Acoustic Guitars

About Acoustic Guitars

The acoustic guitar is a staple of genres including country, folk, alternative, and reggae, and the right one depends on how you play and what you want to hear. Sweetwater carries acoustic guitars in a range of body shapes, tonewoods, and price points, from compact parlor models to full-size dreadnoughts and acoustic-electrics ready for the stage.

How to Choose an Acoustic Guitar Body Shape

Body shape affects an acoustic guitar’s tone, playability, and volume. Deeper bodies and larger lower bouts hold more air, which generally means more volume and bass, while smaller bodies tend to be quieter and more focused. Names and sizes vary by brand, but the common shapes run from smallest to largest: mini, parlor, concert, auditorium, orchestra, dreadnought, and jumbo.

Parlor and Concert Acoustic Guitars

A parlor guitar’s shallow depth and smaller size typically provide an intimate, mid-focused tone often used for blues, folk, and fingerstyle playing. A concert guitar has a narrow, tapered waist and a shallow body that is wider than a parlor, with a balanced midrange and responsive treble articulation.

Dreadnought, Auditorium, or Jumbo: What Is the Difference?

Martin debuted its first dreadnought in 1916, and the modern 14-fret design was standardized in 1934. Its square shoulders and wide waist often produce a full midrange with strong low-end projection, as on the Martin D-28. An auditorium has a waist similar to a concert’s and a slightly longer body, which gives a more even balance of lows, mids, and highs that suits singer-songwriters. A jumbo has a wider lower bout and a narrow waist, known for producing rich bass resonance and strong projection that suits strumming.

Waist and Shoulder Shape

A narrow waist often gives a more focused midrange, while a boxy or square waist keeps more internal air volume for added bass and projection. Round shoulders tend to sound slightly warmer, and square shoulders tend to project more.

Bracing and Cutaways

Thinner or scalloped bracing generally allows more wood vibration for warmth and sustain, while thicker bracing often gives a brighter, more focused sound. A cutaway can make the tone a little brighter and less bassy.

Fingerpicking vs. Strumming

Fingerpickers often prefer smaller bodies. Concert, Grand Concert, and parlor shapes emphasize treble articulation and note separation, which helps individual notes in a fingerstyle pattern stay clear. Strummers usually favor dreadnoughts and jumbos, where the larger lower bout gives chords more volume and low-end resonance. Auditorium-sized guitars sit in between, so they’re a practical choice if you do both.

6-string vs. 12-string Acoustic Guitars

A 6-string is the standard for most players and covers nearly every genre. A 12-string pairs each string with a companion, with the bottom four pairs tuned in octaves and the top two in unison. The result is a shimmering, chorus-like sound that fills out a mix, either as the main focus of a song or as a supporting layer.

Is a 12-string Harder to Play?

Most 12-strings take more finger strength and more time to tune, and they tend to favor strumming over intricate fingerpicking.

Steel-string vs. Nylon-string Acoustic Guitars

Steel-string guitars are the standard for country, folk, rock, and Americana (just don’t tell Willie!). Nylon-string guitars, including classical and flamenco models, have wider fretboards and tend to sound warmer and softer, with less sustain and attack.

Why Nylon Strings Change the Build

The lower string tension of nylon strings allows different tonewoods, bracing, and construction techniques, and the strings are gentler on your fingertips.

Should You Get an Acoustic-electric Guitar?

If you plan to perform live or record direct, an acoustic-electric lets you plug into a PA or acoustic amp with less of the feedback that can come with miking an acoustic guitar.

What to Look for in an Acoustic-electric Guitar

Most systems use an under-saddle piezo pickup, a soundhole pickup, or an internal microphone, and some combine sources. Pay attention to the onboard preamp and EQ, since they shape your sound through a PA. The Taylor GS Mini-e is a compact example with built-in ES-B electronics.

Finding a Left-handed Acoustic Guitar

Left-handed acoustic guitars are less common than right-handed models, so the selection can feel limited. Sweetwater carries left-handed acoustic guitars, including a left-handed version of the Martin D-28 Standard Series.

Acoustic Guitars for Beginners and Beyond

Entry-level models such as the Yamaha FG800J give beginners a solid spruce top and a comfortable neck. Moving up in price generally brings more solid-wood construction, as on the Martin D-28 Standard Series, which pairs a solid spruce top with solid rosewood back and sides.

How Sweetwater Prepares Your Acoustic Guitar

All acoustic guitars from Sweetwater priced at $399 and above undergo our 55-point Inspection before they ship, and each one is photographed individually so that you can see the actual instrument you’re buying. That way, the guitar you choose arrives inspected and ready to play.