Sadly, those days are gone when you just wal into a pawn shop and find a great deal for an acoustic guitar. The Internet has introduced Amazon, eBay, and Craigslist. Everything is online nowadays.
Choosing your first acoustic guitar can be very daunting if you don’t know how to narrow down your options. The assurance is that you don’t have to break the bank when shopping for an acoustic guitar. If you are a bit confused about which one to pick, we have a detailed list of differences between acoustic and electric guitars here.
We have selected a few acoustic guitars that you cannot say no to! Whether you’re into live performances or studio recordings, these guitars cater to all needs. So, let’s give you our top 7 picks of the best acoustic guitars you can find under $2000.
In this guide, explore the key features that set one guitar apart from another. We will present you with the cream of the crop. If you’re new to the world of guitars, get ready to discover the sweet spot where quality meets affordability!
TL/DR
| 1 | Zager ZAD900CE AURA Pro Series | For exceptional sound quality, playability, and innovative features |
| 2 | Taylor American Dream AD17 | For tone and dynamics |
| 3 | Martin D-15M Mahogany Dreadnought | For perfect for singer-songwriters |
| 4 | Yamaha Red Label FGX5 | For great plugged-in tone through Atmosfeel electronics |
| 5 | Takamine GB7C Garth Brooks Signature | For harmonic detail, power, response, and seamless sound |
| 6 | Gibson Acoustic ’30s J-35 | For a flawlessly constructed versatile instrument with powerful sound |
| 7 | Takamine Legacy EF341SC | For natural and resonant tone |
A Quick Look At The Basic Comparison
| Name | Tonewood | Body Shape | Construction | Frets | Tuning Machine |
| Zager ZAD900CE | Solid Sitka Spruce/India Rosewood | Venetian Cutaway | Solid Wood | 20 | Fishman Aura |
| Taylor AD17 | Solid Sitka Spruce/Ovangkol Top | Grand Pacific | Solid Wood | 20 | Taylor Nickel |
| Martin D-15M | East Indian Rosewood | Dreadnought | Solid Wood | 20 | Nickel Open Gear |
| YamahaRed Label FGX5 | Sitka Spruce Top/ Mahogany | Traditional Western | ARE Treated Solid Wood | 20 | Atmosfeel/ Open Gear Chrome(Y1D) |
| Takamine GB7C | Solid Cedar Top/ Rosewood | Hollowbody | Solid Wood | 20 | CT4B II |
| Gibson ’30s J-35 | Solid Spruce/ Mahogany | Modified Jumbo | Solid Wood | 19 | LR Baggs VTC |
| Takamine Legacy EF341SC | Maple/Rosewood/Solid Cedar | Dreadnought Cutaway | Solid Wood | 20 | CT-4B With Palathetic Pickup |
7 Best Acoustic Guitars Under 2000$ (Detailed Review)
1. ZAD900CE Solid Spruce/Rosewood Acoustic Electric AURA Pro Series
Known for its exceptional playability, sound quality, and innovative features, the Zager ZAD900CE is an outstanding acoustic-electric guitar. This guitar’s rich, warm, and resonant tone is appropriate for a broad range of musical styles. It is made with a solid Sitka spruce top and Indian rosewood back and sides.
Expect to get a versatile tone from both strumming and fingerpicking. The ZAD900CE is a treat to play thanks to its slim, fast neck profile and low action. It has advanced technology onboard, such as the Fishman Aura Sound Imaging system. This system includes a sophisticated preamp making it a sonic gen at its price point.
Zager Guitars demonstrates great attention to detail. Whether you are a beginner or a veteran, be sure that you will truly be mesmerized by its sound. With its exceptional craftsmanship and innovative features, the ZAD900CE can be a long-lasting companion for you given you take care of it regularly.
Notable artists who use the ZAD900CE are Andre Coutu, Pat Bergeson from the Chet Atkins Band, and Dave Roe Who used to play with Johnny Cash.
Hey, you can find a comparison between Zager Guitar and Taylor Guitar here.
2. Taylor American Dream AD17 Acoustic Guitar
The Taylor American Dream AD17 delivers an impressive blend of performance and value. With a sleek slope-shoulder dreadnought body, referred to as the “Grand Pacific,” it features a spruce top and ovangkol back and sides. Taylor prioritizes tone and dynamics over aesthetics in this series, aiming for a better-sounding and more affordable guitar.
