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14 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500

14 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500

There’s never a wrong time to get a stellar deal on an acoustic guitar! And these days, between manufacturing improvements and Sweetwater deals, there’s no reason that financial stress and outstanding 6-strings should go together.

With so many acoustic guitars available online, Sweetwater goes above and beyond for customers by choosing brands and models that meet strict criteria and standards. The result? Numerous high-quality options that help players explore what works for them!

We’ve plucked the 14 best acoustic guitars under $500 that we find inspirational, big on value, or both. From jumbo powerhouses to cozy parlor and backpack strummers to 12-strings to classical guitars, these standouts deliver excellent features in their respective categories. In short, if a high-value 6-string keeps calling your name, then you’ve come to the right place!

Note: At Sweetwater, we know there’s no such thing as “best” when it comes to music gear. Every player and artist has unique tastes, which is what makes selecting gear so fun! The items on this list feature some of our favorite products from top manufacturers to help you start your buying journey! Explore these recommendations and dive into Sweetwater’s massive collection of gear on our online store. For personalized picks and expert advice, please contact our knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700!

Steel-string Acoustic Guitars

Martin LXK2 Little Martin

Trail-ready tone infused with koa

Martin’s portable LXK2 Little Martin is ready to board! From airline overheads to cramped band vans and even backpacking trips, this Little Martin is the stowaway no one minds sharing space with. We’ve seen the Little Martin used for everything: recording, relaxing in nature, and even gigging! The LXK2’s fingerboard is a few inches shorter than the average guitar — but not by much. At 23 inches, it captures the feel of a true acoustic without crossing into toy territory.

Travel guitars often face adverse weather and other conditions, but the LXK2 faces these challenges with an extra-durable build fit for the open road. The back, sides, and top are all made from strong HPL enriched with koa for Martin-approved tone. Similarly, the neck is constructed from natural Stratabond for assured playability that resists warping caused by humidity or swinging temps. For a trustworthy travel guitar made to last, these cutting-edge materials — from a name that players can trust — are some of the best in the business.

D’Angelico Premier Tammany XT Orchestra Acoustic-electric Guitar

Top-rated and exclusive to Sweetwater!

The D’Angelico Premier Tammany XT acoustic-electric guitar is available only at Sweetwater, and frankly, we’re delighted that’s the case! Sweetwater Sales Engineers often usher customers to the Premier Tammany because it provides fluid comfort, upscale looks, and gig-ready tone at a great price. The strings are supple, responsive, and perfect for fingerpicking. A solid spruce top paired with a sapele back and sides fuels strong, professional tone that’s smooth and packed with ripples of sparkling treble. A built-in Fishman Sonitone system lets you instantly plug in and enjoy a soulful, amplified sound. Last but not least, this Sweetwater Exclusive arrives dolled up in D’Angelico’s bevy of art deco hardware and appointments, including antique bronze tuners, a rosewood bridge, and a bespoke Scalini pickguard. What’s not to love?!

Ibanez AAM70CETBN Advanced Acoustic Auditorium Acoustic-electric Guitar

Fresh design worth a look

The Ibanez AAM70CETBN Advanced Acoustic Auditorium brings an ultra-modern playing experience to one of today’s most popular acoustic body styles. The top is made from solid, high-quality Sitka spruce — the gold standard for any acoustic guitar. You’ll also find Macassar ebony, okoume, and purpleheart tonewoods throughout. The okoume neck is a real highlight; a supportive, low-oval shape and practically flat fingerboard radius leave room for advanced techniques and tempos that traditional acoustic guitars might struggle to match. Sweetwater guitarists are also big fans of the Advanced Acoustic Auditorium’s body shape. The contoured waist and shapely cutaway fuel limitless comfort, and you hear more of yourself due to a built-in sound port that sends extra decibels to your ears! When plugging in, AEQ-TP2 preamp electronics supply heartfelt amplification, along with a 2-band EQ and a digital tuner.

