experience, but after all I am the market for this line of instruments, and as far as I’m concerned Taylor has hit it out of the park.

I absolutely love this guitar. It really sounds fantastic and the action is good. The sound is a major improvement over my other/ cheaper acoustics. The neck is thinner than other acoustics that I’ve owned, and it feels good in my hand.

The guitar is super light and really easy to play. It has a beveled edge on the top where your strumming arm rests to reduce discomfort from the edge digging into your arm. It also has a built in tuner, and sounds great when plugged into my line 6 amp.

This guitar looks plain Jane, but makes up for it in playability and sound. It costs a fraction of the price of what a higher end Taylor will cost. I’ve been excited to play it and have no regrets with this purchase.

It also comes with a quality gig bag as well.

This 12 string acoustic is awesome and I bought it sight unseen. Replaced my Seagull S12 which was a struggle to play with its large neck and nut width. In contrast the LL-16 12 is very comfortable to play, beautiful finish on the timber and double skunk stripe on the neck.

Gold tuners set the whole thing off and keeps its tuning very well so far. The biggest surprise was the passive pickup system. Plug it into my JBL speaker via my Zoom A1 Four and its output is fabulous – very comparable to my Yamaha FS-TA which has a preamp.

I did a lot of research before buying and the LL-16 12 came out on top for bang for buck. Even came with a hard shell case which makes lugging it so much lighter. Love it! (So does the band). As a tip for anyone wanting to remove the pickguard, my guy at Fretco Adelaide removed it for me and it showed zero signs of ever being there.

I mention this as the guitar is even more beautiful without the pickguard, reveals the entire beautiful soundhole rosette and I play righties left handed so it doesn’t look weird to punters. Just awesome!.

The guitar looks great and plays even better, accompanied by a pretty heavy duty fabric carry case. It has a very warm, full bodied tone that doesn’t so much emphasise one part of your range so much as it keeps your notes nice and even.

It came perfectly set up, with great action and a great set of strings, and holds its tune very well if you’re interested in detuning. Fret buzz has been basically non-existent for me and the comfort of the neck is fantastic.

Strongly recommend.

After decades of playing every high end acoustic available I had finally whittled my collection down to three favorites; an expensive Ovation, Taylor and Cort Jumbo Cutaway. All acoustic-electrics. I’ve owned four Martins, two Guilds, Gibson, Breedlove, Takamine, Zager, Ibanez, Epiphone and countless others.

I wanted to add an all solid rosewood dreadnought again but just couldn’t justify the price points of the major makers these days. With a simple google search I came across the Yamaha LL16 and checked out some demos on YouTube.

They sounded great online so I took a chance and bought one without playing it first. Now I can say, like so many others. that there are no disappointments with this instrument. The tone is so well balanced I was surprised.

Not bottom heavy like Martins but plenty of beef there when you want to dig into it. Beautiful overtones and clear and distinct top end too. A great players guitar as well as balanced accompaniment for singers.

If all the LL16’s sound as good as mine then this instrument is the best value in a solid rosewood guitar on the market today IMHO. I like it so much I’m thinking about adding their mahogany and 12-string versions to round out all the acoustic sound options that appeal to me.

Don’t hesitate to buy one of these. It’s everything they advertise and more. One thing that seemed odd was that they used hard plastic for the nut and saddle, but these are easily upgraded and don’t seem to degrade the sound quality at all.

J-45’s are hard to come by. Lovely looking guitar and played well. It’s just the cost of Gibson guitars – all high end products, for that matter. I love playing with alternate tuning and with capo. Really didn’t feel like doing all these adjustments with a guitar that I had to try but cost almost £2k.

Just wasn’t sure. Will try several guitars. May eventually go back to this one. That’s the fun when buying an acoustic!!!.