The mahogany neck, slim and comfortable like an electric guitar’s, is topped with an eucalyptus wood fretboard. The fretwork is complete with rounded edges and smooth crowns. In terms of tone, the American Dream AD17 impresses with clean, exceptionally bright notes, maintaining a mature quality attributed to the choice of wood in its construction.
The guitar delivers punchy sounds, particularly in the midrange, with a balanced top end providing shimmer without harshness. It has a Taylor-branded tuning machine that ensures rock-solid stability and easy fine-tuning.
Overall, the Taylor American Dream AD17 stands out for its outstanding playability, craftsmanship, and balanced tones. Notable artists who use Taylor guitars are Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Zac Brown, and Jason Mraz.
3. Martin D-15M Mahogany Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
Singer-songwriters will find the Martin D-15M Mahogany Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar to be a stunning instrument. The warm, rich tone that its mahogany construction naturally produces makes it a great companion to the human voice.
With its comfortable neck taper, this guitar takes a no-nonsense approach and is perfect for both strumming and fingerpicking. The classic dreadnought body shape ensures excellent tone and great volume with good depth.
The D-15M is built with genuine mahogany for the top, sides, and back. It has a traditional maple bridge plate and A-frame Sitka Spruce X-bracing. The fretboard is made of East Indian rosewood complete with a 20-fret mahogany neck.
A bone saddle is attached to the rosewood belly-bridge, and the nut is also made of bone. The guitar has a warm, rich mahogany voice and is visually appealing due to its satin lacquer finish and dark mahogany stain.
As a product of Martin Guitars, the D-15M carries a special status, having been used by influential guitarists like Elvis and Bob Dylan. It delivers a sweet and warm sound, making it ideal for folk musicians or singer-songwriters and the vintage aesthetic just adds to its appeal.
4. Yamaha Red Label FGX5
The Yamaha Red Label FGX5 combines vintage aesthetics with modern enhancements, paying homage to the legendary 1960s-era Nippon Gakki Red Label acoustic guitars. Retooled for contemporary guitarists, it features a solid Sitka spruce top and a solid mahogany body. It comes equipped with Yamaha’s A.R.E. wood torrefaction process for enhanced resonance and tone.
Updated scalloped bracing ensures a louder, more balanced tone. The bone nut and saddle give it a loud, clear voice, while Atmosfeel electronics make it sound like a dream when plugged in. The classic V-shaped headstock and semi-gloss finish complete the guitar’s aesthetic appeal.
The premium solid Sitka spruce top is chosen for both its visual appeal and well-rounded sound. The solid mahogany back and sides deliver exceptional bass, powerful punch, and an appealing aesthetic. Together with the pickup and preamp system, the Red Label FGX5 provides a natural, three-dimensional sound.
The 3-way sensor setup includes:
- A piezo under-saddle sensor
- An internal microphone capturing internal resonance
- A sheet sensor picking up vibrations from the soundboard
The Mic Blend knob allows you to blend the mic signal with the piezo, and a Bass EQ knob controls a peaking EQ. This set of features makes up for a high-quality acoustic-electric guitar.
Notable artists who play Yamaha guitars are James Blunt, Paul Bostaph, and Michael Bublé.
5. Takamine GB7C Garth Brooks Signature Acoustic-Electric Guitar
The Takamine GB7C Garth Brooks Signature Guitar was created especially for the legendary Garth Brooks. It has a strong midrange and warmth from its solid cedar top and rosewood back and sides. Musicians love dreadnoughts because of their balanced sound, which features a rich midrange, clear top end, and powerful low end.
The GB7C offers harmonic detail, power, and responsiveness in unplugged settings, making it ideal for live performances, recordings, and home compositions. The Takamine under-saddle pickup and CT-4BII preamp give the guitar a rich and organic tone for live performances. The preamp has a 3-band equalizer and an onboard tuner with frequency calibration.
With these top-notch electronics that match the dreadnought design, the GB7C is dependable and adaptable for a wide range of musical environments. The general layout and features of the guitar are a reflection of Takamine’s dedication to creating a signature model that satisfies the exacting requirements of a performer such as Garth Brooks.
6. Gibson Acoustic ’30s J-35
The Gibson Acoustic ’30s J-35, originally introduced in 1936, has made a triumphant return to Gibson’s Acoustic line. It truly captures the essence of its ancestor with a blend of vintage details. While not a replica, it features rounded neck and heel profiles inspired by the 1939 edition, a pale reddish-brown mahogany back and sides reminiscent of early models.
