Whether or not you are a beginner looking for their very first guitar or a longtime guitarist in need of a new campfire guitar, you don't have to spend a mint to get a good, high quality sounding guitar. Here are our reviews so you can pick out the best acoustic guitar under $200.
If you are just learning the guitar, nothing is more exciting than picking out your first guitar. And if were being honest, as a guitarist, nothing is more exciting than just getting a new guitar; regardless of the price.
You are completely capable of getting a great guitar for a really reasonable price. Try and remember that all guitars will need an initial setup to get the best sound out of them.
Here are the top 9 best acoustic guitars under $200.
The Best Acoustic Guitar Under $200
1. Epiphone FT-100 Acoustic Guitar Player Pack
2. Yamaha FG800
3. Ibanez IJV50 Acoustic Guitar
4. Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar
6. Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar - Black Bundle
7. Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar
8. Gretsch Guitars Jim Dandy Flat Top Acoustic Guitar 2-Color Sunburst
9. Orangewood 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right, Mahogany, Cutaway
Our Top Pick
Our top pick from this list is the Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar - Black Bundle. Not only do you get a great instrument but you also get a full accessory pack. The guitar is worth the price alone but already having a gigbag and strap (plus some other stuff too) istoo good to pass up!
Best Acoustic Guitar Review
You are bound to find something on this list that will check all of your boxes. We've included some steel string and nylon string guitars so you can get the sound and vibe you want.
1. Epiphone FT-100 Acoustic Guitar Player Pack
Description: If you didn't know, Epiphone is owned by Gibson. The main differences between Epiphone and Gibson guitars are the manufacturing locations and quality of materials. But, when you buy an Epiphone, you are still getting a guitar made to Gibson's standards.
With that being said, we chose this as the first entry because it is an excellent guitar. Not just for the price point, but as an instrument, it is really nice.
The spruce top is going to compliment any style of playing you throw at it, while the mahogany body will give you some of the nice, warm, rich tones you expect from an acoustic guitar.
Add in a pretty hefty "Player Pack", which includes a gigbag, tuner, strap, and picks, and you have a complete setup for a minimal cost.
Features: select spruce top, mahogany neck, comes with value pack (gigbag, strap, picks, tuner)
Dimensions: 42 x 15 x 5 inches
Weight: 12.62 lbs
Body Style: Dreadnought
Top/Soundboard: Spruce
Pros:
- comes with gigbag, strap, picks, and tuner
- great sound for the price
Cons:
- reports that frets may be sharp and require some filing on edges
2. Yamaha FG800
Description: The Yamaha FG800 series of guitars are all great quality. Yamaha consistently delivers good instruments at fair prices. We reviewed the dreadnought body style, since it is the most common acoustic body style you will see. But they also offer this model in a smaller concert body style.
This guitar will give you a lot of volume and a beautiful tone. The top is made of a solid Sitka Spruce with a Nato body. Nato is very similar to Mahogany as a tonewood.
Features: solid sitka spruce top, nato neck, back, & sides, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, diecast tuners, scalloped bracing
Dimensions: 42.5 x 20.7 x 6.1 inches
Weight: 6.38 lbs
Body Style: Dreadnought
Top/Soundboard: Solid Sitka Spruce
Pros:
- quality construction
- solid sitka spruce top sounds great
Cons:
- action may be a little high and need adjustment
- neck finish a bit rough
3. Ibanez IJV50 Acoustic Guitar
Description: This Ibanez set is a fantastic deal. Not only is the IJV50 a great entry level guitar but it is also perfect for a more established player when they want a "beater" guitar. If you want something that sounds great around the campfire or to leave in your car, just in case, this is a great buy.
You get a nice sounding tone from the laminated Spruce top, as well as the Agathis, or Asian Mahogany, body. The fretboard is a comfortable rosewood. Ibanez also states that this guitar can be used as either a right handed or left handed guitar, depending on how you string it.
The accessory pack comes with a gigbag, tuner, and accessory pouch. Everything you need for a beginner's or travel guitar you will find in this set.
Features: spruce top, natural finish, comes with value pack (gigbag, strap, tuner, accessory pack)
Dimensions 38 x 5 x 12 inches
Weight: 7 lbs
Body Style: Dreadnought
Top/Soundboard: Spruce
Pros:
- pretty sturdy and durable
- good tone
- holds tuning well
Cons:
- some fret buzz
- action is a bit high
4. Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar
Description: Jasmine is the budget label of Takamine. If you know anything about guitars, Takamine makes quality instruments.
The sound you can get from this acoustic is unbelievable. Once set up properly, the action, tuning, everything about this guitar does not match up with the low price. This guitar can easily sound like something 5x the price.
It has a spruce top and Agathis back and side. One nice feature is it has a pair of strap buttons. For some reason, many acoustics only have one and you either have to tie a strap above the nut or add your own. With this guitar, you get a uniquely placed button for ease and comfort while playing.
