Best Beginner Acoustic Guitar
Top Recommendations
($100-$199)

You certainly want the very best beginner acoustic guitar available on the market as you contemplate this all-important purchase. While anyone can pick up a cheap acoustic guitar for under $100, there are some features that you just can’t get for that price.

We're recommending guitars in the $100-$199 price range because, for the extra little bit of money you get things such as as a solid guitar top. A solid top can make the difference between a mediocre sounding guitar that you really have to work at to get a good sound out of, and an awesome sounding guitar that sounds great even when you are playing scales.

RECOMMENDED MODEL:

Washburn WD10S Flame Top

The Washburn WD10S Flame Top is a guitar that any beginning guitarist would love to get their hands on. For that matter, some intermediate and advanced guitarists wouldn’t mind it either. Costing only $199, the WD 10S is arguably the best beginner acoustic guitar on the market. Crafted with a solid Alaskan Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides, this beauty has a richness and depth to its tone that can’t be matched by others in its price category. Whether this is due to the solid top or the bone nut and saddle, or a combination of all of these, you’d be hard pressed to find another dreadnought with this flavor in this price range. In fact, if you are looking for a comparison as to sound and ease of play you’d have to jump up a hundred dollars to the Epiphone Hummingbird, which is famed for its warm, rich sound and playability. But for the price range, you really can’t beat the WD 10S for a great acoustic guitar for beginners... (read complete review)

More Best Beginner Acoustic Guitar Models

Epiphone AJ-220S

The Epiphone AJ-220S is an affordable option for a solid-top beginner’s acoustic guitar. While this advanced jumbo is still a big guitar, its shape makes it easier to handle for some players, though it is still a bit big for younger or smaller individuals. The solid Sitka spruce top as well as its mahogany back and sides give this guitar a big sound that will definitely make a great first impression, especially on your pocket book as it only prices out at $199. Of course for $200 more you can get the Epiphone Masterbilt AJ-500M Advanced Jumbo acoustic guitar. While this is built on the same Advanced Jumbo body as the AJ-220S, it is crafted out of all-solid wood (the solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides) which gives it an even richer flavor than its less expensive brother... (read complete review)

Ibanez PF30S PF Series

The Ibanez PF30S PF Series is another excellent choice for beginner’s guitars. Built on a dreadnought body, this classically styled guitar had a great volume and a richly smooth tone that can be attributed to its solid Engelmann spruce top and its mahogany back and sides. Priced at just $199, the PF30S is real steal and a great choice for those who are looking to upgrade from a lesser quality beginner acoustic guitar. Of course for the same price you can get the Washburn WD 10S which has a richer and more vibrant tone. Or you can spend an extra $80 and opt for the Ibanez AW300VS Artwood dreadnought acoustic guitar, which also has a solid Engelmann spruce top, as well as a bone saddle and a dovetail neck joint which gives it better playability than the PF30S... (read complete review)

Jasmine NEX Cutaway S34CFM

The Jasmine NEX Cutaway S34CFM is an option to consider for the beginning guitar player who is younger or of a smaller build. With a body that is basically a scaled-down version of a Jumbo, you get the feel of a small-bodied guitar with all the advantages of the Jumbo build and styling. With a solid spruce top and a flamed maple body, this is definitely a pretty guitar to look at and it sounds as good as it looks! With a price of just $199 you can compare the Jasmine NEW Cutaway to the Ibanez AC240 Artwood which costs a good $80 more, though it sports a solid mahogany top instead of a solid spruce top, giving it a brighter sound than the Jasmine... (read complete review)

Yamaha FG700S Folk

The Yamaha FG700S Folk is another choice that guitar reviews tend to overlook. Its solid Sitka spruce top combined with the Nato back and sides make this a great looking, balanced-sounding guitar. While it is the same price as the Washburn WD 10S, its tone is not nearly as rich. It comes across as somewhat woody, though still a good choice as a beginners acoustic guitar that will serve its owner well; sounding better the longer you play it... (read complete review)

Fender CD 140S

The Fender CD 140S is another solid top guitar that makes a good choice for the beginning guitarist. With a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, the CD 140S has a warm tone which, while not as rich as the Washburn WD 10S, is still a good sounding instrument, especially for $199. If you want a big guitar with a big sound, however, you can opt for the Epiphone AJ-220S whose advanced jumbo body gives it a bigger, fuller sound than the Fender and for the same price... (read complete review)

Conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of “solid” choices when it comes to finding the best beginner acoustic guitar. With each of these best beginner acoustic guitar models in the same general price range, it will be up to you to decide which guitar speaks to you the most clearly.