The build quality is superb, with great attention to detail with this guitar. From the first strum, you will understand the guitar’s dynamic sound spectrum. Fingerpicking on this is a treat too.
Equipped with an L.R. Baggs Element under-saddle pickup and preamp system, the J-35 is stage-ready and can deliver a balanced and clear amplified sound with minimal EQ tweaks. The Element’s direct sound is versatile and can be enhanced with additional studio-quality equipment. Some artists known for their use of a J-35 are Nick Jonas and Nameless Ghoul.
7. Takamine Legacy EF341SC
The Takamine Legacy EF341SC is a handcrafted acoustic-electric guitar known for its exceptional sound versatility. Its dreadnought body shape delivers ample depth and powerful tone, making it ideal for both gentle fingerpicking and dynamic strumming. The comfortable cutaway allows unrestricted access to the entire fretboard, catering to various playing styles.
The EF341SC’s solid cedar top really adds to its outstanding sound. Expect to get a well-balanced tone with warm highs and tight lows. The matching maple back and sides, along with the solid mahogany neck, enhance the guitar’s durability and playability. Complete with a rosewood fingerboard, fully bound for an elegant look, adds to the instrument’s classic appeal.
Designed for stage performances, the EF341SC features Takamine’s CT4B II preamp system, ensuring top-notch plugged-in sound. The proprietary Palathetic under-saddle pickup, part of this system, helps deliver its natural tone. The onboard CT4B II preamp includes a 3-band equalizer and a tuner with frequency calibration, offering a versatile and convenient setup for live gigs.
The gloss black finish enhances the guitar’s aesthetic appeal under stage lights, and its reputation is exemplified by Bruce Springsteen. He has been using this model for decades. Whether you’re a professional musician or an enthusiast, the Takamine EF341SC is a reliable and quality acoustic-electric guitar suitable for various musical settings.
| Check out this Reddit thread as people have discussed acoustic guitars in this price range. |
Acoustic Guitar Buying Checklist
String Type
When choosing your first acoustic guitar, you’ll encounter two main string types: nylon and steel.
Nylon strings produce a classical or Spanish-style sound, while steel strings offer a “cowboy chord by the campfire” vibe. Despite opinions that nylon strings might be easier for beginners due to their softer touch, the key is to focus on the sound you prefer.
Body Shapes and Sizes
Acoustic guitars come in various shapes, influencing their sound. Larger bodies generally produce a bigger sound, while smaller ones emphasize mid-range and high frequencies.
The popular dreadnought body shape provides a balanced acoustic tone, while the jumbo size offers even more volume. Smaller options like parlor-sized guitars cater to different preferences and are more manageable for certain players.
Tonewoods
Tonewoods, such as spruce, mahogany, rosewood, and ebony, contribute to a guitar’s unique sound. The choice of tonewood affects characteristics like warmth, punchiness, or brightness.
Sustainable sourcing of tonewoods is emphasized, with options like Urban Ash and exotic woods, such as Cocobolo, providing both environmental consciousness and visual appeal.
Construction Techniques
Construction techniques, including solid wood versus laminate and torrefaction, impact a guitar’s tone and durability. Different bracing styles and internal structures influence responsiveness and resonance. A balance, like a guitar with a solid wood top and laminate back and sides, can offer both tonal quality and durability.
Added Technology
Acoustic-electric guitars feature built-in electronics for amplification. Transducer pickups, preamps with tone controls, and built-in tuners are common features. Some guitars even integrate effects, such as reverb and chorus, directly into the instrument.
Final Comparison
Out of all the guitars we have reviewed, we can choose one that will give you the best of the best. While reputed old-school brands like the Gibson J-35, Martin D-15M, and Taylor AD-17 are great picks, their Japanese counterparts from Yamaha and Takamine also pack a punch in terms of quality and playability.
However, there are plenty of guitar manufacturers that equally do a good job, and a prime example of this is the ZAD900CE. Zager is a stand-out guitar brand with decades of history. The overall value that Zager Guitars offers is truly reflected in the Zager ZAD900CE.
It is the perfect example of the fact that smaller and less commercialized brands can come up with true gems. While the likes of hardcore fans of the big brand may not agree, Zager has created a masterpiece for both guitarists starting and long-time enthusiasts alike.
Conclusion
When choosing your first guitar, consider your preferences in string type, body shape, tonewoods, construction techniques, and added technology. The ultimate goal is to find a guitar that you’re excited to play. Experiment with different options, have fun, and remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer—your ideal guitar is the one that resonates with you.
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