If you can find this guitar under $100, it's a steal.
Features: Spruce top, laminated nato neck, back, and sides, satin finish, chrome cover tuning machines, rosewood fretboard
Dimensions 18 x 8 x 48 inches
Weight: 5.63 lbs
Body Style: Dreadnought
Top/Soundboard: Spruce
Pros:
- great sound for the price
- bright, clear tone
- very light (could be a con too)
Cons:
- reports that the color is more orange than the pictures depict
- action a little high but can be adjusted
5. Cordoba CP100 Pack
Description: We included the Cordoba CP100 on this list because we felt is was important to include a nylon string, classical style guitar. The warm tone of the nylon strings bring out a sound that you can't achieve with any other instrument on this list.
This guitar has a great sounding Spruce soundboard complimented with the warm rich tones of a Nato/Eastern Mahogany body. The accessory pack that comes with this guitar includes a gigbag, a clip-on digital tuner, some picks, a chord chart, and an instructional booklet. If you are looking for a great beginner guitar pack, this would be a perfect choice.
Features: spruce top, nato neck, back, and sides, rosewood bridge and fingerboard, satin finish, includes starter pack (gigbag, digital tuner, picks, instructional book and chord chart)
Dimensions 46 x 18 x 8 inches
Weight: 3.41 lbs
Body Style: Classical
Top/Soundboard: Spruce
Pros:
- good, warm classical tone
- lightweight
Cons:
- reports of some missing/non-working accessories
6. Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar - Black Bundle
Description: The Fender FA-115 is our top pick from this entire list. Everything about this guitar is great. The glossy black finish is eyecatching while the Spruce top gives you a great tone.
The back and sides are made of a lightweight basswood and deliver a beefy mid-range and a whole lot of volume. Explore the 20-fret walnut fingerboard with ease.
On top of a beautiful sounding guitar, this package also comes with a padded gig bag, a strap, a clip-on digital tuner, a few picks, and a set of extra strings. This guitar has everything you would expect from a high quality instrument except for the price tag.
Features: spruce top with "X"-bracing, basswood back and side, walnut fingerboard, hardwood bridge w/ compensated saddle, comes with value pack (gigbag, clip-on tuner, strap, picks, extra strings)
Dimensions 42 x 19.5 x 7 inches
Weight: 11.73 lbs
Body Style: Dreadnought
Top/Soundboard: Spruce
Pros:
- Fender offers 3 months of online lessons with purchase
- comes with value pack
- black glossy finish is beautiful
Cons:
- reports of some missing accessories
7. Jasmine S34C NEX Acoustic Guitar
Description: This is the seconds appearance that Jasmine guitars have made on this list. If you want high quality sound with a budget price, Jasmine can't be beat.
The S34C NEX features a dreadnought cutaway body style to allow you to reach all 21 frets of the rosewood fingerboard. This guitar has a back and sides made from Sapele. Sapele gives your guitar a nice bright sound but also retains the warmer tones you want from an acoustic.
The top is made of a laminate Spruce. The interior of the guitar features Jasmine's "Advanced X-Bracing" system. This system places the bracing close to the soundhole in order to give off a more open and livelier sound.
Features: Glossy natural finish, laminate spruce top, sapele back and sides, rosewood fingerboard, synthetic bone nut and saddle
Dimensions 48 x 8 x 18 inches
Weight: 5.5 lbs
Body Style: Dreadnought
Top/Soundboard: Laminated Spruce
Pros:
- cutaway design
- great sound for the price
Cons:
- tuners may feel a bit rigid
8. Gretsch Guitars Jim Dandy Flat Top Acoustic Guitar 2-Color Sunburst
Description: You may notice this guitar strays a bit from the other in both body shape and top material. The parlor body style is a smaller profile and is great for those that don't want to hold a large guitar.
Agathis, also known as Asian Mahogany, has a similar sound to a mahogany soundboard. With mahogany, the midrange really stands out and give you a full rich tone.
In addition to the smaller body, this guitar also has a "C" shaped neck for more comfortable playing. You can't go wrong with a Gretsch at any price point and this one is no exception.
Features: agathis top, x-bracing, screened white purfling and rosette, "C" shaped neck, rosewood bridge
Dimensions 35.43 x 3 x 14.96 inches
Weight: 2.2 lbs
Body Style: Parlor
Top/Soundboard: Agathis
Pros:
- great campfire guitar
- small size is comfortable to hold while playing
Cons:
- needs initial setup for action, bridge, etc
9. Orangewood 6 String Acoustic Guitar, Right, Mahogany, Cutaway
Description: The Orangewood guitar company started with the intent to make quality guitars inexpensively and available online. Everything about this guitar lines up with that vision.
The use of layered Spruce and Mahogany for the top and body, respectively, give this guitar a beautiful tone. It strays from the dreadnought body style that has dominated this list with a grand auditorium cutaway.
