How to Choose Your First Acoustic Guitar
Buying your first acoustic shouldn''t be stressful, but the jargon makes it harder than it needs to be. Here''s what actually matters, in plain English.
Solid top vs laminate top — the big one
This is the single most important spec. A solid wood top vibrates more freely than a layered laminate one, giving a richer, louder tone that improves as the guitar ages. Solid tops used to be expensive; now guitars like the Yamaha FG800 (check price) and Fender CD-60S (check price) offer them for around $200. If you can stretch to a solid top, do.
Body shape and size
Dreadnoughts are the classic big-bodied acoustic — loud and full, with strong bass. They''re great, but can feel large. Concert and travel-sized guitars like the Yamaha FS800 (check price), Taylor GS Mini (check price) and Little Martin (check price) are more comfortable, especially for smaller players or younger learners, with a sweeter, more balanced voice.
Setup matters more than you think
A guitar''s "setup" — how the strings sit over the neck — decides how easy it is to play. A high action (strings far from the fretboard) makes a cheap guitar miserable and a good one frustrating. Buy from a shop that sets the guitar up, or budget a little for a professional setup. It transforms a beginner guitar.
How much to spend
Around $200–$250 buys an excellent solid-top starter. On a tight budget, the Epiphone DR-100 (check price) gets you playing for less. For our full ranked picks, see the best acoustic guitars for beginners guide.
Common questions
- What should I look for in a first acoustic guitar?
- A solid top if you can afford one (better tone that improves with age), a comfortable body size for your frame, and a good setup so it''s easy to play. Yamaha, Fender and Epiphone all make excellent beginner acoustics.
- How much should I spend on a first acoustic?
- Around $200–$250 gets an excellent solid-top guitar like a Yamaha FG800. You can start for less with an Epiphone DR-100, or spend more on a Taylor GS Mini or Little Martin you''ll keep for years.
Hey, I'm Doug. I've played the folk circuit for the better part of my life, mostly fingerstyle, and somewhere along the way I started building and repairing acoustics in a little workshop out back. Spend enough time with a sound that comes from wood, air and your bare fingers and you start to hear instruments the way you hear a forest in the morning — alive and full of small details. I'll tell you how a guitar feels under the fingers and how it ages, not just how it photographs.
Folk-circuit fingerstyle player; acoustic builder and repairer
More from Doug
How to set up an electric guitar: a practical guide to action, intonation and neck reliefA good setup transforms how an electric guitar feels and sounds. Here's how to work through action, neck relief and intonation at home.- How to care for an acoustic guitar: humidity, cleaning and seasonal changesWood moves with the seasons. Doug explains how to protect your acoustic from humidity swings, how to clean it properly, and what to watch for year-round.
- Plugging in an acoustic-electric: how to choose the right amp for your plugged-in soundNot every amp flatters an acoustic-electric. Doug walks through what to look for — and what to avoid — when you need to amplify a plugged-in acoustic.