At Sweetwater, we have a weakness for guitars designed to delight not only in tone but in visual appeal, as well. What can we say? We’re suckers for the beauty that all models, shapes, and sizes of acoustic guitars offer. We’d like to share eight especially easy-on-the-eyes models of acoustics that we are sure will delight you, as well. Enjoy!
Breedlove Organic Signature Companion
While each of the guitars on this list has its unique characteristics, the Breedlove Organic Signature Companion acoustic-electric guitar really stands out from the crowd. This travel-size acoustic is made from all-solid tonewoods that have been individually harvested and that are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified — no clear-cutting involved! The Organic Signature Companion features African mahogany back and sides and a torrefied European spruce top for a blend of warm low end and upfront midrange with treble that punches through on every strum, every note. You won’t just be knocked out by the sound of this acoustic; you will also catch yourself gazing at the mesmerizing grain of the tonewoods. The African mahogany presents a dark-brown pattern throughout, and the European spruce has a yellow, aged hue that echoes the forests from which it was responsibly harvested. Breedlove Natural Sound electronics and an under-saddle pickup let you plug in and share the beautiful tone and soul of this rare acoustic with an audience, as well!
Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top
The Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top acoustic guitar is a parlor-size instrument that will have folks asking questions. A lot of people are not familiar with smaller-bodied parlor acoustics. With the G9500, you can tell the story of 1930s and ’40s America, when the Gretsch Rex was the king of front-porch strumming and parlor shows put on by itinerant performers. This traditional 12-fret guitar packs a lot of punch for its size. Made from all agathis, the Jim Dandy is known for its mellow, warm tone that sits nicely in the mix of string-based ensembles. The Jim Dandy has also earned quite the rep as a great recording acoustic. Its even tone and consistent projection are beautifully captured through ribbon and condenser mics. Whether you hit the road or the studio — or both — with the Jim Dandy from Gretsch, we are confident you will find years of enjoyment from this conversation-starter acoustic.
Ibanez Artwood AW54CE
The Ibanez Artwood AW54CE acoustic-electric is another stunner on our list that players at all levels will enjoy. With the Artwood series, Ibanez combines carefully selected materials from stem to stern to bring you the kind of quality craftsmanship and playability normally found in instruments at a much higher price point. The Artwood AW54CE is made from solid okoume top, back, and sides and will have you mesmerized not only by its rich, varied tone but also by its stunning presentation. Okoume is a central African wood that typically presents a light brown that darkens with age. The grain on okoume moves from straight to wavy and even interlocks at different points for a truly stunning pattern that never fails to captivate. And captivate you will when you plug in the Artwood AW54CE, thanks to a Fishman under-saddle pickup and an Ibanez AEQ-TP2 preamp. This combination setup continues to win over legions of players for its natural, true-to-the-core acoustic tone.
Takamine GN93CE NEX Acoustic-Electric Guitar
The designers at Takamine are never ones to rest when it comes to improving the instruments they bring to the playing public. The GN93CE NEX acoustic-electric is no exception. This small-bodied acoustic has been cut to contours that cannot be ignored. The small, NEX-style jumbo body of the GN93CE is ultra-comfortable for playing both standing and sitting. Takamine’s legendary scalloped X-bracing provides incredible volume and projection, making the GN93CE ideal for beach performances or living-room jams. A deep cutaway lets you access those harder-to-reach notes up the smooth rosewood fingerboard, and the solid spruce top is paired with black walnut back and sides for a delicious blend of treble and robust low end. When you plug in, an onboard TK-40D preamp delivers pristine acoustic tone that can be shaped with the built-in 3-band EQ. And, just to add a little more icing on the cake, the GN93CE features a price point that is, oh, so friendly!
Taylor GS Mini-e Koa
Once you gaze on the Taylor GS Mini-e Koa acoustic-electric guitar, you might be tempted to hang it on your wall as an art piece. We wouldn’t blame you, but we’re pretty sure that, once you strum even one chord on this beauty, you won’t let it leave your side. The Taylor GS Mini-e Koa features a solid koa top that is so uniquely captivating you have to see it for yourself. Koa is found exclusively in the Hawaiian Islands and is legendary for its stunning, striped wood grain in various hues ranging from red to brown to nearly white. As a tonewood, koa produces a lush, warm tone reminiscent of the humid rainforests from which it is born. As a scaled-down version of Taylor’s Grand Symphony, the GS Mini is ideal for travel — whether to the beach, the mountains, or a natural amphitheater in an extinct volcano on the Hawaiian Islands. And, when you’re ready to plug in, Taylor’s renowned ES-B pickup system translates all that lush koa tone beautifully.
Guild D-240E
As part of their Westerly series, the Guild D-240E is a classic arched-back dreadnought that only gets better with age. The D-240E pairs a solid Sitka spruce top with mahogany back and sides for a classic blend of treble punch, midrange cuddle, and low-end goodness. A vintage-profiled C-shaped neck with an Indian rosewood fingerboard invites you to both strum and fingerpick away the day or night. Guild also outfitted the D-240E with a genuine bone nut and saddle for enhanced resonance. And, as an homage to their storied past, the D-240E features a cool, retro red tortoiseshell pickguard. As an arch back, the D-240E is light and contoured for comfortable playing standing or seated. And an AP-1 pickup system delivers an incredibly clean tone when you plug in.
Luna Gypsy Mahogany 12-String
Get an incredibly affordable and exotically stunning instrument with the Luna Gypsy Mahogany 12-string acoustic guitar. The Luna Gypsy is made from all mahogany for wonderful tone. The mahogany top features a captivating, Celtic-themed rosette soundhole, and the black walnut fingerboard has mother-of-pearl moon-phase inlays that will inspire creative exploration as you play. And, of course, the 12-string design means lots of chiming tone reminiscent of classic folk music of the ’60s. This is a wonderful beginner- to emerging-player acoustic that will captivate both its owner and their audience.
Washburn Comfort G66SCE Spalt Maple
The Washburn Comfort G66SCE Spalt Maple is another awesome acoustic designed with your maximum comfort in mind. This Grand Auditorium acoustic features an ergonomic, contoured mahogany elbow rest on the lower bout that translates to outstanding comfort while you play. A solid cedar top with a bookmatched spalted maple back with a maple/mahogany/maple strip gives the Comfort Spalt Maple an intoxicating visual presentation. This unique tonewood combo offers a bright, treble- and midrange-heavy tone that cuts through and into the mix of just about any ensemble. A Fishman Presys+ electronics system in this beauty translates all that unique tone faithfully for you and your audience to enjoy. Washburn has been in the guitar manufacturing business since its humble beginnings in Chicago in the 1880s, and the Comfort G66SCE Spalt Maple is yet another example of their commitment to making acoustics that shine in tone and visual presentation.
We hope you enjoyed this quick overview of eight awesome acoustics. Each of these instruments has its own uniquely awesome features, so take your time deciding which one is right for you. If you have any questions about these or other guitars, don’t hesitate to reach out to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700! We’ll be happy to help you find your perfect guitar.