This guitar also comes with a padded gigbag for easy storage and safe traveling. Another thing that Orangewood offers that is unique to them is that every guitar they send is professionally setup prior to shipment.
That means the action is checked, the truss rod is adjusted, the tuning machine is serviced. You should be able to take this guitar out of the box and play it right away.
Features: Grand Auditorium Cutaway, layered spruce top, layered mahogany back and sides, professional setup included, comes with gigbag, pickguard, and adjustment tools
Dimensions 41 x 4 x 15 inches
Weight: 10 lbs
Body Style: Grand Auditorium Cutaway
Top/Soundboard: Layered Spruce
Pros:
- good tone
- action is comfortable
Cons:
- advertised professional setup may not be great
What To Look For In A Budget Acoustic Guitar
If you don't know what you're looking for in an instrument then you won't know if you are buying something that will meet your needs. Even at a lower price, you don't want to purchase an instrument that is lacking.
Here are a few things to look for when buying a budget guitar.
Personal Taste
Your instrument, just like your music, is an extension of you and your personality. So a large part of choosing an instrument is which one "feels" right to you. A guitar can tick all of the boxes on a sheet of paper, but if you don't feel awesome when playing it, it may not be the right one.
When you find the guitar that is right for you, you will know it.
Price/Budget
Obviously, if you're looking for a guitar under $200, you are already keeping your budget in mind.
Is it worth getting a guitar under $200?
Looking at the list above, there are a ton of great options for beautiful sounding guitars. If the action is a bit high or the frets too sharp, you can go through the acoustic guitar setup process.
Can you make improvements to a cheap guitar?
You can always improve your guitar. You can add in a new pickup or pre-amp. Changing out the bridge or tuning machines can also make a big difference in the sound quality of your instrument.
Obviously those things cost money, but if you love your guitar and don't mind the extra expense, you can absolutely make improvements to a budget guitar.
Can I just buy a nicer used guitar?
The used and pre-owned market will almost always have a great deal. Buying a used instrument is completely up to you. Sometimes you can get a great deal on a great instrument and have no issues. Other times you can end up with a complete lemon and no recourse.
The problem with buying used over new is the uncertainty of what you are getting. With a new instrument you know where it is coming from, where it has been, and that it is free from any kind of damaging incidents. You also will get a manufacturer's warranty most of the time.
So, yes, you can buy a used guitar but the certainty of knowing what you are paying for with a new instrument is generally worth it in the long run.
Quality of Build
I think most people worry about the construction integrity of cheaper guitars. Obviously, if the price is lower, the materials used are most likely lower quality than a more expensive guitar.
That doesn't mean that your instrument will suffer though. It just means you may need to do a little more research to make sure what you are getting is still going through a good quality check from the manufacturer before it gets to you (spoiler alert: everything on this list should meet those QC standards).
Body
You will want to look into what the body of the guitar is made of and, maybe most importantly, what material the top/soundboard is made from.
Most of the entries on this list have a soundboard made from some type of Spruce. Spruce is used pretty often for acoustic guitars because it gives off a very consistent tone that lends itself to pretty much any playing style.
Tonewoods is a pretty complex subject. Here is a pretty handy tonewood guide for more information.
Strings
When considering what type of guitar you want you will also need to consider the style of strings you intend to use. Your main choices are nylon or steel strings.
Nylon strings are generally associated with styles like folk, classical, and flamenco guitar. They have a nice, soft, warm tone. Typically, they are not as loud as steel strings but those particular styles do not tend to be played at loud volumes.
Steel strings are what you see on most acoustic guitars in modern music. They are featured in pretty much any song whether it is poop, rock, country, blues, etc. Steel strings have a brighter quality to them and are usually louder than nylon strings.
The reason you will want to consider which type of strings you want is because the guitar is generally designed for a specific type of string. In theory, a steel string guitar can use nylon strings, however, they are not usually equipped with the correct gear to put the strings on.
Most steel strings have some kind of ball on the end that hold them in place under the bridge. Most nylon strings are fed through the bridge and then tied in place.
You NEVER want to put steel strings on a classical guitar. Most classical guitars are designed for nylon strings and do not have a truss rod to provide the extra support needed for steel strings. Putting steel strings on a nylon string guitar can cause some pretty serious neck damage.
So, in short (too late, I know), figure out what style of string you want to play and pick out a guitar accordingly.
Overall Top choice
Again, our top pick for best acoustic guitar under $200 is the Fender FA-115 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar - Black Bundle. Fender makes great guitars. This guitar will be a welcome addition to your collection. It's a great starter guitar as well as a great sounding acoustic for those that have been playing for a while.
All in all, this whole package is well worth the low price.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you have found something in this list that will meet your needs for an awesome budget acoustic guitar. You don't have to sacrifice quality for a great sound and these guitars are proof of that fact.
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