Taylor Baby Taylor BT1 Walnut Acoustic Guitar

The discrete Taylor that stores with ease

“Travel” guitars have rarely looked so appealing! The Baby Taylor BT1 shrinks Taylor’s most refined building techniques into a 3/4-size guitar (see the Big Baby Taylor for a larger, 15/16-size travel-ready option). With its comfortable size, focused sound, and premium tonewoods, this Baby Taylor is an outstanding guitar for students, outdoor adventures, home recording, and more. This Baby Taylor’s body size, along with its solid top carved from spruce, makes for a clear tone, loud projection, and rich tonewood sonics — all without the bassy, low-frequency mud of a larger body shape. Moreover, the Baby Taylor BT1’s layered walnut back and sides provide sweet-sounding sustain and improved resistance to changes in temperature and humidity when traveling.

Recording King Dirty 30s Series 9 Parlor Acoustic Guitar

Crown yourself king with a compact RK Parlor

The landmark Recording King brand traces their origins back to the 1930s, which is exactly where the Dirty 30s Series 9 Parlor belongs. This shapely parlor’s short-scale fingerboard accurately emulates the smooth action of an old-timey parlor, but inside, this Series 9 Parlor ditches antiquated parlor bracing for upgraded cross-lap X-bracing that teases out more volume and sustain for a more immersive sound. A solid Sitka spruce top keeps the tone full-bodied and responsive to dynamics, so you’re always empowered to strum cowboy chords or fingerpick an iconic melody. The fingerboard is carved from ovangkol, laced with retro Harmonella Stencil inlays, and capped with a bone nut to ensure visceral string resonance and admirable sustain.

Yamaha FG830 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

An apex of discount dreadnought design!

It’s an open secret with guitarists that Yamaha’s affordable FG Series sounds and plays better than you’d expect. For instance, this Yamaha FG830 dreadnought has a solid spruce top, scalloped bracing for visceral sound onstage, a sleek tapered neck, and rounded fingerboard edges that play comfortably like a broken-in guitar. Moreover, a rosewood back and sides provide a rich, mature tone with intense harmonic depth that passionate players readily admire.

Alvarez AF30CE Artist 30 Folk Acoustic-electric Guitar

Masterfully built for folk artists

Busy performers on a budget will find the Alvarez Artist 30 Folk acoustic-electric guitar a worthy addition to their collection. The Artist 30’s folk-style body is exceptionally portable and keeps those long gigs and studio sessions comfortable (the shapely body cutaway reduces weight while also improving access to the highest frets). The AF30CE’s solid spruce top vibrates and infuses tone with depth while a sapele back and sides provide a flexible sound that can easily change styles on the fly. The Artist 30’s built-in SYS250 preamp also packs extremely competitive tools for tweaking amplified tones. There’s a built-in tuner, 3-band EQ, and Presence and Volume controls.

Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top

Jim, is that you? 

The Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy flat top is a trip back into designs from the 1930s and ’40s. But don’t read too much into those dates — the Jim Dandy is small and portable not because Depression-era guitars were smaller but because parlor guitars like this one were surefire ways to liven up social events and get-togethers. The Jim Dandy’s 12-fret neck joint makes the strings and frets so easy to navigate, and the body’s minuscule footprint means you’ll likely spend many an evening strumming your Jim Dandy on the couch. Resonant basswood construction and familiar Gretsch quality are sure to provide plenty of sculpted definition, especially when it comes to fingerpicking.

Epiphone Starling Acoustic Guitar

Easygoing, all-purpose, awesome

The Epiphone Starling acoustic guitar is destined for greatness! The Starling’s durable layered construction consists of spruce and mahogany tonewoods topped with a finish that’s playful and energetic. These punchy features serve up strong projection and crisp, detailed sound. What’s more, this acoustic’s square-shouldered body shape is the stuff of storied singer/songwriter studio legends and is directly inspired by celebrated Gibson acoustics such as the Hummingbird. You’ll find the Starling easy to hold, but the sound is full and assertive, much like a traditional bulky dreadnought. Lastly, the Starling’s mahogany neck —a smooth-cut C-shape profile — is known to help new players advance their knowledge and technique.

Classical/Nylon-string Acoustic Guitars

Yamaha C40II Full-scale Classical

Straightforward elegance from a defining brand

Geared toward students and first-time classical players, the Yamaha C40II is packed with full-scale classical features that deliver a mind-boggling performance for the price. The C40II’s 2-inch nut width is ideal for transitioning to an “authentic” classical guitar, especially for children who have outgrown a smaller instrument. Educators cite the C40II’s sound and feel as huge assets to any student. A high-quality spruce top adds dynamic power that’s sensitive to the player’s energy and emotions. A true rosewood fingerboard helps you navigate the frets with glassy playability that helps with feeling immersed in the music. Moreover, Yamaha bundles the C40II with instant access to the Player Port app, which is packed with tips, articles, videos, and a tuner.

Ibanez FRH10NIBF Thinline Nylon Acoustic-electric Guitar

Crossover comfort that guitarists love!

Electric players rarely flock to classical guitars, but Ibanez has changed that with contemporary masterpieces like the nylon-string Ibanez FRH10NIBF thinline acoustic-electric guitar. The FRH10N sounds rich and sophisticated. The top is carved from solid Sitka spruce. The back and sides, carved from sapele, infuse tones with bold sustain and midrange power that brings motifs to life. Players feel strongly about the FRH10N’s body depth, which makes for a classical guitar that’s easy to pick up and play onstage — or even on the couch! On a related note, electric players feel right at home playing the FRH10N’s nyatoh neck and walnut fingerboard, which are carefully modified with a thinner nut and a familiar radius to ensure instant playability with practically no learning curve whatsoever!

Alhambra 1 OP Nylon-string Classical Guitar

Crafted in Spain for authenticity

Our hopes for the Alhambra 1 OP nylon-string classical were high — mostly because the Alhambra brand’s headquarters is in Spain! Thankfully, the 1 OP delivers proof that Spanish nylon-string craftsmanship is vibrant, alive, and well. Beginners find the 1 OP’s modest price approachable, while the feature set demonstrates unflinching authenticity and stellar sonic qualities. The 1 OP comes equipped with a high-quality solid cedar top fitted to a mahogany back and sides. Professional classical guitarists love Alhambra’s use of a cedar top, as cedar not only provides unbridled power and warmth but is also the preferred top wood of many pros. Explore our product page to learn more about Alhambra’s passionate design legacy and meticulous authenticity!

Cordoba C5 Nylon-string Acoustic Guitar

Fan-style bracing and pro-grade appointments

Cordoba is one of the world’s most esteemed purveyors of classical guitars, and the Cordoba C5 lets players explore a legendary sound at a great price. The C5’s large, compelling sound is characterized by brooding sustain and crisp clarity. Spanish-style fan bracing serves up booming presence channeled by a mahogany back and sides, and this fan bracing also lets the C5’s solid cedar top vibrate unimpeded. Sweetwater guitarists were also quick to note that the C5’s solid mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard make for a wonderful playing experience. Good looks seal this invaluable deal: rosewood binding, a stately soundhole rosette, and a gloss finish make the C5 feel destined for great things.

12-string Acoustic Guitars

D’Angelico Premier Fulton LS 12-string Acoustic-electric Guitar

Unmatched 12-string playability at this price!

What do rock epics like “Stairway to Heaven” and contemporary hits from Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Lana Del Rey have in common? They all use 12-string guitars for textures that put meat on the bones of any mix! Players can easily find a quality 12-string on a budget, and the D’Angelico Premier Fulton LS acoustic-electric guitar is one of the best!

Some 12-string guitars juggle compromises between playability and tone — not the Premier Fulton LS! D’Angelico’s comfortable, grand-auditorium body and slim, C-shaped neck offer hands down one of the most playable 12-string experiences at this price. The C-shaped profile is balanced up and down the neck. Therefore, exploring cowboy chords down low is easy and fun, and players won’t feel strained venturing beyond for progressive sounds and unusual textures higher on the neck.

The Premier Fulton LS’s mahogany top, back, and sides match its inherent richness and power while keeping its grand-concert body loud and resonant. Moreover, we think D’Angelico’s standard, large headstock looks especially formidable with a 12-string’s additional tuners. Regarding 12-string guitars, we say go big or go home!

You’re Just a Few Clicks Away from Acoustic Excellence!

Acoustic guitars (and the artists who play them) are foundational to much of music’s past, present, and future, making it fun and easy for our customers to remain passionate and up to date. With tonewoods, body styles, sizes, and looks to consider, why make shopping stressful? The easiest way to find your fit is by reaching out to one of our knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700. You can get started with personalized acoustic guitar advice from musicians who get it!

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